SATURDAY: What to know about Seafair Pirates Landing 2023

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(WSB photo from last year)

West Seattle’s next big summer event will bring a crowd to Alki Beach on Saturday (July 8th) for the Seafair Pirates’ Landing. We’ve checked with a spokespirate to get details. Like last year – unlike pre-pandemic years – this will be “just” a landing, not a daylong festival. They’re aiming to arrive around 1 pm, but we’re warned it could be a little earlier, or later. As usual, you’ll hear offshore cannon fire as they approach. On the beach, look for the taped-off area by Alki Bathhouse for the path they’re expected to follow on arrival. On the street, you’ll see their legendary parade boat, the Moby Duck; their spokespirate says they’re also planning to visit Christo’s on Alki, El Chupacabra, and the Benbow Room while in West Seattle.

P.S. Two weeks after the landing, you are invited to breakfast with the Pirates at Brookdale Admiral Heights – 8:30 am Saturday, July 22nd, before the West Seattle Grand Parade – details in our calendar listing.

Mike July 6, 2023 (7:16 pm)

They traditionally get loaded at the Benbow.

Anne Bonny July 6, 2023 (9:56 pm)

We were looking forward to this until our pirate loving toddler daughter asked to see a photo of the Seafair pirates. “Can girls be pirates?” she asked, completely dismayed. Apparently not, according to Seafair?!! We were horrified.

Montanapup July 7, 2023 (1:03 am)

It’s an exclusive men’s only organization. Years ago I looked into it. Lengthy process and men nominate men. It’s all Kens. It’s not Seafair technically. Women need not apply. http://seafairpirates.org/candidate-apply-here/
susie July 7, 2023 (7:49 am)

@Anne Bonny, Tell your daughter she can be whatever she wants to be and once she’s old enough to apply, just keep on applying until she gets in!!!Like your “name” is this where you got it? 🏴‍☠️ https://www.history.com/news/5-notorious-female-pirates
- Grace O’Malley July 7, 2023 (6:54 pm)
  
  You, Susie, are invited to be Pirate Queen of my daughter’s new, gender inclusive, juice box swigging pirate clan. You will be paid in acrylic gems and we will write sea shanties about you and your clearly superior education.
  - susie July 7, 2023 (9:13 pm)
    
    @Grace…was what I commented mean or am I just misunderstanding yours? If mine sounded mean it wasn’t meant to.☮️
    - Grace O'Malley July 8, 2023 (4:17 am)
      
      Was genuinely complimenting your command of ‘herstory’! I totally think there should be a gender inclusive clan of toddler pirates. If you’ve spent any time with toddlers, they aren’t all that different from drunken marauders, to be honest…and they’ll obvs need a pirate queen. Girls are super into tiaras and such.
  - WS Res July 7, 2023 (9:23 pm)
    
    Grace, Anne, Mary, I feel like we have a mass of women pirate aficionados. Do we need to form a pirate group for women , femmes, and non-binary folks? I’ve got a great deal of gear in storage…
    - Elizabeth I July 8, 2023 (4:27 am)
      
      Aayyyeeee!
    - Crystal July 8, 2023 (6:33 pm)
      
      I would wholeheartedly jump in on this, the men have their own club, let’s get a club of awesome Pirate Wenches together and show them how it’s done!
lucy July 7, 2023 (8:21 am)

Good learning opportunity for your daughter. It’s OK for folks to have exclusive clubs and groups. It’s OK for you to create your OWN club or group if you want to do something similar. It is NOT OK to destroy a club or organization simply because you want to force your way in.
- WS Res July 7, 2023 (11:31 am)
  
  Lucy – nobody is “destroying” anything.
- Kristina July 7, 2023 (1:39 pm)
  
  I am curious as to why you think having female Seafair pirates would destroy the organization? I mean, yes, women are strong and powerful, but would this ol’ boys club crumble if a woman boarded their ship with an eyepatch and a striped shirt and yelled “arrrrrrr ye matey!” along with them? Are they so fragile?
- Cate July 7, 2023 (9:54 pm)
  
  Agreed
- Ly July 9, 2023 (5:05 pm)
  
  Little girl isn’t destroying anything. Get a grip Lucy.
WS Res July 7, 2023 (10:22 am)

Tell her there’s no women on the Seafair Pirates’ ship, but anybody can be a pirate, and one day she can have her own ship and let anyone on she wants!
DeadEnder July 7, 2023 (3:39 pm)

Nothing on the application form asks about gender. In the past they had ‘wenches’ that may have been consorts vs. Female pirate equivalents.Tell her to give it a go, once she is of age.
- Mary Read July 7, 2023 (8:17 pm)
  
  If Cheng I Sao were still with us, I feel certain her career advice would be not to settle for wench when you are more than capable of running the entire operation yourself.
flimflam July 8, 2023 (12:52 pm)

Respectfully, there are plenty of “women only” groups of all sorts – why is this so terrible or different? Maybe you can start your own brigade of women pirates?
flimflam July 8, 2023 (9:08 pm)

Anne, respectively, there are all sorts of women’s groups, clubs – why is it so awful if men do it?

Wes Cadl July 7, 2023 (6:35 am)

Only had negative experiences with them being totally drunk, coming into either The Chelan or Alki Beach Cafe before 9am, going table to table with their alcohol breath scaring little kids, making them cry. Such a WONDERFUL tradition…NOT AT ALL surprised to read, that women are not allowed. Great way to crush a little girl’s interest.Time for The Pirates to hang it up and sail quietly into the sunset…

Meeeee July 7, 2023 (7:02 am)

Never understood the love for these cosplaying misogynists.They wrap themselves in their charitable contributions yet still exclude females.

Ryan July 7, 2023 (12:08 pm)

Men need spaces to themselves too, just like women, and just like any group. Their charity is not discredited because they are exclusive.Grow up.

Belvidear July 7, 2023 (8:02 am)

Not to mention their history of objectifying and groping women. Google it. Still don’t get why this group is so beloved.

WS4life July 7, 2023 (8:19 am)

I know they have Sea Wenches…

Jeepney July 7, 2023 (9:48 am)

Sometimes I come here just for the comments, today is one of those days.

Baseball mom July 7, 2023 (9:54 am)

I wonder how many out-of-towners will hear the cannon fire at T-Mobile Park and freak out.

WSB July 7, 2023 (10:42 am)

Tomorrow’s event doesn’t start until 4 pm, so even if the sound carries that far, it’ll be long over by then. More likely passing ferry riders could be startled if the Bainbridge or Bremerton ferries happen to be passing ….

Anne July 7, 2023 (9:57 am)

For heavens sake people get a grip.

lucy July 7, 2023 (11:57 am)

I tended bar in Pioneer Square in the early 90s. The Pirates would come into the bars and along with the Navy boys, it would be utter chaos. Fun, crazy chaos. Women KNEW if they didn’t want to be objectified or playfully slung over a shoulder, to wait until the next week to go to Pioneer Square. Women dressed up as wenches and ENCOURAGED the guys. It was FUN and CRAZY. No one was raped or stabbed or shot, not in my bar and not that I can recall. The Pirates were good tippers, and while they and the Navy guys were hammered, it was all in good fun.

Belvidear July 7, 2023 (10:30 pm)

Ew.

Jort July 7, 2023 (2:20 pm)

This again.

SB July 7, 2023 (7:37 pm)

Do spectators dress up as pirates as well. Asking for a friend 😁

WSB July 7, 2023 (8:15 pm)

Often.

YES2WS July 7, 2023 (11:06 pm)

Blech. Disgusting.

Diane July 8, 2023 (11:52 am)

Love the Seafair Pirates!!!

Scarlett July 8, 2023 (1:14 pm)

The so-called “elites” have you all exactly where they want you – squabbling with each other over cosplaying pirates while they engage in the real plundering.