Coastie04

Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it on a Thursday. Hope ye all have a great time.

Coastie

I still say 'kudos' to the troops that nabbed that bugger. Sure, there are others like him, but now there's one less in power.

Coastie

"Respect for the sea leads to respect for others. It's the professional quality I admire and have found in many sailors. Mother Nature truly can make her children humble, and that leads to this respect."

-Wendy Joseph

Yes, I love the first two pictures. I really think the Coast Guard would be more intimidating with Thompsons. And this was just the Auxiliary!!! Donald Duck was the Corsair Fleet's mascot. And they say that the 'new Coast Guard' is an improvement...HA! Give me wooden ships, canvas propulsion, and Thompsons for armament any day.

Coastie

Of minor interest, the US of A issued the equiv. of letters of marque both in WWI and WWII. Bucky Fuller, of all folks, apparently operated a private ship in service to the coast guard during the war.

Yes, in WWII, I know it was called the 'Corsair Fleet'. They were a fore runner to the modern day Auxiliary. Pictures (hopefully) follow.

Coastie

I saw a large tall ship outline in white lights at a Norwich, CT marina last night. Unfortunately, with all the snow, it was difficult to stop and get a picture. It was really cool, though.

Coastie

Ironically, I just completed a paper about the Pacific Theater of WWII and whether or not it was a 'total war' for both the Japanese and Americans. Definitely fun to research.

Coastie

OK, I be more with Roaliste on this one. Primarily, I've sailed on the Lady Washington. We have dockside tours and reinact life on a tall ship for three-hour sails. It's not exactly accurate, esp. below deck (we have racks, matresses, modern galley, heads, etc.) On deck and aloft, things are as historically accurate as modern standards of safety allow. With public, it really depends. Sometimes we try to put on a 'good show.' This is usually just jumping around to the braces, going aloft to loose and furl sail, and other normal workings of a ship. Of course, we answer questions when possible. Other times, we have school kids on board and are all about teaching them. The few times where we get to go out sailing with just crew, we are all there to have fun, whether in period attire or not. So, it's a combination of educating, reinacting, playing to the public, and having fun.

My garb generally portrays a 1790's merchantman. I've got two cutlasses, but neither are really good for combat and one I wouldn't dare try to use. I don't have any firearms yet, but I've used many caplock and flintlock rifles before, and once my dad kicks the bucket (not expected soon), then I shall have a few. My shirt and trousers are not great, but my mom did hand-make them and they generally look like the same style, so I consider that close enough. And they've got pine tar all over them and they're well worn; that just adds to the 'authenticity' of them. I've also got a variety of other knick-knacks that I can add on to the garb, such as a knife, telescope, botswain's pipe, and other nautical-looking things. Eventually, as time and money permits, I do want to concentrate on a more authentic approach, but that will most likely be a slow process of accumilating stuff for this obsession...er...hobby.

Main goal: Have fun!!!

Coastie

Don't forget Sir Francis Drake...Pirate to some, knighted in England.

Coastie

Here's to a grand career and prosperity.

Coastie

I found something you might be interested in.

Building Matchlock Video

Coastie

A private vessel holding a letter of marque and abiding by the rules set forth in said letter of marque is a privateer. Attacking ships outside of the parameters set forth in the letter of marque would be an act of piracy, as would attacking vessels without any letter of marque. As I understand it, privateers were generally utilized during times of war to bolster the naval fleet and intercept smugglers, etc. Often, though, the privateers would have a good life privateering and when the war was over, continue in the same trade, but now being labeled as pirates.

A search on yahoo or the likes will likely bring up many sources regarding pirates and privateers.

Coastie

Do you have any recommendations as to what might be a good way to proceed? Should we approach the CG in a supportive, helpful way and let them know we'd heard rumors and would like to know what's up so that we can work with them? Or should we just sit tight and see what happens? Got any recommendations?

Well, you've hit a note with me here. I would usually say 'sure, just try to find out as much about it as possible, and work with the CG to allow the sea battles and all to continue,' but events of late lead me to doubt the common sense of some officers. First of all, there are my classmates. They're all going to be officers, even the football players. Second, there is the complete blindness to interpretation of rules or special circumstances. For example, when Amtrack cancels a reservation and sells out all the trains from Philadelphia to New London on the last day of leave, you find out about it at the train station, and still manage to get to the bus station and on a bus that *should* get you back with an hour to spare, but due to traffic and construction the connection in New York is missed and the next bus gets you there an hour after leave expires, they still sometimes give you two weeks of restriction...That was the end of my Thanksgiving (luckily the rest was a lot of fun).

However, I really do believe that the Academy has a negative impact on everyone on working here, regardless. It seems that the ground here is cursed and people, cadets and officers alike, loose compassion, common sense, and much of their decency while within the general area. Most CG officers, esp. those LT and higher are more reasonable. The one catch you might watch out for is going to them and having them say that you can't fire the cannons. Then, if you do, they can say that they specifically ordered YOU not have fun...er, I mean shoot things.

Good luck with this, and hopefully it's just a bunch of false rumors.

Coastie

We don't get the Vitamin M, instead it's just Motrin and cough drops. I guess they just don't give us the good stuff.

Coastie

Simple....it's boat envy. 

Umm...YES!!! I'd much rather be on a leaky wooden boat with large cannon and sail than a Korean War era Coast Guard Cutter with not more than a 76 mm cannon and a couple of .50 cal machine guns. Heck, the black powder cannons have more chance of working, and would be more than enough to penetrate the thin steel hull. Heck, I've heard that the 110' cutters are getting to the point where you can stick a pencil through the hull in some places! Can't quite do that to 3 inches of oak, pine, or fir.

Coastie

The Night Before Christmas on the Barque Picton Castle

By Pasha Greathead

'Twas the night before Christmas

And all through the barque

Not a cockroach was stirring

(and, boy was it dark!)

The ditty bags were hung

In the forepeak with care

In hopes that Santa

Soon would be there

The daymen were nestled

All snug in their beds

Visions of marlin spikes

Danced in their heads

The 8-12 watch

Had taken the deck

And Tom Ward was scowling

And giving them heck

Up in the fo'c'sle

I'd hung up my knife

And just settled in

For the short pre-watch night

But out on deck

Arose such a clatter

I leapt from my rack

To see what's the matter

By the baleful glow

Of the starboard running light

I beheld a strange

And terrible sight

Nine tiny reindeer

Were tangled aloft

Kicking and bleating

And starting to cough

The sleigh full of gifts

I saw not a sign

(It was tangled astern

In the distance log line)

And where's St. Nick?

To complete this story.

He's peering over the side

Of the half-finished dory

Helping him down

From the galley rooftop

He grimaced as he caught

Sight of the disaster atop

We set straight to work

And hauled in his sleigh

Santa grabbed his gifts

And started on his way

Treatises on seamanship

He left for the mates

And for the cats

Some freshly caught bait

The 8-12 watch scrambled

Up to the yard

And freed all the reindeer

(It wasn't that hard)

The reindeer slid down

The mainsail so white

Bleating and kicking

They seemed quite all right

On the Bosun's door frame

Was carefully hung

A beautiful stocking

Full of sew twine and mung

A big tub of grease

He explained with a laugh

An awfully good present

for the king of PFAFF!

The Captain too

Not to be forgotten

A nice new sarong

Of Indian cotton

Santa went forward

And into the salon

He passed out his gifts

And then he carried on

A big present here

A little gift there

Copper nails for Kim,

Sheet music for Claire

Up into the fo'c'sle

Presents small and large

A guitar string for Rigel

Sail twine for Marge

He carried on outside

One more to go!

A bag of coal to the galley

For the cooks, don't ya know

The reindeer were ready

In line on the hatch

The sleigh was all dry

It's a magic sleigh, natch

Santa leapt in the sleigh

It was a beautiful sight

Rudolph's nose was aglow

Like the port running light

The reindeer reared up

All snug in their traces

And leapt off the deck

(Just missing the braces)

And I heard him yell

As he flew off more quickly

Fair winds to all,

You square-rig mickey-fickies!!

I'd suggest reading the books in order. Quite a bit changes from the first to the tenth.

Coastie

Wonder if they'll try to raise it like the Wasa. Hopefully they do, it sounds interesting.

Mystery Snow Brig

Coastie

Especially any sailor who've been on racing boats might want to check this out.

Racing Brigs

Coastie

wonderin' whether the same logic applies at Xmas, when the whole dang harbor hangs reindeers all over the boats

*Reply to above on the last remaining TP in the stall...

I can see it now, Xmas comes around, and there's a reindeer hangin' by the gaff, another tangled in th' braces. Half a sleigh in th' mizzen top with not but a Santa hat left of the jolly old man. And, if'n ye get's lucky, ye may have a new port running light with a rack.

*Salutes the hypothetical memory o' Fred, shakes, secures from dewatering detail an' leaves.

Coastie

It actually looks like a pirate ship!!! Not that I ever had any doubt, but the blue/white fiberglass just made it a bit hard to envision. It looks great now, though.

Coastie

Here's t' fair weather

Glad t' see th' gods were with ye.

Coastie

I have a few, I think three. However, with the Bilge Pumps and Jolly Rogers, I can't remember for sure... They're good. It's a matter of taste, but they do some traditional and some contemporary sea shanties. All of which sound good. I'll probably buy another when it comes out.

Coastie

I just got back from the theatre, and I'm still quite tipsy from the pre-movie bash...all I have to say is...

...FRIGGIN' AWESOME!!!

I just can't wait to see it next weekend with me girl and while sober. I might catch more of the movie then, even though it was already...

...FRIGGIN' AWESOME!!!

Coastie

* Writen, o' course, on any empty space left in this here head...

A blue whale produces over 400 gallons of sperm when it ejaculates but only 10% of that actually makes it into his mate. So 360 gallons are spilled into the ocean every time one unloads. . . You wonder why the ocean is so salty. . . Don' t swallow the water! ! !