capn'rob

Avast ye all! Them whats be a'goin to Hampton in the Virginia Colony. The "Meka"II will be settin sail Tuesday bound fer Hampton. Our Commander, Capt. Horatio Sinbad, Lt. Brown, "Slow Match", Powder Monkey, Black Bart, Feathered Fearless Friend and meself, Dutch, Bosun t'will be aboard o' she. Whence ye see us, come alongside and give a hail. We be lookin fo'rd to this sioree and other mischiefs goin on abouts the port.

Graneda was awesome in the early 70s. St. Marteen is beautiful and my preference is the Dutch side of the island. I don't care for the USVI except for commercial air access. I would have to say that my fondest memory of a Great Time in the Caribbean was 2002. For Mom's 90st Birthday I took her on a cruise on the m/s Maasdam, Holland America Line. At Grand Cayman Mom and I got from the ship to a launch with a good sea rolling, from the launch to a dock, to a bus, to a semi-submersable for a cruise out on the reef! While watching what appeared to be a tropical fish tank outside the ports, I asked mom if she'd ever seen anything like it. Mom said, "only on TV!" We went on the s/s"Norway" for Mom's 91st and about six months later, we went again. I have a great love of the Bahamian Out Islands. The further South, the better. Living in Fort Lauderdale it was less than 50 miles to Bimini so if you wanted to get away to an island, it didn't take much. Much of my sailing in the Caribbean was delivering boats so it was point "A" to St. Somewhere. I have certainly seen a change in the atmosphere in the Islands since I first started sailing there in the early 70s. Though nothing stays the same for long. Bermuda has been consistant and is beautiful and has Pink Sand Beaches, Caves and is made up of a great number of small islands all together. Though Bermuda isn't in the Caribbean.

Aye, Master Dutch, I thinks ye touched the major point, "it don't smell like a Duck!" On my long passage I tried an old sailoring trick of puttin a ball o' tarred marline in me clothes stowage to keep off the mildew. It worked! Could it have anything to do wi' the smell? A.G.A.Correa, makers of expensive gold knotwork jewelery used to sell a men's cologne called "Marlinespike". It had just the hint o' Stockholm Tar about it. Some folks love the smell. Even the webpage for American Rope and Tar is www.tarsmell.com So I guess this horse hoof stuff would serve a farmer well or them what's ain't bound for sea!

Aye, and as I hear tell, t'was a night to remember. The funds needed to secure the band and victual deposits was met. So now we just keep on finishing up the details! Thanks to all wot participated.

I'm finishing a restoration on my boat and upon completion the trip I want to make is the "Great Eastern Circumnavigation". That's up the Hudson, through the Erie Canal, the Lakes on to the Mississippi. Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico. Cruise the "Redneck Riviera" on down to the Big Bend and Florida's West Coast. At that point it's either through the Callusahatchie to Lake Okeechobee and the Loxahatchee or on down to the Keys. I'll be leaving from and returning to North Carolina. As a younger man I sailed offshore to the Caribbean, the Bahamas. Sailed from New England to Bermuda and thought we'd never see land or another dawn! We did! I've sailed through the Panama Canal and across the Pacific to the Marquesas, French Polynesia then up to Hawaii. As a delivery crew man and later Captain, I logged several thousands of miles, all the while making a living. My "Dream" cruise for the future is to ship my boat, deck freight on a container ship to Europe. Then spend several years criss crossing th3e canals of the Continent in the summer and digging the Med in the winter. In these three score years I've been around I've lived several of my dreams. I'm most grateful for that. I have also continued to reach for my new dreams with the same hope as always.

For Authentic Stockholm Rigging Tar as well as other Traditional Rigging supplies go to www.tarsmell.com American Rope and Tar Co.

An old sailor's addage: "Worm and parcel with the lay, turn and serve the other way." When the East Indiaman "Friendship", Salem, MA was struck by lightning it fried her whole rig. My cousins were having lunch at a resturaunt right next to Derby Wharf at the time!! I got there while the re-rig was being done. The serving mallets they were using had heads of 6" diameter and were fitted with spools that turned that would be loaded with twine. They automatically "passed the twine for you"! I intend to fit a similar rig to my new, smaller mallet as I'm retiring my serious unit for now.

A little side note. In the Virginia Statehouse there are only two paintings. All other art is statuary. One painting, done in the 18th century of a Revalutionary War Battle. The other is of the "Susan Constant" by Griffith Baily Coale. G.B.Coale was not just a prolific Maritime Artist. He was Commisioned by Admiral Nimitz as an Officer in the U.S. Navy as the official Navy Documenting Artist. England had an artist to record their sea battles for centuries. Coale did hundreds of paintings of which a large collection remain in Baltimore in the Navy's Archives. Another of his talents was Murals. In 1929 he was commisioned by a bank being built in NYC to paint a mural 225 feet long, the perimeter of their lobby, representing the advancement in commerce. Coale represented this in a "Pagentry of Ships through the Growth of Commerce". To help with this task he hired art students from a few of the area art schools. One was Yale and the student was my Dad. The building was just recently restored including the mural and on my next trip to Manhattan I am going to see it. The bank is now a private school and the lobby is used as a venue for parties, etc. You can see some of the mural on the website for "Broadstreetballroom" it starts with phonecians and egyptians and follows up to "modern time" with a dirigible and bi-plane overhead! That's how modern it was !!

I would be interested in getting involved with this project.

If it be a vessel wi' a fight in 'er, I sez contact Capt. Horatio Sinbad, Master and Commander o' the "Meka"II. 8 guns, Brig o' War, Homeport Beaufort, N.C. If'n ye wants t' see 'er as she does what she does, come to Beaufort August 13th and 14th and ye shall see her in action. Ye may call upon me, Dutch, Bosun o' the "Meka" t' get word through t' me Captain or ye may looks into yer pewter at www.pirate-privateer.com and see what they'ns have stuffed in that magical box. Wishin ye fair winds an hopin t' see ye in Charleston, hopefully in November, in the near future!

Thank you for this thread. My Grandfather served in the Spanish American War. He served in the State Guard in WWI, too. My Dad tried to enlist in WWII but he was too old, he served in the Guard on a munitions train form Winchesters to NYC's Docks. My Mother was a U.S.Army Nurse, 1st Lt. She served stateside for a while on a POW Ward. Mom passed 5 years ago. I was always so proud of her service. Both her brothers were active duty. Uncle Leon was USAF for 30 years. He's 90, married 63 years and in great shape. Uncle Sid was a Radio Signalman with the Army. After all other Operators were KIA, he remained at his post directing fire for over 70 hours. He was decorated and as a reward they gave him a radio, a book of silhouettes and dropped him on an island with 6 natives for two years! THeir only entertainment was Uncle Sid's Ukelele! If caught, the Japanese would have treated him as a spy! My Uncle Harold, Dad's Brother, was in the European Theater. My Uncle Harold, Mom's Brother-in-Law, was a Corpman. His outfit hit a beach in the Pacific and in minutes the doctor was dead and he was "it"! His background was Podiatry yet he was doing everything needed because he had to. I learned this from my Mom. He never talked about it. He was one of the best friends I ever had. Because I can read, I thank a teacher. Because I can read in English, I thank the Veterans of WWII!

Huzzah, I sez! An Huzzah, agin! Someone uncork a bottle fer the honor o' young Master Bottles!

Now that's what I like! Good looks meets usefull meets packs up small! The best of the best! I really like the design on the legs!

There's still plenty to do before August 13th! We can always use more help to organize this event if this come under the heading of "anything"?

Ahoy-O! Having seen this Boarding Cutlass just in portraits I must say it seems as much a work of Art as a proper tool for the job! The heft that Callenish refers to is almost visable as well. I say Bravo to the Makers, well done indeed! Dutch "X" (his mark) Bosun o' the "Meka"II, Beaufort, NC

I have a Needle case made of bamboo. It's cut below a joint and a thin wood sleeve was put in to close it. It was the only thing that could hold my Sailmaking Needles 6" length. I'm sure that could be applied to many long narrow tools depending on the length of the bamboo sections. Perhaps cleaning tools for pistols. Writing instruments. I'm sure there are many more uses.

This double ender, "Key Lime" is the Long Boat to the Privateer Brig "Meka"II, 8 Guns, Beaufort, NC. She has not only proved useful as a shore conveyance for Captain and crew, yet by by speed and stealth has been an able vessel in battle.

I am a member of the Black Powder Movement! A follower of Talcum X! As Hawkins said, the attire I don when at battle station aboard the "Meka"II is not what I wear whence bound shoreside. Often I hear the comment, "You're quite well dressed for a Pirate!" My response is to quote the ever so bold, Braze, as he told me, "Steal only the finast of clothing!" That's what I wear ashore.

Eye, Shipmate! T'was said well and true. While all the while we 'ave our merriment, Lo t'would be for a mishap with said weapons. Be safe first and fun t'will follow. As for dress in heat. When serving aboard the "Meka"II, in Battle my garb is Slops, belt and charge pouch. Small arms are handy and nearby and "Slowmatch" our Powder Monkey is always there when you turn to call him! With Charges!! Period footware is nothing, as hard sole shoes will be like walking on ice. It's the same with rope sandles. Traditionally, Sailors often made shoes out of old sail cloth as they had some "non-skid" to them. Other garments were more often "Shore Togs" and not worn aboard ship.

On the way!

While on my New England visit I took in an afternoon at Mystic Seaport Museum. As always the feel of stepping back in time to a whaling Community two centuries ago is appearant everywhere. At 4pm, aboard the Whaling Bark "C.W.Morgan", they observe the first Dog Watch. My friend and "Bones" virtuoso extraordinaire, Tim Reilly and three other staff members were doing what sailors do during this "off time" when not eating. One young lady was making a ditty bag and the others were making music. No Shanties as there was no work being done but "Fo'c's'l tunes" or "forebitters". Songs for the crews enjoyment. I sang the "Amphratryte". My favorite forebitter as the tunes went 'round the circle. The only odd thing was that the "Morgan" is on the hard! She's out for a four year complete restoration, over a year into it. To see the timbers being used for replacement was astonishing! I say this because I saw these Live Oaks on the ground in Fort Lauderdale after Hurricane Wilma. It was so sad as I'd seen them for the many years I'd lived nearby. When they were trucking them away I asked where they were going. When they told me Mystic Seaport my grief was lessened. These trees were becoming knees, futtocks and heavy scantlings. The Whalers were built so heavy as they were essentialy floating factories. The Sawmills and Shipsaws were quite impressive as well.