Billy Flynt

To all who may be interested,

I take a bit of offence from anyone who is making assumptions about our festival in Hampton if you have never been. As the former director of the festival and a member of Blackbeard's Crew, who has managed the historic interpretation, it is important for visitors and guests to understand our point of view. The members of Blackbeard's Crew are dedicated to the accurate representation of life in Hampton in 1718 - we may be accused of being preachy, but I do not hear people calling Colonial Williamsburg or historic Jamestowne or Yorktown preachy - both of which are within an arm's throw.

All visitors and guests are welcome to come experience what we believe to be the most authentic pirate experience when it comes to festivals - no matter how you are dressed. This being said, we do have space limitations in our small town and we do have some "authentic" areas of our festival which "ren" or hollywood inspired pirates are going to be excluded from.

I hope folks will take the time to review the comments of those who have been to our festival before jumping to conclusions

Bf

Congratulations on yer new position mate!

Almost a whole week and no one has gotten sick yet!!!

Aye,

Many thanks to all the visiting pirates that joined us in Hampton for a fine, half of a weekend. The damp weather sent many home early but we filled the time we had well.

As has been noted before, the chantey sing on Saturday night in the Camp is always the highlight of the weekend. And this year it was bigger than ever.

I hope to see you all in the near future - as I have been press ganged into becoming the Steward aboard the Kalmar Nyckel - send rum!

Bf

I would like to thank the Blackbeard crew for all of their hard work in putting this together and also letting me take part.

The worst part is having to pack up and leave and to wait another year to do it again.

I have a few pictures and I will post more as my freinds send them to me.

Crimson

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/kenthepirate20...460762403783995

linkie no workie!

Arrrgh! Thread Hijacked!!!!

Paul thanks for the help.

Blackbeard's Crew has begun work on our second Chantey CD and I'm looking for a good tavern scene - Something that looks quite debuacherous (if there is such a word). This album will be a bit more naughty than the first.

Something with sailors and wenches - what comes to mind is the drawing in the opening of the TV show Cheers - obviously I need something closer to the GAoP.

Can anyone lend assistance?

Saw this on the web and was wondering if it was too late and more 1860s

http://www.strongblade.com/prod/sbx-sscutlass.html

The price isn't bad and it isn't the black with wire 1860 model?

Just wondering since the price is right!

Plus I wouldn't mind working or weathering the handle

What do you think?

Rats

It's a piece of crap. Hey, you asked.

:)

I agree. It will never pass for combat and as far as a "costume" sword you can find somehing much nicer for a similar price.

I will agree that the Painted Lady has a very poor website, but their work is first rate and the people, JR & his family, are better than first rate.

If you have any questions about any of their work I would encourage you to contact him directly. Their stuff is among the most historically accurate for the GAoP that I have found.

poor website? what do you want from pirates?

Much obliged, Capt. As long as there's air in me lungs and me sails I'll at least be a pirate in Hampton!

Aye, good for you sir!

I wish I could be there to toast you sir!

"Treason doth not prosper"

of course if it did then none shall call it treason.

I'm most impressed with your purchase. Thanks for the tip on the vendor.

A well belayed event-

stinkin hot most of the time. i had a fine sail back upon the Alliance on Wednesday and Thursday into Friday AM.

from all accounts the pirate camp was the hit of the event. of course they had to piss of the folks who paid $50 a head to tour tall ships.

thanks for the pics Duncan, although i'm worried if you have some photos that are not safe for the web site!!!!

A fine time all in all.

Bf

Ship in the bottles aside...

this proposes to be an excellent raid.... Cascabel, Braise, Duncan and the Jury Rig are joining Blackbeard's Crew among others.

4 days of pirate camp!!!

See you Friday...

Blackbeard's Crew has two "gigs" on opening weekend,

Friday night - Cinema Cafe in Hampton, VA

Saturday - the historic Commodore Theatre in Portsmouth, VA

Free tickets included!!! whoo hoo!

It was gawd awful.

I did sit through all three hours last night (not quite 3 since I zipped through the commercials) hoping that it would get better... kind of like watching NASCAR for the crashes...

my biggest peeves:

Blackbeard had an cockney accent and was shorter than most of the other

characters.

Maynard was "pressed into service aboard the QAR" and pretended to be a former privateer - huh?

Governor Eden was the Gov. of New Providence in the Bahamas.

They created a character "Charlotte Ormond" who was Maynard's love interest.

Inordinate number of male characters with modern haircuts and goofy facial hair. Especially the guard that blackbeard kills when he arrives in New Providence.

It would make a good drinking game if you had to drink everytime you found something wrong. Of course everyone would be drunk in a half hour.

Duncan:

Thanks for the photos...

Bf

Crimson:

Great photos... only thing wrong is I'm not in enough of them!!! Ha!

Great shot of Blackbeard (Ben Cherry) going down!

Bf

Fox, Callenish, Tatu, Jag, et al:

It was great having you join us. A special thanks goes to Duncan MacGuyver (aka Drunken MacGuyver) and his crew for all their help. We were short-handed when Merrick's Privateer's took ill and couldn't join us and you folks helped to fill a void. One of the most difficult things we face about the festival is coordinating visiting pirates and incorporating them into the activities. Huzzah to you all. You were gracious, understanding and willing to do anything asked of you.

We can be hard @$$es about authenticity but we feel that's what helps to separate us from other festivals. Thanks for playing along.

If anyone has photos, please share.

Fair Winds,

Bf

Fox:

Nice photos, Thanks for sharing them. Glad you made the trip and enjoyed your stay- things would have been even better had we avoided the foul weather on Saturday.

Bf

Here a link to some photos from the local newspaper website:

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story...05483&ran=98844

At this point, looks like there's a pretty good chance I'll be there on Saturday...

It'll be good to see ye ag'in me lad.

Hopes ye can make it.

Bf

Welcome yon weary travellers...

There's always good rum and ale to be had here.

Fair Winds!

Bf

cap'n pern do the sutlers in the encamment go throught the event coordinators to vend on site

m' son 'n m'self were there last year and i have thought about coming down this year as an arms sutler

Good to hears from ye again kind sir. I would suggest contacting the Quartermaster of Blackbeard's Crew, John Glass if ye still be interested.

I kind sir am no longer in charge of the Festival but I will be there as a full time pirate as it were.

you can email John at jkglass@verizon.net

Hope you see ye there in any event.

Bf

http://www.armsofvalour.com/miva/merchant....Category_Code=P

I just don't know if it is fight ready. I've had good luck with this company.

I have this same sword that I bought from Loyalist Arms of Canada. I had to have the basket welded to the blade but it is a great fight sword. Loyalist has it cheaper too.

It is also very heavy to swing. It will give you a workout.

Bf