Pirate Weekend on the Santa Maria - Columbus, OH May 18-20

[michaelsbagley]

Basic details found at the usual place... The Event Web Page

Or you can follow the discussions on the Facebook page (Private Group, please contact either me or Mark G to be added).

We are also soliciting any donations for the Auction. The auction will start the week before the event and end Sunday evening of the event weekend (on eBay). Please ensure your donations are sent and received to me By March 1st at the latest if you want your donation to be included in this year's auction. As there were a few items brought to the ship last year, we have a head start on this years auction.

Hope to see many of you there! If there are any questions please don't hestitate to post here or contact either myself or Mark G.

[michaelsbagley]

Just a "bump" to remind folks we're still collecting donations... we've a few already, and a few more that have been pledged (but not received yet). Please try and get those over ASAP do I don't have to scramble at the last moment. Thanks!

[michaelsbagley]

Well, we're down to the five week mark... The attendee list is larger than it has ever been at around 45+ folks... However in true realistic style, I suspect a bit of attrition as always... But It still should be a record breaking attendance with our usual average attrition... Or at least tie (or come extremely close to) our record attendance of about mid-thirties in numbers. We even have the seemingly obligatory attendees from Florida coming again this time (with another one or two from the sunshine state trying as well).

Just a quick note, donations have either not come to fruition or just not been forthcoming, so I am seriously considering cancelling the auction for this time and returning items so far donated (or keep them for next time at the donators whim). Unless I receive a sudden and dramatic influx of donations RECEIVED (I stress received and not pledged) by the end of next week, I will be pushing to forgo the auction as the expected effort to rewards for the current items will likely make it not worth it.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. Thanks.

[michaelsbagley]

A newspaper article from the local newspaper.... not sure what page it is on in the print version, but there are some familiar names quoted in there.

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2012/05/17/shiver-me-timbers-buccaneers-to-storm-santa-maria.html

Craziest part is the article cites an expected turnout of about 48 pirates... and that is the "conservative" estimate based on the list... it could be over 50 this time.

[michaelsbagley]

Well, it was a record weekend... On every account. Our previous record for participants was around 34. We had 51 different participants (pirates, sailors, civilians, and some British Navy) over the course of the weekend this time (admittedly not all at the same time a some had to leave Saturday before some who could only make it for Sunday showed up... but it is still 51 people). We also had four small boats in the river for the first time in the events history. We had three as pirate vessels, and one as a British vessel helping defend the Santa Maria (which was nominally a British vessel for the weekend). It was also the first time we had different musical acts each day. The "Hard Tackers" who have become a semi-regular part of Santa Maria events performed throughout the day Sunday, but Saturday we had special guests "Off Keel" show up and perform for the crowds throughout the day, and stay on through the night to sing for and with the participants well into the night.

Then there were the spectators... We almost doubled the previous record in dollars for ticket sales for the ship for the weekend. And for the first time since we have started the event, Sunday had a bigger turnout than Saturday.

So while this event has almost consistently grown, it seems this ninth (that's 9th) edition of this event was a real benchmark for an incredible growth spurt. I have no doubt in my mind that the event will continue to grow, but I am guessing it will return to a more laid back rate of growth.

There are almost a dozen and a half or more folks missing from the below photo (courtesy of DB Cooper, who is missing from the photo because he took it), but here is a photo of most of the folks that came out for a part of the weekend.

It took everybody that came out, specially those who traveled from near and far to make this event the amazing success that it has become. Those who have attended in the past, and even those who have not made it out, but have wished the event well and helped support it in other ways. Linda (thee director of the ship) and the organizers of the event (Mark and Jennie G, as well as Trish and Shannon, and Kate_Souris and myself) want to thank everyone for helping make this one of the biggest and best pirate events out there!

[Tartan Jack]

DAMNATION!!!!

Missed it! I thought it was more in summer.

[D B Couper]

I would like to thank Mark and Jennie, Trish and Shannon, you and Kate, for makining this the best Santa Maria event we have ever done. (Actually it is the only one we have ever done) And thank you again to you and Kate, and James Brown, for brining blamkets to keep us Floridians warm. And boy, were we warm. Was it warm for everyone else too? I will have the photos up very shortly. Yes, I know I am not in this photo. But I have noticed that I have made several cameo apperances in other peoples photos.

[William Brand]

Thank you everyone for posting pictures on Facebook in droves. It's great to see the ship and the community supported so well.

[madPete]

Huzzah!

[Mission]

Here's a photo of all the PC folks who were there on Saturday evening. (More showed up on Sunday, but you know how it is...) Lots of Mercury crew members in there... lots of Bagley original clothing in there too. It was quite the event! You can see more photos of it on the Surgeon's Journal Facebook photo album.

[William Brand]

Fine looking group. That ship is looking smaller year to year.

[michaelsbagley]

It felt like a small ship this time. While we did not have to resort to folks sleeping in the floating museum house, we we're pretty full in board. I think the number of folks who slept inboard Saturday night was close to 40 (maybe just under). The main deck was very full, the quarter deck was full, and we even had folks on the forecastle and aftcastle.

[Matty Bottles]

Michael, was that on the deck proper, or in a hammock?

[michaelsbagley]

Michael, was that on the deck proper, or in a hammock?

I think all told there were 5 or 6 hammocks (maybe 7?), most of the rest used those modern "air beds" or other such modern comfort items on the decks. Although one of our newcomers actually slept in the straw filled "captain's" pallet in the main cabin. Needless to say, there was not a lot of walking space once everyone hunkered down for the night, but we all fit.

[Wicked Jim]

Michael, was that on the deck proper, or in a hammock?

It WAS the deck for me mate.

[Matty Bottles]

Michael, was that on the deck proper, or in a hammock?

It WAS the deck for me mate.

+1 for Wicked Jim.

[Wicked Jim]

Michael, was that on the deck proper, or in a hammock?

It WAS the deck for me mate.

+1 for Wicked Jim.

Cheers shipmate, but the second night I opted for a bed, so my my reckoning..I broke even.

[D B Couper]

It was a most enjoyable and memorable event. For those who could not attend, or did but don't remember, here is the link to my photos.

https://picasaweb.google.com/112277086501011510264/2012PirateInvasionOfTheSantaMaria#

[William Brand]

Thank you. I've been through the pictures some three times now.

[Mission]

There are some absolutely stunning pictures in there, DB. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. (And I don't even want to know how much time it took to photoshop M.A. d'Dogge...)

[D B Couper]

It took quite a while to photoshop all of the cake out his beard. You can run Michelle, but you can't hide. Maybe that is why shy has been sick. Could it be M. A. d'Dogge Voodoo?