Russian pirate ship spotted in Swanage Bay

This ship, flying both the Russian flag and the skull and crossbones, is moored at Swanage pier.

This scene is all too reminiscent of the Pirate Jenny song in Brecht/Weill's Threepenny Opera.  Look carefully ... it has eight sails, exactly as in the song ... so be afraid, be very afraid.


The official explanation is that this is the Jolly Roger, and that ITV are using it in filming a new version of Peter Pan, to be shown on Boxing Day.  But who in his right mind would believe that?

Some keen photographers may notice that parts of Swanage's old stone pier appear in the foreground of this photo.


STOP PRESS: 5 May 2015.  According to the main front page article on our peerless free local newspaper, a man looking at this ship remarked:"It isn't very often that you see a pirate ship on your holidays is it?"  The irony is that, had he gone to Poole on last Friday he would have seen another, remarkably similar ship.

So what would he have said about that?