TalesOfTheSevenSeas

Got a flash... Moon?! We don't need no stinkin' moon!! LOL

Wenches, We'll be bringing our most handsome pirate..... Jeff!!!

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. Every time I handed out a wet, soggy business card and explained that they had gone overboard, everyone got a real kick out of it and said it was great- made them all the more piratey than they already were!! Go figure, eh?!!

Carrie did well! They had people standing by watching them and as Charlie told her, swordfighting is great, because it makes you look cool and sexy all at once! Ya' looked great out there lass!! Far better than I looked fallin' on be bum!!!

Yeah I was just thinking now would be a good time for one. Still looks like an old boat on a trailer, but you can see the pirate ship just begining to take shape. I get home after dark, but I'll see if I can get a decent photo tonight.

Here is the latest on the Land Shark: The aft (back) cabin is almost done. The framing is finished and most of the plywood is up, so it's actually starting to vaguely resemble a pirate ship. The 4-pane windows are installed on both sides of the aft cabin and I have two more to add to the back of the cabin. After we add the plywood to the top and a slanted face to the front to deflect wind on the freeway, we're about done with the back. Then we start to work on creating the elevated front deck, which will be about 1'-6" off the hull. That one will probably be the most difficult part of the whole thing. So far it's gone quite well, with relatively few problems. Lookin' nice and sturdy. After that the PVC mast goes up, PVC bowsprit, the rails on the top of the aft cabin and the front deck, the ship's wheel is already done and ready to be installed and we'll make the casting from the Royaliste's figurehead, and the PVC cannons.

It's official! I just got our acceptance letter and we're scheduled for the San Jose Holiday Parade, rated one of the top 25 best parades in America! Woooooooooohoooooooooooooo!!!! This will be the 'debut sail' of the Land Shark, our parade float. I'd love to have a good-sized turnout of pirates to sail her down the streets with us. So any of you who would like to come out for this, please email me at talesofthesevenseas@hotmail.com You're always welcome to stay with Saber and I if you don't mind a sleeping bag on the living room floor and we also have a parade participant's discount for anyone that would like to stay overnight in the San Jose Hilton Towers. The SJ Hilton is a top-notch hotel, elaborate marble lobby, excellent amenities and restaurants- creme de la creme- overlooking Christmas in the Park in park below. $79 for single or double occupancy. Reservations before Nov 6th get a coupon for a free full breakfast in their restaurant too. I hope you'll join us for this event. We'll have television coverage as we wish the crowds 'appy 'oliday ye scalliwags!!! and then enjoy Christmas in the park, a large animated display, covering the entire park following the parade. Hmmmmm.... maybe we'll stop in and visit Santa too... that could be interesting! What will we say when he asks if we've been good?!! ARRRRR!!

No need to wish you were here, put aside some vacation time, grab the significant other and/or kids if it pleases you and c'mon out to join us for an event! That's the beauty of all that loaner gear I have, I can make anyone an instant pirate. I also wanted to relate a couple of humorous incidents that happened to Saber and I this weekend- since Cracked Carrie and Royaliste, don't want to embarass either of us, I figured I'll do it!! First off, we were horribly late. As we're rushing about like pirates with our heads cut off loading gear on the Royaliste, Saber has my belt with my most loved pirate treasures on it and they are one by one falling off the other end... *plunk!* *plunk!* *plunk!* Into the water!!! Rather than taking a step backwards, so that they plunk onto the dock, he yells "Hurry! Grab something!" I go hurling forward on my half-attached heel of my wench boots. When that crooked heel hit the wet deck.... *BOOM!!!!* Down I went on my arse with a crash!!!! BUTT this was not the END of our misfortunes, AS we REARly had another one ahead of us! When we got to the dock, Saber, was going to jump off to secure the line to the dock- until he saw that it was a floating dock. When a big guy likes him jumps onto a floating dock, up comes the other END. Thinking that he'd by pASS that embarASSment, he sat down in the gunport and was going to step off BUTT.... We now know that Saber's backside and the Royaliste's gunport are an exact match, and a tight fit! Yup.... he got stuck! (ever see that episode of Winnie the Pooh? That was our Saber!) Well, Royaliste just shook his head and said "Oh Bob...." and we had a heck of a laugh about it later at the end of the weekend looking back. So please feel free to join us in a good laugh at our expense!! We're laughing about it too!!!

Hope you and the mouse are lifting a tankard together!! Let us know how many times you went on POTC!!!

Here be the photos o' the event!! Click here for photos I shall leave it to yer own deeeeeterminationz to decide who be th' victor in this little engagement. Either way, we of the Royaliste are most pleased to have had Cracked Carrie join us for her first event with us and for Bully to have turned pirate!!!! A hearty welcome aboard to ye' both!!

Hey Thomas, I did give my card to some folks at St Rose Hospital in Hayward, with the suggestion that we could come in as volunteers periodically, but haven't heard back yet. I would love to get that going. Is there a Shriners in the Bay Area or does someone have a contact in the SF Bay Area for another hospital who would like to have a pirates visit? Also along the lines of volunteering, I do children's storytimes and history presentations for kids and adults, but both Saber and I would like to do hospital visits.

Although not nautical, a friend sent me this quote today and it most definitely sounds piratical to me- "A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "WOW!...that was fun!" -annonymous

...and I be puttin' the finishing touches on an article about his privateering exploits during the American Revolution for No Quarter Given. Veeeeeery interesting stuff, that!!

A poem written upon the death of Blackbeard, which is attributed to Ben Franklin at age 12 and sold on the streets of Boston. Although no copy survives one stanza has been recalled as follows: "So each man to his gun, For the work must be done With cutlass, sword, and pistol. And when we can no longer strike a blow Then fire the magazine, boys, up we go. It is better to swim in the sea below Than to hang in the air and feed the crow, Sang jolly Ned Teach of Bristol."

I have my doubts if this is true, but for whatever it's worth, I found the following quote sandwiched between quotes of Thomas Jefferson and Ghandi... "Move your fat ass, Harry, or you'll sink this boat." -George Washington The website notes it as follows: ...Actual quote from George Washington to another general in his boat as he crossed the Delaware. True story.

"At ten years old I was taken home to assist my father in his business, which was that of a tallow-chandler and soap-boiler. I disliked the trade, and had a strong inclination for the sea, but my father declared against it." -Benjamin Franklin Makes one wonder how history might have changed if Ben Franklin had been a sea captain, eh?

Ah 30 times thru!! How fun!! Happy Birthday Miss Lucky!!! I believe ye' can do it IF ye be attemptin' to go on a weekday, and if yer sweetie don't keelhaul ye' before number 20!! I wonder- does anyone know if there has ever been a record breaking attempt made on the ride like they have on the ferris wheels? Iron Bess, I'd say you would be the resident expert to answer that question!

Tales of the Seven Seas pirates will be sailing in aboard the Royaliste and raiding the show with a band of pirates!!

Aye Cap'n, Methinks that maybe we should fly them panties along with arrrrr colors... seems like it would be quite appropriate, eh?

AHOY THAR CAP'N!!!!!!!! *waves from the deck* I got yer message!! Thanks fer locatin' me camera! Now what in blazes arrrrrrrr we gonna do with all the other things ye' found? Cannon fodder preeeeeeehaps? Now what would they say on the Hawaiian Chieftain when we blast 'em next time and they got wimmen's panties a-hangin' in there riggin'?!!!!! Now THAT would be a sight to see, eh?

My experience with Ren Faires is that they are not very pirate friendly. There are several reasons for this. Most serious "rennies" expect guilds to portray one era and to do it with complete accuracy. They do not want to see "storybook" pirates or a variety of eras represented. That means narrowing the focus of your guild to one era and dressing to please the costuming nazis, rather than the crowds. That's well and good if that's what you're into. But the other side of the coin is that although the rennies are very well-versed in their own era's of history, they are quite often very misinformed when it comes to what a pirate should look like and will instantly lable anything resembling Captain Hook as "Hollywood" rather than history. If they read a bit of Dr. David Cordingly's work, they'd know better, but unfortunately they can be very harsh and very vocal in their criticisms. The reason the event coordinators changed the name of the Goldcoast Pirate Faire to "A Renaissan Faire with Pirate Flaire" is that they felt that people just "didn't get it" when it was a pirate faire. Attendance was way up this year and they said they thought it was due to the name change or maybe Pirates of the Caribbean. Most of those in the audience felt that it was due to POTC. I do feel that the presence of Queen Elizabeth at a pirate faire is very much appropriate. Her history with privateers is very interesting and it was done very well in my now second favorite pirate movie "The Seahawk" in which Elizabeth has a major role. The nice thing about the Pirate Faire in Ojai is that it is FUN. Lots of pirates and not a lot of costume nazis. Everyone just having a grand time. I think it is sad that the costume nazis can't have a good time unless everyone conforms to their vision of history. The Ojai Faire is a great example of just how much fun can be had in a relaxed, but reasonably historic faire. We ARRRRRRRRRRRRRR gonna be thar again next year!!!!! (and we might even bring the Land Shark!!)

Ah, this one is so good.... "Ships are the nearest thing to dreams that hands have ever made." -Robert N. Rose

Redd lad, ye' gotta post us some photos!!!

*bang! bang! clank! bang! clonk!* (sound of tankards hitting a wooden table) *pop!!* (sound of cork stopper being pulled out by my teeth) *pour, pour, spill, pour, pour* DRINK UP MATES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!

Aye!! Reason to celebrate indeed Grace!! *breaks out a bottle of Captain Morgan* Any takers amongst ye' pirates?!!!