Hello, history fans, I'm Eris James. I'm Tom Crane and I'm Chris Skull. And we're the host of

Oh What a Time, the history podcast which tries to answer the question was the past as horrific as it seems.

Each week we tackle a brand new subject from life in Nelson's Navy to death in ancient Rome,

from maniacal monarchs to Soviet spies to the history of milk.

Yes, this is Oh What a Time, the podcast the Times newspaper described as very funny,

if less scholarly, then it's rivals. Probably fair. And we've got a real treat for you right now.

You're going to hear one of our favourite episodes. It's Life at Sea.

Yes, today I'm going to be talking about

life on a Viking longboat. Pretty tough, to be honest. I'm going to be talking about the history

of Welsh pirates. West Whalian pirates were world-class pirates, but it's hundred years ago,

so we can have a laugh about it. And no Life at Sea episode would be complete without

Mr Christian, sir!

A mutiny on the bounty, so I'll be taking you back there just to see how bad it got.

That's oh what a time available every Monday and Tuesday on One Dree

with two bonus episodes every month on One Dree Plus.

Here comes a life at sea. Enjoy!

At this height, 130 feet up, in a wind blowing 70 miles an hour, the noise was an unearthly scream.

The high whistle of the wind through the halyards, and above all the pale blue, illimitable sky, cold and serene,

made me deeply afraid and conscious of my insignificance.

As time passed, the ship possessed us completely. Our lives were given over to it.

A hundred times a day each one of us looked aloft at the towering pyramids of canvas,

the beautiful, deep curves of the leeches

...