Calypso~John Denver

 

John Denver wrote Calypso after the time that he spent with Jacques Cousteau and his crew.  With John Denver being an activist for nature he found the best nautical muse in Jacques Cousteau’s adventures and explorations of the mysterious sea.  Together they collaborated with poignant lyrics and a stimulating melody that stays with us on each of our own journeys.

Argyle, The Sheepish Pirate

             Argyle, the Sheepish Pirate, captain of his ship the Grey Gulls.  Argyle is a Scottish Ram whose family hails from the Fair Isles and who was once a commander in the British Royal Navy.  The ram went A.W.O.L. after a fierce sea battle in the Mediterranean where he lost his twin brother, Commander Alastair Arbuckle.  Argyle, now turned pirate, has spent the last five years looking for his brother, collecting a crew of outlaws, ruffian rouge fighters and misfits to join him on his journey.  Even though the captain is often persecuted and laughed at by all who believe his brother dead, Argyle keeps his eyes on the horizon and searching through out all the seven seas, trying to find any clue to help him find his missing brother.



Doctor Tabebe

                     

                 Doctor Tabebe is the oldest crew member of the ship, though no one knows how old he is, not even his nephew Yatzee.  An old goat from Greece, Tabebe brings a vast lost knowledge of medicine and history to the ship.  At times the doctor may seem a bit off his rocker and half crazed, every movement and action he does has a purpose, though at times you don’t always see it until the end.  Though he is one of the most trusted crew mates of the ship, the doctor also has a few secrets up his sleeves that will prove to be the missing puzzle piece on their sea faring journey.

Magdalena Mendoza

                      Magdalena “Maggie” Mendoza, a jindo dog, is the only female crew member and is the navigator of the ship.  Originally from Barcelona, Spain little is known about her past, and only her captain is aware of the truth behind her running away to join a pirate ship.   Magdalena is as nautical savvy as she is fierce. She knows the seven seas like the back of her paw and is cold as the Arctic Ocean, coining the nick name…the Ice Queen, though you would never call her that to her face. While Magdalena is at the helm she will bark orders that you better follow or you fall victim to this hell hounds bite.

Gerard, the fencing fugitive turtle from France

                   Here we have a sneak peek into chapter two with the character Gerard, the suave fencing fugitive turtle from France.  Years ago he was a master swords man in the French country side, that is, before dueling was outlawed.  One day he was set up to duel for the honor of a friend and he was caught red handed.  Gerard had to flee his beloved home land and take to the sea as a boatswain, the chief carpenter of the ship.  Now he fills his days sailing around the world and dueling when he can, but he never forgets his home.  Gerard hopes that one day he can find who set him up, clear his name and return home with honor. 

The Fair Isle

In chapter three Ryeland and Babette find themselves in the middle of a nautical adventure and make their way north of the Great Britain. On their journey north they see the Aurora Borealis in the night sky and meet a strange and mystical sage who lives at Sheep Rock.  Ryeland also makes his very first friend with a young Icelandic sheep names Zilla. Ryeland’s attitude starts to pick up and turn around on this adventure. He starts to think that maybe it wasn’t the worst thing in the world to be an accidental stow away on a pirate ship.   Here is an artist’s rendering of The Fair Isle which is an island in northern Scotland, lying around halfway between mainland Shetland and the Orkney Islands. It is famous for its bird observatory and a traditional style of knitting.