hurricane

This is unusual. Usually we don't have repeat entrants in the Walk the Plank Championship. The winners never even have the decency to show up to collect their award for some reason. I suppose next you're going to tell me you can swim. Damn your miserable hide. -- Hurricane

"My father was the keeper of the Eddystone Light..." -- Hurricane

Having a map of all the areas with attractions is a great idea. That can also hold the schedule of demos. I have to agree with Dogge. While I can't speak for others, our own crewe thought the fun of it was living in the encampment. I must say, I was the big whiner about it going into the event -- but once we got there, I really loved it. I think only two members of our crewe ever made it into town at night we all loved the setting so much. We had everything we needed right there. And by combining our rations of food and beverages, we all ate like kings for $50 each for the entire four days. So we saved money too. I don't think it's too much trouble manning an encampment from 10 until 5 for three days in a row. With seven people that's an hour each each day. During that hour each person can be doing something different so there's always something going on that has educational value. That's how we did it at the Catt & Fiddle... everyone had something they did for an hour... plus their chores for the camp... then they could have the rest of the time off to play. It's easy to draw people into your reality in an encampment. We just need to get them over there and I think the map will do the trick that they get once they pay. I don't think you'll ever get the level of organization needed to mount tours. The very nature of KW and the festival is that it's organic and is just a happening. It's very different from what many crewes are used to. And that's part of the fun of it. Like Woodstock for Pirates... :) -- Hurricane

I would agree - it would be a fish out of water to have it in the fort. It makes far more sense to have living history for the careening camp in the camp itself. I think some signs near the entrance as people come and go would be good to point the way to the encampment. That way people can visit the fort (pay the money for admission first) then go to the encampment on the way out. It's important to get the money before they go there - it helps offset the costs. I think it is much more interesting to have it ongoing. That's what we did in our period pub last year. It was ordinary life in the times - games eats, drinks, the sugar can pressing, cleaning the guns, talking about past and upcoming adventures among ourselves at the Catt & Fiddle - it allowed visitors to become part of the life as we taught them what life was like by being in that time. We will be doing that again this year in our little corner of the world in the fort. I think it's a grand idea for the encampment to do their portrayals in what would the the natural habitat -- shoreside, in camp. It will be yet another reason for people to stay longer throughout the day so they can see everything. It's always a challenge to get people to stay more than a couple hours and I know many people wanted to stay to watch the battle, but ran out of things to do. This helps fill that void, especially if people are singing songs, working, cooking, etc. -- Hurricane

I'd also check with Harry since he's in control of the vendors there. You want to be sure you're not conflicting with the folks who put on the fine food spreads for us there or anyone else Harry has lined up to sell food. -- Hurricane

One can never have too many flints and dogs on hand, that's for sure. Great arsenal Dogge! -- Hurricane

Here is the most up to date list of lighthouses I know of... each has its respective build date. http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/ -- Hurricane

It's a fun place to go but the food is so-so. There is more fun along the river front to be had. We ended up spending a lot more time there than at the restaurant when we were doing a pirate gig there in March. And if you want history, there are two forts just down the way, the wonderful Savannah cemetary (of Garden of Good and Evil fame) and some nifty plantations to visit. -- Hurricane

It was bloody hot but tons of fun! Sunday broke an hour early as a huge tempest rolled in. To our crewe's credit, we had our booth packed and in the vehicle within 9 minutes from the order to leave. Good times - great to see our old friends - Marooned, The Bone Island Buccaneers, the folks from the Pirate's Dinner Theatre and the usual suspects, thugs, and thieves. We had an absolute blast - the festival is becoming one of the "can't miss" events in Florida. -- Hurricane

That's great if you have a sheath - my fav's are unsheathed and pretty hard to conceal. I typically don't go to anything that's doesn't allow me to carry a sword. I think that's going to the be challenge with us wanting to go to Tybee. No swords or guns (real) at all. No exceptions. Sounds kind of boring. Thankfully, we don't come across situations like that often. I regularly carry my doglock and sword into establishments here. Never had a problem all these years. Ironically, the only time I had to disarm was at the Irish pub in Key West, but that was seven years ago. Oh, and we do go flying. TSA loves the costumes but not the weapons. :) -- Hurricane

I use 2F for the prime and the charge. It's been a good choice here in the warmer climes. -- Played with a bunch of it in the backyard yesterday for fun -- made lines of it, fuse like. Danged fun stuff, it is! -- Hurricane

I'm glad our crewe stayed at the fort. We could continue to play without interference from the coppers. Think we'll do the same this year. Me personally, I've done well over 500 parades in my life as a pirate - another one just doesn't interest me. -- Hurricane

Dogs were not in fashion during GAoP... eclipsed by the flintlock. It's more of a buccaneer era weapon for the most part... we do 1660 - 1690. But when I do later, I still use the dog because 1) I don't want to buy a second weapon that's virtually the same thing and 2) I really like the safety. Not so sure why the flintlock was a better technology. It's the old Beta vs. VCR thang I guess. -- Hurricane

I shoot only lead balls. I hardly have to worry about birth defects at my age and I used to eat paint chips off the crib when it was still lead paint. Still alive for some reason - and anyone I'd shoot with a lead ball won't have to worry about poisoning. -- Hurricane

If I recall it was a few who ruined it for the many. A few stupid pirates pulled their weapons out of their sheaths - a big no-no down there with so many spectators around. So they had to enforce the rules. Even after 10 years of going to KW during all times of the year, I've never had a problem having my sword on me, either on Duval or in the pubs there. But, I've always been very responsible with the weapon and have only pulled it our for a photo, then returning it to it's sheath. Again, a few ruined it for all the others last year. -- Hurricane

Loyalists come in two pieces for shipping - the body/barrel and the flintlock mechanism. The touchhole is already drilled. Assembly is a snap - two screws to install the flintlock and it's ready to go. They pretest the weapon to make sure it sparks. -- Hurricane

Our crewe has five of the Loyalist Arms doglocks and love them. They have never misfired (except when the flints were crap) and are very nice shooters. We load them with 60 grains and some wadding (white bread or steel wool). We have 60 cal balls on order so we can do some real firing with them. Great weapons and Loyalist has been great to work with and answers all of our questions. -- Hurricane Plan to get their dog blunderbuss next. We prefer the dogs because of the latch safety so we can carry them loaded without worrying about them accidentally firing from the fully cocked position.

We get ours from the Maine Powder House. They allow you to order just 10 pounds if you want. http://www.mainepowderhouse.com/catalog.php -- Hurricane

We can meet at our crewe's pub. I have the period punch and we can host the meet and greet Thursday night and enjoy a bowl of it together while everyone gets to know one another and renew old acquaintances. -- Hurricane

Don't feel bad. Our crewe in the fort didn't know when the meetings were until we saw a bunch of pirates over in the corner and we invited ourselves over for what turned out to be the safety meeting/weapons inspection. Such is the wonder of PiP. It's been a little loose in organization since it has been in Key West. Not too surprising since most of the true Key West is that way too... very Caribbean mindset. I think by setting a standard time (say 8 a.m. every morning) the captains have plenty of time to review the day and get the information back to their crewes by the opening at 10. The larger problem is with the freelancers who don't think they need such instruction and then show up and just wing it. Therein lies the true danger and we need a find a way to deal with this without being excluding. -- Hurricane

I would highly recommend a morning meeting instead many head into town right after the festival gates close and don't return until late. Plus, besotted heads of evening aren't likely to listen clearly. Far safer and far better to have morning meetings where everyone is fresh and we can make last minute adjustments, such changing locales of stage events if the weather turns sour. Things are always so fluid in KW and the festival. It always allows those who arrive late the night before to be in on things for the day's activities. There are those coming who don't get the privilege of playing for the full time and come in late Friday night, for instance to play Saturday. Plus it gives us a chance to go over the ground rules. For instance, one pirate pulled a real knife on one of the teenage soldiers and drove him to the ground with the knife at his neck. I know that Cascabel and cast will be having a "hands off" the tryal for everyone this year because it got out of hand last year. These are the things that everyone should be hearing with a clear mind and only hours to remember what was said, than sleeping on it in a besodden mind. Just my experience from all these years of doing events. -- Hurricane

Loved them together again - such great chemistry... -- Hurricane

Saw the movie and thought it was a real fun romp. It was really cool to see all the coins we sold them in the movie. Just look for the coins in the crypt and the treasure room and you'll see some of the 5000 gold coins we supplied them. -- Hurricane

Wow! That's really nice work. I like the shape and the look of it as well as the utility and ease of portability. Good show! -- Hurricane

The be all, do all of barrels... they even do logos on the ends of the smaller casks. http://kentuckybarrels.com/ -- Hurricane