I went for a paddle around Shelter Island in San Diego Bay on my stand up board the other day, and was almost back home when I noticed a really interesting boat. It was a 65′ long black boat that looked like a pirate ship, cannons and all. I cruised over for a closer look, and was quickly invited on board to warm up my feet and have a cocktail. What the hell, why not?
I ended up hanging out with the crew of the Buccaneer for hours. They were stopped in San Diego on their way to Costa Rica, where they were going to be using the boat for day charters and snorkel trips. The captain of this crew is Dan Catalano, who is an absolute character. This guy is a real life pirate. He has no intentions of coming back to the USA after this trip. Dan used to be a model and was, for a time, the Marlborough Man.
Dan Catalano, Captain of the Buccaneer
A few hours later, I decided it was time for me to get home, just a short paddle away. The pirates on the Buccaneer had got me so drunk I fell off my board three times before I got back to the beach near my house. The whole way everyone on the boat, who by this time were all wearing pirate outfits, cheered me on.
The next day, I stopped by to say hi and to make sure I hadn’t imagined the whole encounter. Everyone on the boat was waiting for someone to show up to teach them how to fire their cannons. The boat was gone a few days later, and I have no doubt that they are now somewhere off of Baja, firing cannons and partying their way to Costa Rica.
You can see more pictures of the Buccaneer at their website, http://www.buccaneeradventures.net
