Where to Anchor?

[Capn' Mac]

Greetin's mates! I find myself in an interesting situation. I have an extremely lucrative job working from home which allows me to live literally anywhere in the continental US that I wish to live. I was born and raised here in Colorado but I feel I really am all done here. I've lived in Oregon and loved it and am considering a move back up there but considering I can go any where I open to just about anything. Where would you good folks suggest that a guy who earns a decent living and would love to really dive feet first into a strong, well established pirate/reenactment scene move?

[Silkie McDonough]

Come east. lol

[Silkie McDonough]

Seriously, what are for looking for? Historically accurate or Hollywood? Your screen name is Capn' Mac, are you set on being a captain at some point on the east coast? There are crew's up and down the east coast several not on this forum from the Florida Keys to ...ummmm ...New Hampshire to my knowledge. What are your strengths? Do you like to play with the big guns? Do you know or want to learn stage fighting? What is your goal? Is it the history, partying, performing, teaching etc.?

I apologize but I have not been reading much here as of late so I have no idea what you have said on the forum so I do not know what your interests are.

EDIT: I read your profile. I would say if you choose a town with a good school district you can likely find a pirate crew within reach. I attend events mostly in Virginia and I travel from New Jersey. However there are many that I don't attend further south and north. There are even crews on the great lakes area.

Edited July 31, 2011 by Silkie McDonough

[Mission]

I'd say somewhere in the middle of one of the coasts is your best bet. That's where most of the events seem to take place. As Silkie says, the more strictly historical stuff tends toward the E. Coast and moves more towards Hollywood style on the W. (There are actually a surprising number of pirate-oriented events in the mid-west, too. The bulk of it seems to be more 1812 and FI War stuff, though.)

If I were in your position I'd either move to Marquette, Michigan or somewhere in the lower Keys (at least 10 or 15 miles north of Key West.) Of course, those are probably not the best place to find lots of re-enactments.

[Commodore Swab]

I am in Key Largo (upper keys) and there are another 5 events comming this year in the 100-150 mile range on the east and west coasts of FL as well as the Keys.

[Mission]

That's probably as good as the mid-west. Although Largo is almost civilization compared to the lower Keys.

[hurricane]

If you have unlimited money and don't like a lot of the conveniences of life, the keys are great. But the closest major mall is the top of the keys. In Key West the Kmart is the biggest store there. Cost of living is a major concern. In contrast, I live in Florida on North Hutchinson Island a minute or so from the beach. I pay a fifth of what you'd pay in the keys for the place I live in.

The second decision is do you like the cold or just want to toss your ice scraper away and never see ice and snow again. I agree there's lots of historical events in the northern part of the East coast but there's no way I want to ensure a hard winter ever again.

I guess the big thing is, it's what kind of lifestyle do you want, what kind of lifestyle. Do you want to be near a big city or do you want live in the boonies and what are the tradeoffs of doing so. For me, while I love island life, it takes a half hour to get to a major freeway to head north or south in Florida. That's a definite trade off.

So, a great time to think about what you want in life and the kind of place you want to live. Obviously. the lower the cost of living, the more money you pocket to go play in other locales, regardless of where you live.

[seabaroness]

The New York/New Jersey area has an active pirate community. The issue here of course is our extreme high cost of living.

[Silkie McDonough]

NJ? We do? Where? Who? I must be too far south?

[Red-Handed Jill]

Well, and you should decide what kind of reenacting you want to do. The east coast does tend to have a lot more events and they do tend to be more accurate in terms of dress. The western events are a bit more of a mixed bag in terms of dress, with the full range of authentic to fantasy garb, but there's a much greater chance of the piratical events involving an actual ship - that you have an outside chance of being on. So it's a matter of what floats your boat.

Oregon has, in recent years, become the venue for a number of piratical events, both in the northern and southern parts of the state, so it is worth another look if you have lived there before and liked the experience.

[PLUNDERING PYLOS PARKER]

go to a place that has alot of historical history, a place where re enactors will want or need your service you provide.It all depends on what circa and era you want to be envolved in, or what location within the country bests fits the time period you like.also do you want fantasy or more reality re enacting? i have been to almost every state in the union, there is advantages and disavatage to each one. If you move to the SouthEast like from Florida to North Carolina, west to lousianna you will have extreme Humidity in the summer and bugs. But yer winters will be awesome and plenty of events in the southeast during this time of year. Saint Augustine, Florida has San Marcos fort, Alaphia rendezvous (really big event for traders/sutlers) and Key west has PIP/FTPI, remember also fishing is real nice in key west also.

While the Northeast from North Carolina upward will be very cold with a damp and wetness to the mix, and summer humidity, but nice foliage change during the fall, and plenty of rendezvous to attend, and remember Jamestown isnt far plenty of re enacting there or if you like the French & Indian war, Colonial, Rev War,civil war, try New York and west to Ohio , Indiana plus Michigan very popular portage country alot of french voyager and Fur Trade re enacting, and ya have Friendship big rendezvous.

Or you may consider the Montana and the Dakotas to Idaho, to Wyoming, big Indian county, the western nationals is the big Rendezvous in these parts, winters are long and cold as you know living in Colorado,

Maybe you want the southwest From Texas to California, plenty of dry days with snow here and there, but ya have to like the Heat in summer and the Humidity in Texas and Oklahoma, and Arkansas.Plenty of Alamo and Texas Ranger re enacting, big SASS re enacting area as well.Lots of rendezvous here and a few pirate events as well.

Maybe the far west lots of re enacting here from Pyracy, Ren Faires,civil war, to Gun Fighter and the Mountain man scene and rendezvous too. Southern California is very similar to key west both are very expensive to live, but the tempreture is mild year round in both, Key west can get a little humid in the summer months.

Now Nevada is the Sin State, Brothels are pretty much everywhere, dry in all the seasons and you can Gamble, Northern Nevada has almost everything the outdoorsman would want if thats yer focus but re enacting is weak when it comes to pyracy events.

i suggest you Purchase a Motorhome and or live on a houseboat for a spell, travel the country for a few years. visit all you can while on the road then decide where ye whats to live, see all the re enacting and historical places one can do in a couple of years you will know the place, maybe Colorado is home.

You may want to try the caribbean or europe. Hawiia may be the place.

The only way you will know is to travel the 7 seas and see the country yerself, Mate.

Good Luck in yer Search for the ideal place to settledown.

[Captain McCool]

I must say, it'll be a bummer to lose a fellow landlocked Colorado pirate, but to be quite honest, my lass and I are seriously considering moving out Californi-way in the next 6 months. We're kinda' done with Colorado too.

[PLUNDERING PYLOS PARKER]

where in california capt. Mc Cool? if ye pass through nevada let me know.

[Captain McCool]

We're tentatively looking at the area around Ventura, but that's far from certain at this point. If we head out that direction, we certainly will!