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The Mercury, 1720 Careening Camp


William Brand

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Last year when I flew to PiP, I had a seabag and a weapons bag (for my cutlass, knife and other sharp objects) as checked lugage, and a haversack so I could carry my smaller items (a pen and ink, Pyrate Journal, a tankard and a candle lantern that was made to fit inside of the tankard)

If I decide to make a sea chest, I might have to ship it to the Fort... I think a packed sea chest would weigh more than 50 lbs, and it would be a royal pain to get from the airport (on the bus) and then the rest of the way out to the Fort.... Also, even if it was strongly constructed (as they were in period) I still think the airline baggage handlers could do a good job of breaking it....(I always get an image of the old Samsonite commercial of the gorilla going through my head when I think of baggage handelers)

So I'm still thinking about it........

Remember if you are flying, ALWAYS carry a couple of pictures of you in your garb

I fly in garb.... ;)

Going through Security is always a lot of fun..... Last year, I thought I had it all figured out.... I put my shoes, coat and waistcoat (all those metal buttons) into one tub, and the haversack...opened with the bottle of ink sealed inside a baggie just like the TSA site says to do.... I also opened the spyglass, so they could see what it is... ( I learned that from two years ago)

BUT.... My name is on one of thier list.... I think it's from discussing how to fly with weapons (you can, but they MUST be declaired, noted that they are unloaded and checked in... all the info is avalible on the TSA site....)

SO... they ran me through the chemical sniffer....

It's no big deal, it's my jacket that went through the x-ray scanner that has any residue that might have shown up.....

But what bugs me, is that they knocked over the second tub of my stuff, and started to put it into someone elses tub.... The stupid system is not secure for your stuff.....

I'm thinking of writting the TSA, and sujesting that when they scan/search someone, they keep that persons items and that person together.... Not leave my stuff out where anyone can grab it and walk away with it, as they are searching me......

My off topic gripe.... Why the heck don't they have smoking areas inside the security check point ? Seal off an area, poke a hole throught the roof and install a fan (the little bit of cigarette smoke will be hardly noticeable combined with all the jet's exaust.......) As it is right now... I go through Security.... get to Dallas (Charlote... whereever), and have an hour and a half untill my next flight.... I wanna smoke.... so I have to go out throught Security, go outside and have a cigarette..... then I have to go back through Security again....

OH WELL.... back to happy PiP stuff...........

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Last year when I flew to PiP, I had a seabag and a weapons bag ....

I almost hate to ask, but I think it would be useful for the folks who have not camped at pip to know all of what you packed, including size and weight. Same Question to Silkie and anyone else who flew and camped?

Even though I have not camped I'll start

Linen shirt rolls up about like a sweater 13oz

Wool Waistcoat "silk" lined rolls up about like a tee shirt 9oz

canvas breeches rolls up about like a tee shirt 19oz

3 pair cotton knee socks rolls up about like a tee shirt 6oz

4 silk bandannas and sash rolls up about like a tee shirt 8oz

cutlass and baldrick 33" long 56 oz

dagger and sheath 16" long 19 oz

possibles bag 12 oz

shoes 22oz

fake pistol 15" long 18oz

sun block 2oz

other personal items 16oz

(toiletries etc.)

extra civies 4 days 40oz

TOTAL 1 large duffel not full 15lbs or so

but I pack kinda light and wasn't camping. I know I need at least one more shirt and one more pair of socks, but what else, what will it weigh and how big will it be??

Note This is meant for folks who are flying in. Those coming by mule train have no cares about such things! :lol:

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I think a packed sea chest would weigh more than 50 lbs,

How big of a chest were you thinking about taking?

As long as it wasn't too big the airline would probably put in one of those plastic crates, like they do for backbacks.

-CS

As we say in Ireland let's drink until the alcohol in our system destroys our liver and kills us.

guns_boobies2.jpg

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Ol Man From the Sea, I don't have scales, so I'd have to guess at the weights.....

But I'll post a list of what I flew to PiP with (well in the next post....... :lol: )

CaptainSatan, I still have enough time to figure out if a sea chest will work or not .... I'm still thinking about it..........

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If we can put a man on the moon we should be able to make an air friendly sea chest. I'm in the process of moving right now.Once I get settled I think I'll try and build a pair of chests that can conform to airline regs.

I'm leaning towards some smaller chests based on one pulled up from the Mary Rose.I want something pretty basic that would work for the entire

GAoP (and earlier). I'll go with a flat top so that they can double as furniture and can be stacked. Two smaller chests (packed) weighing 50 lbs each, plus a carry on bag should accommodate quite a bit of gear.As long as the chests are big enough to hold a cutlass I'll get by. I'm not even going to try and take a long gun to an event that I fly to.

I need to break down and weigh me pistols, blades, clothes, etc. Then calculate the weight of wood to figure what dimensions I'll be going with.

-CS

As we say in Ireland let's drink until the alcohol in our system destroys our liver and kills us.

guns_boobies2.jpg

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Oh lord! I packed WAAAAAAAAAAAY too much. I am still building and all the little things in my bag added up. The only reason I made it to the fort was the fact that Patrick helped me carry my drop cloth's and bed roll.

I know the feeling :lol:

I'll be doing some buccaneer style trekking over the summer. Hopefully this will help teach me how to slim down my gear. I still don't know if I'll be flyin' or drivin' to PiP.

-CS

As we say in Ireland let's drink until the alcohol in our system destroys our liver and kills us.

guns_boobies2.jpg

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I'll be doing some buccaneer style trekking over the summer.

I have another compleat set of stuff for Buccaneer...Snapsack, bedroll and garb.........

My Bucaneer stuff is much lighter in weight tho.... so I can carry it all.....

< I have to get back to working on The Buccaneer Project..... and post there again...... I'm thinking of going to a few Rendezvous and camping with my Buccaneer stuff this Summer......>

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Ol Man From the Sea, I don't have scales, so I'd have to guess at the weights.....

But I'll post a list of what I flew to PiP with (well in the next post....... :lol:   )

Thanks Patrick, I know it will take you some time, took me long enough and I don't have the camping gear, but real info from the people who have done it, is alot of help to those thinking of doing it. Hope my data is helpful in your estimates.

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Oh lord!  I packed WAAAAAAAAAAAY too much....  Patrick helped me carry my....

Sounds to me like you packed just enough to find a gentleman to help you, but not so much as to scare him off, perfect. :lol:

Actually, if you could give us two list, one of what you plan to bring this time, and one of what you won't bring ever again, it will be a big help.

Of course we will understand if you chose not to help but instead find yourself a hidding spot about half between the fort and the gate from which to laugh at the newbies trying to haul in everything the airlines will allow. :lol:

I'm picturing the fort entrance road looking like that trail up in Alaska where the prospectors abandoned all their stuff.

But, I'm fearing people reading about over 130 lbs of baggage just staying home.

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I believe the heaviest thing I brought was my tent. I also made the mistake of bringing along a seabag that seemed perfect when I bought it, but proved to be the most unpleasant luggage to pack around. I plan to streamline my kit considerably before this next PIP.

 

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i was at pip on '04 and was there for a vendor that i had been working for ...as for my son and i we each had one seabag and a small chest for our combined weapons and our bedrolls other than that the van was full of stock and tent for the business

...this year the difference will be the tent and stock will be for my business but the amount of kit we bring won't be too different it will definately be a wee bit more correct as to the details of our kit ;););)

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I think a packed sea chest would weigh more than 50 lbs

seachestpictures895.jpg

http://classicseachests.com/

Dimensions: 39 inches by 19 inches by 16-5/8 inches high.

Weight approx. 45 pounds (Montery Pine).

I suppose you could pack a few shirts in the chest and carry everything else in a duffel bag, plus your carry on bag. I think that I am going to lean towards building a chest about a third smaller/lighter, maybe two.

-CS

As we say in Ireland let's drink until the alcohol in our system destroys our liver and kills us.

guns_boobies2.jpg

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I was trying to borrow a set of scales so I could weight everything.... but I kinda got snowed in......

Anyway.... I fly in my garb/pyrate clothing, so I don't have to pack that.....

In the seabag

sail/tarp

6 metal tent steaks (after about 6', the ground inside the Fort is almost concreat....)

rope.

2 wool blankets

linseed-oiled groundcloth

a clean shirt, slops and sock to fly home in.

an extra pair of socks, and unmentionables....

pewter plate

a small bag with a horn spoon, flint and steel, toothbrush, soap, small towel, sewing kit. and some leather thong.

In Weapons bag (this is a zippered canvas bag, lined with 2' foam that I made)

cutlass

belt knife

belt

Haversack (I added a leather loob behind the button, so I could carry the tankard, but open the haversack and the leather loops stayed buttoned)

Tankard

candle lantern in tankard

Pyrate Journal

Small blank book

a small bottle of ink

my pen

digital camera.

I think that's everything......

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Excellent list Mr. Hand. I think I'll be copying your lead, just replace the men's clothes with women's & skip the weapons of course.

You check the sea bag correct?

"If part of the goods be plundered by a pirate the proprietor or shipmaster is not entitled to any contribution." An introduction to merchandize, Robert Hamilton, 1777

Slightly Obsessed, an 18th Century reenacting blog

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You check the sea bag correct?

Yah.... the weapons bag (obvously) and the Seabag are checked.... I carry the haversack as my carry-on.

The seabag has a 6-strand lanyard that closes with a turks-head knot.... but for flying, I tuck that inside the seabag, and run a chunk of rope through the eyelets, and then tie a thieves knot... I thought it was kinda funny, that not only couldn't the baggage checkers re-tie the Thieves knot.... they couldn't even tie a common square knot..........They re-tied it in a granny knot...... :rolleyes:

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WHAT? Ya mean that you don't bring a period folding camp cot? or a period folding table and chairs? Or a camp kitchen with service for 12? or a dinning fly? or a cast iron brazier? or a full set of cast iron pots and pans, or or even a FORK? Not a very RON-D-View camp is it? B)

Seriously Thanks! Don't worry about not having a scale. Given a bit of time I think I can fake in the weights for you. As we are trying to give others an idea of what thier kit will weigh, close is good enough.

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Not a very RON-D-View camp is it?

When I use to go to Rendezvous all the time... I always thought if was kinda funny all the stuff the buckskinners brought for thier camp (even in Primitive camp)..... heck for an 1840's Mountainman, it would only take a small wagon and two teams of horses to tramsport all of it..... B)

I do two different forms of camping....

One I call "Garbage Camping".... This is where you can un-load all of your stuff right (or very close) to your campsite..... So you bring everything.... (all the extra, but sometimes fun "garbage"...... :huh: ) The picture of my tent in "Period Camping" in Twill shows all of my Pyrate garbage Camping stuff at Ojai. "Garbage Camping" isn't nesscarily a bad thing... but you do bring more stuff....

The other form is "Pack-in"... Other than firewood and my tent poles (They kinda "frown" on cuttin those "on-site") I can carry everything "on me"....

For those of us flying into PiP, were kinda stuck with "pack-in".... and we're going to have to depend on some of the people driving in to bring more stuff.... I don't think we will get as bad as having folding tables, chairs and that sort of thing..... But in a careening Camp, we are going to have alot of unloaded cargo and supplies.....

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I notice a few things missing from your kit that some may think "essential."

A Knife and Fork

A Bowl

some kind of pot or pan, A corn boiler perhaps?

A pad or matress to sleep on

A pillow

A water jug

A camp axe or hatchet/hammer

sunblock

Oh and did you have to tell us about the "leather thong" :lol: we really don't want to know what that is all about?

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A Knife and Fork

I have a belt knife, and don't need a fork....

A Bowl

some kind of pot or pan, A corn boiler perhaps?

I haven't made it yet... but I'm going to make a copper boiler, right now I use a large tin cup to cook and eat out of.... I just didn't pack it for PiP...

A pad or matress to sleep on

A pillow

I wad up my jacket and use that for a pillow....the grass is nice and soft inside the fort.....

A water jug

I use the tin cup or tankard for water.... (they do have water at the Fort....)

A camp axe or hatchet/hammer

would be handy...but too much weight to carry, So I just borrow a hammer to set-up my tent.

sunblock

That's what the hat is for.....

Oh and did you have to tell us about the "leather thong"

Rats.... I usualy catch other people posting something funny....A leather thong.... "Other end of Deval St.".........

OK Ya caught me on that one........ :lol:

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"essential."....A pillow

Thare be no pillows in pyracy* :lol:

Just kidding! Of course they had pillows. I just don't think that would be an item they would row out to the shore for their encampment.Just like people flying to PiP probably won't be bringing many pillows.

Assuming that I am denied the pleasure and comfort of a hard bellied wench to rest my weary had apoun, I might pack an extra blanket rolled up in a home made drawstring bag as a pillow (if I have room). That way if I get cold I have another blanket w/me. If you drink enough rhum you should be able to sleep just fine without a fluffy pillow.

It won't be an option at PiP, but I usually sleep in a hammock when I set up me pyrate camp.

-CS

*unless you plan on driving yer car or truck to the event!

As we say in Ireland let's drink until the alcohol in our system destroys our liver and kills us.

guns_boobies2.jpg

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