Black Widow, first mate of the fearsome Black Diamond Pirates, finally met a worthy adversary Sunday.

“She cut my arm off!” Widow – also known as Robbin Emery of Elma – wailed in mock pain as 7-year-old Erika Laughlin of Vancouver, Wash., jabbed her with a wooden rapier.

“Be nice,” Erika’s father, Tim, admonished as his daughter unleashed another aggressive volley.

The swordfighting match, called “Fight a Pirate,” was one of the most popular activities at Captain Kidd’s Cove, where an abundance of buccaneers put on a 90-minute “Pirate School” for young prospective seafarers attending Tall Ships Tacoma.

A TROVE OF ENTERTAINMENT

Children and adults alike received eye patches, paper pirate hats and temporary tattoos, the first two of which were long gone in the first two hours.

The relaxed, game-intensive atmosphere provided some welcome respite for families trekking to see the tall ships.

“There’s so much to do,” said Tacoma’s Connie Reitzug, who accompanied her grandson Ryan, 7, and her granddaughter Elsa, 6. “The wait for the larger ships was an hour and a half, and that’s a long time for kids to stand.”

The nonprofit Black Diamond Pirates are “the finest crew to ever pillage a village,” according to their business card (yes, pirates have business cards).

The group, which has 25 to 30 members from the Puget Sound area, provides black powder displays, “live steel” demonstrations (sword-fighting to the rest of us) and other entertainment free of charge to the public.

Kathy “Sandy Bottom” Silverman of Port Orchard relishes storytelling, reading from the books “How I Became a Pirate” and its sequel, “Pirates Don’t Change Diapers,” to an attentive audience sitting on stacks of hay.

“They like hearing the stories and getting a bit of history, as well,” Silverman said.

Erika Laughlin learned at least one new word: “I liked saying, ‘scurvy’ and ‘arr!’”

Of course, the children get the squeaky-clean version of piracy – no mention of rum, disease or flogging here. The closest kids get to handling weaponry is the bright yellow foam bats and wooden rapiers used in the faux sword-fighting.

Bellevue’s Deborah Fisher, assistant director of Seattle-based Pirates of Puget Sound, explained the appeal of pirates for adults and children alike: “They see us as heroic figures. You’re larger than life – it’s fun to interact with them.”

SOME ROUGH WATERS

However, pirate-playing isn’t all fun and games, said Shelton’s Nena Boyer, who coordinates events and public relations for the Black Diamond Pirates.

Unlike many other groups, the Black Diamond Pirates are licensed and insured, with a $500,000 policy.

“You just have to cover your bases,” Boyer said. “Being a pirate is very time-consuming.”

It can also be expensive: Costumes, travel costs and gasoline prices can all add up easily.

“We all have day jobs,” Fisher said, laughing.

To get by, Boyer’s crew barters with companies.

“We’ll advertise for you, and you feed us” in return, she said, adding that sometimes, the group performs on boats in exchange for sleeping there.

“It works out very nicely.”

Joyce Chen: 253-597-8633

Pirate school

The last session will begin at 10 a.m. today in Captain Kidd’s Cove in the Trade Winds Village near the 11th Street Bridge. Clothes Make the (Sea)man:

Costume designers Jonnalyhn Hall of Tacoma and Molly Boone of Kent offer sartorial advice for would-be pirates:

 • Vintage shops are your best bet for cheap jewelry and ruffled poet blouses. Scarves can be made out of scrap fabric.

 • To create bloomers, take roomy silk pajama pants, cut off the ends and cinch with elastic.

 • Don’t try to wear weaponry. “I’ve seen too many people walk around with swords on their belts and whack someone as they turn,” Boone said.

 • Women should pass on corsets, unless they know what they’re in for, Boone said. “It can become a very uncomfortable experience very quickly.”

Joyce Chen, The News Tribune