Creating the 1720 Careening Camp

[Captain Jim]

The only area for which we are proposing minimal 1720 standards will be on our own little 1720 camp, a very small part of the whole affair, where we would like to do skill demonstrations, answer questions about the GAoP, pose for photo-ops and recruit new pyrates to the greater world of pyrate reenacting. So there is lots of room at PiP for pyrates of all stripes within the years and standards that Harry has set.

As Patrick has said, good, honest attempts at period dress should be honored and then improved on, either on the spot or for next year. He also noted that neither one of us are done with development either. I plan to sew an entire kit this year as up to this point I’ve been “store buying” my stuff, all except my hat. Its all cotton and machine sewn with fall-front slops, all of which I plan to bring as extras and loaners. So basically I am at the desirable minimum, but just for our little corner of the world. Patrick is a bit beyond that, but I’m catching up. However, the stuff that I have will work if I don’t have time to create all-new kit. Moreover everything that I have is readily available and fairly affordable. But, starting now, anyone with a few hours of time each week can finish an entire kit by next year (351 days, to be exact.)

Meanwhile, in order to reduce the confusion, we will now start a separate 1720 Camp thread dedicated to and limited to that 1720 camp. Any guidelines or standards that we agree on here are for this camp only and do not affect anyone else attending PiP insomuch as they adhere to Harry's time frame. Anyone who wishes to join us in the attempt to recreate a 1720 careening camp is welcome. Help will be offered to all who want it and constructive ideas wanted from all who offer.

In the coming days we will establish our desired minimum standards. The sooner that we accomplish this the better, as it will give us all time to hone our skills, create our kits and work out the myriad details needed to create the camp.

[Captain Jim]

Let’s start off with a quick statement about the ultimate goals of the 1720 camp and the method we want to employ to achieve those goals.

The Goal is to create a setting representative of a careening camp circa 1720. Within this camp we would like to demonstrate sailorly pursuits that could conceivably have been pursued ashore during the repairing of the ship. These may include marlinespike work, other knot-work, rigging, cooking, fire starting, sewing (sails and clothing), casting pistol balls, music/singing, use of boarding weapons, black powder demonstrations and sleeping off a drunk (Patrick has dibs on this one) among other things. Wenching and rhum drinking will be reserved for after dark.

Picking a specific year (1720) will help to define what your character would know about pyrates and pyracy at the time. We can then speak to the public in character as if we were speaking from personal knowledge. We can, for instance, talk about Mary, Anne and that dolt captain of theirs, Rackham, as if we knew them personally. Very hush-hush you know as we don't want to hang with them. Introduce the fact that pyracy isn't as easy as it was before the English started cracking down. Picking a year late in the Age allows all who have assembled a kit to use it as early- and mid-Age styles would conceivably have still been in use.

I pyrated the following from William:

"Year one (2007): Strong encouragement towards period appropriate gear, but with a mindset on recruitment first. We must increase our overall numbers for the sake of the festival. Quantity first. Then Quality in the near future. Please choose people who show the enthusiasm to work and play well together.

"Also, as always, an emphasis should be made on group discussions leading up to and during PIP of 2007. Ongoing education through group and individual exploration of period texts and archeology, but leaning towards enthusiasm before perfection. Those with a marked understanding of period clothing should always encourage new attendees to take pride in a carefully selected kit, while maintaining their enthusiasm to a sometimes costly hobby.

"Year two (2008): Correction of gear through instruction and alteration. Open encouragement to change non-period gear in preparation for a living historical camp in 2009. A few added restrictions on very obvious and inaccurate portrayals or camp gear. An added emphasis towards regular attendees on improving their personal kits. Hands on workshops in the form of sewing circles, craftsman workshops, etc. Open invitation to sutlers of period accurate wares.

"Recruitment should continue year to year, and like discussion and education, it should never be replaced.

"Year three (2009): A code of appropriate clothing based on the discussion, alteration and education from the previous two years. Possible judging prior to event through a selected, hand-picked circle of attendees.

"This is a porposal open to alteration. This allows us three years to perfection with a set goal in mind and a level of accuracy to climb to by degrees. Perhaps fours or five years might be necessary, but goals both short term and long term will vastly improve the outset of the festival.

"Education and recruitment should be the watchwords of every year. New people. New kit."

So there you have it.

[William Brand]

"Year one (2007): Strong encouragement towards period appropriate gear, but with a mindset on recruitment first. We must increase our overall numbers for the sake of the festival. Quantity first. Then Quality in the near future. Please choose people who show the enthusiasm to work and play well together."

Let's talk recruitment. We need to up our volume. My largest complaint, and the complaint of many others, was the lack of sufficient numbers to give the encampments a feel of period traffic. The battles were also on the small side.

First, let's focus on the locals. There are a great number of pirate enthusiasts who live in Florida, yet some of them did not and have not attended PIP. This is unfortunate given their relative close proximity to the festival. We need to find as many of them as possible in the next few months and encourage them to attend early, so each of them has time to ask questions and have them answered. The locals might also benefit the rest us because they can drive down and perhaps offer rides to those who are flying in from distant locations.

Then, we need to simultaneously focus on the long distance pirates. We should encourage those who live far away to begin setting aside amounts of money now, so that they might be able to afford passage before the end of August wherever possible. There will be those who have unexpected expenses that creep up on them, but we should still focus on early ticket purchases.

This means we will need the dates for next year's PIP within the next few months if possible.

[Captain Jim]

I know that Amanjira AKA Freebooter Jack (Orlando area) brought 10 pyrates down this year and has tentatively promised 12 for next, including his parents, and that he, at the least, intends to camp. Now that's recruiting!

Another thought here. Should participation in daily camp activities be limited to those who are actually sleeping in the Fort? I am of the opinion not. While increasing the actual number of tents and campers is important I think that anyone who wants to play but does not have a taste for canvas houses should be allowed. If they have put in the effort to assemble good period garb and have the desire to help with any of the above listed activities they should be allowed to participate but with strong encouragement to set up tents in the following year.

[Harry]

2007 dates are:

Nov 30-Dec. 2

If some with to come early, for example the week of the event, that is possible. I will ask that you help out by getting the word out around town or speaking to schools (that program is in the works).

Arriving earlier can also help with airline fairs as it is usually cheaper to fly mid-week than on the weekend.

Harry

Fort Taylor.org

[Patrick Hand]

Purchasing airline tickets on line, in advance and flying out mid-week to Miami, then taking the Greyhound down to Key West, can be done for about $375 (about $300, round trip, From San Fransico to Miami, and $70 round trip on the bus) It takes longer, but for those of us on a budget, it is do-able....

The biggest hasstle with flying is you can't carry as much camp gear, but Harry has some tent poles at the Fort that we can borrow, and we can ship stuff down ahead of time....

The advantage os starting early and figuring out the Careening camp, is that other Pyrate in the Pub may decide that they want to be a part of this, and can join up with us. It also gives us almost a year to work on our clothing and gear so we have it right.

It's too early to write an mini-article on how to make a waterproof lineseed oil tarp (well it's too early to be able to make one, you need a dry shady place to hang the tarp as it dries.... ) but in Spring, I'll post a how-to...

But Winter is a great time to work on some clothing and camp gear...

We can also discuss how to set-up tarps as shelter, so anyone that wants to attend can see how easy and affordable it is....

[William Brand]

Another thought here. Should participation in daily camp activities be limited to those who are actually sleeping in the Fort? I am of the opinion not. While increasing the actual number of tents and campers is important I think that anyone who wants to play but does not have a taste for canvas houses should be allowed. If they have put in the effort to assemble good period garb and have the desire to help with any of the above listed activities they should be allowed to participate but with strong encouragement to set up tents in the following year.

Agreed. We just need more waking traffic.

[William Brand]

2007 dates are:

Nov 30-Dec. 2

Only Friday through Sunday? hmm. How early may we come out and camp?

[Gentleman of Fortune]

Way to take the bull by the horns and get this thing rolling.

I like your idea about recruitment.... I would suggest using every avenue to meet this end.

The problem for some (like myself) is that its just too damn far away to be a regular attendee (I live in Germany).

So you need to establish "seed" groups that have authenticity as a goal, and then support them in appropriate ways.

I have been thinking about this for some time... Some sort of "National" Pirate Brethren.

Lets talk about recruiting though. I have some ideas... but I would love to hear others opinions on expanding the "brethren".

Greg

[Captain Jim]

2007 dates are:

Nov 30-Dec. 2

Only Friday through Sunday? hmm. How early may we come out and camp?

Harry, if we get a contingent there early, you will schedule school and other appearances? Excellent. I’m game. Marauding Pyrates we’ll be.

Greg, I think that is an excellent idea but, given the independent nature of us pyrate reenactors, it will be really hard to implement. I’m for it though. A lot of work has been put into the research both here and in similar forums but a sort of “National Pyrate Brethren Handbook” (“…more like guidelines than actual rules…”) might be in order to get all of us pyrate reenactors on the same page. We could address such hot topics as "Is wearing a fox tail period?" and "Were devil horns stylish in the GAoP?"

Perhaps this small thread will serve as the germ for such a tome. Build the bones here and flesh it out as we go.

[hurricane]

The full PiP festival runs Thursday through Sunday the Nov. 30 through Dec. 2 are for the fort portion of the festival. Just a small correction. When I get around to it I'll update the festival site with the full dates.

-- Hurricane

[Diosa De Cancion]

If some with to come early, for example the week of the event, that is possible. I will ask that you help out by getting the word out around town or speaking to schools (that program is in the works).

Also the library loves when we come by and read to the kiddies and we saw some of them show up at the Fort......... we also did an elementary school... It was 2nd and 3rd graders.... and they were great! We told them a little about being a pirate and life on a ship.... let them ask a lot of questions....did some songs together.

We did those events on the Wednesday and Thursday of the week leading up to the festival opening on Friday.

We're in for any of that again in '07

Our crewe also wants to go to a retirement home this year and entertain....consider it taking the festival to those who can't get out to it!

[Harry]

Those who wish to arrive early, can look at as early as Monday or Tuesday of the week of the festival.

However, there is a new wrinkle in all of this. We had a visit from folks out of Tallahassee today to talk about the construction that will be going on in the fort.

Here's the background: The park service commissioned a study to come up with a Master Plan for rehabillitation of the fort. This is something that's been a long time coming. We started working on this a year and a half ago. Basically, what the plan will encompass is fixing up our Barracks Building--stabilizing the walls, putting on a new roof and such. This is a five-year, $18.5 million project.

What this means is that the parade ground will be somewhat restricted with its use for the '07 event. So, what may happen is that sutlers will have to set up outside the fort. I'm going to try and make it happen that our encampment will still take place inside the fort. And, the pub will still happen inside the fort as well. But, no matter what, the Barracks Building will be not available. Between now and then, we have to relocate a number of artifacts that are being stored in the Barracks Building. I understand this construction may put a slight crimp in the festival, but please try and understand, the rehabilitation of the fort has been something that we've been trying to get accomplished for many, many years!

There's a chance that the entire festival will have to be moved to our "open field" which is the fill land between the fort and the shipping channel. But, I won't know if that will happen until this summer when construction is expected to start.

I am awaiting an email reply from the school superintendent regarding pirates going into the schools to present a program. If the Super tells me we can't get pirates into the school, we'll drop back and punt. At least there's a lot of lead time here.

I will keep all posted. But, let's continue planning and I will make damn sure we have a place to do our thing!

Harry

Fort Taylor.org

[Patrick Hand]

There's a chance that the entire festival will have to be moved to our "open field" which is the fill land between the fort and the shipping channel. But, I won't know if that will happen until this summer when construction is expected to start.

We don't have to worry about it untill Summer, but one of the cool things about the careening camp is it's flexability.... It might be kinda fun to be able to watch the sunset from camp..... we'd just have to figure out how to deal with the rocky ground...... but we be resoursefull Pyrates......

[Gentleman of Fortune]

GitB

WOW!

GREAT ideas! Love the library thing and the Old Folks home... Is your group 501©?

Are there any Pirate groups local (like withing 50 miles) of the site?

Greg

[Gentleman of Fortune]

Here is another resource area:

Is there a national Guard or a Navy reserve unit nearby?

I have done events before and used them as a resource. I have had them put up GP medium tents and shelter (and take it down) which is a great way to provide shelter and such. (granted, its not period, but it is a resource for the non-period aspects of the festival).

A lot of times, all that they require is booth space for recruiting...

Just a thought

[blackjohn]

I have been thinking about this for some time... Some sort of "National" Pirate Brethren.

Lets talk about recruiting though.  I have some ideas... but I would love to hear others opinions on expanding the "brethren".

{shameless plug}

Piratebrethren.com

We've been one of the driving forces behind authentic pirate reenacting for almost a decade... or is it two? We accept anyone, or any group, willing to talk about the historical aspects of pirate reenacting. And since this is off topic, that's about all I have to say on the subject.

{/shameless plug}

[Captain Jim]

Those who plug shamelessly, especially about recruiting, shall be shamelessly recruited. What are y'all doing at the end of next November? Come to Florida and live the life of a pyrate! The more the merrier. Hell, we've got a fort at our disposal, and several schooners that key off the gathering (I find I am somewhat loathe to call it a "Fest".)

Speaking of recruiting, we need two (or more) stout souls to do weapons demonstrations. I don't think we want to go the "fight circle" route (open for discussion) but more of a lecture/demo with a finale of full-speed (or nearly) fighting.

[blackjohn]

Those who plug shamelessly, especially about recruiting, shall be shamelessly recruited. What are y'all doing at the end of next November? Come to Florida and live the life of a pyrate! The more the merrier. Hell, we've got a fort at our disposal, and several schooners that key off the gathering

See your thread on that "other forum"

http://www.piratebrethren.com/forum/viewto...topic.php?t=532

[kass]

Shameless...

Hey! We can get a convoy going from the Mid-Atlantic!

[William Brand]

These are just some of the crews and performers from Florida that I know of...

http://www.westcoastmutineers.com/

http://www.henrymorgankrewe.com/

http://www.arrrink.com/

http://www.brothersofthecoasts.com/

http://www.fernandinapirates.com/index.html

http://www.piratesofthecoast.com/

http://www.theebleedingrose.com/theebleedi...rose/index.html

http://www.thetortugamutineers.net/

http://www.pyratesofthegulfcoast.com/

[blackjohn]

Very... wenchy... and not in a good way. (Don't pop Kass!)

But, the raw material is there! Captain Jim, lead those horses to water and get them to drink of the fountain of authenticity. :)

I love that little movie on Hurricane's page! Brilliant! The man is an advertising genius!

[Captain Jim]

Pirates of the coast is Hurricane and crew. As for the others, do you want to drop them a line or shall I? Basically I was thinking about opening them up with an e-mail and a link to the 1720 camp page as well as a link to PiP.

[kass]

Ohm... Ohm...

[William Brand]

Pirates of the coast is Hurricane and crew. As for the others, do you want to drop them a line or shall I? Basically I was thinking about opening them up with an e-mail and a link to the 1720 camp page as well as a link to PiP.

Perhaps when a few more things are answered. Let's secure a few more facts and put together an email at the start of the year.