Captain Jim

My first hat was a success, but I waterproofed it and it came out more of a helmet than a hat: heavy and very stiff. Also black. Not a good color in Florida. So I needed another hat. My latest hat: Left: Right: Back: Lining: Closeup of button, a small tribute to the movie: The button is available from one of our own, renfairpirate.

Kriss, welcome to the site. Norrington's sword is styled after a variety called a "smallsword" and was quite common in the time of pyrates. While the Mouse has not seen fit to offer an exact replica, many smallswords are available on the net. Google up "smallsword" and you will find a plethora of them. Get a good picture of Norrington's and find the closest match. Another angle: one of our own, Billy Bones, was a weapons master on the movies. He may know the origin of the Norrington sword and can put you in contact with the maker. PM him.

Arrr...booty and treasure chests...pyrates still pursuing the same old thing.

There is power in the fort. Last year we posted a couple of "LIVE from PiP" posts on Rusty's laptop. Damn pyrate hunters livin in the lap o' luxury...consortin' with redcoats...scoundrels all, says I.

I am graciously disinclined to acquiesce to your flattering request...Means “no, but thanks for asking.”

Congratulations, El Presidente. I, too, am PTK but I ducked the officer stuff.

Shuffling is indeed inevitable. Time to send out the press gangs.

Welcome back, mate. Comin' ta careen the ship at Key West this year?

I have seen it many times, having grown up on the west coast of Florida, mostly from the beach but also from a boat. I have also seen it in Key West.

My condolences, lass. If you think of him often, he'll never truly be gone.

Political correctness requires that I say that you did the right thing. Pyratical correctness compels me to have you keelhauled for a dock-wallopin' land lubber and marooned!

Auugh!!! So Little Time!!!

I will be there. Ye 'ave me Bond an' Oath upon't.

He does such damn fine work. Huzzah, mate!

Jose Gaspar is a fictional character commandeered if not created by the Tampa Chamber of Commerce in the early 1900’s. For a good run-down on the fictional account as well as the truth I recommend the Pirate Mythory site . As for the cove, find out how far back the name appears on charts, if it appears on charts at all. Anytime after about 1825 to 1850 or so and the probability increases that the name is a romantic invention. Can you say "General Development Corporation?" That having been said, there were lots of pyrates active in the area, but I haven’t got the resources at hand to expound on that.

As my sensei used to say, "Outside of the ring, there is no place for honor in a fight." So-called "honor fights," dueling and the like, have rules. Real fights have none. So if you are a mercenary, fight like you want to live to spend your gains.

Thank you for sharing the recipe.

Well, she has a good basis of comparrison now. Most of us set our watch by your kit. William, that would be "Most of us turn the glass by your kit..." But I do agree.

Still, it was unwise to get downwind of Patrick during the closing days at last year's PiP festival ...

Another one succumbs to the dark side. Mwahahahahaaa...

Beautiful. Congratulations.

A good definition of broaching, to be sure, but an end-over-end capsize is called "pitchpoling" and makes a normal broaching look like a walk in the park. In a broach the boat will usually right itself after the wind is spilled from the sails unless a large wave drives the boat's mast underwater, perhaps all the way through 360 degrees for a complete rollover. Still, a well-found vessel may survive such treatment. Just hold on tight and pray that (1) the rig stays together and (2) that it doesn't stop halfway and "turtle" the boat. A pitchpole is always accompanied by a large wave taking the ship from astern and driving the bow into the water and taking the stern over the top. The forces generated almost always remove the rig, and usually destroy the boat.

Word of caution there, mate...the Department of Transportation (DOT) has regulations for cases and such. You might want to check the rules first.

Could these have been "hot shot" cannonballs? Since at least 1589 red-to-white hot cannon balls have been used to start fires/ignite powder on ships and in forts. Basically the cannon would have been loaded in the normal way and then an "overwad" of wet material would have been rammed home, followed by the red-hot cannonball. A final wet wad (to keep the ball from rolling out) then fired immediately.

Well said! Take a walk, Patrick!