The Mercury, 1720 Careening Camp

[William Brand]

If we have as m,any pirates as it looks like we will then the bell would be good if for nothing more than a change of shift. We don't all have to be at the camp all the time but we also don't all want to be out at the same time. As Rat's said, it is also good for getting attention for demonstrations and such. ....speaking of which ...

Who has suggestions for demos and who has the skills to share?

There was talk of a map of the place signs, banners and more. Is there anything I can help with?

I am doing a map of Key West marking the locations of the events both inside and outside the fort. This will be a handdrawn map in a period style. It will include everything from the "walk-the-plank" ceremony to the seafront battles.

As for assistance, Harry does want to hang up wanted posters for Mary and Anne all over town, so we'll need walkers and poster hangers.

[William Brand]

No, I'm serious Pat, do you or any in the camp know proper hand to hand, sword, oar, what ever you can get your hands on to fight with? OF COURSE as long as the event coordinators are okay with this??

Other than the look of your camp, has anyone come up with a scenario for the camp? I.e, will you all just be careening, getting drunk, or would you like to post guards because you've been forced to put in for a cleaning in a not so friendly area? Would you have been on the alert for redcoats and pirate hunters, or does the camp feel that they are far enough away from the rest of the world that we don't have to worry about such things? Are you planning on doing strictly demos, for example talking one to one with spectators about the camp and why it is as it is...history lesson? Or are folks planning on Living History, where spectators that come through feel like they've been thrust back into the time frame and pirates aren't breaking out of character to give lectures... Just wondering where things are headed as well as how things will look...

There will be watches around the festival with a few volunteers doing night patrols. This is as much for atmosphere as real security. We want a presence of patrolers to watch for anything which might be amiss and to be available if any emergency should arise. We must also have a constant watch over campfires at each camp as a matter of course. Thus the water buckets.

[Capt. Sterling]

What is your scenario William for the weekend? Or would you like to start a new thread for this so people can share ideas?

[Rats]

I'll throw in a vote for a new thread!

Let's keep this one for basic planning for the camp and living arrangements.

[William Brand]

What is your scenario William for the weekend?  Or would you like to start a new thread for this so people can share ideas?

If you are asking about my own character backstory as it will be played at the camp, then I shall be playing William Brand. I have wondered lately if my nomination as the quartermaster for the camps (i.e., A PIP Coordinator) is to be extended as an official rank aboard the Mercury. It's never been discussed, and most of the careening camp is playing every day able seamen. I guess I'll wait to hear from the camp attendees themselves on that matter. Still, I shall play the only me I have ever played since becoming involved as a pirate enthusiast. William "Red Wake" Brand.

If you are asking about the "watches", then the answer is a little open ended. We agreed after PIP 2005, that patrols would be added to future events. I don't know if there was much need in 2006, for the camps were still growing again, but Harry would like some measures to be taken for security since the camps are outside the fort. Patrols are mainly meant to create an attitude of security. It is simply a means to see that someone walks about and checks in on the camps and periphery of the festival. Patroling members of the camps might be called on to assist drunken pirates back to their tents when they can't get there themselves. Or they might pick up obvious trash in their rounds. Whatever they do, they will be just one more elemnt of atmosphere and assistance to the group as a whole. It hasn't been decided if the patrols will be terribly formal or during exact hours, but I would welcome any volunteers who wish to walk about the night beaches and gaurd our little camps.

On a side note, Harry did mention that law enforcement will probably be present during the festival this year.

Are we starting another thread about personas or patrols?

[Capt. Sterling]

Will pm you William so as not to tie up this thread any further...

[hurricane]

-removed-

[Capt. Sterling]

edit...

[Ol Man From the Sea]

[ Poor Pete would go nuts if, when done speaking with someone, he noticed the glass had already run out!!

That is the practical problem I was referring to. Needing watches or heaven forbid setting an alarm on your cell phone to help keep track of your hour glass seems to lose a bit in the translation. Yes. some simple fixes could have helped, but they weren't done for the second day at RFII. This is not a slight at the crew of the Archangel, they worked hard and cared when things went amiss. This only stands to make my argument stronger.

As to discipline among pyrates, all reports I have seen indicate that the pyrates lacked civility let alone discipline. Note, I don’t believe this means there was no discipline, only that there were no outward appearances of discipline to the 18 century eye. To that eye this “crew” would appear very undisciplined, and yet I believe all are working hard to make this a good and accurate camp. A bell is an outward sign of discipline and control, and thus not in keeping with period reports of pyrates

As to a careening camp being a work camp, after reading the report posted earlier in ths thread, I am not so sure. When the ship was actually careened, all hands would be needed at the ship and thus the camp a ghost town, However, there would be times, such as high waves etc., when the ship could not be careened, but would not be ready for sail either. I am sure pyrates would use these times to PARTY! This would be our camp.

Back to the bell. If the bell were used only as a signaling devise, and not to keep watches, I would be ok with it. Though, I think a bo’sons pipe more appropriate.

[Ol Man From the Sea]

Or are folks planning on Living History, where spectators that come through feel like they've been thrust back into the time frame

That is the goal. I am a strong believer that if you have to explain it, the joke wasn't funny. We can add on to there, but lets get the foundation right first.

[Rats]

I personally think we're kicking a dead horse...

The $%#%^# bell was, can and most likely "will" be used for everything from signalling times to notifying the "entire crew" of emergencies....

With all the boomers and shouts of AAargh! and noise going on, I could care less... Ring away!

The way I see it, if someone is looking for a quiet weekend getaway.... This isn't going to be it!

[Capt. Sterling]

No slight taken, especially since even simple fixes couldn't have been seen to since many of us were not "at home" to do so, but miles from where we actually reside for RF2.

As to the bell and glass, it can easily be left at home for PiP if folks don't want it, it was just an offering as even Foxe said he could possibly see it being proper for such a camp... two less things to pack. And again, that is what the middies are for, they don't require watches but tend to their duties of keeping eye on the glass and sounding the proper watch. As to lack of discipline in pirate crews...

I would find it hard to swallow that all crews ran amok at all times and yet folks like Bart Roberts were as successful as they were. Tis almost like saying all pirate captains were elected...

Any way, this perhaps would be better suited for Twill not here...

[Capt. Sterling]

I am doing a map of Key West marking the locations of the events both inside and outside the fort. This will be a handdrawn map in a period style. It will include everything from the "walk-the-plank" ceremony to the seafront battles.

Any chance I can get a current map "marked up" with general camp locations, fort, and seafront battle locations asap?? I don't want to rush ye William with the wonderful rendition I am sure ye will produce, but in regard to earlier pms it would be most helpful... We've already got something in the works but would really like to see it mapped out first before I pass it along...

[William Brand]

I am doing a map of Key West marking the locations of the events both inside and outside the fort.  This will be a handdrawn map in a period style.  It will include everything from the "walk-the-plank" ceremony to the seafront battles.

Any chance I can get a current map "marked up" with general camp locations, fort, and seafront battle locations asap?? I don't want to rush ye William with the wonderful rendition I am sure ye will produce, but in regard to earlier pms it would be most helpful... We've already got something in the works but would really like to see it mapped out first before I pass it along...

Harry is going to designate camps on a sight map sometime in the very near future and I will post it here for the benefit of all.

[Ol Man From the Sea]

Who has suggestions for demos and who has the skills to share? 

There was talk of a map of the place signs, banners and more.  Is there anything I can help with?  I have a fair hand and could easily create banners and such if needed. 

What of a song book?  Shanties while working (between Hurricane's groups sets) and for after hours.

Work?  Mending sails making the flag, cooking etc.  we can't all be laying around with rhum bottles scattered around our persons ...besides ...Patrick already does that one!

Stories for the kiddies?  I can tell them but can some one guide me to the entertaining ones?

This post was kinda lost in the scuffle but is a good point to carry on from!

It is possible, and probably authentic, that we are layin' around drunk. When the ship was careened everyone would be working on the ship so camp would be near empty and thus pretty boring. However, there would be times when the ship was prepared for careening but could not be careened, due to wind or waves etc., leaving the crew with little to do but wait.

So, what are we going to do with our "free" time in camp? Even if we are just laying around drunk we should have some drinking songs ready. Of course we could take a hint from RLS and just sing "YO HO HO and a Bottle of Rum" over and over and over?

As rounded spars seem better than modern lumber for tent poles, I could bring my draw knife & spoke shave, fake out a shaving bench or something and demo them? Might even show how to make an (ugh) oar or two?

Other Ideas?

[Patrick Hand]

I could bring my draw knife & spoke shave, fake out a shaving bench or something and demo them?

I was going to bring a jack plane, and get some 2x2s and round them out.... but I got lazy, and the Fort already had some painted 2x2 that we used for tent poles....

SO a draw knife and spole shave to make some extra tent poles would be a great idea.......

[LongTom]

It is possible, and probably authentic, that we are layin' around drunk.  When the ship was careened everyone would be working on the ship so camp would be near empty and thus pretty boring.  However, there would be times when the ship was prepared for careening but could not be careened, due to wind or waves etc., leaving the crew with little to do but wait.

I imagine there were a lot more maintenance activities than just scraping the bottom of the boat. Some possibilities that come to mind:

-- collecting water (though that would imply a need for a fair collection of casks in camp)

-- hunting and preparing the meat (um, "boucan"-ing?)

-- collecting and/or preparing other edible or otherwise useful materials

-- mending all sorts of ship's tackle

-- making cordage (anybody have a rope walk?), and misc rope work with the results.

-- teaching the waisters how to tie some of the more useful knots.

Laying around drunk would be for when it was too dark to do any real work.

Not sure what you would do for the watering demo, other than have a barrel in a rope sling and periodically march into or out of camp with it on a spar across several shoulders. Likewise, a properly scaled meat smoking fire is probably out of scope. But other handiwork-scale tasks should be doable.

My two cents on the bell: At least on board ship, someone as undisciplined as a pirate is not going to be eager to extend their watch while their shipmates continue to snooze below. The bell would be not so much a form of martial discipline as a warning to "stir yer stumps out o' those bluidy 'ammocks afore we cuts' em daown with yez still in 'em."

The same watch-on, watch-off principle would apply to any heavy work on shore.

[William Brand]

Diego brought up the idea of mending nets once at a festival in California. I know that it is a careening camp, but could we feasibly have someone mending a net, and has anyone ever done so?

[Ol Man From the Sea]

I am sure that if we put our minds to it, we can fill another 16 pages with things pyrates might/would have done in camp. To save a bit of space, let me rephrase Silkie's question.

What will YOU be doing IN camp?

[LongTom]

Me? Laying around drunk, of course.

[William Brand]

As Quartermaster, I be kicking the drunks awake and yelling...

"To the pitch pots yeee SPROGS!"

[LongTom]

Don't mind me, I'm just a little grouchy because I'm not likely to be able to swing the plane ticket, nor the time away from the family. Vicarious thrills, these be...

[callenish gunner]

tis a shame that is tom ...perhaps you could sell your blood every 2 weeks to get your fare together ....of course ye might be a bit annemic to get much out of your time there but at least you'd be there......

[Master Sully]

Maybe someone can talk to Harry and find out who catered the event 3 years back. I left 2 full-size whiskey barrels at the caterer's house to use next time I was down, but alas I haven't yet. It was less than a mile from the fort. I hope to make it back this year.

[bloodydavycash]

I'm thinking out loud here, about the whole piles of stuff laying about idea. I wonder if Hay bales wrapped in canvas and tied up package style might not make pretty passable bales of cloth or wool or what have you.... anything that came in BALES, as it were....... seems like a sturdy 9x9 tarp might fit about right. And would be pretty cheap, I would think.... Thoughts?

BDC