the Royaliste

Her's a partial schedule of next summer's port stops. We'll have quite a few 'unscheduled stops', as there is a lot of time to kill between several of these posted. TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® GREAT LAKES 2010 sponsored by Great Lakes United Montreal, QUE – June 11 – 13, 2010 TBD – June 18 -20 Toronto, ON – June 23 – 27 Cleveland, OH - July 7 – 11, 2010 Bay City, MI – July 15 – 18, 2010 Duluth, MN – July 29 – August 1, 2010 TBD – August 6 – 8, 2010 Green Bay, WI – August 12 – 15, 2010 Chicago, IL – August 24 – 29, 2010 I'm off to Lake Champlain to work on the ship next week. Here's to the weather stayin' dry..(paint and stuff really dislike wetness,eh?)

Aye!...I'm not sure what I'd do without the old girl, but the economic realities arre hammerin' us pretty good. Shoulda,coulda,woulda, but had this years events kept us on the schedule, things would have been tough, but o.k. Now, it's all out of pocket for maintainance,insurance,etc..Off to New York next week to spend some frogskins and address caulking issues. Also, all the sails are stored aboard, and they may be mildew-ing with all the recent rains.....I think the rains have already claimed all of our period flags, as the locker they are in isn't dry.....more news in a week or two...work safe, Coastie...

Yar-Bee-Garrr!..This 'ere economy sucks..any serious offers out there?

We'll be sure to do that, 'Pearl..... Yar-Bee-Gar!...I hates to post this little tidbit,but....I've been on the road a while, offline, and we now have news that the few venues we did have lined out this season have all bailed on us,so....For the first time since 2002, Royaliste won't be spreadin' piracy accross the waters of the U.S. and Canada this summer.....a sign of the economic times, for sure.....Assumin' we manage to hang in there all year, next year's calendar (2010) is already shapin' up with the Tallships Challenge, having eight ports onboard already coverin' all five Great Lakes...Montreal to Duluth, and 'down' to Chicago..Green Bay, Cleveland,etc........See ya mates, I'll toss out an update or two this summer while we do some refittin'....

Ah, pets.....We've sailed with quite a menagery, but alas, we had to farm out our cats long ago, as they really don't do temporary sea duty well...A partial list comes to mind; a few fish, many dogs, assorted birds, some lizards, two different crewmembers with cacti, and one mouse (not counting an 'actor' mouse, but that be another story)...For several years, we have been trying to partner up with another ship we know of, La Revenante. Even though this is our most economically strapped tour, it looks as though she'll be launched and partnered up with Royaliste. Finally, two period gunboats sparring it up for the summer. If Lake Ontario cooperates weatherwise, it should be awesome, says I!....I'm headed to New York next week to assess winter damage, and start some mast repair and a head job for the Perkins powerplant. A sad bit of news, if no one has posted it; the replica frigate, Niagra, has lost most of her backing, and is at the dock instead of touring, thanks to the economy...Sad, as we like sailing with her...If anyone here is wealthy, send millions to the Niagra in Erie...( and a fistful our way!).....It's a rough time to be micro-managing a Tallship......Sail Ho!

Aye! We're back in the Dakotas, but it be a time of traveling for me. Off to New York soon to start refitting Royaliste for launch and this year's sailin' schedule...Sawin', plankin',screwin' and nailin'....Turnin' a little dirt to plant some veggies here, and hoping real spring is coming soon....

Well shiver me timbers! These little buggars can really peep up a storm now!....Seems right along with rearin' these guys, it be time to start lookin' for a couple 'o crew for this summer's cruise...We're tryin' to sail out from under this horrible economic mess, and the events are few and far between,but....Looks like refit and launch on Lake Champlain, canal it to the St. Lawrence, sail to a fest in Montreal, then several stops on Lake Ontario along the New York side, and off to a fest in Port Colborne, Ontario. Then, well, most likely back to Lake Champlain by way of canal, or possibly down the Atlantic to the Chesapeake. Too far off to call, mates..If you can sail, rig, climb, and or be a general educator on pyracy, then give me an email..Room and board, great experiences, and possible tips, 'o course....Aye!

Buggar!!...Seems that the code procedure threw me hook for a loop, but the link be workin' now, as Cap'n Kat fixed it for yours truuuuely!...and..Wwe just checked the babies, and the second one is a girl also!..Way to go Rose, as two girls are very uncommon, and very excellent, says I!!

We finally got a photo link up on the new baby Eclectus parrots. These are current, and we'll add new ones each week as the 'lil buggars grow....http://www.photobucket.com/bergman-eclectus

Well, the two babies are still doing fine, at around four weeks of age!..The first born is now showing red pinfeathers on the head, meanin' she be a girl!...Bess; Kathy is going to try to get some pictures on the laptop, then either we'll post, or email......Yar-Bee-Garrrr!

Avast me hearty's!! Seems like two 'new' crew members for the ROYALISTE, says I!!.....The parrots LaFitte and Rose, our ship's parrots, have given birth to two wonderful baby Ecclectus parrots!!... At time of writing, they are 7 days and 10 days old, respectively, and doing fine at this stage. Ecclectus parrots are probably the only parrot species that a person can tell sex without a vet visit, as the males and females are colored differently. We'll know at around five weeks of age...So, good Lord willin' and the creeks don't rise, (we're hidin' out from the cold in Arizona), we'll have two gorgeous Ecclectus for sale in a few months..Or, four parrots aboards ship....ROYALISTE is still under ice and snow in Plattsburgh, NY...Summer looks like a trip around NY waters; canals, Great Lakes,etc..Fall possibly south to Virginia for the winter next year, if'n eye kin afford it.....

Well, I happen to know of one pyrate happening in Little River;......the Privateer Royaliste went aground January 2007. Wasn't a pretty sight, I tells ye'

We had planned to attend, as it sounds like a great cause ( parrots in the zoo,eh), but now we'll just be sending some auction stuff, as our own parrots are on two eggs, and they are fertile, so......egg sittin', we be......

To reach Providence, try sloopprovidenceonline.com............As for deck guns, many also carry armament from Hern Ironworks in Idaho. I vary from four three pound carronades and 2 four pound carronades, to just two and two, depending on total ship cargo weight (the reality of it all!)..all fire well, fairly authentic wartime castings...

Regretfully, Neither my ship nor self will be able to attend at this point in the economy....'Tis a sad state of affairs, aye tells 'e....

Seems as tho' winter is keepin' me offline due to weather, but I figured I'd put up an update of sorts....'Coastie', We'll cross longitudes sooner or later..No plans on the West Coast again, looks like the Northern coast for a while....Royaliste is under tarps with snow at present.... Lady B..Capn' Kat and I are a bit north of you in N.E. South Dakota..Blizzarding at present, deep snow,etc...I've been in the garage off and on making new ship parts, belaying pins, structural knees, deadeyes, bullseyes, etc....Lookin' forward to spring already.(tore the heck out of my 4X4 transfer case).....buggar!

Actually, we on occaision place ads in ASTA's Billet Bank, and sometimes on the Tales of the Seven Seas forum, but we quit using our own site, as we were hacked last year, and ever since there seems to be little interest or visits. All of that said, our days of taking on a dozen sailtraining trainees are over, so when we are short, I just troll a line in a few places and see if we get any bites or not..

Avast, ya scallywags..an update of sorts....We've been extremely busy on non pyrate related life issues,so...Royaliste was hauled out on the NEw York side of Lake Champlain for the winter. My first jaunt ashore in over six years. This economy is brutal, so as of now we're looking towards a conservative(for us) sailing season around New York, Lakes Erie and Ontario, and of course the canals and most likely the Hudson.. We may be looking for one or two crew for the summer, but we really haven't mapped our upcoming year out..Keep the faith, mates...........

We're in Alexandria Bay at the dock now..'twas a pretty rough one sailin' the length of Lake Ontario last night, but the ship took it fairly well...Town's crowdin' up, the docks filling up fast, and it looks like a hellofa great weekend ahead, maytee's.......

Hmm.....As far as I see it, the NY State Canal System is far better than any of the Canadian locks...the Welland is spendy, breaks down, and is fat too regulated. The St. Lawrence Seaway locks aren't any better, with little pleasure boat friendlyness...The Erie is grand, as most towns are competing for the boaters attention, with free shore power and water..the locks are even competing with the towns, as many now have electricity, and a very friendly atmosphere..we can't wait to get back in the Erie in two weeks, as the pace is really laid back...We are mid-lake on Ontario, almost even with Rochester, headed for A-Bay..should be in late Friday, just in time for Pirate Days...There may be a cool suprise on the second weekend...After that, off to Oswego, down the canals to the Hudson, and a few stops 'afore the ocean..We tentatively are going to do an event in Philadelphia mid Sept. with a Blackbeard connection historically,so be keepin' an eye on the horizon for that familiar square tops'l,maytees!...

You most definitely want to do the Erie Canal from Tonawanda (Buffalo) to Waterford, then down the Hudson.. Unstep your mast at any of several marinas on the western side, and use the Castleton Boat Club for their do it yourself derrick at 75 bucks...We'll be doin' it again next month, right after Bill Johnston's Pirate Days in A-Bay...Cheap for a small boat, a hunnert bucks for my Tallship..We're going thru the Welland Seaway Canal today, for 'Canal Days' in Port Colborne, then back thru on Monday..really expensive, 320.00

After a tuff haul up the Chesapeake, and 'down' Delaware Bay, we're 30 nm outside NYC,so..if'n ye be up tonight, keep an eye on the Hudson, and we'll be sailin' thru.....Aye!

Ah, the PC rum seems to have found it's mark everywhere, eh??...We even flew the logo during the battle sail sunday....We had a lock malfunction that put one of the three carronades portside out of commission, but...things went well otherwise. Twas a fuuur piece to where the ship was located, causing adult pirates not to find it, but despite the competition from the jumping rooms, the kids found us!!....Here's to next year, hopefully, we'll be in the vicinity again....Presently, we're laying over for the night in Deltaville, sailing under squares all day from Hampton as we work our way up the Chesapeake, and onward to NYC......See all 'ya'all again.... ROYALISTE Square Sails, and Tall Tayles.....

Yarrr-beee-garr! We've made berth in Hampton, and things are looking good..Wasn't that way yesterday as we sailed thru one heckova gale in the North Landing River and Currituck Sound...We'll fix the damage as always, and be a plunderin' as planned.....bummer that the carousel is down for a remodel.....

Avast, ya scurvy scallywags!..We're docked in Coinjock,NC...Tomorrow nite ate Great Bridge, and then in to Hampton.........Pyrates, aye!