William Brand

Martinique is high on my list. I would also like to return to Acre (Akko) in Israel.

Raise a glass! Hell...raise 20.

February 10 - Jan Abels was one of the first leaders of the Seabeggars in 1568. He was active with three vessels, manned by 40 people, in the Ems River. On this day in 1569, with a small boat and a crew of 25, Abels took a ship from Delfzijl, Friesland, laden with cheese and goods. He left the goods belonging to Hamburg merchants alone and sold the cheese belonging to the Spanish. He went on to seize a larger vessel and used her for further piracies, and continued to seize merchantmen from Amsterdam selecting the goods belonging to Spanish Netherlanders to sell. Thomas Armstrong, one of Roberts' men, said to have been forced into piracy after deserting HMS Swallow at Cape Three Points, West-Africa in April of 1721. When Roberts on the morning of the 10th of February 1722 was surprised by a ship making slow headway against a offshore wind, it was Armstrong who rushed to tell him he recognized his old ship and knew her well. Armstrong told the pirate chief she "sailed best upon a wind and therefore, if they designed to leave her, they should go before it", which meant that the naval vessel was at her best when going into the wind, but sluggish when her sails were filled from behind. There were too few sober pirates to fight the powerful Swallow, Roberts pondered, that is why he would let the man-of-war come deep into the bay against the wind and then, at the last moment, his Royal Fortune would sail directly past her. However, writes Defoe: "coming close to the Man of War, they received her fire, and hoisted his black flag, and returned it, shooting away from her, with all the sail he could pack; and had he took Armstrong's advice, to have gone before the wind, he had probably escaped. But keeping his tacks down, either by the wind shifting, or ill steerage, or both, he was taken a-back with his sails; and the Swallow came a second time very nigh to him". Robert's Royal Fortune was doomed and so was her crew. With Roberts' death the men surrendered. Armstrong was taken to HMS Weymouth to be executed in accordance with naval regulations. "There was nobody to press him to an acknowledgement of the crime he died for, nor of sorrowing in particular for it, which would have been exemplary." So after long hours of lamenting and bewailing his sins in general faced a noose dangling over a yard arm, secured to a capstan where some navymen waited for the order to wind up the rope. Desired the spectators to join in with him singing 2 or 3 last verses of psalm 140, which the sailors willingly did. The firing of a gun disturbed this peaceful moment and "the Deserter then was tric'd up by the Neck at the fore Yard Arm". After a successful career as a pirate off the Iberian Peninsula, Captain Gow decided to return to the Orkney Islands. He was running low on supplies, and the authorities were on his trail. Arriving in early 1725, he adopted the name Mr. Smith for himself, and renamed his vessel the George, and passed as a wealthy trader, even courting a Miss Gordon. He was eventually recognized by a merchant passing through the islands, and his true identity was revealed. According to other accounts, some of his prisoners escaped there and notified the authorities. Rather than surrender, Gow and his men successfully raided the Hall of Clestrain on February 10, 1725, but when they attempted to attack another remote mansion, they ran aground on the Calf of Eday, where they were captured. And on this day in 2003, Angus MacVox opened up pyracy.com which became widely know as the ‘Pyracy Pub’. And on this day in 2023, Stynky Tudor and William Brand reopened the Pyracy Pub. Happy Birthday, Pyracy!

Morning Watch aboard the Watch Dog William woke abruptly to seven or eight bells of some daylit watch. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d passed more than two watches together without waking and he was noticeably addled by the time, light and location. He felt worn through and would not have been surprised at all to find that he had passed near ten years asleep. “What witchcraft and misfortune…?” he slurred aloud, much to the hushed amusement of two nearby forms. He couldn’t place the careful chuckles of either and made no attempt to see them better by rubbing his eyes. He hung awhile, sideways in the hammock with his legs dangling as he waited for his mind to surface. He could feel yesterdays bruises and pulls, including something in his right hip that predicted a limp for the next day or two. Jim’s clear calls sounded overhead. The man’s voice, raw from shouting all night, still carried true and William was glad of the sound. ‘Sah.” William visibly started. He hadn’t heard the approach of Robert Hollis. “Sah, the men have found the Patricia and two men…” William went wide awake, half dressed and half way to the ladderway before Robert could say another word.

The subject of 'tall ships' comes up from time to time, along with such questions as 'Where is it docked now?" and "Is it open to the public?" or even "What became of that one replica ship?". To that end we're starting this comprehensive list. This is a place holder for the links and information for any and all tall ships that we can find. Feel free to share facts about some of your favorites and we'll add them here. Ships in Service (Active): Devil's Gauntlet (Sultana) - British Brigantine Home Port:San Diego, California Links: https://www.facebook.com/piratesofthedevilsguantlet/ HMS Surprise (HMS Rose) - English Sixth-Rate Post Ship, 1757 (Replica 1970) Home Port: San Diego, California Links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Surprise_(replica_ship) Lady Washington - American Revolutionary Sloop-of-war, 1797 (Replica 1989) Home Port: Aberdeen, Washington Links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Washington Shtandart - Russian Frigate, 1703 (Replica 1999) Home Port: St. Petersburg, Russia Links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_frigate_Shtandart Ships on Display: Adventure - 17th Century Trade Ketch (Replica 2008) Home Port: Charleston, South Carolina Links: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=67881 Batavia - Dutch East Indies Merchant, 1628 (Replica 1995) Home Port: Wallabi Group, Houtman Abrolhos Links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batavia_(1628_ship) https://www-batavialand-nl.translate.goog/?_x_tr_sl=nl&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en Cutty Sark - British Clipper Ship, 1869 Home Port: Greenwich, London. England Links: https://www.rmg.co.uk/cutty-sark?fbclid=IwAR0uG95K8qNMJ2wEWfUIVGFFDMpY-qgqYcepDpVTbuKzPGNC0rqD6Schf8w Vasa - Swedish Warship, 1627 Location: Djurgarden, Sweden Links: https://www.vasamuseet.se/en https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasa_(ship) Neptune - Spanish Galleon, ca. 17th Century (Film Replica 1985) Location: Genoa, Italy Links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neptune_(galleon) Drydocked Ships (Inactive): Hawaiian Chieftain (Spirit of Larinda) - Square Topsail Ketch, ca. 1790s (Contemporary Interpretation 1988) Home Port: Currently in Port Townsend, Washington Links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_Chieftain https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/hawaiian-chieftain-sold-repairs-to-be-made-in-port-townsend/ Lost at Sea: Bounty - Royal Navy Sailing 'Collier' Ship, 1784 (Replica 1960) Home Port: Greenport, New York - Lost at Sea Links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bounty_(1960_ship) Pelican - French Warship, 1693 (Replica 1992) Home Port: Donaldsonville, Louisiana - Lost dockside Links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ship_Pélican_(1693) Pilgrim - American Sailing Brig, 1825 (Replica 'Tern Schooner' 1945, 'Brig' converted 1975) Home Port: Dana Point, California - Lost dockside Links: https://www.danapointtimes.com/pilgrim-demolished-no-determination-cause-sinking/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilgrim_(brig)

My list hasn't grown much over the years, but it includes a few new ones. Harry Silkie Red Cat Jenny Dorian Lasseter Black Syren Red-Handed Jill Maeve Jim Hawkins Kass Ol Man From the Sea CrazyCholeBlack Captain P.E.W. Callenish Gunner Island Cutter Haunting Lily Edward O’ Keefe Captain Callahan Fayma Callahan Captain Sterling Jack Roberts Stynky Tudor Capt J Michael Bagley Mary Diamond MadPete Braze Brien McWilliams Talderoy (via the shop answering machine) Mission More to come.

Thank you! I enjoyed that.

17th century

18th century France

January 8 - On this day in 1609, James I of England announced a general “Proclamation against Pirats.” And on this day in 1676, there was an inconclusive naval battle between the French, under Abraham Duquesne, versus Dutch and Spanish forces under Michiel de Ruyter.

December 29 - On this day in 1609, 18 pirates were hanged at Execution Dock, Wapping. On this day in history, 1720, John Clipperton and his crew took on fish, wood and water at Cocos Island, located off the shore of Costa Rica. A shack was set up on the beach there to shelter a large number of scurvy invalids among the crew. This is not pirate related, but some things should be remembered, for on this day in 1890 some 150 Lakota men, women and children were massacred by the US 7th Calvary Regiment near Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Some estimate the actual number was closer to 300.

I'm still in Logan and I'm still in the hobby.