CharityRackham

Charity, the party was moved to next Sunday so I still have some time left to learn the songs and bits, and finish making props.

I definitely stumbled into the right place.

YAY!!!

Then I'll take a minute to add a few.

Cutting the cake with a blade is a great idea but be warned. Any rust or buildup or even dust from hanging for a long time can cause quite the bacteria and 'crud' on the blade that can make someone ill. I suggest you drop into a store that does cleaning of antique silverware and ask them what they use to rescue these items to make them usable and clean that blade with what they suggest.

I also noticed that you stated that you didn't have a budget for a 'skeleton'. A neighbour? If you can borrow things like that from a neighbour who had one out at Hallowe'en, that would work. Skull candle holders. Things like that. Bottle stickers with a pirate theme...

For food Hardtack is not really wise (we always have some kid try to bite into it without dipping it) but you can make 'pretend' hardtack that's softer. You can also make it out of wheat but we found it works with Spelt, Rice flour and Oatmeal flour as well. For those who don't eat wheat. And no one has to know it isn't flour (unless they turn it down thinking it is).

http://www.google.ca/search?q=Hard+Tack&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Dried fruit like Apples and Apricots are also ship fare so...

We have a number of games we made for the renfest and use for Pirate events and parties we do but they are just simple versions of their bigger counterparts at amusement parks. Dollar stores have the suction cup guns and they can knock the little figures that you can buy at the dollar store as well, over nicely. The first pirate party we did (years ago) we made a ship out of foam core and then hotglued the little pirate guys to foam core platforms. We found spots on the ship to 'tape' the characters with cloth tape so that when the kids shot at them then knocked over but didn't go flying.

Ring toss worked well. And you can make anything into a ring toss. Mini stocks, ship masts, pirate with his hands up... Pirate with his butt on the ground with his feet up...

We have this canon game where you shoot canon balls at a painted ship. The canon would be a little more work to do but the canon balls are those foam balls you buy at the dollar store. Kids could toss canon balls?

Actually. Since you have one week left. Check out our games videos and see if anything inspires you.

That one is the primary summary video but we have a ton of videos as part of the bcrenfest page and there's a jade dragon folder.

http://www.youtube.com/bcrenfest#g/c/847A7DD62492EE1A

The Surrey museum may have some inspiration as well as Boat for Hope and such. Go ahead.. Have some fun with it.

I have to dash. But let me know if you need more. I know it is tough for kids who have birthdays near Christmas (My dad did) so I'm pretty driven to help.

OH! And.. If you want to do pirate certificates and you're stuck. PM me and I'll send a jpeg link to a 'sample' for you to use and print.

I gotta go. Have fun hon!!

There you go. That's how it's done! Nice and positive..

Of course there will be restrictions and limitations. Of course there will be financial and emotional roller coaster rides. Of course there will be idiots and fabulous folks. It involves other people but that does not mean you can't do what Wes is doing. Just decide where your failures are and your successes are and change what you need to change in order to make it all work out for you.

Doing anything with gov is tough. Denise (Jack Sparrow impersonator on Van Island and a long time friend of ours) met me before I had even started BC Renfest. She was trying to start a pirate fest over there and there was so much 'dancing' that she, in the end, had to give it up. That was approx. 6 years ago and she still works hard to keep a small group together over there and accomplish something that she can call hers. They do small parties and outings, as well her and her family do pirate family outings and gigs,l so it is a matter of listening to who you want support from and be willing to modify for them or go independent.

OH! Another example. We are now part of Tourism Langley and that took 4 years of figuring out what we can give them and what they are able to give us without challenging their budget (Permits alone are sooo pricey here) or their format. Even if the money comes from us they still need to know that they are supporting and assisting in something that adds their image of what they need in Tourism. I find it interesting to discover that in some cases it was a matter of people I had on the team and how they worked or acted (incomplete contracts, aggressive rude or inconsiderate actors, folks using illegal substances or getting drunk, people allowing insecurities to control them in front of important folk, etc.) and it took me years to figure out who and what (no one ever tells you that people are treating them a particular way so I started asking) and then had to take the step to let them go. Even my own approach with a select number of important people had to be modified so I could find what I need. It's not personal. It's a desire to make myself and my audience happy. If it's not getting wrapped up in people who aren't willing to count a productive group as important (gov., business, team, friends, etc.) and/or insist on being miserable no matter what you do (team, friends, family), or raising money to do the smallest - biggest thing (movie night, party, single ship to full event) doesn't matter. I am NOT giving me up, yet I am moving ahead and that's the point.

Money, location, people.. All factors.

Now Lady B. Honey.... Your show great determination to be 'pirate' and have fun with it (considering your determination to get your pirate name on your FB ID) so go out there and have some fun and don't let people and 'lack of' bring you down.

Elena. I know the internet is your primary source and being located where you are, it has to be a little tough but take a look on the net. Is there a museum or educational center you can contribute to? Romania has to have a 'pirate history' as well. Maybe you can encourage an educational day and go on out to volunteer. I know different countries have different 'restrictions', cultural controls and laws but there has to be something that can educate the kids. Maybe getting involved with something like that once a year will give you something to look forward to... Maybe?

Rest of you BRAVO for your determination as well. I see hints of being able to do pirate outings and that makes me smile.

And Wes. Soap box is there for a reason. Hey.... Splinter gets the crew to carry his into the pub for his moments. Handy things.

I discovered during the Hyack Parade that The Seattle Seafair Pirates don't need one (pretty big without ) but some of us need a little help and that's what communication like this is for.

The end of the year is near

And it is time to cheer

Time to start anew

Show you've learned and grew

We'll have good times

Leave the crap behind

Piracy adventures

Both your's and mine

Let's hear it for an INCREDIBLE 2011!!!

Hey Lady B.

Don't fret about the location of a pirate event or party. Does it involve pirates/privateers/etc.? Does it have a variety of alc and non-alc food and beverage to keep everyone feeling 'piraty'? Does it involve people you like?

Back in Ontario the pirate event is now held in Milton which is not on Lake Ontario at all. I've been to pirate events no where near a body of water and have run a few pirate parties myself, that do not have the view of water to compliment it but we listened to music appropriate to the theme, danced, played games, and dressed up. And that's what being social is about.

I say book a ship within a 1 hour drive and let them know you're planning a pirate after noon and then get ahold of anyone else in a one hour drive and just pirate up the day. Paddlewheeller, sail boat.. Hell.. White water rafting... Marine museum.. Doesn't matter. Advertise your planned date and expect a response in time to cancel the booking if you can't get enough folks together. And just do it!

Community hall. Make a ball of it and use the evening to raise money for a local charitable organisation.

Pin your friends down and dress them up.... Or else....

And take over the neighbourhood or local bar.

It's all good folks. I run a yearly event and it is not an easy cheap venture. I have, over the last 10-20 years been involved with events folks and have been part of many a group and organisation. Mostly on a business and entertainment level but still... If you aren't going to like what you are doing don't do it and as I grew up like this... well.. And I'll tell you.. It takes all your time and definitely much of your finances to run one of these. If you want to have a party, please send the invite out and have it. If you want to get the group together to dress up, do it. And when you get the chance to go to that BIG event you've been dreaming of attending, you'll have all the friends, support and bodies to split costs, travel responsibilities with and you'll have a much better time then you would have had otherwise. Yes?

I hope you all can find some light and happiness in your love of piracy and nautical adventures and not worry so much about being land locked and more about how you're going to convert your friends and convince your neighbours that it is all right to have a full ship replica, that you can see from the street, in your backyard.

Later.

I don't think I ever got to this one. Have a spare moment while the next cast video renders and doing a mad dash through the boards to post wildly and/or read informatively... So.. Well.. My ID has a bunch of pics but this has got to be one of my favs..

The softer, Intellectual of Charity. And this one:

Tied with my firstmate.

So yeah.. visit and check out the others to see more.

TA DA!

Later.

Ah.. I filled it out as much as I had time to... Always have a hard time with interests. I'm such a pop culture slut... Darn.. Did I just write that? Did I just fill this out?!?! CRUD!!!

It's the internet... It's already public.

Besides.. If I'm taking down a ship I'd like the crew to know who their captains are. When you change your mind on where your dedications lie the rest will know who to shoot at. Watch POTC and... Hold on.. Bad example... Darn. Not batting 100 am I.... I go find a subject that will get me in less trouble...

Later.

Darn it Nigel!!! Why can't ye bring that sound up here to BC? Shake up this province a bit!!

I'd like to come on out but alas. You're a little too far.

Let us know how the gig went. Kay?

I'm not certain how it's possible that I never posted to this thread. Not once. I simply thought that I had and then not returned, so I'd like to throw my opinions on the table.

There are no fixed rules, but when asked for my advice on the subject of names over the years I have leaned toward the familiar and the historical, mostly because I find that traditional family names and good solid local names tend to 'ring true' in a way that feels natural. For example, I kept my first name William when I began my foray into the pirate hobby, mostly because I find it more natural to answer to my given name, and because it's a period name by default. For my last name I chose a surname from a family line stemming back to Denmark. Brand. It also has the virtue of sounding solid and even sinister under the right circumstances, without being overtly dramatic. William Brand. Short. To the point. I've even found a number of Brands in early records, though that was just a lucky bonus.

I actually find that most people have a period name already without even trying. I once met a John Barnes. A good, solid English name. I tried to convince the fellow that he need not change the name at all to have a good pirate name. Using your middle name is a good idea as well, especially if it's a family name with strong overtones of origin. Most pirates had very simple names. Henry Avery, William Kidd, Edward Teach. Short, simple names. Even nicknames are fine and fitting too, and if you already have a good nickname (given to you by friends in jest or as a compliment) then use it.

I have a friend called 'Big Mike'. I perfect pirate nickname. I also have a friend 'Johny 9', because he lost a finger years ago. He could be 'Nine fingers' or 'Nine John'.

I think my best advice when taking on a name is to take that name which feels as well fitted as a good weskit. Something that will wear and weather well. Something that will begin to take on it's own weight as your reputation grows. IT's not the complexity of the name, but rather the complexity of the person. And...don't be afraid to try out name ideas on people. Get some feedback.

Agreed. My name came from the needs of the script we were writing and it stuck when we continued the storyline and the BC Renaissance Festival. As we happen in the 1500s and a certain Rackham in the 1700s had an incredible.. ahh.. respect? .. for the strong women who shared his path we thought we should hint that his genetic stock came from someone else (many do the kid or grandkid of - we went the other way) and so Rackham was chosen. Then we thought.. What should be the last thing a female captain should give a crew.. Charity... TA DA.. So mine was a product of a story and I kind of liked it so I stuck with it BUT when I saw name generators given Charity Rackham as a suggested I added the middle name of Ann. It just sounds good.

Be creative and by all means use the generators as a guideline but you don't have to stick with it 100%. If you use a name that exists in pop culture or media and you're a performer, I would suggest, however, that you avoid obvious exact repeats. In talking to a few friends about promo and findability issues with performers and the internet.. Unless you are a Jack Sparrow impersonator (even then you should do other characters that they can find you by as well) there is no need for it. You run the risk of getting sued (boy are we all happy Disney can't be bothered) or you have another problem. You get lost in the mass of the original. So I guess I'm also advising that you consider what you are doing with the alias. And check the stats on that Alias. If you're just 'fooling around' then cool but if you are after a particular result.. Make sure you think it through. Look at stats. Look at other performers who have made it work and others who have not. How long have they been in this industry and as what? Example: I've been in this from the age of 8 and for a while I specialised in media research, have a three page acting resume plus a tech one, and rely on my gigs and projects for my primary income - high risk here so I do the research and redo it when the attention drops. I am constantly remodeling promos (recently going as far as handing that job to a younger person going through promo related schooling) and I settle on a popular change until it proves otherwise.... Your name and image is such a part of that. Has your inspirations done this? Do they have the support you'd like to share? Do you want to make sure you don't want to conflict with those you want to connect with? Do you want to be considered an equal not competition? Believe it or not the name is the first thing they will know, see and build an image. So careful who and what inspires you.

Remember... Changing names after being recognised is tough.

Now if you're RPGing.. Ignore the previous advice. Go on.. Go nuts!!

TA DA!

Later.

Friend just pointed out that this was here. I see it's tomorrow but he thinks I should still reply. I started entertaining all ages back in the late 80s and there are some basics that always are cheap and over well. I don't have a chance here to read the other repliies but I can whip off a few you may not have yet that you can pull out in a pinch in the AM or later if all goes 'south' so to speak.

I'm sure dress up, foam swords, and such have been mentioned but also a ton of dollar stores will have left over temporary tattoos and such from Hallowe'en. That can always blow time as they sort their tattoos and apply to them to each other. Easy to apply makes them kid worthy to apply.

Quick make up games is Bilge Rats. I know it used to be linked from Talk Like A Pirate's Offical page but it is a map that you print out then you tape onto pennies the playing pieces. We do a 'maze' type map with pennies (and stickers) and we have a map that is like.. Well.. Sort of snakes and ladders. And we roll dice and make the kids do silly things when they land on certain squares AND it is an easy thing to quickly make up if you get lost or stuck.

Marco Polo on land is just as much fun as it is in the pool. Rules can be found on Wikipedia.

Tug of war.

Knot typing.

Making them honourary crew if they complete tasks.

Trivia

Bogg and Salty do a version of Drunken Sailor as well.

Chumbucket and Slappy did a kid's friendly book. I know they have some 'instructional videos' (the three arrs - how to talk like) on you tube. If you get stuck, get those videos up and play it for the kids and get them to follow along.

Making their own hats is fun. Construction board and folding it in the style they want.

Making their own swords out of cardboard.

Making their own flags. Stencils from the dollar store works well for this. Let them be free with their imagination.

There's plenty of ideas but as I didn't get to this until now any other ideas would require time. I hope others have been able to help.

Gotta dash. Have fun.

Ahoy Maties!

I'm hoping you all can help with some advice and suggestions.

I've zero experience with piratey things, but agreed to play a pirate for a friend's 6yr old son's birthday party.

The idea is to have him find a treasure map in a bottle on the beach.

Then the pirate arrives and leads the kids on the hunt for buried treasure.

Eventually we dig up a chest filled with candy, crafts and pirate novelty booty for the crew to split.

Has anyone here played a pirate entertainer for a children's party before?

If so, what suggestions do you have for songs, games, jokes, funny bits, etc.?

I've already scoured the web for lame pirate jokes and memorized part of the Drunken Sailor song as a start.

I'm not sure how long he wants me to hang out with the kids, but I'd like to have more than enough material to be on the safe side.

The party is this Sunday, so don't wait to throw me your ideas.

Cheers Mates!

Must say.. Absolutely beautiful.

I kept meaning to post this but I lost where the thread was/is.. Oh! Here it is.....

The three primary promo videos are up and new BCRF videos with the Jade Dragon crew are going up one by one. Feel free to check us out.

http://www.youtube.com/user/bcrenfest#grid/user/847A7DD62492EE1A

Thank you.

I was in need of joining a pirate crew a couple of years ago, and when I discovered there were none to be had in the Hudson Valley, I started my own crew, "If you build it, they will come."

Hence the BC Renfest and the Jade Dragon Crew. Good on yah!

If you set up a webpage or anything do let us all know. I've made so many friends across North America, when the new webpage is released for us I want to do a killer links page.

P.S. Like the uniquness of the group name and icon/logo.

Can't wait.. Can't wait... Oh goody goody... Looks like I'll be able to sort out all three secret Santa / gift exchanges this week and be done with it giving me time to do all the other seasonal things I enjoy. An incredible Yule... Here I come!!!!

Thanks for this opportunity Duchess. I didn't think this would work over internet / through the mail. This is wild!!

I can't say that I've ever seen a blank larger than 7 3/4 within that price range.

That said, a hat jack makes a handy stretcher. Equipped with a hat jack and a good sized bowl,

it is not difficult to coax a larger size out of a blank.

Have yall checked checked out Crazy Crow?

Regular: http://www.crazycrow...ode=751-100-000

and:

Heavy, fine: http://www.crazycrow...ode=751-100-000

Thank you for that link. That's $10 cheaper then what I've been paying. Nice...

I've put hats on the stretch before. I have a form of my own head. I steam the hat over my steamer (or an iron set on steam) and then pull it gently over the form. Works fine but remember... You can't put it back.

With us we use clear drawers instead of bins. But make sure you get drawers that pull completely out so stuff doesn't hide. We also have these carry cases that are like those clear plastic cases with dividers but each little section is a separate cup... Tough to describe but they are brilliant! You can close the lid and carry it around, nothing falls out and the cups each come out so you can pour small parts out of them without tipping the whole thing.

When we do prop building panels we always stress ventilation. Never work in an enclosed area where fumes and dust can do you in.

The shop we work in here in BC and the one we had back in Toronto both had tables and equipment on locakable wheeled platforms so that if something needed to be moved around it could. Comes in handy.

Screws and screws drivers - flathead... If you are looking for the Victorian feel it may be noted that flathead screws were the screws of the time. We order from a distributor in order to keep costs down and make sure we get the perfect dome brass screws for the look.

Ratchets and Ratchet sets.. We use those a lot.

Ummmmm......

Bolts, nuts, rivets.. Really depends on what you are doing and making....

That's what comes to my mind in my half awake state.

Later.

Sounds fab! Ill send the Pm before I hit the hay.

Done a few times. Let us know how it went.

I tried to post this earlier but it hick-upped on me so I walked away after coping the effort and voila! It's all back and working so.... I'm gonna paste this baby!!

Thanks, all, for the warm welcome! I have been perusing the pages and see that you are far from an exclusive, snooty group.

Why thank you. There are always a few but if you plunge into pirate mode they disappear in your brain... After all... Brethren and such...

A few questions ....

1) I've been looking at all the PC stuff. Heck! I just want to dress like a pirate and stay drunk for 10 days! ... You all sound like you are SO industrious! What is a worthless rogue like me to do at, say, PiP? (I'm VERY good at giving advice!)

You become industrious in time. Don't let the confidence fool you. Most folks take some time to settle into it and find their niche. What would you do at an event? Dress like a pirate and stay drunk for 10 days. There's a whole rang of pirate enthusiasts. Some more PC then others. Just hang out for a few days and get the flow and then, if you get the chance, go back and go a step further. Do get ahold of the folks who run the Ontario Fest. They are close enough to you and would happily talk to you about such things.

2) Looks like you bring a ****load of stuff along with you to gatherings (like PiP, which I have my eye on!). How do you transport all that stuff from home??? Do many of you come by plane? ...'m having trouble just imagining transporting the clothes by plane! ... Keep in mind that I am a huge man and my clothes are probably twice as big as some of you wee ones.....) Also, it must be hot there and people must sweat alot .... a different shirt for every day?

My clothing goes into a Jeep brand suitcase. My hat first (with underwear and such showed into it) and the rest gets packed around. I use my boots to transport a bottle or two of port, wine or something that can't be gotten at my destination for the host or organiser or friends. It also leave space to bring something back. I then pack my gun(s) and sword(s) in a guitar case that is just under the maximum size for the airline I am traveling on. I carry in my wallet a photo of the whole thing and slide another picture in the tag on the guitar case, behind my ID and put a note on the ID that it is there, if they want to know. I also put the unlockable by security locks on the thing so they don't feel as if I am hiding anything and voila! no biggie. If the handlers do steal I have the picture that matches the photo in the tag. Driving over the border... Same packing, just make sure any thing that can be seen as a weapon is packed in the car out of reach. Never had problems there either. Hot? Yup! Silk and Linen are the best fabrics to survive the heat. Our outfits are silk and that's why we can swing a sword in a performance and not die. I am rethinking the leather, though and am considering a 'Summer' outfit for Charity and Cobbs. I know.. So particular. ;-) Silks (real not fake) are pricey but breath well and are anti bacterial so you can get away with not having to wash in between days. The shirt, that is.. But if you don't care to be PC then just go ahead.. You wouldn't be the first pirate to wear through a shirt during one event. I don't camp if I don't have 2 spare days for set up and teardown as I feel that setting up and tearing down is just going to take away my fun and work times, so I don't have to worry about any of that. If I want to hang at someone else's camp I will... Then just stumble off.

3) PiP .... Commercial lodgings? ... I HATE not being clean. ... I can guess that once the sun goes down, things really get fun. .. from the 11 PM to 3 AM time period! lol! Gee, I wonder why.... Seems like the on site ppl would be privy to all the late nite shenanigans. 4) I see no evidence of ppl "bunking together" .... Maybe sharing hotel rooms are arranged privately between ppl who have already met and assured themselves that the other is not Charles Manson's brother.

I've always stayed in a hotel/motel/B&B as close as I can to the event location. Problem with PIP is that books up fast. I have friends in Florida but the travel cost and time away is killer to be able to obligate in enough time and the hotels/motels sell out fast. My friends, in this case, are not next door so it is quite the drive each day, thus I have not made it yet. BUT in your case, many times folks book a hotel room or a motel/B&B spot with the plans of finding someone to share with. Best to do is, once you decide your really gonna go, is post and see who bites. Post on here, post on other boards (even send an email to PIP and ask them if they know of boards or see if they have one). Be honest. Be wiling to send them at least half of the money that is your portion as a show of good faith. You'd be surprised. I also try to check on the locals who will be at the event and see if anyone is willing to be your driver. Offer some gas money and ask this after you have found your bunk location. You want to try to team with someone close to where you are staying. Usually, as you make friends during the day and find your 'lot', they will invite you to hang around. The trick though is the ride... When are they leaving? But then again... You get them invited to hang out of go to a party they normally would not get to, they may just say 'YES' with no hesitation. Don't know until you poke. So the first year you may not get to say yes to it all but it will give you a feel to decide if it is worth coming back to.

5) While I wouldn't be showing up in a costume-store getup...would probably be more flamboyantly dressed than most of the PC stuff I have seen..... I get the impression, though, that this place/group would even welcome the Key West Gay Men's Cross-Dressing Pirate's Chorus. (Ok, maybe not the pirates from the blue states.....)

Yeah.. We would... My outfit is designed for me to do what I do (swing a sword) and the character was created for a 1500s storyline. Only over the last year are we adding to the outfits to suit the 1700s. You wear what makes you happy and you stay legal. Not necessarily PC but legal. There are plenty of examples. Hit FaceBook and take a peek around... Hell.. Hit my FaceBook (ID carrhunger) and look through my friends list. Let the world around you inspire you and find what you like. There are no shortages of commercial patterns too. If you have a friend that sews you could get an outfit made that packs down tight and fits you and makes YOU happy within a budget. It may cost you a bottle of wine or rum, or if they like a night of drinking beer in a good pub (no shortage of those in Montreal).. Hell.. Find he schools that teach costuming and ask them if they want a challenge for their finals. You may get a free labour outfit out of the deal and be featured in some bright eyed kid's portfolio.

I just hate the thought of spending all that money on the first year's trip to mainly discover what I SHOULD have done to have the best time!

Sometimes It's a shot in the dark for the first one. I hate it too but I do it... Some I'm hoping to save up to go again and some... Lesson learned...

6) Does it matter much when in the 10 days you show up? ... if I am going to fly all that way - from Montreal - I should probably stay as long as possible, no?) ...

Can't answer half of that as I have not been yet but the second.. As long as possible is good. I wish I could have been in New Orleans longer but now I know what to expect next time. Maybe something closer would suit you for this year.

Presuming upon your patience,

John

Patience presumed and patience given.

Later, Christina

AKA Captain Charity Ann Rackham

Hey, all you Airship Pyrates, time to head to Seattle. Never to early to plan for this November event.

Here is the link to the SteamCon web site. More information is coming every month, and since the turnout was so amazing last year and they ran out of hotel rooms, they are incorporating two hotels this time. They are across the street from each other, so going from one place to another will be easy.

So, get those airships ready to hit the sky, and plot a course for the great Northwest.

And, in the words of Abney Park..."We're a crew of drunken pirates, we're the only airship pirates. We're full of hot air and we're startin' to rise, we're the terror of the skies but a danger to ourselves, now..."

See you there....

SteamCon Seattle 2010

So.. Looks like we'll be there. They would like us to do panels so on one day we will cover replicating and creating original props and the other day we'll focus on accessories and such. Don't know which is on which day but we have been given 2 hours each day so enough time to chat about techniques and show the audience samples of on set and home made items.

We weren't going to make it but when they showed interest in these panels we always did back on the Eastern Half of the Contenent and we found enough friends to make the trip cost worthy, we couldn't pass up the chance... So...

Besides... We are building a little 'companion' out of scraps from the prop shop. Must show him off.

So if you've been to our panels in the past, come on out and we'll give you a refresher. If you have never been.. Well.. Come on out and we'll show you what we can on how to create, build and 'fake' finish almost anything.

Looking forward to it.

OH! And we got our tickets for the 'concert' on Sat night. Abney Park live is going to be WILD!!

This is a very tired soul signing off. This was the last thing on my list.

Christina

AKA Charity Ann Rackham.

OH.. And costume and your size..

http://www.dresslikeapirate.com

or if you like leather check out:

http://www.ravenswoodleather.com

http://www.museumreplicas.com

has had some great stuff before as larger sizes.

Hats?

http://captjackspiratehats.com/

Many of our blanks we buy and decorate ourselves from:

http://www.snoods.com/hats.html

She also does costume.

I got my leather hat from:

http://www.pyrate.org/

That was a long time ago and this baby is still in one piece no matter what I have put it through.

I know these are US companies but they have shipped to me on this side of the border just fine.

So.. Yeah.. Have fun, good luck and I really should hit the hay. This pirate brat has to get sleep. Paperwork in the morn, more edits and swrodfighting. So.. Yeah..

Later.

Well.. William.. Very direct.

Hang on.. I know I posted all the Canadian stuff for someone else on here. I have very little time tonight bu if luck is on my side... Be Right back.

Now...

Most of my pirate connections from that corner of Canada come from my time around the Ontario renfest. The same group that was instrumental in OnRF has supported the creation of:

http://www.thepiratefestival.com/

If anyone can help you out it's the folks involved with this troupe.

http://www.fairesintime.com/

There are also a number of ren and medieval events in Ontario that you could check out. They aren't 'pirate' per say but they will have the same crowd's attending like:

http://www.royalmedievalfaire.org/

http://www.medievalfestival.ca/

http://www.medievalfayre.com/

You may want to also 'like'

http://www.facebook.com/OntarioRenaissanceFaireList

and see if there is a Quebec version. Again.. They aren't 'pirate' but they are similar vein when it comes to audience and attendance.

AND... Closer to you and still on the North Side of the Border is:

http://www.pirateadventures.ca/

Not a festival but again,.. Worth checking out..

So there you go. Hope it helps and gets you started on your own adventures.

Yours in time and adventure.

I would like to nominate my fine captain, Charity Ann Rackham, notorious leader of the Jade Dragon Pirates up here on the West Coast of Canada (http://www.jadedragonpirates.com). She has led us through many a perilous adventure over the past 5 years, appearing at parades and events, helping charities, entertaining kiddies of all ages, and bringing the BC Renaissance Festival to fruition. Her exploits carry back even further back in her homeport of Toronto, where she spent many a year face-painting, and entertaining the masses through many ventures including working as a character for Paramount events. It would be grand to have such a fine Lady Pirate inducted into the Order, and a Canadian one at that!

I second this nomination!

Thank you to the both of you. I am sorry it took so long to reply but as you both know, things are a little nuts right now. I have so much to get in the mail, sort and take care of that my head has been spinning. I wish of something other then responsibilities but alas...

I would love to accept the nomination and run for a position in the Order Of Leviathan.

I have been a performer for many years and have taken part in much charity work and volunteer gigs. Most recently, this Hallowe'en we are spending time with Variety - The Children's Charity with manning their haunted ship for their haunted house. Ed and I also spent time with the Lower Nine when we were down in New Orleans. My charitable activities go back to the days of Paramount (pre Viacom buy out) and the 'second' (for all you Classic Trek fans) height of Trek Popularity (1990) when I ran a company called Fully Functional. We were a sanctioned company that provided characters for product promotions/releases and corporate shows, but also donated time to charitable events on behalf of Paramount. I was also a member of the USS Hudson Bay/K.A.G. Canada doing charity appearances for Reach For The Rainbow, Global Ed Med (Ben Wick's Wife - Doreen Wick's charity), Ronald Mc Donald House, Performer's For Literacy and a number of smaller fund raisers and food bank supporting events and evenings.

As a performer I have been acting and around cameras since I was approx. 8 years old and have never been far from the development of characters, scripts and 'vision.' My first on camera experience that took me off volunteer theatre and into the world of television, was as co-host for the Mr. Toronto Show where I interviewed people that the 'kid' side of Toronto would appreciate. I have been in the 'fantasy and fiction' world of fandom since 1984, always volunteering for conventions and presenting at panels on the subjects of presenting yourself and your costume successfully on stage, Making props on a budget and making costumes on a budget, where Martin and I would take props and costume pieces from actual sets and demonstrate how to make a similar product for yourself. We'd also cover how to take and image of something and translate it into 3-D. To this day we still do such panels and are more than happy to share our skills and knowledge with others. We do, however prefer to do such things at cons then on line as both Martin and I are active in building, creating and structuring such things for ourselves and our careers, thus taking us away from the computer and this type of communication. You can't educate much via an iPhone. So we are always looking for ways to teach at conventions and events. In the fandom world we are also master class costumers and even though we have not competed for a number of years, we have judged for other masquerades and events.

I have been part of a concom or run events of various sizes and types as far back as 1988. I have held positions such as Media Relations, Promotions, Masquerade Director, Display room, Guest Liason, Conchair, etc. I have organised and set up the Toronto Trek Parody plays for a number of years and have done so with Paramount's blessing. I have organised all the pirate events we have done here in BC and have been attending multiple meetings in order to acquire for Charity and Cobbs (and when needed the rest of the crew) not only paid gigis (parties, promos, events) but also other charitable opportunities. I have designed and/or created and/or had created for us, the various items the crew uses in these performances.

I have been a special skills actor since the early 90s when the Paramount Rep decided that my physical shape and sturdiness was ideal to swing a Klingon Bat'leth and thus my first weapon was placed in my hand. Since then I have taught the members of cast for all the parody plays we did and all the promos as well as taught Ed the same style we used for the Paramount gigs in order to have a consistent partner for the renfest fights and a partner that is able and willing to teach along side me for the fest and all the sword fighting required gigs we do. Ed and I are presently in the development of a half hour show, using our two signature fights as a catalyst for Charity's and Cobbs' tensions.. If you will..

Keeping in mind that there is an adult as well as a child audience, I have structured and reminded the cast many times, that all improv needs to be PC if there is a child around and I am strict with my actors. If there is too much conflict or unnecessary tension that an actor is unwilling to resolve and/or disrespect of the blades and weapons, I will dismiss them (after I have given them a chance to fix it) as I understand my responsibility to my cast and my audience and this understanding is the primary reason we keep going. The audience is paramount and I live by that code.

I have set up and structured (along with Martin's support and design knowledge) the Hallowe'ens at Fort Langley. Everything from scenes to sets.

I have volunteered for the Portland Pirate Fest and did some work when at Pyrateweek. I wish I could have done more when down at the Florida Renfest and hope to do more when at Midsummers in Washington. I volunteered and helped out at Penumbra and have always provided copies of video/photos when an event is done as I understand the value of promotion and if I like the people I just volunteered or worked for, I believe in sharing.

As an actor I have also done much indie films as well as major productions. I spent some time supporting and hosting two different ghost documentaries.

I am the producer for the BC Renaissance Festival and the Captain of The Jade Dragon. With both of these entities I have attempted to keep history interesting for the little ones but not to go so far as to be boring and tedious for the adults.

When I began the process of developing The BC Renaissance Festival (2005) I created a pirate captain character for the promo tents we were setting up at other events. Our goal was to introduce the public to what a renfest is and find out from them what would interest them of all the things we would be doing at a renfest. During that time Charity and Cobbs was born. My intention with using pirates in our Renfest scripts was to show the public (without shoving it down their throats) that piracy was around in many cultures and political circles for many years before the hay day. I based the stories on a time and a King (King James the forth of Scotland) that was known to honour privateers as a step towards turning a monarch ruled society to a more political one. He did fail but we have not failed. We always get asked 'Pirates in the 1500s' and we proudly get the chance to say 'uh.. yeah.'. We also chose to use a female captain as a catalyst to show little girls that it is ok to be a strong woman. We designed Charity's outfit to be 'fightable' and have some male influences without hiding that she is a woman as we have discovered that the young ladies respond well to this. Even though a 1700s version of the characters are now being created (add a pistol and a coat and VOILA! - more or less) we maintain the 1500s version for the renfest and when on request (like the Surrey Museum's Seafarer's Day). I am hoping to continue to use these characters for entertainment as well as education. I have always said.. If they don't know they are learning, they have a greater chance to learn.

I have been (and technically still am) an actor, costumer, prop maker, camera person, interviewer/reporter, host, producer, director, fight coordinator, writer, jeweler, editor, weapons handler, assistant director, promotions, audio mixer, lighting assistant.... I know there's more but I'd have to go get a copy of my extended resume...

Most recently... I spend much of my days acquiring, setting up, and organising gigs for members of the Jade Dragon Crew as well as keep an eye on the guestbooks, facebook pages, myspace pages and all the little fiddly on line bits that need to be done. I write the scripts for the BCRF (with Ed's input and sometimes sectional rewrites and Martin's spell checking and 'what the?' check) and with Ed create all the fights for the BCRF characters. I set up the rooms and travel plans for our trips and edit the promo videos. I oversee the creation of the program book and flyers. That task has been recently handed over to Ed (who has returned to school to learn how to do this sort of thing as a 'day job' so he has more up to date knowledge of such things) but it was a major part of my life until Ed was able to step in. I am grateful for that as it frees up some time to be able to do this massive typing thing I am doing right now...

I am typing fast as I have run out of time. I have to be out the door. I am sorry that I have not spell checked but... When I return this evening, Talderoy, I will check in on the Pirates magazine page for any additional info as to what you would like me to do at this point. I could send you the promo package, my previous extended resume (I haven't updated it in a while but it is there) and anything else you wold like... Just let me know.

Sorry to accept and dash but..

May our paths cross, in ideal light.

And faith never lead us astray.

May our ships pass peacefully in the night.

...I say nothing of the day.

Yours in time and piracy,

Christina Carr

AKA Charity Ann Rackham

She's actually been for sale for some time now. I think it's been off and on for years. The majmor problem is upkeep. Wooden boats are expensive, and this one was built by Hollywood to make a movie nearly 50 years ago. She was originally supposed to be burned on a beach in the making of that movie, so they didn't exactly build her to last this long. Even back in the age of sail, with a well built boat, 50 years was old. Many would have just been abandoned, broken up for the iron and copper, or just plain lost at sea. Now, there's Coast Guard requirements that make it even more expensive. In order to keep an old vessel like that in sailing condition for that long, there's usually a major rebuild required. And it's not like you can just go down to the local hardware store and pick up wood for ships like these anymore. Many years ago, I remember the tall ship community was pretty much writing off that ship because there was so much work that needed to be done. Hopefully, she got the treatment and money she needed to do the repairs and refitting right. Although $3 million seems like a lot, remember that the USS Constitution is currently undergoing a $6 million restoration, and spent 3 years in dry-dock back in the early 1990s. And that boat doesn't sail, and has lots of Navy money thrown at it for operation costs and regular maintenance. In short, I would run away from this boat as fast as I can; unless I had a LOT of extra money and the ship held sentimental value for me. It would probably be cheaper to just build a new boat, but then some of the nostalgia would definitely be lost. Granted, given the money, I would be willing to put forth the effort on a boat that personally has sentimental value to me, such as the Lady Washington or Adventuress if they were ever in dire straits.

Coastie

She has been for sale before and a number of organisations and companies have pulled her out (so to speak) but not permanently enough. The organisation that owns the Nina had built a larger version for events and such (The Nina is not a huge ship) and they had to sell it as they couldn't keep her... BUT.. They did kee the Nina and they also have a replica of the Pinta. When I last talk to their organisation (we connected back in 2008) they were very comfy with the two ships and decided that the route to 'dinner theatre' and such was not really in their mandate anyway.

http://www.thenina.com/

Considering the difference in size between the Nina and the Bounty, it would be a large task to keep her. When I chatted with their captain when they were in Port Alberni, they were really plugging 'educational crew trips' to Hawaii in order to raise more funds. I didn't want to decline but I really couldn't afford the time or the money. If I am the majority when it comes to that, I can see how they were unable to raise enough cash to keep her going... Then...

There's recently been the fate of the Grand Turk..

http://easternyachts.com/grandturk/

Also built for production reasons (read the write up - this ship's been through more adventures pre production then she was during and post) she is now up for sale and has been for about 3 years now.

For a long time these wonderful ships have either been left to rot or begged to be rescued. Not much we can do about that. I've been following some of them for many years and it is amazing what they go through. When we did the photo shoot on the Nina I insisted they take a donation. They didn't ask me for payment (they even offered for us to stay around and be social) but I felt I needed to. I sent the organisation a little more later on (along with a disk of images and videos) but it is never enough.

All we can do is hope for the best and try to visit them as often as we can to not only personally appreciate them but also to try and donate a little money to them and/or promote them to our friends, I would hate for one day, to never see a tall ship event ever again.

Thank you.

Charity and Queen Margaret on the Bounty

Charity on the Bounty

Flint and Charity on the Nina

Charity, Cobbs and Gale on the Nina

Portland Pirate festival:

http://www.portlandpiratefestival.com

Look for the welsh green/Jade Dragon flag (or on our outfits) and you'll find us.

See you there.

Done. AND plugged you on my FaceBook.

Ditto on the ring.

Found your main webpage. Ditto on A LOT!

Later.