the perfect raid?

[Dutchman]

grab a bottle. this might be fun.

ok- lets say a maritime museum, on a body of water suitable for long boats, doreys, etc... (no big boats) offers you 3000 feet of real estate for a GAOP careening camp- to ultimately become a permanent town- with 200 feet frontage on the water. use of the facilities to include bathrooms, a kitchen, pavilion, and oh yeah an additional 10 acres to do events on offers you free use, just support yourself. only catch- little to no budget, small town with closest transportation (air, bus, rail) an hour away and must be GAOP period.

I'm thinking a small port royal. any thoughts?

[Silkie McDonough]

I'm thinking it would be the perfect place for my inn & ordinary house ...now ...I need the financial backing. lol

[hurricane]

Well, it wouldn't be Port Royal if it's GAoP. Pirates were hung in Port Royal in that time period. The rabble wasn't welcomed. Plus the town everyone thinks of as being the haven for pirates was actually a haven for buccaneers pre 1692. By the time of the earthquake, the tide had already changed, even against the buccaneers.

Otherwise, sounds like a fabulous opportunity. I would say the best option for growth and expansion are grants... The educational component would be grand, particularly as the careening camp slowly expands to being a full fledged town. The natural progression of a port town coming to life is pretty cool. I don't think the lack of big ships is a problem - many ports had the ships anchor off and the smaller boats did all the transit to and from town. Port Royal was unusual in having anchorage right up to the docks.

I think the opportunity to create a GAoP facility would be great so people can separate the fact from the fiction and understand the rigors of the real life of a pirate, the townsfolk and even honest seamen.

Properly done, it could draw not only the public, but re-enactors from all over the world to come play and portray there. Does local law allow for black powder demos?

A very exciting prospect it is.

-- Hurricane

[Silkie McDonough]

BTW. Where and how does one get to help?

[blackjohn]

Would this be the gist of John Glass' Colonial Seaport Foundation that he has set up? Or is this something with the Mariner's Museum in Hampton? Or are the two one and the same.

[Dutchman]

hurricane- you are correct. let me ammend that to say model the town after port royal, and your thoughts are right along with ours as far as education.

silkie- concept right now and all are welcome to suggest.

black john- who is john glass? whats csf?? i bet that was some propaganda spread by another crew the other week in maryland while the rest of us were slaving away in new orleans.

actually, i can't discuss location because of another project. john was aware of this possibility five minutes after i walked away from the conversation.

right now its all ideas. anyone is welcome to throw suggestions in the pot. the rest will develope as we go. IF IT TAKES OFF. a plan needs to be presented first that can again- support itself. We are getting no money to make this happen. thats what i'm working on. well off i go to measure a plot of land....if it really exists, and if we really had this conversation.

[blackjohn]

John Glass is the guy who first contacted me back in the day to supply pirates to the first Hampton Blackbeard Festival, back when you could count on one hand the number of people actually reenacting pirates. He then went on to form Blackbeard's Crew (or at least, that's what I believe happened next) to keep a steady supply of pirates down there. I saw him for the first time in a few years last Saturday at the Baltimore thing. If memory serves, his story was he wasn't with Blackbeard's Crew anymore. That Pern was now in charge. That they had gotten a hull and were working on turning it into a period(ish) schooner. And that he had created a non-profit group, the Colonial Seaport Foundation, to do for the Southern bay (Virginia waters) something similar to what the Sultana does (education) up here in Maryland waters.

I just assumed you guys were all in this together. Of course, I don't know who's who down in Virginia, not having been down that away in quite awhile.

Frankly, with the price of gas these days, the notion of traveling more than two hours to an event doesn't appeal to me. But... if someone builds something cool, sets a high bar for authenticity, and does some stuff that sounds like it makes for good reenacting, my guys might be enticed into making the trip.

EDIT - revised a "hadn't" to a "had"... and a "the" to a "that"... duh... ok, I was tired, not drunk.

[Dutchman]

blackjohn- aye, john glass is still very active with the crew as head of the board of directors and meetings are still held at the ordinary. He did step down as QM (we retired his position as a tribute to his dedication) and pern is now in charge as boatwain.

Colonial Seaport Foundation is the soon to be approved non-profit educational side of the organization (which QM spearheaded) that actually takes on projects. (Blackbeards Crew does the history and reenactments) All i can say is there are projects under way and information will be presented at the festival. Some folks have already been privy, both in baltimore and new orleans.

In my conversation with him today- it pretty much ended when he said- hot dog. boy you're going to have your hands full now aren't ya.

anyhow back to the topic- the idea is to do just what blackjohn and hurricane have suggested they would like to see. the idea is to have a working seaport town for festivals and faires. yes rennies i did say faires- eventually. The property owners are more interested in the historical aspect. the GOAL is to be able to facilitate a gathering of like minded GAOP reenactors and have a workshop long weekend. with lecturers, demonstrations, and vendors. in addition to encampments through the year. personally, i would like to see a workshop first and se how that goes over, then use that as a foundation for building the town.

i would be quite content with an established decent canvas careening village and develope it into a quality town piece by piece than have a bunch of unorganized muck.

Again- this is open to constructive suggestions and critisizms for anyone who wishes to add in. We (as in all of us not just the local crew) only have one shot to make this a class act. This is far from being approved, but i need all the help i can muster to get a plan together. I would much rather try and fail than fail to try.

p.s. the local sherriff got ticked the last time we fired the cannons in town.... we forgot to tell him- he wanted to touch one off. the location will not facilitate live fire (no safe area for impacts), but blanks are fine.

and yes capn sterling- hangings can come to a town near you!!!!

[LadyBarbossa]

Hmmm... tis a good question on financial backing.

There is a group of folks creating an 18th c fictional town in kentucky. Perhaps they have some ideas to help. They are springing the place up it seems.

Middlecreek Station

Contact them and see if they can offer advice. The local government did something similiar to that I believe, from what I understand. I could be wrong.

Done the Midwest Old Settlers and Threshers enough times I know the place like the back of my hand still.

Generally the local churchs get in on it, too, such as having massive tents selling food and drinks. They do charge admission now to keep the place running and it's a city park, but the Foundation runs primarily upon donations and grants as a non-profit organization. They have renovated trains that function.

Perhaps talking to and getting advice from places such as these may help. See where they suggest to start.

Would a grant or donations help?

That is one awesome gift, mate! Thrilling to say the least!

If it be a careening village, what's about a mock ship that's careened on it's side? Have folks chipping off barnacles?

A boucan for smoking?

A place for the coopers and shipwrights to work on repairs of the vessel?

How's about a trading post like fly or area where pirates can sell their obtained items from various areas of the world?

I say pop out the ideas, I'm sure we all have done the research. It's what vision everyone wants to go with.

But the careen "town" sounds fantastic!

What be your idea on what you'd fancy to see there?

~Lady B

[the Royaliste]

I'd be interested in a parley with said Maritime Museum..might prove to be safe harbor in the off season..'tis a shame the winter temps aren't too wooden boat friendly....I'd hoped for more development here at the Old Beaufort Seaport....I'd really like a stash off season for our weapons and artifacts.....

[JohnnyTarr]

You know I would love to see people doing the things that were done in such town. You know dress the dress and walk the walk. People that would answer questions but pretend not to know about modern things. Someone like me could go and maybe learn how to splice a rope or make a barrel. If you could get someone to start building a boat that would even be better. Of course you would have to have the more or less staged fights to keep the general publics interest. There are a few good recreation groups out there that you could model after. Then you could change as time goes by.

[Dutchman]

johnnytarr- indeed being able to walk the walk is needed. pyratecon was a hoot, only a few people could do it. Its amazing how many folks gave you a blank look.... so certainly not taking away from what anyone enjoys doing, would any folks be interested in workshops? i believe many folks would love to learn a few things, but have no place to go.

royaliste- indeed! well catch up at the blackbeard festival

ladyb- no need for us to mess with ships. something is always "careened" there. some longer than others. there is a hell of a project under way now (we have nothing to do with it) as well as another in the works. they might not be period but they are wood done traditionally.

What do i want? well the grounds we have can only support a half dozen shed size building, on skids would be great- then no building permits needed. a commons area for a stage. RUNNING WATER!!! is being planned by the facility already. can we say flushies AND showers!! last nights dreaming leaves me with a port royal scheme looking like mystic.

so far my only dilema is time. when can we do this without interfering with PIP, or Pyratecon. people put lots of work into those and i DO NOT want to take away from them. besides it would be hard for me to go if we have something going on here. i'm thinking end of summer early fall?

I'm thinking workshop first to get people there and start crashing ideas around. So johhnytarr wants to learn to splice. no problem, we have a crew member that was a rigger and is a master at working the lines. we can do a practical knots course as well.

any one else have something they want to learn or is willing to teach.

[hurricane]

Off hand, I would say late August is a good time... of course, it depends on the hurricane season and how active it is. But the kids are still out of school and it's a good last huzzah before they return.

The education component would be key. Not only about the activities of the day or the trades, but the customs, culture and society at large. There are so many misconceptions that can be addressed. If I see another slap happy renn fight again, I'll go mad. What I'd like to see if fighting and weapons classes, history of the places pirates inhabited and called upon, classes on period cooking and recipes, navigation, the science of the times... basically, go back to school to learn what was known then... what was high tech, what was new in the world of technology, medicine, etc. That sort of stuff.

Then allow people to play within the parameters of this environment. Kind of a submersive environment that would draw re-enactors, those wishing to be more effective in their presentations and the general public who can view it as it unfolds. Perhaps a week of classes and a Friday, Saturday, Sunday when it's all put together and played out for the public. The rest of the time, it's coursework, training and "living the life" out of view of the public.

Just random thoughts... so much fun to think what's possible.

-- Hurricane

[Capt. Sterling]

Honestly in this neck of the woods, late August is not good as kids are just going back to school in much of Virginia... I would recommend mid to late Sept. and maybe you might be able to cash in on some back to school field trips... and PiP is still far off enough that it shouldn't be a conflict.

And hangings or not, (The Archangel truly does sooo much more than just that), I'll be there with crewe members, hell tis right in my back yard and will be the shortest event traveling time I have ever done...snigger.

[hurricane]

So true... I originally thought late September, since it is getting a little cooler but still nice weather... Good thoughts everyone!

-- Hurricane

[Dutchman]

well the good news is we have used the facility before and the locals are use to us being around. they honestly don't care or raise an eyebrow and give us our space to do things out of view. but, when word spreads that the pyrates are in and throwing a party in the off season, the whole bloddy town shows up.

capn sterling- i certainly did not mean to steriotype archangel... i simply pointed out that its a local place to do it. and yes i do expect to see lots of you here.... if'n we can make this fly.

ok so were looking at late sept/ early october then? PROBABLY NOT THIS YEAR. we may not have a big tourist crowd, but they will come. weve proven that before. any objections to a workshop format at the end of the week, then a saturday festival?

would any vendors be willing to show up, any lecturers? I would really like to say hey museum board- this is what and who is interested- not commiting anyone by name or group, but just types of participants.

[Capt. Sterling]

capn sterling- i certainly did not mean to steriotype archangel... i simply pointed out that its a local place to do it.

Not a problem Dutchie, and "said" lightly. Many here already know, just making sure others know as well.

[hurricane]

I'm always available to lecture on Port Royal, past and present. I can also adjust it and just go with past, from the town's humble beginnings, the role the buccaneers played in the town's growth, trade and commerce, what was where, the political climate (eventually, the planters won out over the merchants regarding trade and piracy), the tryals, the great earthquake and the aftermath. All the people, players and places of the times.

-- Hurricane

[Captain of the 'REVENGE']

As for the Pyrate Ship ROYALISTE, we're most likely booked thru 2012 for reenactments into September, so Sept. or October would always be better for us...........

ROYALISTEOur Guns are Ready, Let's Hook it up........

[LadyBarbossa]

Oh, I'm sure many of us are eager to learn and perform a trade before the eyes of the public. Lord knows I'd love to.

And I'll agree that may be a good time for the event is September.

~Lady B

[Dutchman]

scratching me head and wondering what i'm going to do now????

lands being thinned out for us. i prevented a slash and burn, want some shade ya know.

hurricane, you still willing to share some knowledge on port royal. that may be one of our more researched and modeled towns to start with. what did it start out as and what was thre first??

those who will be at blackbeard, come track me down if you're interested in helping out. all are still welcome to input ideas.

[callenish gunner]

Very interested in it lad as a vendor / lecturer ...it's not outside a possibility for us to be heading down to those parts for teaching as well.... we'll talk at Hampton since I am actually retired and wanting to teach part-time or substitute teach

[Dutchman]

well, as i have no money to offer anyone at this point and still hypothetical... what would be a draw for a lecturer to volunteer time for a project like this. and as a vendor would a free space in excange for reduced prices to participants be an approach?

as i stated before, i don't plan on making a dime. i'm only interested in sharing an opportunity with other like minded folks- as long as this can pay for itself, i'm happy.

as far as the village goes. the only permanent thing anyone there seems to want is a forge- i have no idea how to even begin this one. the other buildings so far are a harbormaster/pilot, chandler, tavern, work shop, and residence.- just thoughts so far, but six is the magic limit.