And then — ship ahoy Cap'*! — just like those proverbial buses, along came three at once.

As anyone who lives in Bangor, or indeed anywhere along the mouth of Belfast Lough knows, this is maritime season.

Every year around this time and without any forewarning they can be spotted gliding silently and gracefully into the bay for functions and festivals along the coast.

I may have lived by the sea for 'nigh on many-a-year', but it's still a sight I will never tire of. In fact, I think I must have been a salty sea dog in my past life, living the life of a ruffian on the open waves, such is my joy at the vision of a schooner or a creaking galleon preparing to drop anchor.

So, as you can imagine, to see a flotilla of three was a rare sight indeed and enough to get me near dancing a merry jig with delight.

They were heading for Belfast's Maritime Festival — a fledgeling event which is only in its third year but is proving nevertheless to be a great success with local landlubbers and seafaring folk alike. This year it was being held at Queen's Quay alongside the banks of the Odyssey and, of course, I had to be there.

In fact, I arranged my entire weekend around it.

Like typical teenagers, the kids weren't remotely interested and chose to stay home watching the football, so instead I brought my beau along.

"Stick with me baby, and I'll show you a good time!" I said ironically as we pulled up at the grimy Laganbank car park and stepped out into the torrential rain. But despite the tempestuous weather we had one of the best days out so far this year ...

First stop was the Lagan Boat Company, which is based alongside the giant fish statue at the Weir and was running special trips out to view the visiting vessels from close quarters.

While sea shanties played over the intercom (and we sang Fr*gging in the Rigging by the Sex Pistols incidentally) we took to the high seas on our maiden voyage aboard the MV Joyce Two. The round trip lasted 45 minutes and spanned the perimeter of Clarendon Dock, stopping briefly alongside each hull including The Jeannie Johnson from Ireland, and The Lord Nelson, Zubu and Vilma from Blighty as well as a whistle-stop tour of the Titanic slipway and Samson and Goliath.

Then, it was back to terra firma and a tour of the Continental market which spread across the forecourt of the adjacent Odyssey arena.

It was difficult to decide what to sample as there were so many different stalls offering every type of food and drink imagineable, from cockles and mussels alive-alive-oh to freshly griddled Belgian waffles dipped in molten chocolate.

But as soon as we smelt the aroma of wild boar roasting on a giant spit everything else was forgotten and we proceeded to make real hogs of ourselves, washing it all down with a flagon of finest grog.

In the background, buskers played traditional jigs while stilt-walkers and jugglers entertained the passing throngs.

For anyone who missed it, the festival is getting better and more impressive each year, but next year's is likely to be the biggest and best one ever.

Don't be booking any holidays for mid August 2009 as Belfast is hosting the Tall Ships Race which will involve an estimated 50 ships from all over the globe.

Shiver me timbers and avast ye me hearties! Get ye digital cameras at the ready for ships a-plenty they are a-coming, ooh-arrgh, ooh-arrgh!