July 11, 1:02 p.m. Click on images to enlarge.

The pirates' scary expressions quickly turned into big smiles as screaming kids and fans of all ages greeted their seafaring heroes at Alki Beach this afternoon.

I feared for my sketchbook as the pirates approached, but instead I got a warm welcome from Jerry Williams (above), who's been a Seafair pirate for 38 years. "That's what keeps me young," said the 71-year-old chaplain.

The landing kicked off Seafair's 60th year of summer fun and drew large crowds to West Seattle. From yachts to kayaks, boats jockeyed for a good position to see the tall ship Lady Washington exchange a round of cannon fire with the pirates' amphibian landing craft before she sailed away.

After setting foot on dry land, the Seafair pirates staged a battle with King Neptune (comedian Pat Cashman) and declared the summer celebrations begun. "We have the key to the city, let's have fun!" they yelled.

Left: Sketching Captain Davy Jones. "I don't do poses," he said. Photo by Steve Shay, courtesy of West Seattle Herald.