Searching for Cap'n William!

[Pynch]

Anyone heard from him? He's a New Orleans resident.

Cap'n...check in and let us know you're alright!!

[Dorian Lasseter]

I fear that his power has been knocked out.... thus, we may not hear from him until it is restored... Unless someone has another way to contact him?

I hope all is well with William and his family, along with anyone else that has been caught up in all this.

[Rumba Rue]

The pictures I've seen on the news are awful! God I hope he's alright.

[Captain Jim-sib]

Me thoughts & prayers be with him & his mate Jan.

[King's Pyrate]

The pictures I've seen on the news are awful! God I hope he's alright.

I hope he is ok too...my son and his family are in Hattisberg where the eye went through...We can not get hold of them, when we call the area code of his phone number we only get static.......There are a lot of hurting people over there right now. It might be two months till they get electric back.

[Captain_MacNamara]

I too hope that he and his are ok. Pray to whatever gods you believe in is what I would suggest... it's what I am doing for the people I know of personally in those areas.

[Pynch]

Prayers are the best. Cash is a darned close second.

Folks, if you can, send something...even if it's only $5, to the Red Cross and mark it for disaster relief.

There are a lot of poor families that have been hit hard and it may be months before they can assume some sort of normal life. In NO, the 9th Ward is gone and I'm pretty sure these folks don't have two dimes to rub together. They are going to be living hand to mouth for a long time to come. I'm sure the same applies for many families in Mississippi as well.

Every little bit helps.

[blackjohn]

Some (most?) of you have probably seen this, but for the benefit of those who haven't, the lastest as of yesterday. From our friends at NQG...

NQG - PIRATES HELPING PIRATES

Lads and lasses,

As we watch and listen to the news, we are very sobered by the

conditions left behind by Hurricane Katrina. Our hearts go out to those

who have had to live through all this.

We heard today from Capt. N. Cobbs, who escaped ahead of the storm.

Here's his message below:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My dear friends and mateys,

This is from yer mate Capt. N. Cobbs, ESQ., an' 'is lovely lass,

Well, 'ere we be in 'ol Lafayette, La. A good mate an' 'is wife 'ave

lowered the gang plank fer meself an' the missus fer the duration. We

hail from the port o' New Orleans, which fer all intents an' purposes

looks as if the 'and o' some evil deity 'as slapped 'is 'and down upon.

Aye lads and lasses, 'ol New Orleans shall not ever be the same agin. To

all of ye what never been 'ere afore, YER LOSS! T' all of us who 'ave

lived 'ere 'an in the surrounding areas, OUR LOSS! AHRRRRR.......

We all be fer a'sheddin many a tear. One o' me fine mateys 'as 12 foot

o' water, two fathoms worth, a'coverin 'is home at this moment. Tis

tragic fer sure. Me an' me mate's 'eart goes out even t' all the lubbers

what resided 'ere. Jamaica, lass, I contacted Capt. William t'day. 'E an

'is wife Jan are a'doin fine. They rode out the storm like a true pair

'o sea fairin' folk. They be alive an' well. They be fer 'avin t' boil

water fer cookin' but since they do 'ave nat'rul gas fer the cookin'

they be well, with much canned goods in their 'old. They's dogs an' cat

crew be doin well too.

As fer meself and the lovely Ms. Nancy, we may be a'makin our port o'

call 'ere in ol' Lafayette fer some time.

I know that what I ask of ye may be 'ard fer mos' of ye swag 'oardin

types out there, but if'n the opporunity presents itself t' make a

donation t' the red cross or whatever, t 'elp folk down 'ere, Don't be

fer hesitatin'. Aye! Someday we will all step into the noose someday, in

some form or another, an the BIG MAN may look more kindly upon our

scabrous souls come the judgement day.

Jamaica, lass, please be a'sendin this out with the next update.

T' all who read an' heed, full flagons t' ye all, an smooth sailin t'

ye' all!

Capt. N. Cobbs an crew.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I (Jamaica Rose) also called Capt. Williams (Jim McArthur) today, and

was very surprised to get through, and that their phone actually

worked. As Capt. Cobbs said, Capt. Williams and his wife are fine -

they live in the 20 % of New Orleans that is not flooded (yet). They

had relative little damage to their home, and they are all unhurt and

safe. They have gas, water (boiling the water though), phone service,

but no electricity.

PIRATES HELPING PIRATES

**************************

Those so moved to donate yer doubloons as suggested by Capt. Cobbs can

do so at the Red Cross website:

http://www.redcross.org/

Or call: 1-800-HELP NOW

For the Salvation Army:

1-800-SAL-ARMY

While watching the news today, I realized a lot of people are going to

be homeless for quite some time. Katrina is way worse than any

hurricane that hit last year. This is our tsunami. Unlike Florida last

year, there is no way hurricane victims can camp out next to their homes

while they are repaired. There's no dry land. And with the flood

waters not retreating any time soon, it's going to get real unhealthy

real fast.

First I thought with our own youngun's up and out we have two spare

bedrooms -- and would be glad to take in a hurricane refugee family for

a long while. I know it's quite a ways here to Calif. - but maybe

someone would be glad to get away from the hurricane ravaged area for a

while until the floods recede, or maybe to start over out here.

And then I thought others of our NQG crew would like to help out some

hapless fellow brethren of the sea ... especially those who live closer,

so it would be easier for water-logged refugees to get to them.

What's the use of having a pirate network, if we can't put it to good

use when there is a great need? So, I'll be glad to act as the pirate

refugee clearinghouse. While many hurricane victims are still stuck

without power, phone service, and a way out of their flood ravaged

towns, we know many have already evacuated to other areas, and so they

may be checking email via libraries, Internet cafes, etc. Phone service

is still working in areas, as the above message attests. So perhaps we

can get the word out to some.

If you are in need of refuge (or know of another pirate who is), tell us

a bit about yourself (and yer family if there are others with you). Let

us know what pirate crew, if any, you belong to, or tell us the names of

other pirates, if any, who can vouch for you. It's hard to expect people

to take in complete strangers, so the more background you can give, the

better. Give us contact info (phone number, email, etc) and we'll try

to match up scuttled pirates with those who've got room in their vessels.

Those who are willing to take in a pirate or two, send word to us,

giving us your particulars. Will you take in a single female, single

male, married couple, family with kids, etc? Give us your contact

information, your location, and a little about the situation you offer.

We can pass on to you the particulars of those refugees who contact us

and meet your criteria.

Pass the word amongst those pirates you have contact with. If any have

no where to go, maybe we can find them a temporary refuge with other

pirates. Pirates need to help other pirates.

Feel free to pass on my phone number to any flood-drenched, homeless

pirates:

Home - 951-785-1233

Cell - 714-308-6406

Email: jamaica@noquartergiven.net

Blackheartedly yrs,

--Jamaica Rose

(Christine Lampe, editor of No Quarter Given)

http://www.noquartergiven.net

(If you wish to be removed from this list, email back with UNSUBSCRIBE

in the subject field, . . . if you dare, that is. For shortly after you

should do so, an old blind pirate will knock on your door, and hand you

a scrap of yellowed paper with a black spot upon it. After that, we're

not sure what happens . . . )

All rights reserved --

Copyright 2005 - No Quarter Given -- Christine Markel Lampe

[King's Pyrate]

I too hope that he and his are ok. Pray to whatever gods you believe in is what I would suggest... it's what I am doing for the people I know of personally in those areas.

My so and his family are ok...new baby did not come yet.......he drove back to his home in Wiggins, ms to check on his new home they were to move into in two weeks. the shingles were blown off and the carport roof was blown into the north 40....he was told to expect electric to be back on in 4 to 6 weeks.

Thanks for your prayers

Joe

[capnwilliam]

Aye, goode shipmates all: Capt. William and First Mate Jan be alive, and well, and in Guntersville, Alabama (on a lake: and that be as "high seas" as we care to be for the present time! )

First of all, let me say that I thank God that we escaped, and that we escaped with nary a scratch.

We had decided to sit out Katrina, as we always do with hurricanes. When the storm passed, we had only minor roof damage, and a few ceiling leaks.

Then, the REAL trouble started.

The 17th street canal (connecting the city with suburban Jefferson Parish) levee breeched. So did the Tennessee Street levee, on the other side of the city in the lower 9th Ward: the poorest section of a poor city.

Eventually, 80% of the city was underwater: in some places, as much as 20 feet underwater. People were being taken off rooftops via boats and helicopters.

One - third of the New Orleans Police Department has abandoned their posts.

We tried to stick it ou., We DID, until Saturday, September 4. At that point we had sufficient non-perishable food , and bottled water, to last maybe a month. However, there was no tap water; no water to flush your toilet; no electricity, hence no lights, appliances, refrigerators, air conditioners, fans, etc. NO police, fire, or medical services. If you call 911, as Jan did, for a woman up the street who was having a baby, no one answers.

We started to hear rumors (not confirmed by us) of residential looting. We DID see looting of grocery stores, but it was people taking what they needed to survive: for the most part.

By the time we left, the garbage was piling up, and was starting to be joined by corpses.

We decided that the risk of e-coli, malaria, dysentery, etc. was not worth it. Canned food and jug water won't sustain you against an epidemic, and guns can't be used against microorganisms.

On Saturday morning we cut and run: me, Jan, a neighbor, his German Shepherd, out Sheltie and chihuahua, and our three cats in cages.

We left behind a rabbit, 2 ferrets, a hamster, a fish; our home, and most of our personal possessions; and worst of all, our neighbors: a 75 year old woman, and her son, who we begged to leave. To my knowledge, they are still there. As of about a day ago they were doing well.

WE are doing well, at Jan's father's house in Guntersville, Alabama.

Shipmates, the effects of this disaster will be felt for years to come.

But be of good cheer: we be PIRATES, after all, are we not?

I will keep you posted.

Capt. William

[King's Pyrate]

Aye, goode shipmates all: Capt. William and First Mate Jan be alive, and well, and in Guntersville, Alabama (on a lake: and that be as "high seas" as we care to be for the present time! )

First of all, let me say that I thank God that we escaped, and that we escaped with nary a scratch.

We had decided to sit out Katrina, as we always do with hurricanes. When the storm passed, we had only minor roof damage, and a few ceiling leaks.

Then, the REAL trouble started.

The 17th street canal (connecting the city with suburban Jefferson Parish) levee breeched. So did the Tennessee Street levee, on the other side of the city in the lower 9th Ward: the poorest section of a poor city.

Eventually, 80% of the city was underwater: in some places, as much as 20 feet underwater. People were being taken off rooftops via boats and helicopters.

One - third of the New Orleans Police Department has abandoned their posts.

We tried to stick it ou., We DID, until Saturday, September 4. At that point we had sufficient non-perishable food , and bottled water, to last maybe a month. However, there was no tap water; no water to flush your toilet; no electricity, hence no lights, appliances, refrigerators, air conditioners, fans, etc. NO police, fire, or medical services. If you call 911, as Jan did, for a woman up the street who was having a baby, no one answers.

We started to hear rumors (not confirmed by us) of residential looting. We DID see looting of grocery stores, but it was people taking what they needed to survive: for the most part.

By the time we left, the garbage was piling up, and was starting to be joined by corpses.

We decided that the risk of e-coli, malaria, dysentery, etc. was not worth it. Canned food and jug water won't sustain you against an epidemic, and guns can't be used against microorganisms.

On Saturday morning we cut and run: me, Jan, a neighbor, his German Shepherd, out Sheltie and chihuahua, and our three cats in cages.

We left behind a rabbit, 2 ferrets, a hamster, a fish; our home, and most of our personal possessions; and worst of all, our neighbors: a 75 year old woman, and her son, who we begged to leave. To my knowledge, they are still there. As of about a day ago they were doing well.

WE are doing well, at Jan's father's house in Guntersville, Alabama.

Shipmates, the effects of this disaster will be felt for years to come.

But be of good cheer: we be PIRATES, after all, are we not?

I will keep you posted.

Capt. William

Good to see you and your wife are safe and well....never had any doubt that you would do the right thing for your family.

Best to you and yours

Joe

[blackjohn]

By the time we left, the garbage was piling up, and was starting to be joined by corpses.

It all sounds rather mind numbing... glad to hear you are safe!

[Rumba Rue]

Aye, it warms my heart to know you are ok.

[capnwilliam]

Thank ye all fer the kind wishes, Shipmates! :)

Christine, that message from my goode mate Capt. Cobbs was so good, ye ought to publish it in No Quarter Given! :)

Capt. William

[capnwilliam]

We are back in New Orleans, and to stay!

After being marooned in Memphis for more than two months, we moved home last week. I am back to work at my office. There was a lot of wind and rain damage on the Naval base where I work, but no flooding. Our house lost a few shingles and had a few leaks, but we've had temporary repairs done, and are getting a new roof as soon as the roofers and the insurance company get on the same page.

Jan is teaching English online: her college campus was damaged. Not sure whether she'll have a job next term or not.

New Orleans is, for the most part, simply gone. However, most of what the visitors see when they come here - the FRench Quarter, and Uptown from the River to St. Charles Avenue - escaped relatively intact.

The population is down from about 460,000 to about 70,000. We ARE coming back, but very slowly. Most of the city flooded; most of the buildings that were flooded weren't destroyed as structures but the interiors suffered varying degrees of interior damage from floodwaters and mold. The question is usually, is the shell intact? Can it be gutted and rebuilt internally, or doesn it need to be razed?

(enough for now...)

Capt. William

[Red Maria]

Good to see you back where you brlong Capt. William! Just in time for the holidays. :) Despite all her woes I hope New Orleans has a happy holiday season. May the New Year birth rebirth to a wondeful city that I have always wanted to visit. :)

[capnwilliam]

The city is coming back, but very slowly. Most of it's not habitable. It will be a very different New Orleans, to be sure.

Maria, the next few months might be a good time to visit. A hotel room might be a problem; but most of the French Quarter is up and running, although on much reduced hours. Much reduced crowds, too. And, the antique shops are willing to bargan with you! :)

Capt. William