Stephen ‘Keelhauler’ Cowan spent a great deal of time dreaming of being a dashing pirate.
At Ye Olde Ardrossan Pirate Academy (YOAPA) his interest in the usual pirate classes, such as navigation, weather forecasting, geography, mutiny, marooning and walking the plank was minimal. He only brightened up and became fully awake in keelhauling classes.
Keelhauling became ‘The Keelhauler’s’ favourite subject. He attained top of the
range A-
Below he is pictured in 3rd year (1678) at YOAPA. To the left he is shown later in his pirate career (1688) as the dashing and daring Captain Keelhauler of the fearsome ‘Bombardier’pirate ship.
Ironically, the Keelhauler came to a gruesome end by being keelhauled himself. He slipped on an oily fish skin lying on the deck near the bow and fell overboard. The ‘Bombardier’ then ran over him. He was then squished between the ship’s keel and a large, very rough coral reef.
