How did a Spanish ship out to remap the Mediterranean get lost?

A Spanish ship tasked with updating nautical maps in the Mediterranean Sea near Ibiza got lost the other day. The captain called the crew together to give them the bad news. He blamed the navigator.

“Ladies and gentleman,” he said. “I am sorry to report we are lost. Manuel was below decks gambling with the kitchen staff and not at his post. As a result, we drifted off course. Manuel must now walk the plank.”

A splash is heard as Manuel is shoved into the sea.

“And I should also share we somehow entered into a time warp and are now in the year 1650. We are working hard to undo this, but you should be aware that in 1650 , piracy was rampant in these waters. We need to be on high alert.”

The crew gasped in shock and disbelief. This was the kind of news that could make or break them. They had been looking forward to a peaceful mission, but now they were in the middle of a dangerous time period. It was time to pull their socks up and get prepared for whatever came their way.

The captain called for an emergency meeting and laid out a plan. They would split into two groups – one would continue with the mapping work, while the other would take care of defense and lookout duties.

As the crew went about their tasks, they kept a close eye on the horizon, waiting for any signs of trouble. They had to be on their guard at all times, as they knew that pirates could appear out of nowhere.

Days turned into weeks, and the ship made good progress with its mapping work. But the crew was on edge, constantly scanning the waters for any signs of danger.

One night,they woke to the sounds of a sudden hail storm. Large hail stones peppered the ship. The noise and low clouds allowed a pirate ship to slip close and unleash a fusillade of cannon balls.

“Man your stations!” the captain bellowed as sirens blared and flashing lights filled the deck. The crew scrambled to their positions, grabbing weapons and loading cannons as quickly as they could. The pirate ship was closing in fast, and the crew braced themselves for a fierce battle.

As the two ships collided, the crew engaged in a vicious fight. Swords clashed, guns rang out, and blood spilled as the two crews battled for supremacy. The Spanish ship was outnumbered, but they fought with fierce determination and skill.

The battle raged on for what felt like hours, and the crew was exhausted. But finally, they emerged victorious, the pirate ship defeated and sinking into the sea.

As they caught their breath and tended to their wounds, the crew realized that they had just survived their first encounter with pirates. It was a sobering reminder of the danger that lurked at every turn during their mission.

But despite the danger, the crew knew they had a job to do. One young ensign piped up, “Sir, I think we can use our sonar to update the maps by using sunken ships as our locators. In 1650, these ships have been at the bottom of the sea for only a few weeks. Then we can return to our time period victorious.” The captain nodded in approval. “Good thinking, ensign. We’ll start immediately.”

The crew set to work, utilizing their sonar to locate the sunken pirate ship and any other wrecks in the area. It was a tedious process, but they were making progress.

As they worked, the captain couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride in his crew. They had faced danger head-on, and they had come out on top. It was a testament to their strength and bravery.

But their victory was short-lived. As they continued their mapping work, they came across another pirate ship, this one even larger and more heavily armed than the last.

The crew braced themselves for another battle, but this time, they were outnumbered and outgunned. The pirate ship fired a barrage of cannonballs, leaving the Spanish ship crippled and sinking.

The crew scrambled to launch the lifeboats and abandon ship as the sea water and sky began to blend in a swirl of matter. “Woaaaaaahhhhhh,” the captain called as the ship was tossed in a huge spin.

The ship emerged back in present day on a calm sea. Several crew members who were gambling with Manuel came up from below decks. “What’s going on,” Sebastian said.

“You are going, son, to the brig,” the captain said.