Ahoy, Followers –
Welcome to the nineth and final meeting of Little Buc’s Buccaneer Book Club!
Students of all ages are superfans of my Buccaneer Book Club! So far, we’ve read:
Sammy The Seasick Pirate by Janelle Spinger-Willms
Shiver Me Letter: A Pirate ABC by June Sobel
Ten Little Pirates by Mike Brownlow & Simon Rickerty
The Grumpy Pirate by Corine Dema & Artemis Roehrig
The Treasure Of Pirate Frank by Mal Peet
Pirates Love Underpants by Corine Dema & Artemis Roehrig
How I Became A Pirate by Melinda Long & David Shannon
There Was An Old Pirate Who Swallowed A Map by Lucille Colandro.
If you missed any of these books, just click on Little Buc’s Adventures to the left. Scroll down until you see posts with the title, Little Buc’s Buccaneer Book Club.
Today, we’ll wrap things up with, Pete The Cat And The Treasure Map by James Dean.
As I usually do, I headed to the Bridge to begin my new book. Instead of getting comfortable in Captain Campbell’s chair, curling up under the sound-powered phone, or sitting up on the helm, I headed over to the port side of the Bridge and climbed up on the NAVTEX system. That’s where Captain Campbell and the crew on the deck receive navigational and weather-related warnings and forecasts. The system also shares other urgent marine safety information with ships at sea around the world.
Next, I headed to the Mess Deck where a cadet immediately became captivated by the story.
First Mate:
I thought that it was interesting that the First Mate on Captain Pete's pirate ship was a female named Callie.
Captain Campbell’s First Mate is also a female, Melissa Turner. The cadets call her Mate Turner. The First Mate is second in command aboard a vessel. Mate Turner would be able to assume full command of the TS Kennedy should Captain Campbell become sick or injured. Captain Campbell relies on the Mate Turner to supervise and coordinate day-to-day activities of the entire deck department.
Octopus:
A huge green octopus surfaced next to Captain Pete’s pirate ship.
The largest octopus in the world is the Giant Pacific Octopus. On average this species measures 17 feet in length and weighs of 150 to 175 pounds. Although there are no documented cases, scientists speculate that it could grow to 45-50 feet in length and weigh up to 1,000 pounds. Unlike the octopus that Captain Pete met, the color of the Giant Pacific Octopus ranges from pale gray to dark red.
There is no danger of the Giant Pacific Octopus surfacing near the TS Kennedy. It is found from the west coast of the United States to Japan.
When cadets return to Massachusetts next Sunday, they may run into a Common Octopus that measures 24-36 inches and has a natural lifespan of just 12-18 months.
Batten Down The Hatches:
As the storm picks up, Captain Pete shouts, “Batten down the hatches!” Back in the early 19th century, the captain would order the crew to batten down the hatches in anticipation of rough seas. During nice weather, the lattice hatch covers would allow light to shine into the deck below. To prevent rain or waves from entering during a storm, the crew would cover the hatches with canvas sheets. Wooden strips called battens would be used to fastened the canvas to the deck. The battens and canvas would keep the deck below dry until the weather improved.
Aboard the TS Kennedy, hatches on deck have levers, called dogs. The dogs keep the hatches secured in high waves and strong wind.
Okay, are you ready to hear Pete The Cat And The Treasure Map by James Dean? Let’s go!
How did you like it?
If you do any activities related to Pete The Cat And The Treasure Map, please share photos and work samples with me. The email may be sent to me at ftvsubmissions@maritime.edu.
Thanks for being a part of my Buccaneer Book Club!
Your favorite book-loving pirate,
Little Buc