Harry

The "pyrate cam" would be a great addition to the event! I'll do some checking on this end to learn how we can make this happen.

WAY TOO FUNNY! Now, can you tell how much rhum I had??

Those of us organizing the '08 event thank you! Back from vacation and amidst organizing my CW event, the Bone Island folks and I are starting the planning for this year. It's gonna be a good one!!

A hearty "Thank You!" to you Greg for believing!!

One of the items we will be working on next month is seeking underwriters in order to bring in additional vessels. The city controls the Mohawk area. We'll research the costs for that spot as well as a couple of marinas that are close to us.

OMG, I live here and I'm still not unpacked! One portion of the trailer is devoted to Civil War, another to British Artillery and yet another to pyrates. The Mrs. is not amused nor are the cats.

Finished up a quickie slide show of the fort events. Thanks to the Callahan's for permission to use images. I don't have anything from any of the camps. Those who have the images and want to send some to me, I'll be happy to add to or create another slide show of the event. This is by no means complete--just a little something for all before I go out west for the holidays. There will be more to come when I return. You can view it here.

Maybe next year we'll have to bring out the BIG cannon...

Man, first a poster pyrate, then an action figure. Now I know I'm a somebody!

Ah, but the Royal Artillery did fire a shot to keep the tropical disturbance spirits away from Bone Island...

Yes, that's Tom and Barbara. Although, they were not vendors. They were demonstrators set up along Vendor Row. Tom is better known as "Crudbeard." They also are the keepers of Oreo, the bad bird that bites, swears and steals.

Numbers 11 & 12 are Gareth and Elizabeth. They came all the way from England (Wales to be exact). These are the good folks who provided us with the huge King's Colours that flew over the fort before that (ahem) fateful day when the English lost the place. They commissioned a flag company in the U.K. to construct that ensign special for our event and then donated the ensign to the fort.

And a fine poster child for shipwrecked pirates he is!

Also, for those who wish to keep track of such things, I placed a countdown script on my Pirate Fest page of my Fort Taylor.org web site. The page is nothing fancy--just a tease on what the event is all about. I've also posted a few pics, but am working on a slide show of the Fort Taylor events. Everyone will also be able to download the '08 participant forms when I get those done. Don't look for that or a more complete schedule until after the first of the year. Here's the link for anyone interested: Fort Taylor Pirate Fest.

I will ask my brother-in-law next week. I'm heading out to Arizona for the holidays. He's a retired Fed ATF man and has a passion of blowing up things . I'm sure he can come up with a doable solution that won't cost an arm or a couple of legs.

Frankly, I could care less what the Citizen thinks or editorializes. The Citizen has never let the facts stand in the way of a good(?) story. My writing and reporting while on the high school newspaper were so far ahead of what the Citizen does now. (Step off soap box) Fact of the matter is the damn chickens and roosters don't belong in the community.

I'm not aware of any law like that for chickens. There a bunch of folks down here who seem to worship the damn birds and don't seem to understand those things belong on a farm or on the streets in third world countries. Of course, I've lived in third world countries where I've had better electric service than in Key West. Anyway, one might reconsider eating a Key West fowl--they tend to be street tough.

Yes, the communication issue was something that was not tended to as it should have been. For that, I take all the responsibility (go easy with the cat-o-nine-tails). That will be fixed for '08 as there will be a separate reenactor schedule available only to participants. The schedule will allow participants to know what's going on inside and outside the fort at all times and will provide times for safety meetings. One thing that will be instituted for '08 is a nightly captain's meeting. Each camp will have to send a rep to this meeting where we will go over the next day's events and get a general idea of what might or might not be working. Of course, should something not be working correctly at any time, that issue should be brought to our attention immediately. On this schedule will be my cell number as well as Capt. Spike's from the Bone Island group. I know that many of you have been tasked by others to be aboard this vessel or that vessel in exchange for whatever and may not be able to make a safety or captain's meeting. That will be something that we will have to work around.

And, the Viceroy ALWAYS has some guns to pull out of some where (probably best we don't know--just as long as they shoot !).

Actually, horses would be appropriate. I know of a large animal vet up the Keys who could be enticed to either come down or be on call. She is well-versed with horses and is able to treat minor ailments. However, any other injuries, the horse would have to go to the mainland. Fake chickens--I like that idea. The boss would go ballistic if real ones were here. Every now and then one of those damn roosters from town invades the park and we have to trap it and get the hell out of here. The Navy uses goats to keep the grass trimmed on an old Spanish-American War-era mortar battery next door. Perhaps we could borrow those. Would have to check on that.

I put a countdown script on my Fort Taylor web site here.

The boat we have at the park won't require that much work to make her seaworthy. Basically, she needs a drain plug. There's also some cosmetic work that could be done and she's available for repainting. She needs oars, but has both oar locks. There's also the availability of a center board and a spot for a mast. I sent William some photos of it a while back. The Bone Island Buccaneers do have plans to make this vessel seaworthy for '08.

Ahh... fun and frivolity. Most excellent video #2!

Man, y'all are gonna really make me work!!! Notes are being taken and once the holidays are over, we'll get into full swing in planning.

Vintagesailor, we plan on putting pyrates aboard the shuttle to the fort as well to talk up the event. Everyone is coming up some fantastic ideas!