Am I the only one here ...

[Jenny G.]

Am I the only one here...

Who has never been aboard a pirate ship?

Who has never met a pirate?

All my life I have been interested in Pirates. I must admit that most of my fascination comes from reading romance novels LOL! The domineering captain and his captive innocent. In all honesty, you learn alot about pirates, their ships, and the era of time from these novels. In HS and college I wrote papers on famous pirates.

I would be interested in learning about how you came to be, and about how I can come to be!

Thanks and salute

[capnwilliam]

Well, Mate Jenny, I doubt that you are the only one on the list in these categories; probably most of us have never been aboard ANY ship!

My wife used to work as a living history interpreter at Roanoke State Park, where there was a ship, but she didn't work aboard it. She has a little boat docked at her father's place in Alabama, which we attempt to sail when we visit. Otherwise, the only sailing I've done has been as a passenger aboard modern motorized vessels, and I've done precious little of that.

Mate Royaliste on this list has or has access to a real tallship.

As far as meeting pirates; well, I daresay ye'd not want to! We play at being romanticized pirates of old, but they were often not very nice people, to say the least, as their "descendants" in the world today are not. Piracy is a for-real problem in the world today, especially in Asian waters.

But, we have fun with the fantasy!

Speaking of fantasy...I nominate you for the female lead in Hollywood's next pirate flick!

The history of piracy would and does fill volumes. No doubt it originated as soon as man first took to the waters. Most pirate buffs consider the Golden Age thereof to be about 1670 - 1730.

Capt. William

[the Royaliste]

:) And ye don't hafta go to Asia to get 'pyrated', nowadays, as yer unlce Sammy will rob 'n plunder ye right here at home. And as far as the 'never been on' s, we are gonna change a bunch o' those lubbers this weekend. Pyrate BBQ Sail on the Royaliste, S.F. Bay, anchored in a lee of Angel Island....somewhere ....RRRRRR! grillin', chillin', swillin',...thrillin'!

[Dorian Lasseter]

Aye Lass,

I been on a few, I 'ave...

Lessee... Th' Ark, single masted sloop, river pyrate ship...

Tha' one I sailed upon... th' others were at port;

"Old Iron Sides" up in Boston, even tho she be a US Navy ship, she be a sight ta behold... Hey Royaliste! How'd ye like one o' the carronades from Her? 32 pounders!

The Elissa, she be a merchant in Galviston, TX.

The Falls of Clyde, another merchant in Honolulu, HI.

Their been a few others, I just can nay remember 'em rightly.....

An' me canoe... ol wood 'n canvas Peterborough... a wee pyrate ship!

As few meetin' pyrates, I's sure ye 'ave mat a few... bein' in NY n' all...

Know any lawyers? Ooops, no, them be sharks...

[hurricane]

Now there's a good question! How did we all come to be pirates. And old sea captain on me old ship once told me, "there's pirates all over the world - but only a fee of them can wear the costume." If you're a pirate you know it. You may just not have the costume.

I know for myself I was with a Seattle based pirate group, serving as an apprentice. Yer job basically was to be a grunt, serving the crewe. I took to pirating instantly - and the day I finally knew that I was going to be a pirate was standing in the pirate party room during Seafair. It was 5 or so in the morning and I had been serving up drinks since midnight. And as the sun rose, I no longer cared if I had a job, a wife, a place to sleep - I just wanted to be a pirate. And that's when I crossed over - you're either a pirate or your not as we say. And if you are, you can instantly tell those who aren't, costume or no costume. It's more an attitude about life than it is a costume or a character.

And so I've been a pirate for 21 years now. I've met heads of state, governors of exotic islands, been far and wide in my travels to places I had never even heard of and have many great people, including my wife, piratin'.

It's the "E" ticket to life. Being a spectator at an event is never the same after you've been pirating - you always know what it's like to be on the inside.

Let me know if you have any other questions and I'd be happy to answer them for you. Welcome to the sweet trade, lass!

[the Royaliste]

I woke up one moorning, looked at me arm, and I knew right away!

[the Royaliste]

Dorian, I'd really hafta plunder to afford the powder for 32 pounders! Been on 'er meself, nice frigate <me drooling...

[Rosalinda]

I woke up one moorning, looked at me arm, and I knew right away!

Damn. That's a fine tatoo.

[redhand]

Jenny-

If yer interested in searching for a few books

on pirates, take a look at the "Capt. Twill" section

of the board, and under the caragory of "Books",

there you will find a goodly selection of suggested

reading...mostly historical in nature, sorry no fiction,

tho there is a thread somewhere on here on

"Bodice Rippers"

Also you should be able to locate a local "Crew"

in your vicinity on the NQG's Crew listings page.

BTW- Nice tat Royaliste, that must've cost ya

a few shillings!!

Cheers

Redhand

[the Royaliste]

Yep, ratholeing enough for another sleeve.....

[the Royaliste]

The whole thing's really a naughty-cal job application. Any applicants????

[Captain Rob Carroll]

I have always had a fascination of pyrates, since I was a wee one. I'm attracted to the sea and feel terrible when I'm not around one. The interest in pyrates as only grown stronger in me and now it has blossomed. Pyrates are the average man or woman with an above average imagination. The pyrate means to me a champion of the working man or woamn, the underdog of society.

[Iron Bess]

Now there's a good question! How did we all come to be pirates. And old sea captain on me old ship once told me, "there's pirates all over the world - but only a fee of them can wear the costume." If you're a pirate you know it. You may just not have the costume.

AAhhh.... so much to think about, huh?

In my family's humble opinion I simply had a few past lives as a scoundrel that loved the sea. Their first hint they say was that I never had any fear if the ocean. Would just crawl off the blanket and towards it before I could even walk. Cried when they took me away from it. The smells, the taste in the air, the salt sprays and the stink of low tide and the sounds of the waves. I loved it. Love it still.(shrug) Mayhaps it's where I get the touch for m'weapons into the bargan as well, they've always been like an extension of m'arm.

Well, those that have it in their souls know it soon enough.

And then... they find THIS pub!!!

[the Royaliste]

If'n ye been a pyrate that many times over, then ye best scurry on up to our BBQ this weekend! Jeesh! Darkmalkin's crew be puttin' on 1500 miles each way, and ye SoCal folks is only 450..... :)

[the Royaliste]

Dorian, Me 3 new carronades shipped today!Plenty cannons if'n ye visit!

[Capt. Westyn Elizabeth Roberts]

My cousins and I (more girls than boys, and there's at 21 first cousins on my mother's side alone) were all tomboys. We liked He-Man and Transformers and Voltron. No girly stuff like My Little Pony or Care Bears for us. Heck no! That was sissy crap! We would make swords out of cardboard and hats out of newspaper and beat the snot out of each other.

You see, my mother's family is an old-fashioned Southern one. If you're a girl, you sit quietly, act sweet and hope a man marries you so that you can spit out at least three kids by the time you're a spinster at 21.

Not us.

We rebelled against anything feminine, and fought for our rights as individuals. We excelled at this, despite the condescending remarks and suggestions that we were nefarious demon offspring and could not conceivably have come from that certain strain of DNA.

Ain't family grand?

After I got older, I did actually sail on a few ships. At least one of them was a piratey looking ship. I'm not sure if it was supposed to be a replica or just a ratty old sailboat. I wasn't trusted at the controls, however...heh, heh. But, it was fun.

Now, I am a pirate online as well as in my writing and acting. I am presently writing a play and a novel (romance, but with a great deal of drama and intrigue, spliced with comedy) about WOMEN pirates. I go to college now (10 years late) for Mass Communications and Journalism, and I am on the Dean's List.

That's little old me...

Capt. WE Roberts

[Dorian Lasseter]

Dorian, Me 3 new carronades shipped today!Plenty cannons if'n ye visit!

AAaaarrrgghh!!!

Cannons!!! Cannons, cannons e'ery ware!!! Hehehehehehe....

I'll be workin' a cannon 'r two, a mortar 'r two this up commin' week!

Then, I'll be goin' inta withdrawl, then iffn all goes well, I'll sees ya in September.... (innat a name o' a song?)

But I digress....

Cannons! Woo Hoo!!! (ahem) AArrgghhh!!!!

[Mad Maudlin McCrumb]

Then, I'll be goin' inta withdrawl, then iffn all goes well, I'll sees ya in September.... (innat a name o' a song?)

If it isn't, my dear, I will write it for you...

If I don't live fairly close to the ocean I lose my ever lovin' MIND! Portland is too far inland.. though the river is good for watching ships!

[Rosalinda]

Really do envy all of you that are near the sea. And my heart goes out to those that are landlocked like me...

I grew up in Texas, and every summer meant 2 weeks on the Gulf. Dad was into the ocean in a big way...and boating was part of life for two weeks every year.

I moved to Florida (Fort Myers) when I got out of college. Opened a photography studio in an old train depot across the street from the marina. Got to know some of the boat owners, er Captains...and had the luxury of sailing from time to time. Party boats are part of the Florida Gulf scene, but I'd never equate that to sailing at all. But I did enjoy those, too.

But the first real voyage, as it were, was when I spent some time in the UK in 1999. Did several short sails between Wales and Ireland, across the Irish Sea. That's when I first learned what being sea sick really meant. The Irish Sea, at that time at least, was incredibly rough. Thought I would die and didn't enjoy it at all the first few times. There is a putrid shade of green that a fair-skinned lass becomes...

Fell madly in love with the ships over the years. Boarded them in New Orleans, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Florida, and the Bahamas. Cannot explain how on earth I ended up so far inland and one mile high...except that a man had something to do with it.

[Dorian Lasseter]

Aye,

I spend more tyme at th' rivers edge than some think I should, I want ta be out on th' water...

Nay, it not be the ocean, but the area is one o' the largest inland ports in the states... lotsa trafffic...

I have fond memories dodgin' brage traffic in a 17 foot wood hulled canoe wi' me brudder (not Angus) an' some friends...

Paddlin' down ta the one island an' uain' th' big rope swing ta go swimmin', or just explorin' tha' island...

Tho e'ery tyme I get ta th' sea shore... Ahhhhhhhh.... home....

[BlackDianae]

Aye Rosalinda,

'Tis a hard thing growin' up land-locked, all the while feelin' the pull of somethin' wild, untameable in yer blood and never quite knowin' what it be....until ye saw the Great Mother Ocean.

Ye know ye've cross the Tide Line. That which marks the difference between a landlubber and those who hear the Ocean's Song.

I've played some both above and below Her briney surface. Did ye know that there be 'seasons' below the surface, just like we have on land?! A marvelous revelation, that!

"Mother Mother Ocean,

I have Heard your Call.

Wanted to sail

upon your waters

since I was three feet tall.

You've seen it all...

You've seen it all..."

[Rosalinda]

feelin' the pull of somethin' wild, untameable in yer blood and never quite knowin' what it be....

Aye...that's the feeling, allright.

[the Royaliste]

Oh, I thought it was 'little critters' ...P.S. Ain't gonna start a new thread, but thanks to those who offed a hand in the matter of my daughter; I have her now...in for 72 hour observation to see what went on..Thanks, Gary, Captain, the Royaliste, occupied america

[Rosalinda]

Oh, I thought it was 'little critters' ...P.S. Ain't gonna start a new thread, but thanks to those who offed a hand in the matter of my daughter; I have her now...in for 72 hour observation to see what went on..Thanks, Gary, Captain, the Royaliste, occupied america

Fantastic! I bet that's a relief! Best of luck and I hope nothing went on...

[the Royaliste]

Me too, girl. Positive for several drugs, dunno about HIV for a while..