Captain Jim-sib

Am reminded of a label from Taylor Wine during prohibition era when they only produced grape juice. The side label stated: "Do not add 1 cup sugar Do not add 1 cake of yeast Do not let sit in a vented jug for one week Do not consume the resulting liquid"

As a fund raiser item to this unfortunate event, the below item is being donated. It will be sent to our West Coast Brethren where fund raising activities are being planned. Maybe some other goodies can be used. Best wishes to the Royaliste. http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g276/2go...se/100_3442.jpg

Happy Birthday & welcome to the 5-0 club, matey.

Historical valid point of no flag at an encampment. In situations were public viewing is involved, that choice woulld be yours. Yet where spectators are welcomed, a unique flag is always an attention grabber and a source for visitor questions. It also lets ya know the wind direction.

via Long Tom: Now that has possiblities...gives a terrifying look. Could carry a cutlass in the other hand...cutlass slashing at hourglass.

Get her jury-rigged & up to Beaufort fast!

Nice wings, Silkie. The design, no offense, reminds me of a corset add from Victoria's Secret...not too threatening...unless whips are in hand

Version 7 Mercury symbol could be on skull...try it in black. O' course, we be lookin' at "computer red"

Like #2 & #3. What's the fixation with ol' Hermes ? Ship name...or you'd be the messager of death ?

One principle that I would drive home to my geology students is the "Law of Holes" which simply states that "all holes will eventually be filled...no matter how large or small." I have seen the dredgers working on the ICW, as many of you have, & seen much of the surry mixture placed on the bank that flowed back into the waterway. Given rain erosion, current & tidal transport of the sediment, I am surprised that more vessels are not grounded.

Just returned from a sib-demo at a museum in eastern NC where several pirate groups were performing sword play & being the rouges that they'd be. Learned of that there will be a pirate camp at the Charleston Maritime Festival this year in the shipyard where the Spirit of SC is. With the Tall Ships coming into port, there should be a good crowd for this event. Link to website: http://www.charlestonmaritimefestival.com/...ertainment.html

Just got into town from a weekend trip. Very distraught over this news. Hope all goes well, & ye be in me prayers.

This sure beats the Doritos that washed up on the Outer Banks this November!

Just spent the better part of the day on the lathe making Ocracoke, Cape Lookout, and Hatteras lighthouses. These are the popular ones in NC. Just wondering if y'all have a favorite lighthouse. Personally, I am partial to Ocracoke's 1823 lighthouse.

Certainly one can debate the attributes of nations' vessels, yet take it in an ecomonical perspective. The Spanish had circumnavigated the globe several times before Drake in the Pelican / Golden Hind. It is documented that the Spanish got over 200,000 miles per galleon.

Only cigars

Consider also the water depths that the vessels would be using. The Jamacian / Berumda-type sloops would draw 5-6 ft. These colonial vessels were perfect for inland waterways and were stable in deep water. As Blackjohn mentioned, this designed was copied by Virignina & New England shipyards because it was a good design. Elizabethean galleys modified the Spanish galley by sharpened the bow angle and thinning the stern blow the waterline. This improvement created less drag and was not so box-like as the Spanish. There is a famous period English drawing which shows a fish superimposed on a ship's hull where the designers were attempting to copy nature's streamline design.

Looks like fun.

Welcome to the Tar Heel State...which doesn't have anything to do with UNC. Recong' you'll be firing some guns at Sinbad's Meka II. The Wooden Boat Show in May is a fun time. The museum has contracted me to demo ships in bottles on that Friday in the Boat House of the show. Will need to do one of the Royaliste off Cape Lookout . The Saturday night banquet of the show is terrific...lots of good eats of the local flavor. Are you attending the Charleston Maritime Festival in May? Tuff call with the Hampton Roads Blackbeard Fest & Virginia Sail being less than a week apart. Best regards & fair winter winds to ye

Thanks for all that you do, and best wishes for this coming year.

An excellent book on the "how-to" is: Secrets of the Still by Grace Firth. 1983, ISBN 0-914440-66-7

POTC-II CD Dave Brubeck's Take-5 CD A pellet gun, for popping squirrels off the bird feeder That Leg Lamp from A Christmas Story... and similar to Capt'n Sterling, a cold

Lady Snow, My sincere condolances. Having been recently diagnosed as diabetic myself, I can relate to your situation and the complications that are associated with this. His legacy lives on in you. Me prayers be with you.

A PIRATE’S CHRISTMAS By Capt. Rob Temple ‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the ship The pirates were stirring rum punch for a nip The guns were run out to their maximum clearance Just in case ye old navy should make an appearance The lookout was passed out cold on the deck Dreaming of a hangman’s noose round his neck Blackbeard in his hat and I in my bandanna Had just settled down to smoke a Havanna When out on the sea there arose such commotion We knew there was something out there on the ocean Away to the railing I flew like a flash And leaning far over I threw up the hash And Blackbeard was laughing and bellowed out, “Aahhrr You always get sick when you smoke a cigar!” The moon on the breast of the glittering water Made us all feel that something was quite out of order A guy with a beard and a furry red coat Was approaching our ship in a jolly row boat So we realized that Christmas had finally caught us And we cried, “Ahoy Santa! What gifts have you brought us?” But the scowl on his face and the shake of his head Soon told us all we had something to dread He said, “No presents for you, you mean sons of witches I’m bringing you nothing but ashes and switches! “You dare expect presents? What’s wrong with your brains? Your ship is all loaded with ill-gotten gains No sooner was Santa’s anger all spent Than all of us pirates began to repent We begged and we cried till our eyes were all swollen And we said we’d give back all the loot that we’d stolen We promised him that we would all mend our ways And all attend church till the end of our days We said to him, “If you’ll forgive us, dear Santa We’ll give up the sea and all move to Atlanta.” But he laughed and he told us, “What fools you all are! You can’t move ashore, that’d be going too far!” Then he winked through the smoke of the pipe he was smoking And we saw with relief that he’d only been joking Then he opened his bag where it sat on the hatch And presented blind Pew with a brand new eye patch For the rest of the crew he had wonderful things New swords and daggers and golden earrings A new peg and crutch were for Long John our cook And for one-handed Wally he’d brought a new hook As he returned to the railing and shouldered his load He said, “Always remember to live by the Code Only take from the rich as it’s them who can spare it When you get back to shore just remember to share it" We pirates loved Santa; he’s so full of fun So we all sort of hated to do what we done But seizing his bag we stole every last gift Then we bound him and gagged him and set him adrift If these piratical actions seem shocking to you Well – hey!—we’re just pirates and that’s what we do! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Via Capt'n Bo: Twill be holding my own feral pig hunt with me brother after New Year's on my wife's famiy land in Oconee Co., SC. The land is adjacent to the Nat. Forestry property, & they have come in that way. Tis a big problem. These pigs have 2-3 litters per year , eat everything, and crowd out natural species. This will definitely be a "search & destroy" misson...baiting with corn, so black powder is out. Just the big guns with 44 mag side arms, Bowies & dirks. The Forest Service said that they would trap them, yet they are busy with other things. The neighbors there have said that these feral pigs are too big to trap. Hope not to encounter one of those "Hog-zilla's" that they got in Georgia, but feral pigs can get 300 lbs +. Best hunting to you, Capt'n Bo.