For only $5, guests can step back in time to a world of swabbing the decks, hoisting the sails and sailing the seven seas.
The HMS Bounty, a replica of the original Bounty, is docked on the south side of The St. Petersburg Pier, offering onboard tours Wednesday thru Saturday every half hour from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Originally constructed in 1960 for the film, “Mutiny on the Bounty,” the ship was later used as the Flying Dutchman, in “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.”
The tour began at the historical helm of the ship, which had been used in 1935 for Clark Gable’s version of “The Mutiny on the Bounty,” and later purchased by MGM Studios to be used other films such as “Treasure Island” – starring Charlton Heston – and Monty Python’s “Yellow Beard.”
Visitors are then given a unique opportunity to explore beneath the decks of the ship, where pictures of the various movie stars who have worked onboard can be seen. Artwork of scenes from Pitcairn Island, where the mutineers were finally able to seek shelter with their families, and images of the infamous Captain Bligh and mutineer leader Fletcher Christian adorn the walls inside.
The tour then led guests to the captain’s study, a room that on the original Bounty had been turned into a greenhouse to preserve breadfruit the crew had picked up from Tahiti.
Visitors were offered a peek at the officers’ cabins, consisting of a bunk and chest of drawers stuffed into a tiny space. Some cabins forced two officers into the same room, with nothing but a narrow chest of drawers crammed between the two beds.
Next, guests were marched to the front portion of the ship, where the galley and sleep area for the remaining crew would sleep in hammocks, in an area known simply as “below deck.” The room featured long wooden tables which were able to be folded up for more space, while also playing a part in maintaining the balance of the ship.
“It’s actually a really nice, gentle ride most of the time,” Rebecca Twombly, a crew member of the HMS Bounty, and leader of the tour, said. “I’ve been in 20-25 foot seas in this thing. She does a nice, even roll.”
This modern-day Bounty replica, the tour guide explained, can be sailed normally, but also features an auxiliary engine used only when sailing would be considered dangerous or otherwise impossible. She also mentioned that the ship is equipped with a modern kitchen and restrooms for use by the crew.
Toward the end of the tour, Twombly described how the Bounty crew had decided to name each of the four cannons onboard after the four actors who had once played Christian on film: Flynn, Gable, Brando and Gibson.
The original Bounty, a merchant ship built in 1787 by the British, was sent on the nearly impossible mission of sailing to Tahiti to collect breadfruit, and having to carry it to the West Indies for trade purposes before returning to England. After a 10 month voyage, the ship finally reached its destination, where the crew was able to explore the island paradise and mingle with the natives.
After five months of staying on the island, Bligh ordered the men to sail, forcing most of them to leave their new wives and children behind. Suffering from humiliation and abuse by the Captain, Christian rallied the other upset crew members, gathered the necessary weapons and took control of the ship. Those siding with Bligh were set afloat in a smaller boat while the mutineers took the Bounty with them back to Tahiti to pick up their families, before settling on the nearby, deserted Pitcairn Island.
The original Bounty was eventually burned by the mutineers, who managed to remain undiscovered for 18 years. So far, only the anchor and other small pieces have been recovered, while descendants of the mutineers still live on Pitcairn Island today.
The Pier has been the Bounty’s home away from home, a place to rest and repair after sailing around the world for tours and filming on location.
“We like to come here for the winter,” Twombly said. “It’s warm enough to get some work done.”
According to Twombly, the ship should be staying in port until March or possibly until early April.
“This business is all spur of the moment,” Twombly said. “Everything changes, and you can never guarantee anything anyway.”
Twombly became involved with the HMS Bounty about five years ago when she chose to give up her job as an elementary school teacher and join her sister onboard the ship.
“I decided I was being silly and I could always go back to teaching,” Twombly said, adding that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity she was unable to resist. “It worked out. I found my husband,” she said, since he had been the Bounty’s engineer at the time.
Coincidently, she said, her sister had met her own husband onboard the Bounty.
“We call it ‘The Love Boat,’” Twombly said, adding that four other married couples she knew had also met as a result of working on the ship.
Mr. and Mrs. Ball visited St. Petersburg all the way from Columbus, Ohio, stopping at The Pier for a tour of the ship before continuing on their trip around the city.
“I liked it; it was pretty good,” Gwen Ball said, mentioning how historic the ship was, since movie stars from Marlon Brando to Johnny Depp had been onboard. “It was bigger underneath than we thought.”
“I liked it, too,” Gary Ball said. “I was just a little confused about how it was sponsored. It would take a lot of money.”
Twombly described the camaraderie of the crew members and travel opportunities as perks of working onboard the ship. She said she also appreciated the hands-on working aspect that comes along with the experience.
“There are so many things onboard you don’t get to learn in real life,” Twombly said. “I’ve spent five years on the boat and I’m still learning.”
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