No one threatened mutiny when a pirate-themed Halloween party in Coral Springs turned midstream and sailed toward happily ever after.

Many of the 150 gathered at the home of ``Lady'' Sally Bloom and ``Captain'' Michael Rodriguez were in the dark about the true purpose of the spirited party. Then guest Fred Gonzalez, dressed as a scalawag, announced: ``Who will walk the plank? Who will it be?''

In seconds, Rodriguez, in braids, breeches and waistcoat, was captured by privateers and scoundrels. They led him, swords drawn, to a deck festooned with skull-and-crossbones over the family swimming hole.

Bloom was close behind, wearing black thigh-high boots and a mini red-and-black skirt perfect for serving grog in a 16th century tavern.

The couple did not walk the plank, but they surely took the plunge.

``We have come together to witness the partnering of Captain Michael Rodriguez and Lady Sally Bloom . . . and for free food and drinks,'' notary public Kathy Porter said.

The wedding ceremony came as a surprise to many at the party and ``about time'' to the bride and groom's respective families and longtime friends.

``I asked Mike in 1976 when we were stationed in Japan if he had anyone special back home; he said Sally,'' remembered the best man and pirate pal Bob Erdman during a toast to the couple. ``It's treasure when young love finds itself back again.''

GOING SEPARATE WAYS

Rodriguez said he and Bloom dated for only three weeks in 1976 while both were seniors at Wichita High School East in Kansas. The teen sweethearts broke up after Rodriguez joined the Marines and was shipped to Okinawa.

``I never stopped wondering about her. We had a special connection but it was not our time,'' Rodriguez said. ``We still had things to do, life to live, lessons to learn.''

Both married others, established careers, raised their children and in 1980 unknowingly ended up living in South Florida one mile apart. Another 26 years went by until the couple crossed paths.

In 2006, Rodriguez was divorced and Bloom was in the midst of a divorce when they separately showed up in Wichita for their 30th high school reunion.

``My son went home and there was Sally,'' said Mike's mother, Nancy Rodriguez.

RECONNECTING

Mike, a trucker, asked Sally, a school uniform company rep, on a date that night to see Pirates of the Caribbean. The rest is, of course, history.

Vows at the wedding were peppered with pirate references: Both promised to protect each other ``no matter who might board your ship and attempt to wrest (him/her) from you''; to make each other laugh ``when yer feelin' out of sorts''; and to ``pretend to listen to ye when ye babble on and on about nothin' in particular . . . until there are no horizons left and the rum is gone.''

Each answered, ``Aye.''

All in the motley crew that surrounded the poolside wedding were asked to bless and support the lord of the ship and his lovely lady.

All answered, ``Arrrr.''

The new Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez did not reveal where their honeymoon ship would venture. but Mike Rodriguez, in true pirate spirit, took the helm with confidence.

``Wherever the wind blows, wherever the sails take us, we'll go together,'' he said.

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