September 15, 2009

Pirate raid in Scotland!

Pieces of eight, shiver me timbers and pass round the grog – it seems that the pirate ship used in the Pirates of the Caribbean films has been raided in Scotland. Jack Sparrow must have on shore looking for a decent malt to top-up the grog supplies and the thieves must have been disappointed that Kiera Knightly was not on board.

Thieves targeted HMS Bounty while she was berthed at Custom House Quay in Greenock, Inverclyde, at about 0410 BST on Saturday.

A sum of cash between £50 and £100 was taken, along with several items of clothing with the Bounty’s insignia.

A survival suit, book, life ring and an American flag were also stolen. These were later recovered nearby. Maybe the nautical burglars were feeling suicidal if they did not want a survival suit.

Police have appealed for anyone with information about the theft to come forward. No mention of suspects with a wooden leg, dragging a small treasure chest behind them.

But in truth this is not much of a pirate ship. It turns out that the good ship HMS Bounty is in fact a replica of the original Bounty, famous for its ill-fated trip to Tahiti and the West Indies in 1789. So that’s the second time something illegal has happened on board – shiver me timbers.

A mutiny took place during the expedition, which saw Captain William Bligh and 18 crewmen set adrift. The replica was built in 1962 for the film Mutiny on the Bounty, starring Marlon Brando. This is a seriously famous ship for film-buffs then. Not to mention dodgy films.

Whilst resting the between roles, the ship has has since been used as The Edinburgh Trader in the final two Pirates of the Caribbean movies, which starred Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow…. And of course the fragrant Kiera Knightley. The ship was berthed in Greenock during a tour of several UK ports.

Not many good news stories coming out of Scotland at the moment it seems. Did anyone mention the football?