WHAT was LIFE LIKE on a PIRATE SHIP?

Beyond the glamorization of pirates rocking the ropes and sailing the Caribbean in search of hidden treasures, the reality of life on a pirate ship was somewhat less romantic and more likely to pose a health risk than a quick adventure to get rich. During the Golden Age of pirates, life was very different from what we enjoy today.
The pirate ships were huge - mainly old galleons that confiscated the Spanish, French or Portuguese navy, although there were many cases of expropriation of English ships.