TalesOfTheSevenSeas

The Golden Gate spanning the bay...

We sailed out underneath the Golden Gate bridge and out onto the open sea... what a spectacular sail!!! It was beautifully clear day with warm weather and rolling swells. Black dolphins leapt from the water in front of us, seals swam alongside looking for treats, and flocks of various waterfowl flew, swam and dived around us. As always, we were armed to the teeth and fired on the Hawaiian Chieftain on our way out of the Gate- This produced a very loud, very shrill scream from one of the Chieftain's passengers- At least we THINK it was a passenger, as we've never known the crew to scream in high feminine cries when we fired on them before. Although I suppose there is a first time for everything, right?!!! (just kidding around, I mean it all in good fun!!) Click to see the Royaliste's guns being fired

Aye and I would be pulled straight to Davey Jone's Locker if I went overboard! I actually added a quick release loop so that I might have a snowball's chance o' savin' myself if that were to happen

Is THAT where that Synth thing was coming from!! I hadn't equated the two. Thanks Angus, I didn't like the pop-ups either.

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Saber ye scallywag!!! Me dubloons make up more than me fare share... don't ye' go re-writin' the articles on me, I might have to fire ye' from the Royaliste's guns!! Hmmmm.... Cap'n we may have to bore them barrels out just a wee bit....

"Pirate plastic?!!" Why that would be VISA "GOLD!!!" ChARRRRRRRRRRRRRRge it!!!

Saber and me-self will be there bright an' early Saturday mornin' Cap'n with flintlocks in hand!!

I also found this... The infamous pirate Blackbeard and his crew were known to frequent the shores along the bay and oceanfront in what is now First Landing State Park. The pirate band used the tall trees and sand dunes as lookout perches to watch for the white billowy sails of incoming or outgoing merchant ships. Because of the losses the colony sustained due to his piracy, Blackbeard was finally hunted down and beheaded off the Carolina coast by decree of Virginia's colonial governor. Ocracoke island in NC might not be too far away. There in addition to the history is a pirate store called Teache's Hole. I'm sure they could point you in the direction of Blackbeard sites: Teach's Hole And Bath Town was another of Blackbeard's haunts.

Blackbeard's head was displayed at the intersection of the Hampton and James rivers on a bit of land that is still called "Blackbeard's Point" When you visit Colonial Williamsburg, stop by the Raliegh Tavern. After Blackbeard's head was taken off the point, the skull was covered in silver and fashioned into the pedestle of a silver drinking vessel. It is no longer there, but you can down a pint and toast the ol' rogue there, while soaking up a bit of history!! Outside of pirate history, Jamestown is another very interesting place to visit.

Ouch Cap'n... that musta hurt sumpthin' fierce!! On the day we sailed, one o' the high points o' the day was when we happened to sail past a kid's birthday party on shore. Kids being kids, the li'l pirates spotted th' pirate ship and started waving. Our Cap'n couldn't resist doin' sumpthin' special fer the tyke who was havin' his birthday, so he ordered the helmsman to come about. We hugged the coastline and came in as close to shore as she could. The the kids were all a-gathered and a watchin' to see what we was up to... KABOOM!! KABOOM!! KABOOM!! We delivered a fine birthday broadside fer the kids that must o' rattled windows fer miles! On shore, all heck broke loose! Kids was a-jumpin' up an down, a-shoutin' and a-wavin' thar arms! The moms were jumpin' and waivin' too! ...and you should have seen this kid's pop come flyin' out o' his house when the Royaliste fired her guns!!!!!! (I think poor pop thought it was 9-11 all over again!!!) "Happy Birthday!" we shouted and went on our way... Grinnin' from ear to ear knowin' that it was a birthday party never to be forgotten by the little buccaneers!!

Here is the updated design configuration for the Royaliste, the flag hasn't been produced yet...

Much appreciated Baptiste. -"The Bucketeering Wench"

Here are the photos of my miniature barrel....

It was a one-in-a-million swap meet find.... Paid $1 for it too! I love the funny little thing! I'll post a photo ASAP.

My swordsmanship leaves much to be desired, but I wing a wicked bucket of water....

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!! Saber!!!!!!!!!!! I signed me-self on the account with ye' fer life and I be quite fond o' that parrrrrrrrrrrrrticular cannon!!!

Awwwwwwwww!!! Eh..... ah.... *clears throat loudly* I mean ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!! (And Morgan be a FINE name for a pirate wench in th' makin'!!!)

Red Maria, The book you want, "Blackbeard the Pirate: A Reappraisal of His Life and Times" is available through www.abebooks.com Type the title in the appropriate window.

I dunno 'bout the iron pants Iron Bess, but I'm quite sure I be the only wench me students know with her name on a pirate ship's cannon!! TARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRnation!! I do LOVE that!!!!

I love the look of a pirate wench with plenty of heavy artillery strapped to her hips!!!! So I have all of the following on my belt: A leather sword hanger containing a naval cutlass A leather loop holster containing my Queen Anne flintlock An authentic 18th century large pewter tankard A leather belt pouch for kid's treasure coins and my business cards A leather cat-o-nine tails A pair of period wrist shackles An old-style brass compass All approximate period items, but I have one teeeeeeny little indulgence... A 3" tall, miniature wooden whiskey keg that opens up like the pirate's version of the Faberge egg, to reveal tiny whiskey bottles and drinking vessels inside!! Authentic or no, I ain't partin' ways with me dear li'l whisky keg!!

I'm glad that all of you enjoyed the photos- I just put some from the Angel Island Pirate Raid up also. Bess, you're right, I DID shoot my mouth off that there is a cannon named Claire- it was the first thing I told my students on Monday morning! And they were quite impressed!! :)

The lovely iron ladies of the starboard side... "Cheryl" in the number one position closest to the camera and "Autumn" in position two.

Smoke clears after a broadside from starboard-

"Claire" and her elder sister on the port side- You can see the gold raised lettering that says "Royaliste" that is used for branding the backsides of drunken wenches!!

I was honored and delighted to learn that the number 1 positioned gun on the port side has been named "Claire" You can easily pick "Claire" out of the crowd... she's the one with the cute little dimple on her arse!!