Ol Man From the Sea

Sorry I have been away so long, not been feeling well. I talked to Foxe at RF a couple weeks ago, and he had some good suggestions about doing a careening camp. So... The year is 1720. On a small subtropic isle, the crew of the sloop Mercury, after sleeping off the spending of their profits at the Feral Cock, is beginning the unpleasant business of preparing their vessel for a more profitable "unpleasant business". As Mercury's hull is in need of Careening, the crew has made camp ashore. The camp looks a bit military, with all the tents, weapons, and provisions about. A strange military though, where discipline is not just lacking, but actually scorned. The tents are not uniform, but of all types and sizes, from marquees to cobbled together bits of spare or recycled canvas and wood that all but defy the description "tent." Why, one of the wall tents looks to be using pieces of a broken oar for its poles. Also, the tents are not in neat little rows separated by task and rank, but set haphazardly around a small carefully watched fire. Men who spend their days aboard floating tinder boxes have a great respect for the danger of a spark, and thus two large buckets of water are at the hand. The fire is flanked by two tripods of wooden poles lashed together with rope and supporting a pole from which cooking pots are hung. Also evident is that each of the crew has a Sea Chest, not just to stow their stuff, but also used as chairs and tables etc. These range from almost create like, to fine furniture.[/I] So far all we need is a few poles, some rope, and a good book on knots. It would also be a great help if we had some good info on sea chest. I'll avoid mention of the flag for now, but it may sneek in later.

I'm marking this on my calendar!

Before I go on with the camp discription, does anyone plan to cook over our fire? I mean something more than smuggled 21 century marshmellows? Harry, Thanks! And when you get a chance, about how many is "some" barrels? I understand that we aren't the only ones who will be there and lettin' other crews share in the Forts booty and all, but "some" is awful vague.

First Thought: Isn't a flag for our camp a bit hollywood? On Second thought: How about a canon barrel with wings for the turnion aiming at an hour glass? Firing at an hour glass? Firing a skull at the damned hour glass? Firing a bunch of little "grape" skulls at the #@%$ hour glass? Oops got carried away there I agree with Silkie on no date. That way we can use it next year! So far I like 13 the best

note "The camp looks a bit military, with all the tents, weapons, and provisions about." I did not say no boxes and barrels. We could be storin' a bit of contraband as well? As to the garbage, I was not joking. Everything in and around the camp, intentional or unintentional, open or hidden, will be a part of the story we tell. We must be aware of all we tell, but for now lets get that fire going! The year is 1720. On a small subtropic isle, the crew of the sloop Mercury, after sleeping off the spending of their profits at the Feral Cock, is beginning the unpleasant business of preparing their vessel for a more profitable "unpleasant business". As Mercury's hull is in need of Careening, the crew has made camp ashore. The camp looks a bit military, with all the tents, weapons, and provisions about. A strange military though, where discipline is not just lacking, but actually scorned. The tents are not uniform, but of all types and sizes, from marquees to cobbled together bits of spare or recycled canvas and wood that all but defy the description "tent." Why, one of the wall tents looks to be using pieces of a broken oar for its poles. Also, the tents are not in neat little rows separated by task and rank, but set haphazardly around a small carefully watched cook fire adorned with a cast iron fire set and grill. Men who spend their days aboard floating tinder boxes have a great respect for the danger of a spark, and thus two large buckets of water are at the hand.. A stray ships cat licks clean a Styrofoam togo box it has pulled from a garbage can under a near by tarp. So now we need a couple of period buckets, a grate and/or fire set. We already have silkie's leaky canvas to cover one of Harry's trash cans. Of course if the fire is away from the tents we don't need the buckets etc., but I like someone (US) being in control of the fire as well as the appearance that at least some of our meals aren't liquid. Comments? Corrections? Additions? or shall I move on?

A few tips about traveling to Key West: If traveling alone and staying more than a few days, it may pay to fly all the way to Key West. With two or more people, it may be cheaper to fly to Miami or Ft. Lauderdale and rent a wreck. The more people and the bigger the car, the better this option becomes. Mia and Fll are so close you can watch the planes landing at one while you land at the other, but fares are often very different. The drive down the overseas highway is great! It is not an Interstate so figure a few hours drive time. btw Miami traffic sucks! Once on Key West cars are more trouble than they are worth. Foods not cheap, but mostly very good. I can't plan a trip with enough meals to eat at all my favorite places. I'll save hotels for another post. hope this helps!

Bad thought at this point. We have about 10 months to prepare. As the start of the event looms nye our standards will slip. Indeed our standards will never be higher than we set them now. As we have commited to not turing anybody away, we must seek to have as much of what we need as authentic as possible to offset the unexpected some will bring. In light of this let us start with a glorious vision, lest we end a wreched sight! The year is 1720. On a small subtropic isle, the crew of the sloop Mercury, after sleeping off the spending of thier profits at the Feral Cock, is begining the unpleasant business of preparing thier vessle for a more profitable "unpleasant business". As Mercury's hull is in need of Careening, the crew has made camp ashore. The camp looks a bit milatry, with all the tents, weapons, and provisions about. A strange military though, where discipline is not just lacking, but actually scorned. The tents are not uniform, but of all types and sizes, from marquees to cobbeled together bits of spare or recycled canvas and wood that all but defy the discription "tent." Why, one of the wall tents looks to be using pieces of a broken oar for its poles. Also, the tents are not in neat little rows seperated by task and rank, but set haphazardly about the grounds facing this way and that. That the crew is eating at the local pubs, is evident by the lack of a fire and the multitude of paper cups and styrofoam togo boxes tossed about. I'll stop at this point as I am sure changes need to be made. Should we not have drank all our plunder and thus have need to have it piled about? Should I add a line about all the oars with painted blades, some holding up tents some just holding up trafic to the heads??? Or a line about the stacks of crates and/or barrels under tarps??? should we figure a way to organize an unknown number of different tents? Around a central fire? All in one or two rows? surrounding a large pile of provisions? Should we have a fire? Should we have many fires? How many? I know the paper cups and styrofoam boxes need "togo" What else??? not small details yet lets set the general look and feel first

The time is 1720 the advent of waterproof glue is about 220 years in the future, about the same time as nylon. Thus, your oar will need to hewn from a single piece of hardwood no smaller then a 2"x6" 12' long. Bigger would be much better. In order not to crack the first time dropped, the grain will need to be straight and tight, with no knots and very little runout, and no short grain in the blade section. Home Depo aint got no such nothin' and if they did it would run ya about 60 or 70 bucks. You will then attack this blank with broad axe, draw knife and spoke shave. Ok, to use modern power tools instead, but no sandpaper. Sandpaper has not been invented yet and will leave a distinctly nonperiod finsh. The final smoothin' must be done with scrapers. To me this is a long way to go for tent poles. Especialy since I doubt that oars would ever have been used like this. They would be needed for careening the ship. At high tide the ship would be in about 5' of shark and jelly fish infested water. At low tide we might be high and dry, but not for very long. Nowhere near long enought to scrap off the barnacles and slime, replace any bad planking, and pay all the seams. Much of this work, not to mention tending the anchors ect., would need to be done from the boats. The boats would need their oars. Thus the Oars would not be available for tent pole duty. One tent with an oar replacin' one of its poles would be OK I guess. But a row of wall tents held up with half a dozen oars each would be just silly. Also, At this time most things are packed in barrels not boxes. We need dummy barrels under the tarps. Perhaps papper machet? Chicken wire? Sono tubes? Double Also, Careful not to get acrylic canvas tarps. They will last long enought to be use by Data when he reenacts us reenacting pyrates, but they will never look right.

UMPH! For what it is worth, my disapproval of solstice was not adamant. I was just having fun with Silkie. Fun is what this whole thing is about, right? As to anybody caring about our name, Heck we are about the only ones who care about the whole feastival. As the design is to based on Ferret, how about "Wild Weasle?"

William I vote for one mast. First, it would be a faster boat, except on a run where the two masted boat could go wing and wing. As you can't get close enough to launch boarders with that sail configuration, it would be of little advantage to pyrates. Second, I don't want to correct our guest who think what we are calling a sloop, is really a schooner, ketch or best a yawl. Third, It would be fun to tell our guest that a ship this size with only one mast, and no modern winches, would require a large crew. which pyrates had. Also I don't think a Jamacain Sloop would be right. I recall reading that the life span of a wooden hull, without modern coatings, in the caribbean is less than 15 years, due to worms etc. Thus we would be a bit pressed to explain how ours was still "going strong" in 1720? :) Wait a minute we could say that the reason ours lasted so long was all the careening it was given. In fact, our hull has been high and dry for the last 40 years! :)

Silkie The noon sun is at its highest when it reaches its northernmost point on the celestial sphere. Likewise, it is at its lowest when it reaches the southernmost point. When at a turning point that is your highest, you have nowhere to go but down When at a turning point that is your lowest, you have hit rock bottom. So, our meaninigs agree, even though our words don't. Now if your saying that alot of the people who live on the Isle of the southernmost point are viewed as people who have hit rock bottom, we have an iteresting tie in. Unfortunatly if you have to explain it, the joke is not funny. Trust me, without a long explaination nobody will get all that out of the word SOLSTICE.

To me Solstice says either There is no where to go but down or You've hit rock bottom If only the "or" were an "and", it would really be a Pyrate thing.

Its starting to look like... It might just be... It could be... Flailing, Flailing, over the bounding main ???what else would a pyrate do with a mace I mean Mornin' Star ??? Hey Venus We must be gettin' warm cause :) Mercury's risin' :)

Dart Morning Star

Just hope my image don't destroy your camera.

A Picture of me? Forgive me but I don't take too many photos of myself. I already know how ugly I am and don't like reminding myself. There have been a few on the web, but were they are, or if they still are I have no idea. Might have somthing in a couple of weeks. See most of my time is spent a bit west of that big body of water that hangs down in the middle of the map. Rumor has it, a bunch of reenactor types are about to take over a hotel near here. Might find someone there whose willing to help out. If that don't work it will take a bit longer.

Plannin' to be there. Way to soon to think about camping though. I'll keep you posted.

Considering that I didn't even make it as far as the GREEN PARROT ("1st and last bar on US1" and the last bar on the way to the fort) this year, just saying I will be there next year is pushing it a bit. It is way to soon to even dream about camping yet, but with better planning and a bit of luck we'll be sitting in the forts pub again next December like last year. Speaking of the forts pub, I don't recall it havin' a name? I think that FERAL COCK is a better name for a pub (HARRY) than for a boat, but as has been said "it is so Key West" something should be named that! As to who votes I have no problems. I only justified myself because, eventhough I have been lurking around here for over three years, I just joined the forum. Even a "friendly" place as this might take offense to somebody movin' in at election time, and I'm of no mind ta gittin' lynched.

Antelope Feral Cock Dart

Dispatch Dart Feral Cock / Feral Rooster PS for those who wonder why I'm voting, 07 will be my fourth trip to Key West for PIP. in 06 I was on the island but waylaid by "friends" and missed the fort PPS as it is looking to be a race between Palm Crow and Antelope I'd perfer Antelope

Bird names seem to be popular but why not sea birds? ALBATROSS Which on land is called the GOONEY Bird. Would this make the shore party the "Goon Squad?" GULL or better TERN Maybe TWISTED TERN, or TERN of FATE, or just FATE's TERN for a Key West tye in FERAL COCK or just THE BIRD Or instead of Southernmost Southern Cross same basic idea with a astrlogical flair (even the song ties in) myself for a boat in those waters I like the name ISLE MARAUDER Thats nine I'll reserve number ten just in case.