Nearly 25 pirates walked the plank usually reserved for Elliott Bay Taxi passengers Saturday, July 5h. They leaped onto a World War II landing craft that transported them, and about a dozen soldiers and a few lucky kids to the taped-off landing area near the Alki Bath House, about two miles north. Also on board was Captain Sig Hansen of the Northwestern crew from the Deadliest Catch TV show. Sig was sharing fishing stories with "Bones," "Fingers," "Sparrow," "Barnacle," Ahab," and other passengers, including Jerry Leupold, the president of the Seafair Pirates. Mark Jensen, Seafair spokesman was organizing the landing from ashore.

The craft first headed across the bay toured downtown Seattle, cruised along side a huge luxury liner, and then headed to the beach, landing an hour later, at about noon. Like a magnet the boat attracted several stragglers, pleasure boaters whose crews waved to the colorfully dressed outlaws wearing nasty grimaces, scraggly beards, and pirate-aphernalia while screaming "AARRGG!"

The pirates returned the nautical communication with their own brand of skullduggery, blasting their three cannons. Boom! Three times they broke out into traditional pirate songs.

Also part of the Seafair Pirate annual tradition, during the boat ride they gathered in a tight cluster for a private service to pay their respects to former pirate-members who have passed away.

Like sheep in lion's clothes, their crusty exterior may obscure the fact that they devote much time fundraising for children's charities and other causes.

When they finally landed, they needed only to step in about knee deep of water.

This was the Seattle Seafair Pirates' 59th landing. In years past a sandbar could force a landing further from shore and the pirates would have to wade up to their necks to reach dry land.