PYRATE

My earlier post was from 'word' of another sailor, on the hook nearby, who, although a fine sailor, probably wouldn't know a fidded t'gallant mast from a martingale post, or Harland from Harlem,but.....c'mon, he got the accident part right,eh?....Bully, here she is by Horizons, and the t'gallants are missing... Anyhoo, glad all is well, and it'll give the spar shop somethin' to do .....

Just got some scuttlebutt whilst workin' on my other boat in Sausalito, that the Lady Washington, during transit at night from Sacramento, lost both topmasts at the Benicia Bridge. I have no idea at this point why they didn't have the bridge raised,( I'm waay shorter, and I have them raise it) but anyway, the worst happened for it..I'll post if I hear more, but I'm kinda busy pulling a powerplant..

Sorry for the size, I'll shrink it later, eh?

Well, 'ere's one about a real Pyrate ship, and the REAL story...Most 'o ye be familiar with this 'ere ship 'o mine, the Royaliste.. Now, the 'skinney'..Royaliste was originally built 'Wandrian II' for a rich-arsed dentist....He fell on hard times and set her on fire, hoping for the insurance cash...the designer took the ship, fixed the burned stuff, and resold her. Several owners later, she was a rotted hulk. The skipper 'afore me rebuilt her from hull up into the wonderful 1755 Tops'l ketch she is now..Altho' 'royaliste' usually refers to the side of King Louis, the real deal is that the former Capts. wife's maiden name , being French-type Quebec 'n all, was 'LeRoi', hence..'le ROYALISTE'...Fast forward, and I'm huntin' three mil. or so to build me next one, a privateer from history named the 'REVENGE'....."Got any spare change?"

Hmm, that's indeed interesting! We know nuthin' of the principal's or anything, (we're just a big, floatin' prop,eh?)....oughtta be fun, altho' for us, there's a couple 'o long transits involved, which generally leave us cranky and tired....oh well, that's sailin'...and piracy!

Hmm, Perhaps a definitive explanation of the larger bore problem is in order, as we had Cebu on the 'Long Way Around' plan, but Tallship Royaliste might just have to steer a different heading........ ROYALISTE Scourge of the Western Pacific.........

Hmmm...'interesting!'...We've a rather full crew wot signed the articles, so...Methinks ye'll be needin' a big warehouse full 'o powder, an' even bigger balls to pull this one off, mate! straight up, tho, mate...we gladly host other pirate groups

Welcome aboard, lass..........Sorry to 'ave missed the to-do, but we kept the sealanes covered whilst alla the pirates were away........Methinks the Poison Quill may 'ave some photo'sto post for those 'o us less than fortunate enuff to 'ave been at the lake.

Aye!!.......And if thar be any 'o the brethren highly skilled in the art 'o web building and maintaining wot 'as an interest in this sort 'o idealistic rumcake, please give us a shout...........Hard to sail down the roadstead nowadays with out the stuff, eh????

Aye!.. Stay in Fla., sit on the beach, and rant at the other tourists such as ye'reself!! Yes, it was by invitation, and we were invited, you???..'o course, you were walking, weren't you? Nothin' non-period like an airplane in your life, eh?

We're runnin' a 'special' on keel-haulin' as a fundraiser Ya walk a plank around 'ere, an' hypothermia'll get ye 'afore the sharks!!.........Dig deep in them pockets, an' we'll gladly supply the 'vessel', but you bring the plank, we're 'period correct' (no plank)

Congrats and Huzzah!, Mate!!..Alla my kids and grandkid checked in, includin' the runaway one!!......Jeesh!..kids

Aye!..Good mod's to the 'Shark'!!...trailer work soon, eh??............

Privateer..... 'ere be me two cents worth on this topic....As a construction superintendant and also a sailor, I'm very familiar with most of the South Pacific and Pacific Rim nations. I have a special penchant for the Republic of the Philippines, but that said..........I know little of you or your vessel, but a lot of the republic just plain 'aint safe' for an average gringo...Now, unless you don't have a problem leaving your assailant lying in a cane field as he would have done you, I'd recommend staying out of the area as a sailor. You are exposed to waay more volitile people as a sailor than as a tourist.If the Philippines are where you really want to be, then spend the time on foot exploring (thar be 7,000 islands in the republic) and then decide. The problem checking things out in third world countries as a tourist is that you are generally sheltered from any local problems, and as a sailor, you are thrust right into them.For sure avoid Mindanao and most outer islands, as these tend to be strongly rebel held, and expats generally don't fair well in these areas........ As far as operating on a 'six-pack' license, that only applies in the U.S., mate, the rest 'o the world does things their way, not ours..........

*Sits on quarterdeck, barefeet on caprail, not one, but two blunderbuss in lap* ..Don' mind me, I'm just sippin' me iced tea, 'avin' a tot RR two 'o rum, an' lookin' fer Yankee stragglers! ..pulls ramrod, stirs tea............

As the morning breaks in a gray stillness, a light mist starts to burn off.. A rag-tag bunch of die hards mill about, oiling barrels, sanding frizzens, and checking powder supplies...A blockade runner leaves harbor after leaving his cargo of weapons in crates upon the deck.Checking the edge of an imported French Naval saber, I use the tip to lift the calandar, revealing the date...1860-what???????????? The War 'o Northern Agression has returned!!!!!!!

Arrrgh!!..Easy for 'im ta say, says I!!..The other 'angle', holdin' a square-rigged ship offa lee shore, with prevailin' winds , a flood tide, an' a pile 'o rocks 'ole John Wesley Harding didn't even F@#%K with!!!! :)

Ah been a tellin' 'em how ye be one 'o the 'originals' around this roadstead, but wot the Bloody 'eck, the ne'er listen anyhoo!!... ..................Jeeesh! BHP, e'en a camel jockey kin make it 'ere afore summer's gone!..(long as ye load up the camel afore weighin' anchor!) Now, whattya waitin' for, back ta work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Although I sometimes miss that hot weather, we surely do seem to find somethin' piratey a couple 'o three weekends a month!!!...Now RR gunpowder bill is almost equal to the cost 'o Robert Downey's rehab bill!! ...speakin' 'o which, I'd best get changed to see about another pirate event this eve!!

Aye, that it be,lass!!..An' if'n me memory, or wot be left 'o it serves me well, you had a crack at the linstock, eh??.........

Aw, shucks!!...Aye meant these one's!!!.....

How 'bout a bloke wot kin use 'is carronade???

Actually, truth be known, me favorite booty site 'o all is the sight 'o the 'booty' 'o another ship on me bow, and the swivel's loaded an' primed!

I've a likin' fer all mentioned, but hands down, I'll sail on E-Bay for 'steals'!!!..........Replica or real!

Dunno 'bout that .......But then remember, history shows the futility of bringing a rapier to a gunfight.....P.S. Thar be a 'c' in St. Francis :) ...lived 'ere alla his life an' still kaint spellit!!