THE wench

Greetings Me lord Capt Sterling, In me haste I fergot to add the link www.pirategathering.com although if ye google it (St Augustine Pirate Gathering)we are right there at the top... My link Unfortunately we cannot camp on the fort grounds but if ye turn yer accommodations just right ye can ponder it from yer front door...bayfront is really cool as well with plenty of boats...there is a road between us and the fort and landlubbers rubbernecking...no shooting the tourists though...! The area is grassy and right downtown so as to make carousing real easy...Historical Camping is also open for the Friday for schools and public with Nautical demonstrations and much black powder firing....Set up can be as early as Thursday 11th...breakdown as late as Monday 15th.... Now if ye be taking a flying Bird Jacksonville is 1 hr away (some pick up can be arranged) Orlando is 3 hrs away and south....So if ye cant bring canvas.... Left. Johnson is our Historical Camp Host (Searles raid/ Drakes Raid) through Historical Florida Militia can arrange some canvas....Muskets/pistols have to fly in a locked box on the bird but we have Conrad of the Pirate Haus who may accept packages from UPS and Fed/Ex......but we have plenty of cannons and pikes...... The Battle is after the Pirate Boat Parade (11.00am) at approx 12.30 Saturday downtown at the City Gates....Militia may kill the survivors of the battle this year..... Francis field is three blocks from the Historical Camping and a nice walk excepting for all the people wanting ye picture....and we have another Cannon range set up there to do muskets and cannons.....We go through a lot of powder on this weekend...... Participation is $30.00 before Oct 31st...$35 after...includes the bash/battles/ parades/crawls/music/and one full breakfast and continental breakfast as well....firewood supplied/ice available....Event listing is being added to as the music is booked..."Rusty Cutlass" will be there Sat Afternoon... We also give three letters of Marque from our own St Augustine Royal Family....this page is being built and will be up on the site soon...We Gave out four last year..... Also the Pirate Soul Museum is planning the opening of their new location across from the Fort that weekend to tie in with us...so there will be some specials coming for that.... Keep a weather eye on the web page as we add more and Thank ye fer yer inquiry.. we would be honored for the presence of ye group..... www.pirategathering.com Regards to ye me lord from THE wench Event Co-ordinator and Elder of Ancient City Privateers Inc. a 501© 3

I would like to invite all to visit us here in St Augustine Florida for the St Augustine Pirate Gathering this November. If you haven't been to this Historical hamlet before allow us to give you a glimpse of the oldest continually lived in city in North America. It is because of the enduring work of re-enacting groups based in this town (Men of Menedez, Garrison, Men/women of Ponce De Leon, Ancient City Privateers with Crew of the Black Heart and not forgetting the brilliant crews of British Nightwatch) that we are able to do our live battles downtown amongst the backdrop of buildings footprinted in the late 1500 and early 1600's......450 years of history 300+ under the shadow of the Castillo De San Marcos This Fort was a defense system against future attacks by Pirates preying along the Eastern Coast. (see Searles Raid and Drakes Raid) Although Piracy in this town cannot boast (or wont) famous characters it was still supplied and well traded with by privateers and this helped keep it alive during it's lean years....Just wait until you walk through the town late at night down some of the "People only passageways". If you listen hard the history whispers to you and because of your garb and accouterments you can really stop the hearts of some of the "Ghost Hunters" Historical Camping is Downtown with the Fort as a backdrop in the secluded De Mesa Yard right on the Bayfront. Participant fees include Buccaneer Bash/dinner...Pub Crawl and Battle and Parade and lots of music and fun.....Please visit our web site often as we keep adding more to this weekend in our beautiful town.

Hi there Capt......Here's how I do it ... 1. Mark pocket placement 2 Cut fabric pocket either way (three hoops or two or flap) sew three seams leaving the top open..iron and turn 1/2 inch seam allows good seating so you dont have to top stitch 3. cut two pieces of muslim 1/2 inch bigger than you want the finished pocket 4. place one piece of muslim on top of your chalked pocket line and the other on the bottom of your chalked line..leave at least a 1/2 inch gap...this gap can be smaller but it is the "Grip seam for the inside pocket) 5. sew top above line ...sew bottom muslim beneath line 6. cut along chalk line this should leave a 1/4 inch seam top and bottom Iron seams well 7. turn both pieces to the inside of the coat and pull them together along the side seams fiddle until the front looks tidy 8 sew sides and bottom 9. hand or machine sew top "Show" flap turning top seam inside itself..(or you can make the complete pocket already turned inside top seam before you put it on the finished coat THE wench

Pat Croche (I hope I spelt that right) Came to St Augustine to speak for the Passport Series.This is a series of lectures to get the public ready for the 450th celebebration startin in 2013-2015..I guess he fell in love with this great building right opposite fhe fort Castillo San Marcos (sic) and here he is...With the blessing of the the city to boot...Took us at the Pirate gathering many years to convince the City that Pirates are not all bad guys. The historical section for this years gathering is getting pretty strong right now with lots of support...He plans to tie the opening with this years "Pirate Gathering" in St Augustine and we should have plenty of tickets included or discounted for this opening.......<br>This years web site is still being added to...but you can all take a look if you like www.pirategathering.com<br>

Hey Great job Mate..Funny and entertaining..Was interesting to see how others view us...Thankyou!!!! I'm going to share your link with the rest of the Crew from Ancient City Privateers..By the way it was Chris Clark who was fighting with Carlos and the chick that you called mellissa with the Giggle going in her shawl during the fight is Latina...Also the Women of the Spanish section roll the public lines out and keep the public entertained explaining what is going on nd stay ahead of the battle to keep the public safe..Dont get many Acalides for it but it's the reason why we can do this great live Battle stuff downtown.... Cant wait to read more of your adventures...... THE wench

Wow This is some really exciting four page rading whoops reading...and the plot thickens!!! So who's holding their breath?.....I'm sure eveything will be just fine:huh:

Our numbers are 22/23..also #17 is Georgia Rose and #26 is Fergus Hardwood out of The Atlanta Pirates and Wenches Guild

Erasmia Brewer....Hi there..Such is a real name Scott is My Husband...THE wench and Bad Dog...We Are a little to quiet I guess..and yes we post occasionally...Ancient City Privateers is the group we belong too..We dont have a Captain but we have elders..Scott and I are one of the Two Pairs of Elders as well as running the St Augustine Pirate Gathering with the crew....

Thankyou very much for your great Baltimore hospitality...Ancient City Privateers (Bad Dog, THE wench, Carrie, Black Jim, Lady Red, Capt Jason and Vice Mayor of St Augustine Errol Jones) had a great time and was well worth the drive...Food was brilliant on Friday night too...Hope to see some of you for the Pirate Gathering in St Augustine in November where we can return the hospitality...We are still able to wear our weapons (so far as nobody has been stupid yet) but in this town the Garrison walks around fully loaded hoping to nail a quota of Pirates...Fortunately we have many letters of Marque.....Thank you again Great Show.....

BRILLIANTLY DONE PIRATES OF KEY WEST.....GREAT SIDE BARS BY THOSE FROM THE NORTH... I TOO THINK THE RUM BREAKS SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE PLENTIFUL BUT THE THE WHOLE SHOOTING THE COOK THING WAS WELL DONE...HEY WAS THAT STUFF LOADED?...FOOD LOOKED GREAT AND WE HAD A LOT OF FUN WATCHING YOU GUYS GOOF AROUND (?)..SCARLETT SHOULDN"T BE GIVEN KNIVES XCEPTING WHEN SHE'S MAD!!!!.....EVERY ONE DID GREAT!!!! Much giggling from St Augustine.........

Hi There everybody..Great Pics!!!! thank you all for coming to this quaint little town with a battle/pirate problem...Fortunately it appears to be fixed again for this year..Hope to see you for the Pirate Gathering this year in November.....Thanks for the great company and stories...Regards to you all from THE wench

I am interested in the Blankets..How much?...Got a Pic...?

Hi There...I will answer as I too am in St Augustine and attend Searles along with the rest of the Motley Crewe.....As part of the Krewe we can organize a ride for you from JAX to St Aug...Camping is possible there at the site usually from Thursday on..Failing that I think we can find somewhere for yu to stay with little or no expenditure....There is great place downtown called the Pirate Haus that is run by one of our more colorful locals..He's online and his acomadations are Very resonably priced......

Mad Dog....Totally Brilliant Pictures......Enjoyed your company..See ya again soon......THE wench

Hi there Joe Pyrate, We have succeeded at least partially,...they have allowed us this year the run of downtown..Yeh there will be some running about playing..however I think from the personal responses we will have a good showing to teach for the Friday as well...Come on down if you can...Go0od Bands....Rusty Cutlass is one and good food for the Buckaneer bash Saturday night... Thankyou for your thoughtful insight THE wench

Hello to all from THE wench here in St Augustine, There have been many questions of legitimacy regarding the visitation of Privateers on the shores of St Augustine since it was first founded and settled in 1565 by Don Pedro Menendez. Two of the largest and most popular re-enactments celebrate (?) The raids of Sir Francis Drake 1586 and Robert Searles 1668. (Privateers or Pirates?) Privateering is a license granted usually under provisions of war and aimed at the current enemy or enemies, this license expires however if the parties concerned reach an agreement (or kill each other on battlefield ) the privateers therefore become unemployed, often unknowingly, and thus while continuing assumed employment transverse into the grounds so termed as "Pirate". The Spanish Main was a temptation for any unemployed privateer and the draw to transverse waters south of home ports. However many of the lessor famous pirates never saw one of these splendid over-burdened galleons and instead preyed on simple traders and the occasional fishing boat. While the first settlement of St Augustine (1565) was primitive yet loaded with Military might, it was also assisted by the Native Americans (Timucuin). The Colony was dependent on the supplies of a very distant Mother Land and her equally distant colonies in the West Indies and would have starved if the visiting "purloiners of excess baggage" hadn't arrived to trade valuable but inedible goods for edible ones so desperately needed by this struggling colony. St Augustine is home to one of the best re-enacting communities in North America she has a rare era span from the first Spanish Period (1565-1763) to the English settlement of (1763-1784) second Spanish period (1784-1821) then the US territory 1821 to the present. This affords many opportunities for Living History portrayals. The Fort, (built after the brutal raid by Robert Searles 1668) to defend the Spanish route home ) Castillo De San Marcos is home to one of this nations leading Cannon schools and is consistently maintained by fully attired living history interpreters. Events that define the 444 years of this cities history are portrayed annually by groups of equally dedicated living History persons. Privateers are the new-comers to this and they defend their place enthusiastically despite criticism and uninformed questions of legitimacy. Enter the 2nd annual Pirate Gathering (November 13th-15th) where the historical quarter of Downtown St Augustine is filled with Pirates and Privateers. Historical Demonstrations of Naval "Arts" and life are prevalent in the Quarter itself while fun and frivolities abound in the nearby Francis Field. While some of the re-enactors will cross over to this era some are stridently against it and we are looking for more demonstrators and historical persons to help us tell our story. Please view our web site www.pirategathering.com and note that we are a charity group raising money for maritime scholarships and we have an accredited School Day on the Friday. Please contact us if you are able to join us. I should add a postscript here that as the colony of St Augustine grew, dependence lessened as the beef ( jerky or salted) and fruits (dried and preserved and vegetables (often the "three sisters" introduced by the Natives corn, squash and beans) became trading goods to those who stopped by in search of fresh water and edible supplies for the burgeoning crews they carried....Privateers and Pirates traded back things like silks, linens, household and religious goods and some silver....Full Circle eh?......