Cedar Key Pirates

It's a bit late  posting, but here goes.  The Cedar Key Pirate Invasion
 was a grand time. to put it in the words of  Black Dog from treasure Island, "this here be a quiet cove" or at least until the pirates invaded.  Lots of  music and cannon fire throughout the weekend.  Friday night the pirates had dinner with the public, which I was unable to attend, but my crew-mate Dungeon Dan Blackheart
says it was a grand time. Saturday, was the main day, as I awoke to smell of the campfire, and soon breakfast. Biscuits and gravy along with the morning grog, Coffee, was soon divvied among the crew. The day then kicked off with a parade,where the pirates "pillaged" the town "running" through the streets singing and otherwise ranting and roaring. Then the treasure hunt begins. As legend has it, The dread Pirate John Laffite has buried treasure somewhere in Cedar Key, and guess who just happens to steal a treasure map from some drunken sailor? No not I, but The infamous Bloody Sam Rackham of  The Cursed Few
He gathers up his crew(which in this case is all the children in attendance)  and set out to find the treasure.  A hunt around the cove  and then treasure, divvied among the crew. Shortly thereafter a battle begins for it seems that Bloody Sam has struck good fortune again, but not for long. As he and his crew decide what to do with the treasure found upon the cove,  the Captain of The Scarlett Fortuna
had overseen the the taking of said map as mentioned earlier, and decided to claim to claim the riches for himself, recruited the local garrison, promising to "share the wealth" he then proceeds to confront Bloody Sam and a fight ensues. during the battle a third party who was also at the pub and saw everything, sneaks in from shore during the fight and as the first two crews  are firing lead and swinging cutlass, the treasure is being taken.  As James Hawk, the Fortuna's Captain, confronts the two rogue pirates, he gets an oar smashed against his head, by the boatman and the oarman (yours truly) runs off with the treasure, loads it in the longboat, to take back to the Mutineers ship, only to be double-crossed by the first Mate. Shot dead and left to die on the sands of Cedar Key.  With the making off with treasure the Mutineers won the day.  the Garrison tried shooting at them with a cannon but missed, and the second was way too short.  The rest of the day was spent listening to  The Bawdy Boys
and Tricorn
and so ended the Saturday hoorah, with a night fire performance  from Mcfly
Sunday was spent looking through the wares of the local vendors, and listening to the bands, just having a grand time being a pirate. It was a grand time to be had as anticipated, and I hope to it again next year!

 

Ahoy!  As Talk Like a Pirate Day soon approaches,The Cedar Key Pirate Festival  is also just about a week away. It will be an exciting time  for all pirates in the Florida area as it promises to be even better than last year. It will my first time attending,  so come introduce yourself  if you are there. As well as a Historical Pirate Encampment, there will also be  live  fighting action. It  promises  to be a Grand Time! So If your in the North Florida/Gainesville  area   stop by and see the action!!

Yo Ho, Pull Together Hoist the Colors High!!!  There be a new Radio Show for the Pirate at Heart!!  Arr yes the Scoundrels Inn opens it's doors every Wednesday at 9:00 PM Central and plays  the Music of the scallywags of the Sea!!  Musical Blades and Bilgepumps, which I have talked about before, as well as Tom Mason  Captain Dan, and many others.  So get yer Rum, or any other beverage you like,  get  in yer favorite Captain's Chair and turn on the Sea Shanties!! Scoundrel's inn website

Ahoy Shipmates!  it has been quite a spell since I have sailed these waters..  It's not like anyone reads this stuff anyway. I feel like maybe I should post now and again just for the heck of it.  nothing piratical as of late... but it is almost September.... which means Talk Like a Pirate Day!!! so get your grog ready for September 19th! read up on yer pirate knowledge as to impress the Ladies... or depress them whichever the case may be...  here be the link to get your Pirate on!!!Talk like a pirate day

Ahoy Mates and welcome to me hideaway. I have just recently dug up another treasure that had been buried under the rest of me cd arrs. This CD has been out a while as well as the one on the last review.

The Bilge Pumps, another great Pirate band, released their Bail Money CD back on September 19^th.

It's a great CD with a lot of traditional shanties, such as Strike the Bell, Santiano, and The Derelict. I have always liked their version of Johnny Jump UP and The Dark Lady, and on this album, they are still fantastic. Banana Boat Ride and Beggarman would have to be my new two favorite songs from this album. It is a fun CD in the traditional Bilge Pumps way, with a few “After Dark” songs on it, meaning put the youngster to bed before listening to certain songs. But then it wouldn't be piratey if didn't have at least one song “pushing the boundaries” It's a great CD for music collector or just someone who wants to hear different types of music now and again. You can go tohttp://thebilgepumps.com/music.cgi?action=display&album=bailmoney to get your copy today.

aye it has been a fortnight or two since  me deadlights  have wondered through these waters. Now I have repainted the ship er website, I will be havin to make a change or two here or there till I figure out if I likes wot I sees!! So far so good. now to get back to the pirateing  business.   a quick review of the Musical Blades CD Pieces of Eight Treasures of Old.  I liked what I heard of course, and would recommend it to any swashbuckling music fan. The version of The Derelict on this CD is probably the best I have heard simply because the music seems to fit the song more so than the song is piratey, as many many groups  have a version of this song, including Skip Henderson, which is one of my favorites and a more upbeat version. Getting back to The Blades,  Pieces of Eight had some of my favorite songs  including  Pirate Heaven, Johnny Home and a little newer version of Hollywood Pirate. Good stuff for the Pirate enthusiast. Treasures of old was a cd included that had  traditional
shanties and I fell in love with quite a few of them  including Fire Maringo, The Girls of Dublin town, Wild Colonial Boy, Byker Hill and Roll the Woodpile Down. Good Music for the drive to work, hanging around the house,  around the campfire or sailing the seas. Get your copy today!
http://www.musicalblades.com/

Ahoy! Have you heard of the new TV series on NBC? Crossbones! That show is a pretty god one and very piratical in nature. Although it is fiction and is not bases on any historical facts, as far as I can tell, It brings out the probable lifestyles and and culture of a pirate camp/community in the 1600's. It looks like a place if one existed like this, could possibly rival that of Tortuga and/or Libertalia,  If it was a known place. To take one on a journey here is to take a piece out of the original Pirates of the Caribbean, In which only those can find it , if they already know where it is. The loosely based on the fact of the figuring out of longitudes, and how it works with time to know where you are when there is no way to tell,  would make such a place clear possibility in the time setting that it is in.  A passing ship would probably think it is just another deserted island, possibly with natives on it, and that is all, The Cove where th ship is anchored is hidden by a long and shallow channel that no Kings ship would dare to navigate, making it a safe hideaway, and therefore the community itself hidden from the outside world. The  plot originally for Thomas Lowe, a king's man to go under cover, discover where Blackbeard is, and kill him, has turned into  Thomas Lowe ally to Blackbeard, with a sneaky every man for himself type of feeling. It has a very good plot, and I would recommend anyone with  a pirate enthusiasm of any sort to  watch it.  Until next time May the wind always be at your back 

Crossbones Facebook Fan Page

Crossbones TV series online

Pirate Music!! It is some good stuff coming in all genres. The latest one coming out by the Musical Blades looks to be a great album a two album  set of great Music!!

You can get yours from Kickstarter. until Jun 30. After that you will have to wait until. it's release on September 19th.  Get yours today at http://www.musicalblades.com/ . Start your Pirate Music Library today!

Ahoy and welcome once again to Shipwreck's Hideaway. Today I had the pleasure of going to a local school for Pirate day. It was the most fun a sailor could stand when he isn't at sea, and not in a courtesan's house or other such establishment of ill repute. There were somewhere around 40 young lads and lasses this time, and all eager to ask ol' Shipwreck their question. things like Are you a real Pirate, where is your sword, where is your ship, Can I ride on the ship, How did you get this far inland, do you take baths and the list goes on a fun day to be had for sure but nothing I can really show due to school policies. I did slip this little bit of piratical pleasure in before we went out to look for treasure.


Then It was off to find the Treasure! Loot and plunder the whole of the playground before we finally found it.   A jolly good time had by all. finishing the day with a bit of grub and a jolly farewell, I must say it will be a pleasure to that again!!

Batten down the hatches

Ar ! foul Weather. We all have to deal with it at some point. The last couple of days have not been especially great. in the home port. At least it hasn't been near as horrible as those poor souls in tornado alley. It hasn't been great either. No fishing for ol' Shipwreck, which is my favorite pastime, when I can't go pirating. It reminds me of a story of long ago when I was a bit younger lad. The adventurous sort that I tried to be in my younger days, there was this time when on, about this time of year, My Father and I when on a trip with a friend of ours to the gulf coast for a day trip. We arrived in a little port on the coast of Florida called Keaton Beach. Our Friend had a 20 foot water vessel and was going to take us for a journey we only have ever dreamed of. Our own vessel couldn't get us past the breakwater on a calm day so we mostly fished tidal creeks and tide water, but today it was going to be different! Grouper, Snapper Amberjack, Mackerel,and any other ocean leviathan we could get in the vessel!!! Or so we thought. As we set sail south out of the channel, we stopped to catch a few pinfish for bait. once we had a dozen or so, we headed out for the big water. Now on the flats it takes a little bit of time to get in to any really deep water. So we were clipping along talking and having a jolly time going towards our destination, and once once we got close enough our friend, The Captain, started maneuvering the vessel to get a good anchorage. Anchors deployed, lines out and and the fun begins!! For 5 minutes. Just to our south was a nasty cloud that appeared on the horizon and with a burst of cold air on a hot day we decided this was not a good sign for this scurvy crew and the Captain decided to move to a different location he knew about a bit closer to shore, about a 10 minute trip. Once we were anchored at our new location and reached for the gear catch the big ones, we noticed a thin black line on the horizon, and this time we would barely escape with our lives. As we all noticed it was a massive squall gaining on on with the speed of a cheetah,It was time call this day a bust. As we hurriedly hoisted the anchors and prepared to make our way back to port, the storm as already upon us. We turned the vessel around and before we had made any headway the seas went from calm to 2 foot swells. Within a matter of minutes it went from 2 feet swells to 10 foot chops, and the Captain did all he could to keep the vessel from capsizing!! This day Our Lord would keep us safe, and we would pull through the rough part, but with choppy waves half the size of the craft we were in, it was a tough ride, hanging on for dear life hoping the Captain could get us to the other side, and we all got a bit seasick, with dentures disappearing in the ocean as we were gagging. when we finally made back to land we are all glad the The Lord had kept us all safe, and we heard the stories of other countless fishermen telling their horrid tales of near drowning. A day to remember and not soon forget. I thank The Lord often for keeping us alive this day!! This also reminds me of a song one my Favorite Pirate bands sings...... The Squall!! Pull Hard On those ropes boys, and Maybe we'll survive!!!

Today's Pirate Plunder comes by way of a friend of mine who found this bit of treasure by way of Facebook. Tis is a Video of the great Pirate band ALESTORM! Get ready for some Wenches and Mead!!

arr!! for a start let us celebrate Mother's Day, for without Mothers, there would be no sons, and without sons, there would most likely me no sailors, and without sailors, there would be no pirates! Happy Mothers Day yo me very own Mom, and to all the Mom's in the world! Huzzah to ye all!

time to crank this back up! Mostly just for the heck of it. Hope to get something started soon.. Yarr!!

Well now, it's been a bit since I last spoke. As for having a reeling good time at The Southern Pirate festival, It was all that it was it was cracked up to be. I don't get to many events, but this one so far has taken the cake. Lots of entertainment about and good friendships have been made and it was one fine event.

Only 7 days left to get tickets!!!!!




get yours today at http://civilwarnavalmuseum.com/

Ahoy Mates! The Official countdown begins! only 22 days left till the Southern Pirate Festival! get your tickets from http://civilwarnavalmuseum.com/events/southern-pirate-festival-oct/ Tickets are on sale now! The Festival is $15.00 and the Dead Buccaneers Ball is $25.00 or you can get both for $40.00 And don't forget to order your t-Shirt! They are $15.00 and you can order them at http://www.cutthroattitan.com/2010BuccaneerBall.htm you can only get them for a limited time so order yours today!

Ahoy Mates! Talk like a Pirate Day has once again come and gone and it's now time to set a course for n a new adventure. Tis the season of fall and with it come festivities. Aye inedeed for all ye scallywags and buccaneers who want ta still dress like apirate and talk like one too there a few on the east coast worth a visit. This year I be settin' a course for the The Southern Pirate Festival In Columbus Georgia. It is should be fun for all ages and is put on by Columbus's own Civil War Museum with the help of local Pirate crews in the area, The Cursed Few, and The Cutthroat Titans. all the scuttlebutt in the air seems to indicate that this is not one to miss. It will be held on October 23 at the museum. So pack your cargo and plunder The Southern Pirate Festival!! More information can be found on their website

Hope ta see ya there!

Gearing up.....

gearing up.....


It's time once again for my favorite holiday...Talk like a pirate day!!! its the day, according to Tom Smith, the TLAP song writer to "pack up your braincells, they will only get in the way" and to " fill the office with arrrs" No big plans for me tomorrow as i myself will be at trade, just stirring up the stinkpot to see what comes out of the bunghole. a fun day it should be, at least to all me Mateys who will be out havin a party. Saturday will be the continuation of the day for my crew the Cursed Few. Were getting together to have our own little TlAP gatherin' Should be an interesting day. for all those Pirates out there. Hoist up yer Grog and give a toast to Capn' Slappy and Ol Chumbucket, the creators of our infamous holiday, and talk like pirate EVERYDAY!!!!!!

Need to write more

In the days past I haven't been writing much, so here goes my first try in several months. Not really much happened to write about to start with. Today I spent the day getting cleaning up, still had debris left around from Faye that I had to get up. what took so long? well most of it is because of the the city pickup service. the day after the storm I was off and had the chance to clean up what I could. a dogwood tree and several huge pine limbs, that could have been a tree themselves made up a very large pile that sat in the front of my house for three weeks. Monday the city finally picks it up, and since I was off today, left me the time to finish and get my yard back into shape, of sorts. I still have a long way to go as far as making it completely shipshape, but that is neither here or there. once all that was finished, worked moved to the house which I like to call my hideaway. did a little work in the kitchen and the bathroom, mostly housekeeping stuff and that's it. no glamor. no Piratey adventure or anything of the sort. references to household rooms and chores may become entangled in my brain as Pirate adventures and duties as I fantasize about being a Pirate, so if you read these future post, and really if I write them, you may them cumbersome to read but all in good fun. Cheers...Shipwreck

Once in a while you find something you like to do. For me it is playing pirate. I was invited to join a reenacting crew a few weeks ago. I thought about it and decided to join. My group is called The Cursed Few and you can find them at http://www.myspace.com/thecursedfew. As I have never really been apart of any reenacting of any sort I was kind of glad to be accepted to this band of buccaneers, and set out to at once to meet the Captain. After talking with him a time or two over the internet we set to meet in an unusual place for the Pirate kind. Not a beach, a lake or even a tavern. It was in fact a golf course. Hardly the pirate adventure, you’re thinking, well not exactly. This particular golf course is owned by a gentleman who also happens to have a Pirate Ship in his backyard. THAT”S RIGHT!!!! IN HIS BACK YARD!! His name happens to be Jos Bekkers and the name of his ship is the Lost Coconut. You can find out more about it here: http://www.riverpointegolfcourse.com/html/summer-camp.html Captain Bekkers is a very nice gentleman, and when we told him we wanted to look at his ship, He not only let us look at it, he took me and Captain Midnight (the Captain of the Cursed Few) out for a “sail” gave us both a turn at the helm, and we generally had a terrific day “Pirating”. I have to admit was far more that both the Captain and I expected and I am very thankful to have met Captain Bekkers and can’t thank him enough for his hospitality.