Black Beard Pirate Memorial 11-22-08

[LookingGlass]

http://www.islandfreepress.org/2008Archive...rTheirDead.html

[Dutchman]

oops, did not see this one already posted... bumped the blackbeard thread- oh well.

what an adventure! great company and food! the weather was a bit odd. friday we had a white out snow storm heading for the ferry. saturday was blustery and cold. why in the bloody world would pirates be in these waters this time of year. the wind kept blowing the sparks out of the pans. it was a battle but we got all 22 small arms shots out. the drawings of the battle being held on a tropical beach is just daft we were thinking. sunday- short sleeves. go figure Kevin was gracious enough to give us a tour of the historical parts of the island and pointed out some interesting land marks.

[TheBlackFox]

I must agree with the most astute Dutchman. In mocking the movie "A League of Their Own," I commented several times, "There's NO CRYING in Pyracy" . . . . only to find myself misty-eyed at the procession, the memorial, and the after-party.

Just to be a part of the event was humbling. Imagine being on the very beach where those dead men may be buried, both pyrate and royal sailor . . . which hasn't been properly memorialized since the last rites were said over their corpses (should that have even happened). 290 years and no one had ever given those folks their rightful due. Each man lived on the course they'd plotted, whether pyrate or sailor. Each man died as they'd sworn to.

We give five pages to the event in the winter pyrates way but you don't need to buy the issue to experience the moment . . . that would bid ill-respect to those souls we honored. I threw together a quick recap to share with Blackbeard's Crew that very evening of the event and you can share in it by going to:

The whole weekend made me proud to be a part of this hobby we call pyrate re-enactment. . . and although rarely dressed for the occasion, my heart was with each member of the crew.

Many thanks to Kevin Duffus for allowing me to be a part of such an event as we all made history this past weekend.

[LookingGlass]

One year ago, on Nov. 22, 2007, I stood at edge of Teaches Hole Channel alone on a calm, quiet morning. The horizon could hardly be discerned as the water and sky blended together in a silky haze of mauve. The words of the eloquent Civil War novelist Howard Bahr came to mind: "All that had happened was still there, just beyond the thin curtain of time." The sensation of being so close to the past was all at once alluring, powerful and odd, as if all you had to do was step through the canvas of Teaches Hole Channel and see the Battle of Ocracoke unfold. I wondered if it would be possible to share that experience with others. Hardly could I imagine that one year later I would be joined by at least 175 people, many of whom were complete strangers to me before the day began but who I now consider as kindred spirits and fellow travelers on our journey through time. This past weekend I was able to appreciate the common ties that bound pyrates and people of the sea together. We are all Brethren of the Coast. We did the right thing. We indeed made history together. We hope to do it again.

Kevin Duffus

"The Last Days of Black Beard the Pirate"

p.s.: Most everyone knows that on the modern Gregorian calendar the anniversary falls on Dec. 3

Edited November 26, 2008 by LookingGlass