I'm a landlubber.

A recent July 4th invite I received to the St. Croix called all "booze-swilling pirates" on deck to join in the festivities.

There are three things I know about my friends' annual yacht cruise:

1) I can't believe I know someone with a boat large enough to sleep on...Most of the time, I think a trolling motor is pretty high-tech.

2) Being on the water is a festive way to spend July 4th.

3) Last year, it was all I could do to keep my food down.

I have a whole new appreciation for Johnny Depp and the Pirates of the Caribbean cast.

Apparently, it isn't in my genes to go on lovely yacht excursions...I'm mostly Irish; I'm supposed to be farming potatoes, or something else on terra firma.

My friends can happily down gin and tonic with wide grins, overlook the shoreline and take in the rays; It's all I can do not to turn green - and that's without any booze-swilling involved.

I've noticed quite a few pirate-types in Candy Cove on July 4th in Prior Lake, so maybe I can get some pointers?

This year, this non-swilling piratess will down motion-sickness pills before the boat leaves shore.

We'll see how the voyage goes...