Play by play at PiP

[Capt. Sterling]

Sounds like everyone had an absolute blast and I've been informed that I'm attending next year "come hell or high water" :-P

You bet! and we can chain ye both to a tree! Hmmm I can even lend William the shackles to make sure you get on the plane!!

[Abbington M. Normal]

ONLY A SNEAK PEAK?!?!    

END OF THE WEEK?!?!? 

AAAAAAAAAA I DON'T THINK I CAN LAST THAT LONG!!!!!

I'm just happy to be a part of it!! can't wait

[Captain Jim]

ONLY A SNEAK PEAK?!?!    

END OF THE WEEK?!?!? 

AAAAAAAAAA I DON'T THINK I CAN LAST THAT LONG!!!!!

I'm just happy to be a part of it!! can't wait

Dang but those Pyrate hunters are an impatient lot...must be why they quit pyratin' to take the King's coin.

Now as one pyrate to another let me just say: What in the name of Davy Jones is taking so long? (Besides, you know, sleep and such other unimportant stuff)

[Capt. Sterling]

No patience indeed! Look who's typing.... I know who else will be chained to a tree next year....

[Captain Jim]

No patience indeed!  Look who's typing.... I know who else will be chained to a tree next year....

I swoon at the thought. As if you lilly livered, dock wallopin' miscreants could ever hold me. Puppies!

By the way, was that Rhum in William's onion bottle? No? Then the above stands!

[Capt. Sterling]

I do have this six pack of Guinness.... which, if I figure correctly, should be three six packs by next Dec.

[Rumba Rue]

I just wanted to say to Mission, "I'm glad you finally decided to make the stride to piracy. I remember when you first came to the Pub and as Moderator you didn't have nary a care about participating with pirate fun.

But lo and behold, we have changed you...for the better and I hope that it's a good thing."

[William Brand]

As far as I know I was the last re-enactor to depart the event, not counting the local lads and lasses of the Bone Island Buccaneers. Tuesday saw the departure of the Archangel crew and many individual pirates from various hotels and campsites. The Sacred Heart Crew (Callahans and company) departed over several hours of goodbyes...no one wishing to depart. By Tuesday night, Harry had retired to his trailer to relax and I met the Bone Island Buccaneers at the fort after one of their crewmembers graciously drove me about the Mercury encampment for one last look over the grounds. Once inside the fort, we sat in the Captain's tent on the parade grounds talking about the various plans and expectations for next year already being discussed in these forums. It was colder than it had been at any other time during the event. A strong Northerly wind blew over the empty fort. After a time I bid my goodbyes to the Bone Island Buccaneers and they drove home in with many props lashed inside and outside their vehicle. I walked about the fort for a short while in the dark.

No pirates. No Yellow Fever Ghosts.

I walked down to the encampment areas with no more light than the sky itself. It was cold, to be sure, but not unpleasant. There was so much wind in the Australian pines that it sounded like surf over my head. I chanced to see a diver with a head lamp going about the shoreline. At one point I fell asleep on the beach near the snack bar and woke up so chilled that I was forced to retire to the tent that the Callahans had left behind for my use to warm up again.

The next morning I woke up early, owing to a night that was colder than expected. I broke down the tent, though it was wet and I was forced to drape it over the picnic table to dry out. My lovely wife called about then and we spoke for a short time. I took a shower and put on some street clothes that were clean but for a smell of being stored in camp all week. Then I called 5 Sixes Taxi Service...

...Begin long day report now.

I called the taxi service and explained that I was at Fort Zachary Taylor. The dispatch man asked if I was at the gate. I carefully explained that I was at the 'locked gate' beyond 'the booth'.

No one showed up.

Again, I called and carefully explained that I was in fact at the large, chain-link gate at the end of the road before the fort. I told them to drive past 'the booth' and go on to the 'locked gate'.

No one showed up.

To make a long story short, they finally picked me up some forty minutes too late and I missed my flight. The taxi ride cost me $15.95, plus a $50.00 ticket change fee at the Delta counter (which they eventually waived), and I missed a chance to see my friend Marvin for lunch in Salt Lake City who flew out from there Wednesday afternoon. Still, my delay afforded me the wonderful opportunity of exploring the Key West airport. And for those of you who haven't seen it, it amounts to little more than a glorified bus terminal, although the biscuits and gravy at the Conch Flyer were quite nice.

Still, several connecting flights later and one very choppy landing I arrived home and my wife, Liam and I all drove home together to the waiting company of three attention starved cats.

Myyy feeet!

Fast forward a few days...and I'm home with a mild flu bug. My brother managed to recover the images off of the damaged compact flash card I used at the event. I've completely unpacked and put my pirate things away in the other room. My internet is up and running again and I'm a digital pirate for another year until the next PIP.

I want to extend my special thanks to everyone who joined us in the encampments. I had a glorious time. It was a pleasure to meet each and every one of you and to spend time talking to all of you collectively and individually. I didn't get the opportunity to speak with you all as much as I would have liked, but I had a grand time. A hearty thanks to the Bone Island Buccaneers, the Callahans, the crew of the Archangel, the many people who made up the Mercury, the park rangers, the Friends of Fort Zachary Taylor and those individuals who came so far by themselves to participate in the fun.

[Captain Jim]

You were there from Tuesday to Tuesday?! Damn I'm jealous. Next year, me fine lad, I'll be there early and late as well. Fine, mighty fine to see you again. Until our next port, mate, when we meet again in person.

[Patrick Hand]

...And it's going to be even bigger and grander next year.........

[Misson]

I just wanted to say to Mission, "I'm glad you finally decided to make the stride to piracy. I remember when you first came to the Pub and as Moderator you didn't have nary a care about participating with pirate fun.

But lo and behold, we have changed you...for the better and I hope that it's a good thing." 

Well...in my defense, I've always liked piracy. I just didn't understand tre-enacting very well. In fact, I confess, I still don't.

I'm so grateful to folks like Mary Diamond, Haunting Lily and MichaelSBagley for helping me with costuming. For all my self-proclaimed creative talents, I can't sew worth a damn and, thus, am ill-equipped to enjoy the many facets of period correct garb - its research, its construction, its thread counts and buttons... Michael, if you ever need a reference, let me know. Fortunately, I love to research things that interest me and the surgeon gig took my interest. (Captain Jim...I'm coming for you...) I am currently immersed in Scurvy! by Stephen R. Bown. (See Bilgemunkey's review: http://www.bilgemunky.com/reviews/books/scurvy.php)

In fact, it was really the people that made the event. Not a period Nazi to be found from my perspective - they were very helpful and gave excellent advice, just as Mary Diamond promised would happen when I was worrying about not being well enough prepared.

Nearly every pub member I've met has been a font of knowledge about some facet of piracy and that interests me greatly. Plus they seem to be among the nicest, most interesting folks. That's why I spent time trying to corner people - walking to get his cigs with Patrick, having dinner with Keith & Haunting Lily, trying to keep up with Tony Callahan as he explained the details of effectively increasing photo sizes, dining out with Bilgemunky, getting extraordinarily drunk with Stynky Tudor, sitting down at the table with Master Studley discussing props, talking about life with Boo over conch fritters, listening (closely) to Captain Jim explain various aspects of surgery that I had only read bits and pieces about and planning the site with William Red Wake. (Well, listening to William plan the site.) [William! I want copies of the prints for our ship - the Mercury! Did you get my pm?]

Great people make for a great hobby. I guess I have a new hobby, thanks to a bunch of really cool people I met. At the beginning of the event, siting on the empty stretch of Australian Pine infested sand, I responded to a question from William that I really wasn't sure if I'd come back again in 2008 or not. By the end of the event, he asked me again, and I said I was certain that I would if I possibly could.

I wrote all that previous posts to just try and give everyone who couldn't make it an inkling of what was going on in paradise. As I was telling Duchess (who better come next year Actually, I take that back; I'll bet she doesn't do most things people tell her she "better do." ), I have some skills in writing (if not necessarily spelling) and, if I couldn't provide excellent garb like Michael, I could at least offer a description through the eyes of a first timer. It gave me something to focus on and got me out talking to the splendid folks who attended PiP.

Really, everyone, come to this event next year. It was fantastic.

[Captain Jim]

Ye did a fine job of surgeon/correspondent for the unfortunate souls who could not attend. I'm very pleased to have met you in person and am looking forward to escaping your surgical ministrations next year.

[Duchess]

Hey now! Simply being contrary isn't all there is to my decision making process! And for what its worth I do plan on going next year. Which means I'd better get back to work on that Barbary Coast stuff... See I can be persuaded to join a bandwagon.

[William Brand]

At the beginning of the event, siting on the empty stretch of Australian Pine infested sand, I responded to a question from William that I really wasn't sure if I'd come back again in 2008 or not. By the end of the event, he asked me again, and I said I was certain that I would if I possibly could.

The event would be greatly diminished in my estimation if you were not in attendance. And yes, I did get your PM. I'll be posting stuff about the Mercury by day's end.

[Capt. Sterling]

At the beginning of the event, siting on the empty stretch of Australian Pine infested sand, I responded to a question from William that I really wasn't sure if I'd come back again in 2008 or not. By the end of the event, he asked me again, and I said I was certain that I would if I possibly could.

The event would be greatly diminished in my estimation if you were not in attendance. And yes, I did get your PM. I'll be posting stuff about the Mercury by day's end.

Oh Mission will be showing up at a lot more events... he has no choice, he lives FAR TOO close to Maddogge...

[Misson]

What?! There's a coin in the bottom of my tankard! Why is M.A.d'Dogge standing behind me like that...?

[Nelly Greene]

And the gentleman claims he does not understand reenacting....**soft giggle**

[theM.A.dDogge]

What?! There's a coin in the bottom of my tankard! Why is M.A.d'Dogge standing behind me like that...?

hehehehe........

[Misson]

Boo is a fascinating old fellow. Those of you who read my email success newsletter will hear a great deal more about him because he's done some fascinating things. His philosophy is basically, 'You have to try new things.' Boo showed up at the site this year all by himself (although his wife was coming in last night) having never done a pirate period tent encampment and laid out this amazing setup. (He lurks here a bit, I think, but the signing up process has apparently stymied him.)

For those of you who don't subscribe to my newsletter, I decided to post it early (I always post them, so don't feel too special ) in a sort of preview post. A lot of you may have seen Boo, but may not have gotten the chance to talk to him in depth. Since I got that chance when we went for cracked conch (and missed the battle), I thought I'd share it with you all. I usually come back from vacation with a success story or two for my newsletter and two minutes into conversation with Boo over conch, I knew I had found my story.

Enjoy! (Anyone got a picture of Boo? Anyone? Bueller?)

www.markck.com/articles/Success Tips/Living.htm