My pyrate crew recently invaded…erm…took an extended visit to Mexico Beach, Florida. Great times were had (with minimal aggressive negotiations), and while there, I managed to locate and seize what is now my favorite tunic…erm…t shirt.
Sidenote: I really am excited and in love with my Sea Dog t shirt, but I feel obligated to let you know that if you keep reading this Bootstrap Ginny plunder tale, you’re either going to want one for yourself or feel like I just inundated you with a Sea Dog infomercial. Maybe both.
I was plunderin’ for a new shirt with a pyrate flavor, and after plunderin’ for a bit one muggy morning just before a thunderstorm broke, I found it. Gaze upon this and tell me that it’s not top shelf plunder!!
Oh, and Sea Dog has many, many designs! So many and now I want them ALL:
Wearing my new booty has resulted in quite a few comments from admirers; and, it got me to wonderin’…is a Sea Dog really a peg legged Dalmatian? Do Sea Dogs really steal people’s beach wear and then run away while barking in delight?
Well, apparently, there are ocean dwelling sea dogs and then there are landlubber sea dogs.
First, you have your warm blooded and rather adorable sea dogs: seals. Elephant seals are the exception to the “adorable” description, but the rest of these critters are pretty darn cute:
Despite being the favorite meal of sharks and orcas, seals somehow always have a happy seal smile on their happy seal faces, (notable exception is when they are being hunted or eaten.)
Seals have been nicknamed “Sea Dogs” because of their pupper-like snouts, expressive eyes, and playful personalities. Folklore has them often interacting with sailors as protectors, helping lost fishermen, and sometimes shapeshifting into human form, (https://www.trvst.world/biodiversity/seal-facts/).
And then you have your human sea dogs: salty ole sailors. Salty Sea Dog Sailor title requires the following:
- 50+ years in age
- No less than half of their age spent on a ship
- Imbibing LOTS and LOTS of rum
(1-3 are totally my invention)
- Official Merriam-Webster dictionary definition: A Veteran sailor (that probably looks a lot like the picture of the old man with the pipe)
Arrr…and then you have Queen Elizabeth I’s “Sea Dogs”. Her beloved pryvateers (pyrates to everyone who wasn’t British at the time) brought much wealth, victory, and fame to jolly ole England. Elizabeth’s Sea Dogs included Sir Francis Drake, Sir John Hawkins, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Sir Richard Glenville. These fellows formed quite the exclusive club which included letters of marque from the queen herself and the queen’s love and affection (in a purely platonic sense, of course). These Sea Dogs were frequently rewarded with royal favor, royal pardons (when necessary), and most of them were knighted and thus became members of the ultracool aristocracy of England. Huzzah!!
You also have the occasional pyrate who had an actual “sea dog” like Ned Low. Yep, that crazy bastard, Ned Low, had a dog. Maybe several. On board his ship. If you want to know more about Ned’s pupper, go here: The Dog and Ned Low – Virginia Chandler
Finally, you have the modern sea dog who simply LOVES the water. Ocean, lake, pond, river, pool… the modern sea dog only cares that it’s WATER. H20, baby. These puppers love to swim, fetch, and generally go nutz in any body of water. (My puppers do NOT fall into this category, by the way. They don’t even like baths!)
And some just love watching the sunset while at the beach…(my puppers fall into this category).
So, let’s raise our mug to all of the Sea Dogs! Cute seals, old sailors, 17th century British pryvateers, and water-lovin’ puppers! Huzzah!
If you want to go and check out the t shirts that I mentioned, go here and do NOT blame me if you suddenly find yourself with a collection of brand-new t shirts!
Sea Dog | Shop the Original Store – Sea Dog Shop
Next time…Gunpowder Tattoos
Virginia Chandler 