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Black Hearted Pearl

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    4th Big Bear Pirate Faire (details)

    in July

    Posted

    June 6th & 7th, 2009:  4th Big Bear Pirate Faire

    Fawnskin (Big Bear, North Shore), CALIFORNIA

    10 am to 6 pm

    The Big Bear Valley Renaissance Society, Inc., is having it's 4th annual Big Bear Pirate Faire on the NORTH SHORE ON THE LAKE!!! There will be battle re-enactments and battles on the 'New Pirate' beach, court martial & court re-enactments, stage shows, shopping and food!! All profits go to the youth of the Valley for educational endeavors. Some activities at additional charge. Two Pirate Battles each day! Children's Treasure Hunts times listed in program $3.00 Fee Children's arts & crafts area minimal fee for some activities. Free Parking & Shuttle TICKET PRICES Adults: $15, Adult weekend pass: $26, Seniors (55+)/ Military with ID $12, Children 6-12: $12, Senior/Military/Child weekend pass: $20, Children 5 and under: FREE. Tickets on sale at the gate. Advanced tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-4-BIG-BEAR. Pedersen's Mill 39115 Rim of the World Fawnskin, CA 92333

    Bump

    I know some of you will be there and I'll be looking for ya. :lol: ;-)

    Deadliest Warrior

    in Pyrate Pop

    Posted

    Aye Mates,

    Me sources say there be a new show on Spike TV where they pit different warriors from different genres against each other. The show premiered April 8th and there be an episode on April 28th about pirate vs. knight. There be little doubt in me mind that the pirate wins for the pirate has the biggest gun and I know that gun well. <_<

    Master & Commander sequel?

    in Pyrate Pop

    Posted

    Okay, I just have to jump into this discussion.

    The Rose is restored and sailing. I was a gunner aboard her during San Diego's Fleet Week the first weekend in May. We fired 6 guns aboard after having to haul out the replicas that were used for the movie.

    The Surprise aka Rose cannot be used for passengers because she is a foreign made hull; that is what we were told. She won't pass US Coast Guard inspection for carrying passengers. The only way to sail on her is to be crew or crew in training.

    Since I was on the gun crew, manning the 6lb cannon (definitely bragging here), I was able to enjoy our 'motoring' around San Diego Harbor. Sadly, we were unable to sail because of the time committments to the gun salutes and cannon battles with the Tallship Californian.

    Here is an excerpt from my blog on myspace...

    Surprise was on our side.

    Current mood:  ecstatic

    Well mates, I've just returned from my latest adventure as gunner aboard the HMS Surprise.

    We engaged in two cannon battles with the Tallship Californian and impressed her Captain with our perfectly timed broadsides and full volleys.  As ususual, I was in charge the 6lb gun, which the Captain promptly proclaimed to be named Pearl.  I reminded the Captain that he would now never forget Pearl.  The other names of the guns given by the Captain were:  Lassie, Timmy, Muffy, Toto Too, and Homer.

    I was assigned a new apprentice who I promptly renamed Swab, but he was anything but.  Swab is a dashing young man with a striking washboard stomach.  He was also very handy at pushing Pearl into place after she recoiled 8 feet back on her platform.  When we ran her out on the block and tackle, she just barely made clearance, so we had to give her a little push to clear.  Swab still owes me pictures as that was one area that caused me frustration with the new recruit.  Although it is very difficult to take pictures while firing, I also appreciate the handywork of others.

    Pearl performed beatuifully with absolutely no misfires.  It probably doesn't hurt that I've been her gunner since the day she was born.  The hardest part was loading Pearl on to the HMS Surprise.  The boys wanted to ramp her down the 85 degree stairs.  I pointed out to them that block and tackle was most likely the proper way to lower her.  We swung her from the gangway to the opening and slowly lowered her down.  We had to step her down the last 4 steps as there wasn't much room at the bottom of the stairs.

    Then we rolled her down to her position near the gun deck and ramped her up into place using levers and block and tackle.  We had to build a small platform upon the gun deck to raise her to perfect firing position.  This was perfect as it provided a clear path for the recoil.  I stood to one side of the platform and could stand straight up to my 5'3" height....if I stood between the rafters.  Soon, my back was killing me because I kept bending over to look out the windows to see our target the Californian.

    I decided early on that this needed some adjustment and pulled a treasure chest up to the gun deck so I could easily step on and off the gun deck.  This allowed me to swab and load, then haul Pearl into place.  Then I jumped down and had Swab jump up and push Pearl the rest the way in.  Swab then placed the primer and hooked the lanyard.

    Here's the funny part:  If I could see our target, the Californian in the foward windows, I would pull the lanyard on this firing.  If I didn't see the Californian in the forward windows, I would hand the lanyard to Swab to hold.  I did this because if you didn't see the Californian, it meant we would be holding the lanyard slack and waiting for the Californian to be in place before we could fire.  This could take up to 5 minutes of holding the lanyard slack, so I let Swab hold the lanyard.  It's good to be Gun Captain of the 6lb-er.

    The crew of both ships complimented us on our fantastic timing and professionalism. The crews were warm and inviting and very eager to work with us.  In the end, it turned out to be a wonderful experience for sail crew and gun crew.

    It was a fantasic adventure and one I couldn't have done without me mates, Capt Ned (aka Gail), Barber-Surgeon Selchie (Lin), Rotten Raphael, Mike, Richard, Danny, Swab and of course, our Gun Master, Gary Harper.  Without him, none of this would have been possible.

    In this picture, you can see me swabbing Pearl.  I can tell it's me by the end of the swab.  The other guns were a 5lb bronze, and 4 - 3lb guns.  Photo courtesy of Oderlesseye.  Thank you, Oderlesseye.  More pictures can be found on Oderlesseye's photobucket page: Oderlesseye's photobucket HMS Surprise page.

    IMG_0837-1.jpg

    On August 11th, the Surprise aka Rose will be at the Channel Islands Tallship Festival in Oxnard, CA. Next she's headed to the LA Maritime Museum and then back down to San Diego for their Festival of Sail.

    and no...you're never getting her back.

    Blackbeard!

    in Pyrate Pop

    Posted

    I always wanted Christian Bale to play Bellamy...and both are/were Welsh, correct? Matter of fact...I think Bale could possibly do the best pirate role ever. Sort of mashup his roles in American Psycho, 3:10 to Yuma, Harsh Times, and even young Jim Hawkins in the TNT Treasure Island...and presto! Perfect pirate.

    Don't forget being charged with 'assault' on her majesty's soil...

    oh wait, that might make in un-insurable from a producer's point of view.

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