This film was excellent, I watched it twice this year.
Tuesday, December 31, 2024
Sunday, December 29, 2024
Pirate Hunters: Treasure, Obsession, and the Search for a Legendary Pirate Ship
(from amazon.com)
Finding and identifying a pirate ship is the hardest thing to do under the sea. But two men—John Chatterton and John Mattera—are willing to risk everything to find the Golden Fleece, the ship of the infamous pirate Joseph Bannister. At large during the Golden Age of Piracy in the seventeenth century, Bannister should have been immortalized in the lore of the sea—his exploits more notorious than Blackbeard’s, more daring than Kidd’s. But his story, and his ship, have been lost to time. If Chatterton and Mattera succeed, they will make history—it will be just the second time ever that a pirate ship has been discovered and positively identified. Soon, however, they realize that cutting-edge technology and a willingness to lose everything aren’t enough to track down Bannister’s ship. They must travel the globe in search of historic documents and accounts of the great pirate’s exploits, face down dangerous rivals, battle the tides of nations and governments and experts. But it’s only when they learn to think and act like pirates—like Bannister—that they become able to go where no pirate hunters have gone before.
Fast-paced and filled with suspense, fascinating characters, history, and adventure, Pirate Hunters is an unputdownable story that goes deep to discover truths and souls long believed lost.
About the author
Robert Kurson is an American author, best known for his 2004 bestselling book, Shadow Divers, the true story of two Americans who discover a World War II German U-boat sunk 60 miles off the coast of New Jersey. Kurson began his career as an attorney, graduating from Harvard Law School, and practicing real estate law. Kurson’s professional writing career began at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he started as a sports agate clerk and soon gained a full-time features writing job. In 2000, Esquire published “My Favorite Teacher,” his first magazine story, which became a finalist for a National Magazine Award. He moved from the Sun-Times to Chicago magazine, then to Esquire, where he won a National Magazine Award and was a contributing editor for years. His stories have appeared in Rolling Stone, The New York Times Magazine, and other publications. He lives in Chicago.
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Mel Fisher Maritime Museum
The Mel Fisher Maritime Museum is a 501 (c) (3) accredited, not-for-profit organization existing to research, interpret, and exhibit the maritime history of Florida and the Caribbean in ways that increase knowledge, enrich the spirit, and stimulate inquiry.
Key West Naval Storehouse – 200 Greene Street, Key West
For years the United States Navy has been inextricably linked to Key West. Because of Key West’s strategic location in the Caribbean waters and its natural deep water harbor, Key West became an optimal site for coastal defense through the Word War I era. Currently it remains a port-of-call, a valuable strategic port for the fleet and a major air training area.
The preliminary plans for the construction of the Naval Storehouse began in 1902. However, construction on the building did not start until 1908 and was not completed until 1910 at a cost of $54,791.
Before becoming the home of the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society, this building played a vital role in the naval presence in Key West, Florida. The U.S. Navy originally constructed the building in the early 1900s as a “Storehouse for Supplies and Accounts.”
After the end of the Vietnam War in the early 1970s there were widespread military cutbacks resulting in the navy pulling out of Key West. The historic heart of the naval station, including the storehouse, came under the management of the federal government’s General Services Administration (GSA). In order to house his rapidly expanding commercial salvage business, Mel Fisher leased the storehouse from the GSA during the early 1980s.
In 1985, the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum attempted to purchase the storehouse, however the GSA refused to subdivide the property. Finally in 1986, after years of debate, the GSA sold the entire Truman Annex property to a developer for $17.25 million. Soon after Mel entered into negotiations with the new owner, resulting in the purchase by the Fisher salvage company of the storehouse on June 19, 1987.
Following Mel’s death in 1998, the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum began negotiations to purchase the building as a permanent home. The purchase by the museum was completed in December, 2000.
After the Naval Storehouse was completed it was the most technologically advanced structure in the city. The steel structure of the building made it suitable to the museum’s operations including our conservation laboratory. In addition to providing sound footing that allows us to display 4,000+ pound canon and other heavy objects, the strong steel structure supports the housing of enormous water tanks in required to store artifacts brought up from the ocean floor during treatment. The building strength permits us to perform the conservation and restoration process of artifacts in house by our own conservator and volunteers.
Sunday, December 15, 2024
Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Thursday, November 28, 2024
Real Pirates Salem
Ready to Set Sail? Experience Real Pirates Salem!
Step into the world of pirates at Real Pirates Salem, where history comes alive! Our exhibit is based on the extraordinary true story of the Whydah Gally, the only authenticated pirate shipwreck in the world. Discover authentic pirate artifacts recovered from the wreck and immerse yourself in the lives of these legendary figures.
Whether you're exploring the decks of a recreated pirate ship, learning to tie knots like a true sailor, or uncovering the stories of real pirates like Captain "Black Sam" Bellamy, there’s something for everyone. Don’t just read about history—live it!
In April of 2022, our crew opened the doors of Real Pirates Salem for the first time. Two years later, our love and appreciation for the Salem community has only grown.
Raise a glass to many more years to come!
Sunday, November 17, 2024
Here’s Why The Destroyer USS Kidd Was Flying A Huge Pirate Flag As It Pulled Into Port
(by Joseph Trevithick twz.com 11-27-20)
The U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Kidd recently returned from a cruise flying a large black pirate flag with a white skull and crossbones motif, better known as a Jolly Roger. The modern display of this flag, which traces its roots back to the 17th century, on a naval vessel, especially submarines, at the conclusion of a deployment generally reflects some kind of notable achievement. However, this particular ship has its own unique history with the skull and crossbones, which has to do with its namesake, Rear Admiral Isaac Kidd, and Captain William Kidd, a Scottish sailor executed for piracy in 1701.
USS Kidd returned to Naval Station Everett in Washington State on Sept. 21, 2020, after completing a patrol focused on countering drug smuggling in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean. The destroyer had set out for this patrol in April as part of a then-new Enhanced Counter-Narcotics Operations effort led by U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). For this deployment, the ship also had an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 75 (HSM-75) and a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) embarked.
“This deployment has been extremely challenging, but Kidd set the standard for operational mission execution and readiness,” Navy Commander Nathan Wemett, the destroyer’s commanding officer, said in a statement. “I thank all the Sailors and U.S. Coast Guardsmen who overcame many obstacles in order to carry out our mission.”
The Navy said that the destroyer had assisted the Coast Guard LEDET in seizing 805 kilograms of cocaine, nearly a ton of drugs, with an estimated value of $30 million during this patrol. The ship had also rendered assistance to a fishing vessel, towing it more than 200 miles to safety.
Kidd also suffered an outbreak of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus among its crew, forcing it to make an unscheduled stop in San Diego at the end of April. The ship’s crew eventually got things under control and the ship headed back out to sea in June to finish its deployment.
The official news item marking the ship’s return to Everett made no mention of the pirate flag or its significance with regards to the USS Kidd. As already noted, the white skull and crossbones on a solid black flag trace back to pirates operating in the Atlantic and Caribbean during the 17th and 18th centuries. Skeletons, the devil, and hourglasses, as well as red accents, such as hearts and drops of blood, were also common. You can read more about the background of these symbols in this past War Zone story.
The broad modern return of these flags on naval vessels, particularly in submarine communities, dates back to World War I, when U.K. Royal Navy submarine crews began flying them after returning from patrols in which they sunk enemy ships. This practice subsequently expanded to reflect a wide array of other achievements at, including successfully completing sea trials or otherwise having a “perfect” deployment. Crews would add additional symbols to their flags to mark the completion of different tasks and missions. You can read more about this in this previous War Zone story.
However, the crew of the USS Kidd fly the Jolly Roger for an entirely different reason, which traces its roots to Japan’s infamous surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on Dec. 7, 1941. At that time, Rear Admiral Isaac Kidd, Sr. was Commander of Battleship Division One and the Chief of Staff and Aide to the Commander, Battleship Battle Force.
After the Japanese attack began, he made his way to his flagship, the Pennsylvania class battleship USS Arizona, and took part in the ensuing battle until the ship exploded after bombs hit one of its ammunition magazines. Rear Admiral Kidd was among the 1,177 officers and crew who died on the battleship, which still lies at the bottom of Pearl Harbor and is now a memorial to the events of that day.
In April 1943, the Navy commissioned a Fletcher class destroyer, also known by its hull number DD 661, named after Rear Admiral Kidd. Even at the time of that ship’s delivery, the crew had already adopted Scottish Captain Kidd as a mascot.
That Kidd is typically referred as a pirate, but also operated at times as a privateer in service of the French Crown and hunted pirates. He was finally arrested in Boston, in what was then the British colony of Massachusetts, in 1699. He was subsequently sent to England, tried, and eventually executed for piracy and murder in 1701. Tales of his purported buried treasure became a thing of legend and served as the inspiration for songs, books, and actual real-life expeditions hoping to find it.
“The crew of the [first] Kidd … had also painted the famed buccaneer’s image high on the forward smokestack,” according to a 2013 edition of the official newsletter of the current USS Kidd. “Not wishing to dishonor the ship’s namesake, however, the crew obtained permission from Mrs. Inez Kidd, widow of RADM Kidd, first.”
As it turned out, Kidd’s nickname at the Naval Academy had been “Cap” in reference to Captain Kidd, as well. With help from Mrs. Kidd, the ship’s crew obtained formal permission to both have the Jolly Roger painted on the smokestack and fly the flag. “Subsequently, the Sailors of DD 661 were known to rescue downed aviators in the Pacific Ocean during World War II and return them to their aircraft carrier, for a hefty ransom of ice cream first of course,” the 2013 newsletter says. They also became known as the Pirates of the Pacific.
The Navy decommissioned the first USS Kidd in 1946, before returning it to service in 1951 to serve in the Korean War. It remained in service this second time around until 1964 and was finally stricken from the rolls for good in 1974. It is now a museum ship, parked on the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
In 1981, the service commissioned a new USS Kidd, the first of four destroyers originally built for Iran, which were never delivered to that country owing to the overthrow of the Shah in 1979. This ship inherited the formal approval to fly the Jolly Roger. In 1998, all four Kidd class destroyers were transferred to Taiwan, where they remain in service as the Kee Lung class.
The Navy then commissioned the current USS Kidd, a Flight IIA Arleigh Burke class destroyer, in 2007. As the latest ship to be named after Rear Admiral Kidd, it now has the official sanction to fly the Jolly Roger.
The appearance of the Jolly Roger on Kidd upon its return home comes after the Pentagon issued a new set of policies for the U.S. military as a whole regarding the display of flags and other symbols in July. There had been concerns that this could prohibit ships’ crews from flying the Jolly Roger, among other flags. It remains unclear exactly how those regulations will get applied, but the case of this particular destroyer makes clear that the Navy has the power to give official sanction to such things.
With all this in mind, we want to congratulate the Pirates of the Pacific on successfully completing their most recent patrol.
Sunday, November 10, 2024
Candid thoughts on Bocas del Toro, Panama
(evanquarnstrom.com 4-14-24)
There exists a category of destinations I’ve visited that can best be summarized by: “I don’t regret coming here, but I don’t have much desire to come back anytime soon.” And it’s not that these destinations are necessarily bad or unpleasant, it’s that, as I accrue more travel experience, the great destinations start to truly differentiate themselves from the decent, the mediocre, and the ‘meh.’
After spending the past three weeks in Bocas del Toro, Panama, I also toss it into that bucket (at risk of sounding like a spoiled gringo who has the privilege to rate his tropical vacations).
I mean, on paper Bocas is great. The postcard-worthy Caribbean isles off the mainland of Western Panama were ‘discovered’ in 1502 by Colombus himself. The islands have transformed into a tourism hotbed complete with a small airport that shuttles passengers from Panama City. You can go diving, snorkeling, ATVing, swimming, fishing, surfing, and hiking. In Bocas you don’t have to go far to find electric blue water lapping up against palm tree-lined, white sand beaches where rambunctious howler monkeys frolic and pensive sloths lumber.
Bocas del Toro is also a melting pot of Panamanians. On Bastimentos Island you’ll find the creole-speaking Afro-Panamanians, descendants of Jamaican immigrants who were the first non-natives to settle these islands in large numbers. And if you keep your ears open around the bustling streets of Bocas Town, you’ll hear indigenous languages, plenty of Mandarin, and, of course, the Panamanian dialect of Spanish frequently interjected by their favorite swear word, ‘chucha.’
To top it all off, there’s surf. Storms and wind spinning out in the Caribbean Sea send chunky, short-period swells to the Panamanian coast during the winter and spring months. The reefs and beaches of Bocas harness the swells astonishingly well to make waves that are fun for surfing — or even epic on their best days.
But, all that said, Bocas hasn’t really been my cup of tea. And it’s been a bit of a mental exercise to try to pinpoint exactly why.
As far as Latin America goes — or even as far as Panama goes — Bocas is expensive. This is the product of island life with excessive amounts of North American/European/Argentinian tourists and ex-pats. To dodge the steeper prices, I did two weeks of hostel dorms when I arrived in Bocas, only to remind myself that, at 32 years old, I am truly aging out of shared rooms.
Transportation was a bit of an issue for me in Bocas. For many, this may not be the case, but for a surfer (or someone who enjoys getting into the outdoors) it can become a problem. Transport between islands is done by small panga boats. The shortest, most basic routes are typically $5 each way per person (Panama uses USD), or maybe a little more if the boat driver senses you can be duped. These $5-8 rides start to really add up if you want to be on top of the waves. And finding a go-to boat driver is crucial. Before we found our “guy,” other drivers refused to take us to certain spots, wanted obscene prices to take us to slightly farther spots, or were just flat out unreliable. My friend, Nate, and I spent an afternoon getting toasted in the sun when our boat driver never returned to pick us up. As we later found out, he found a more profitable boat tour and didn’t send anyone back to replace him. (Leaving gringos stranded in the midday, equatorial sun is borderline attempted murder.) When we finally gave up on ever seeing that driver again, we flagged down a passing boat driver who, sensing our predicament, noticed he could make a few extra bucks off some stranded tourists — the classic gringo tax.
If you are staying on the main island, Isla Colón, which is where the main town is and where I was for two of my three weeks, transportation is done by vehicle or bicycle on one of two roads that wind around the island. It’s not very walkable unless you are spending all your time in town, which no one does. The scooters/e-bikes were being rented for $40/day and the ATVs were going for $90 for the first day and then $50 each day after that. Oh how I missed the $5 scooters of Bali. The taxis are all Toyota pick-up trucks and shared with other passengers, typically ranging from $2-5 per person — somewhat convenient if you are heading into town, less so if you want to go surfing and check spots. The prices are set for the tourist visiting for a few days looking to dump their wallet, not as much for the full-time traveler like myself who can’t shell out that money for a month straight. So, my solution was going into town (where things tend to be a bit cheaper) and renting a bicycle for $5 per day. I managed to scrap together a surf rack and went on a wild goose chase for an allen wrench to assemble it. While getting around via bicycle was the cheapest option, it was far from the most comfortable. Travel on the pot hole-riddled roads was slow and jarring, oftentimes bumping my chain off the cogs. And the continuous clouds of dust kicked up by passing vehicles would accumulate on my drenching sweat in the extreme humidity.
But most of all, the place is just so geared towards tourism that it’s a bit off-putting to me. And it’s not that there are that many tourists. I actually overhead the locals say that the tourism was pretty dead as the season was coming to a close. It’s just the…vibes…I suppose. By that I mean, tourist prices, tourist food, rolling suitcases, 15-people ATV tours, people who ignore signs posted to not touch wildlife, electronic music parties, so many foreigner-oriented eateries that I am not even sure if I know what Panamanian food is, overpriced restaurants on distant islands whose sole purpose is to serve hordes of tourists brought on tours, etc. Do you get the idea?
In Bocas I was just another gringo tourist added to the equation. Anyway, some tourist destinations manage these “vibes” better than others, but I just felt the tourism levels in Bocas are such that it’s hard to get a real feel for Panama. Even convincing locals to speak with me in Spanish took some insistence. Many of those involved in tourism, whether locals or ex-pats, speak very passable English (or are native English speakers) and had to be strongly implored to join me in speaking Spanish. I noticed that some of the ex-pats who had been living there for many years could hardly speak a lick of español — maybe that alone better depicts what I am trying to explain.
All that said, good surfing is usually the antidote for everything. A magical surf session can wash away the saltiest impression of a place. And while I surfed quite a bit with several fun days, the surf season there in April was coming to an end, so I really didn’t get great surf. I’d say half the days there was no surf at all (quite the contrast to my 21 straight days of surfing in Michoacán, Mexico). If I had been there during peak season, say February, maybe I would be singing a totally different tune. Although, based on what I hear about the crowds in peak season, maybe not.
I spoke to a friend who has been to Bocas twice. He said he had a similar impression as me the first time he went, but the second time he had the trip of a lifetime. Does that mean I need to go back?… While poking around on Google, I can see that I am not the only blogger who had this ‘meh’ reaction to Bocas. One couple explained it well, saying they just “didn’t get” why people fawn over Bocas compared to other Caribbean beach destinations.
I’ve learned over the years that it’s important to keep expectations in check when traveling to touristy places. You need to embrace the place for what it is or you are setting yourself up for failure. But, of course, I am just one person — a stubbornly budget-conscious surf writer with a touch of introvert whose opinion on Bocas was maybe tainted by a three-day spell of debilitating stomach bug. Many clearly love Bocas, as is evidenced by the non-stop flow of tourists that come and take to the streets of Bocas Town on ‘Filthy Friday,’ so take whatever I say with a grain of salt.
As I departed Bocas and took a boat to a grimy, industrial port town on the mainland, I finally felt like I was in Panama. I struck up a conversation with a few young locals who all wanted my first-hand report about a fire that was burning down a building back on the island. Interacting with locals in a non-transactional setting was refreshing, which almost never happened in Bocas.
As I talk myself in circles trying to make sense of my time in Panama, I must clarify that it wasn’t bad at all. In fact, I’d say Bocas was interesting with its windows of fun and several moments of bliss. But are there other places I’d rather have gone that would have saved me a lot of money? Probably. But do I wish I could take it back? Nah. So is the world of travel, you learn as you go.
https://evanquarnstrom.com/2024/04/14/candid-thoughts-on-bocas-del-toro-panama/
Monday, October 28, 2024
Windmill Palm
Trachycarpus fortunei - also known as Chinese Palm
The windmill palm is a perennial member of the palm family (Arecaceae) native to subtropical and temperate mountain forests of China. It is one of the more cold-hardy members of the family, and as such, is a popular choice for bringing a tropical flair to temperate landscape. The genus name is derived from Greek meaning "rough fruit," referring to the irregularly shaped fruits. The species epithet honors famed 19th-century Scottish plant hunter Robert Fortune, who first introduced the palm to Europe.
Although it can be grown in full sun, a location that provides some shade and protection from strong or cold winds can be beneficial. When no protection from strong wind is provided, the leaves tend to tear. The damage is not lethal, but it is unsightly. This palm is moderately salt tolerant.
In the wild, the windmill palm can reach 20 to 40 feet tall and sometimes taller. In cultivation, it typically tops out around 10 feet tall. It makes a great specimen plant or is effective in small groups. It has a solitary trunk that appears shaggy and hairy with leftover dried petioles from shed leaves. Fibers from the leaves are often used in weaving. Propagation can be accomplished from seed, however both male and female plants are necessary for seed production.
It can be grown in large containers and overwintered indoors in colder climates. Use it to frame an entryway or garden path. It is an excellent choice for an Asian garden, a tropical garden, a winter garden or a children’s garden.
Thursday, October 17, 2024
Monday, October 14, 2024
Black Sails
I just finished watching Black Sails for the second time.
If you're a pirate lover and haven't seen it you must be living under a rock.
Check it out on Netflix right now, or buy the DVD box set.Wednesday, October 2, 2024
Louis Vuitton Cup Final Race 9 Recap | Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli vs INEOS...
It's been fun the past couple of weeks watching highlights of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup races.
Right now the British team has been taking on the Italian team to see who will go up against the defending champions, New Zealand.
Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Mexican Fan Palm
The Mexican Fan Palm, a most iconic “skyline” tree, is also the most common palm in the beach areas of Santa Barbara. A native of the canyons of Sonora and Baja Mexico, it is now common throughout Southern California and has become associated with the image of sun-drenched coastal communities, including Santa Barbara.
Its common name describes its homeland and its glossy green fronds, which are shaped (somewhat) like the human palm, scientifically “palmate”, but more truly resemble a 4-foot long and 3-foot wide pleated paper fan.
Its botanical name is Washingtonia robusta. The genus name, Washingtonia, honors our first president, George Washington; the specific epithet, robusta, is from Latin and means hardy and strong.
When the Mexican Fan Palm is young, its trunk is slowly covered with depleted dried fronds, which gardeners usually trim off, leaving the frond bases hugging the trunk in an attractive basket-weave pattern. Untrimmed, a young palm retains these dried fronds, which then accumulate against the trunk to form a thick thatch called a “skirt”. Dried fronds should be trimmed, because otherwise they can be a fire hazard and do become home to rats!
When trimming, it is best to remove only the brown and yellowing fronds and to leave the green fronds intact, so they can continue to provide the palm with photosynthesized plant sugars. When working with these fronds, beware, each has a 3-foot stem (or petiole) which is armed on the margins with stout, recurved spines, ½ to ¾ inch long, that can leave nasty scratches. In an older and taller palm, the fronds in the higher trunk area may be entirely whipped off by high winds.
As the palm ages, its trunk, 8 to 12 inches in diameter, turns a soft gray color and bears rings of frond scars. An older palm can develop a bulge at the foot of the trunk, where exposed, adventitious roots may grow out seeking water.
The black, ovoid-shaped, fruits, called “drupes”, with one seed in each, are ¼ to ½ inch long. Propagation by seed, which will germinate within 2-3 months, is fairly easy.
A Mexican Fan Palm can grow to over 100 feet tall, adding 2 to 3 feet per year when young and slowing to about 1 foot or less per year near maturity. Research on native stands shows that they can live up to 500 years.
This lovely palm is hardy and extremely drought tolerant when established – and can grow in almost any soil, including sand. It does best in bright sunny conditions, but will tolerate some shade. Because of its ultimate height, it should not be planted in a confined area or under power lines. It is cold-hardy to 20 degrees for short time periods, but foliage can be damaged at that temperature. It is also very drought tolerant when established.
They are frequently planted in clusters of two or more, to create a fuller canopy and a more tropical look. They are also planted singularly, in long rows, for a stately formal effect.
Sunday, September 29, 2024
The Palmetto tree - South Carolina's State Tree
On January 28, 1861 the General Assembly at the time adopted the current version of South Carolina's flag—which prominently displays a palmetto tree--to symbolized Colonel Moultrie's heroic defense of the palmetto-log fort on Sullivan's Island against the attack of the British fleet on June 28, 1776.
The triumph at Fort Moultrie was largely accredited to the ability of the palmetto tree fort to absorb the force of British cannonballs. The palmetto became a symbol of liberty and safety in South Carolina. The palmetto tree was first included as a decorative element on the South Carolina state seal in 1777 and then added to the state flag in 1861. The flag design has remained in tact since then and has become a symbol of pride for many South Carolinians. June 28th is remembered, each year, as "Carolina Day" and celebrated in Charleston each year, with images of the palmetto tree depicted throughout the city.
What's so great about the palmetto tree? Well, the trunk of palmetto trees are not comprised of wood but a fibrous material that allows the tree to bend in the strong winds common along the South Carolina coastline. They endure salt spray and sandy soils and stand tall and beautiful throughout the year. In the United States, the native range of the palmetto tree is the coastal plain of the lower East Coast from southeast North Carolina southward to Florida and west along the Gulf Coastal plain to Texas.
The main difference between palmettos and palm trees are their size. Palm trees can top 80 feet tall, while the largest palmetto grows only about 30 feet tall. Palm tree trunks grow vertically, while the main stem of most palmetto species generally stay on or just below the ground and grow horizontally.
https://www.cedarlawnandlandscaping.com/blog/palmetto-pride-a-brief-history-of-our-state-tree
Saturday, September 21, 2024
The Sunken Pirate City of Port Royal
(amusingplanet.com)
Port Royal was a city situated on the end of an 18-mile long sand spit known as the Palisadoes, at the mouth of the Kingston Harbour, in south-eastern Jamaica. Founded in 1518, it rapidly grew to become the most important trading post in the Caribbean Sea due to its strategic position on the trading routes between the New World and Spain. When England officially appointed privateers to raid enemy ships in the Caribbean, as a part of its defence strategy, pirates from around the world congregated at Port Royal to legitimize their trade. Soon Port Royal became a notorious hub for pirate activity, gambling, prostitutes, and booze leading it to be branded as "the wickedest city on earth".
Port Royal’s glory days didn’t last long. At the height of its glittering wealth on June 7, 1692, a massive earthquake shook Jamaica. The sea swallowed the town killing 2,000 people and wounding 3,000 others. The local clergy ascribed the destruction of Port Royal as God's punishment on the people for their sinful ways. Today, the area is a shadow of its former self with a population of less than 2,000 and little to no commercial or political importance.
The first Europeans to land on Jamaica were the Spaniards under the leadership of Christopher Columbus in 1494. Spain maintained control over the island for 146 years, until the English invasion of 1655. As a solution to their defence concerns, the then Governor of England invited pirates to Port Royal giving them official “letters of marque” to go after Spanish ships and settlements. The strategy proved to be so successful that Spain was forced to continually defend their property. With ships frequently looted, it struggled to provide its colonies with manufactured goods on a regular basis.
Port Royal meanwhile flourished. Between 1655 and 1692, it grew faster than any town founded by the English in the New World. At its height in 1692, the town had a population of 6,500 and 2,000 buildings densely packed into 51 acres. Its free-spending inhabitants threw away their money in gambling, whoring and drinking, and the town developed a reputation as a den of wickedness and godlessness.
When Charles Leslie wrote of Port Royal in the 1660s, he included the description: “Wine and women drained their wealth to such a degree that... some of them became reduced to beggary. They have been known to spend 2 or 3,000 pieces of eight in one night; and one gave a strumpet 500 to see her naked. They used to buy a pipe of wine, place it in the street, and oblige everyone that passed to drink.”
Port Royal’s extravagance came to an abrupt end on June 7, 1692 when a massive earthquake and tsunami struck causing two-thirds of the town to fall into the sea. A series of fires and hurricanes followed and the town was never restored to its former glory. Port Royal lived out its days as a British naval station and today remains as a small fishing village. However, the part of the town lying at the bottom of the shallow sea is considered the most important underwater archaeological site in the western hemisphere, yielding many 16th–and-17th-century artefacts. From UNESCO’s website:
Many of the materials found in the underwater city of Port Royal, are perfect expressions of authenticity, found just exactly as they were originally being used or where they were stored. Cast-iron skillets and pots were still in the hearth with charred wood from the fire concreted to their surfaces. Stacks of pewter plates were found as they fell from their storage space under the stairs in what is surmised to be the serving area of one building. The remains of children were found among the broken walls of their home. Also, uncovered were the remains of barrels containing the trash of the day, including the trimmings of a man's beard and hair in a yard area. Many ceramics were found intact or broken where they fell.
https://www.amusingplanet.com/2015/02/the-sunken-pirate-city-of-port-royal.html
Port Royal
(from visitjamaica.com)
One of the oldest and most historic regions of the country, Port Royal has maintained much of its independence as well as its heritage. Once the enclave of pirates and other outlaws, there is still a strong seafaring tradition. Much of the old city, described in the 17th century as the "wickedest city in the west", lies underwater beside the town, the result of an earthquake that in 1692 swallowed about two-thirds of the then-living space. Since then, another earthquake in 1907, numerous hurricanes, fires, and various population-decimating diseases have plagued the town. Despite all, the waters around Port Royal are a virtual archaeological gold mine, filled with pieces of history that tell of everyday life in the earliest days of English occupation. Port Royal is also home to the Archaeological Division of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT), which recently completed a sonar survey of the underwater city, revealing a sunken pirate ship in the Kingston Harbour. To date thousands of artefacts have been recovered, and there are plans to develop a local museum to showcase these items once the research on them is complete.
Local Flavour:
Port Royal is a community of proud people, fiercely defensive of their privacy, yet warm and welcoming to those interested in visiting. The community is especially close-knit because of its layout - everywhere in town is within walking distance, and there are several generations of people all living together. Perhaps the town's best attribute is its comfortable, laid-back temperament - on any given day there are children playing in the streets, young adults gathered in groups hanging out, and older folk sitting on verandas watching the world go by.
Famous For:
Pirates! In the 17th century, Port Royal was the headquarters of the numerous swashbuckling scoundrels that plundered the high seas. Of the more famous pirates to be associated with Port Royal are Sir Henry Morgan, Calico Jack and Blackbeard Teach.
Don't Miss:
Be sure to stop by the Giddy House at Fort Charles. The building, which was built in 1888 to house the artillery store for the fort, was jolted to its present precarious position during the 1907 earthquake. Visitors are allowed to enter the building, however, walking through the building wreaks havoc on the senses, creating a nauseating effect. Go to Fort Charles and ask for either Molly or Rally. Both are Jamaica National Heritage Trust Tour Guides at Fort Charles and both live in the town nearby. They each know loads about the history of all of Port Royal - not just the history of Fort Charles - and are willing to share not just their knowledge, but also their memories of growing up in Port Royal. Also, ask Molly any questions you have about St Peter's Church. She is also the secretary there.
Thursday, September 19, 2024
Ye be talkin' like a pirate today?
September 19th, International Talk Like a Pirate Day
(from talklikeapirate.com)
-Questions and Answers-
Why International Talk Like a Pirate Day?
Why not? Talking like a pirate is fun. It’s really that simple. It adds a zest, a swagger, to your every day conversation. Do you need another reason? How many chances does daily life give you to swagger?
Where did the idea for Talk Like a Pirate Day come from?
Believe it or not, the holiday was birthed on the racquetball court.
Ol’ Chumbucket and Cap’n Slappy, who at the time were two normal guys named John Baur and Mark Summers, had undertaken an exercise regime to “get back in shape,” (as if) and that included weekly games of racquetball at the local YMCA.
On June 6, 1995, they were playing on Court No. 3 when Mark let out a roar, very like an “Aarrr!” From there he sprang into full pirate talk, and John followed along.
By the time the game was over (you can assume Mark won. John has never won a game of racquetball in his life.) they were speaking solely in the language of freebooters. They decided right there and then that the world needed as holiday where every man, woman and children in the nation would be not just free to talk like a pirate, but encourage to do so.
John came up with the name. At first it was National Talk Like a Pirate Day. It has grown.
If they came up with the idea on June 6, why is the holiday celebrated on Sept. 19?
The two realized quickly that June 6 is the anniversary of World War II’s D-Day, a sacred even in the life of the nation and in guy lore. Rather than besmirch the memory of that day, we needed another for our ersatz holiday. But what?
John asked Mark if he had anything, and without hesitation he replied, “September 19.”
“OK,” John said. “But why.”
“It’s my ex-wife’s birthday,” Mark explained. “The day is stuck in my head and I’m not doing anything with it, so it’ll be easier to remember.”
-The Aftermath-
Following is the e-mail John sent friends in the wake of the first International Talk Like a Pirate Day, Sept. 19, 2002:
We knew we might be in trouble when the Australian DJ announced his next guests were “a couple of blokes from America who’ve come up with the craziest idea I’ve ever heard of.”
We have been amazed, thunderstruck even, by the response to Talk Like a Pirate Day. Our timbers have been thoroughly shivered. Never underestimate the power of Dave Barry, who we shall from now on refer to as “our close personal friend Dave, winner of the Pulitzer Prize.”
Social media sites all over the Internet have been deluged with “Arrs” and “me hearties” and such. I introduced myself at a high school parents’ meeting and a woman looked up and said, “You’re the talk-like-a-pirate guy.” It’s apparently particularly popular on college campuses. I’m told it’s a huge success at the University of Wisconsin, and a Seven Sisters’ school which shall remain nameless is reported to have run women’s panties up a flag pole in honor of the 2002 event – a fitting, dare we say, tribute. Chase’s Calendar of Events, the annual listing every holiday under the sun (and many under the moon, for you Wiccans out there) asked us to submit the event for inclusion in their 2004 listing (2003 has already gone to press.) So that makes it official, as far as we’re concerned.
Mark and I have been jointly interviewed by radio stations in Cleveland and Sydney, AUSTRALIA. That’s the moment this became an international holiday. Mark also took an interview with Purplebeard, the Gay Pirate, host on Rosie 105 in Portland. I was interviewed by an Albany country station and, this morning, by a station in Phoenix. I just got off the phone with Irish National Radio. They had originally scheduled to talk to both Mark and me at 1 a.m. today (Ireland is 8 hours ahead) but the guy called to apologize. His producer wouldn’t let him do the interview today because it would conflict with the frozen foods promotion they’ve been running, in which “listeners hush Huskies to the South Pole.” That’s what he said. Hush. I have no idea what he meant. So we didn’t get Irish drive time, but I was on later in the evening. Then I was interviewed by NPR’s All Things Considered, which aired the segment as the final story in Thursday’s show.
The Aussie wasn’t actually too bad, but it was HIS show and he kept it firmly in hand. I could tell several times that our line had been turned off while he went on and on. A couple of callers accused us of “cultural imperialism,” because they’ve always talked like pirates. Well of course they do. Think about how they’re continent was settled, as a prison colony. That’s what’s so great about Australia. Not that Mark or I actually said that, of course. We got in a few broadsides. It was a draw, I’d say.
Mark said he had a similar control issues with Purplebeard. It was his show, and he wasn’t going to let some clown from Albany shanghai it. I found the two people from Phoenix and the gentleman from Ireland to be quite pleasant, and well prepared.
At a work meeting Tuesday, one of Mark’s co-workers (who I will give an assumed sex to avoid embarrassment) said, “Oh Mark, tell everyone about your special day.” So Mark explained all about Talk Like a Pirate Day. The fella who brought it up then said, “I think that’s so great, to have a talk like a parrot day.” You couldn’t make up stuff like this. What? You’re going to spend the day squawking and saying, “Braaaak. I’m a pretty boy. I’m a pretty boy. Braaaak. Polly want a cracker.” You might as well call it “Make Everyone Within the Sound of My Voice Hate Me Day.”
So anyway, Talk Like a Pirate Day has been a HUGE success, far bigger than anything Mark and I ever imagined. We imagined we’d have our 15 minutes of fame. As my close personal friend Dave said, “This thing may be big. Maybe 20 minutes.” I am looking forward to the day when they put up a plaque at racquetball court No. 3 at the Albany YMCA, where Mark and I first came up with this idea. As I told my daughter Millie’s fifth grade class this morning, this is one of the silliest things I’ve ever done, but it’s been fun, and we’ve just been riding the wave ever since.
There will be a Talk Like a Pirate Day again next year, we’ve got to keep the buzz building. But for today, I think you’ll forgive Mark and me if we just talk like a couple of yahoos from Oregon.
Arrrr!!
Our biggest TLAP surprise
The column written by our close personal friend Dave Barry appeared in newspapers across the country on Sept. 8. That afternoon, John was sitting at home when the phone rang. He picked up. The voice on the end sounded vaguely familiar. She identified herself. It was Rhonda, Mark’s ex-wife. Mark hadn’t seen her in a couple of years, since she had moved to California.
She sounded more bemused than anything. “My mother just came over and asked if Mark knew anyone named John Baur,” she said. “When I said yes, she said, ‘Well, you’re in the paper’.”
She was curious how we had chosen her birthday for the event. When John explained, she seemed to accept that we hadn’t meant anything malicious. It was just a day we could remember, and the sort of detail that made the story odd enough to garner national attention. She didn’t have Mark’s number, but asked John to pass on the message, “I’ve never been prouder to be his EX-wife.”
He took her number, and Mark later called. It was OK.
Mark’s mother in Seattle also called. Mark was out but when he got home he found the following message on his answering machine:
“Your uncle Ernie read the article and thought it was very funny. I don’t know what’s so funny about talking like a pirate, but I love you very much.”
We took a stab and tried to get on one of the late night talk shows, Letterman is our favorite, and Comedy Centrals “The Daily Show,” but frankly we’d settle for anything. But nothing came of it.
Yet.
We had tapped into something big, much bigger than we had ever anticipated. Frankly, by the time the 2002 holiday was over, we couldn’t have been more tired of talking like pirates. But this is another year, and it’s another Talk Like a Pirate Day. Only this Sept. 19, and every Sept. 19 hereafter, we will be ready.
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure museum
Pirate Scholar, Entrepreneur, and best-selling Author Pat Croce’s passion project – The St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum - features over 800 authentic artifacts celebrating the history of piracy, both factual and fictional, from the 1600’s through present day.
The St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum offers an exciting and educational museum experience that transports you and your family back in time over 300 years to Port Royal, Jamaica, at the height of the Golden Age of Piracy. The museum spans about 5,000 sq. ft. with a 1,300 sq. ft. courtyard.
After a successful 5-year run in Key West, Pat Croce moved the Pirate & Treasure Museum to another pirate stronghold: St. Augustine, Florida. Pirates such as Sir Francis Drake and Robert Searles who frequented the nation’s oldest city and the Spanish fort, the Castillo de San Marcos, played a major role in the history of pirates and Colonial America.
https://www.thepiratemuseum.com/
The museum has one of only two known existing actual pirate flags.
Sunday, September 8, 2024
Everything we know about the Pirates of the Caribbean reboot
(ew.com March 26, 2024)
This is the day you'll always remember as the day you still haven't seen Jack Sparrow in a sixth Pirates of the Caribbean movie. There will be a sixth movie in the film franchise inspired by the Disney parks rides, producer Jerry Bruckheimer confirmed.
"We're gonna reboot Pirates," he told ComicBook.com. However, plans for a reboot were in place since at least 2019. Still, Bruckheimer's words may mean that there's wind in those sails.
It's now seven years since Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, the franchise's fifth installment. Here's what we know so far about a new Pirates adventure.
Who will star in the Pirates of the Caribbean reboot?
Official announcements haven't been made, but Bruckheimer indicated that Pirates 6 will genuinely be a reboot with a new cast. Speaking to ComicBook.com, he said, "We're gonna reboot Pirates, so that is easier to put together [than the next Top Gun] because you don't have to wait for certain actors."
He doesn't come out and say anything definitive, but it does corroborate other evidence that the new film won't bring back — or at least won't star – the franchise's pillars, including Johnny Depp, Geffrey Rush, Keira Knightley, or Orlando Bloom.
That echoes what Depp revealed during the defamation trial between the actor and ex-wife Amber Heard. Depp testified that Disney cut ties with him following Heard's 2018 op-ed in the Washington Post, where she wrote that she had been a victim of domestic abuse but did not mention Depp by name.
Even if Disney and Bruckheimer changed their minds on Depp, the actor said in court that he wouldn't come back, even if he was offered "$300 million and a million alpacas," as Heard's lawyer put it.
"That is true," Depp responded. "There was a deep and distinct sense of feeling betrayed by the people that I've worked hard for. People that I delivered a character to that they initially despised, but I stuck to my guns with the character, and it seemed to work."
Who is writing the Pirates of the Caribbean reboot?
Craig Mazin, creator of The Last of Us and Chernobyl, earlier revealed he is working with original screenwriter Ted Elliot on a new Pirates movie. They were reportedly brought into the project in 2019 when Deadpool scribes Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick dropped out, per Deadline. However, the 2023 WGA strike put the process on hold.
“We pitched it and thought there’s no way they’re buying it, it’s too weird. And they did!” Mazin told the Los Angeles Times in August 2023. “And then he wrote a fantastic script and the strike happened and everyone’s waiting around.”
Previously, Christina Hodson, who worked on Birds of Prey with Robbie, was attached as a writer for the Robbie version, EW confirmed at the time. That appears to be a thing of the past as well.
During his trial, Depp said that before Heard's op-ed, Disney approached him "to take part in writing in Pirates 6." He later added, "Having added much of myself, much of my own rewriting, the dialogue, the scenes, the jokes, I didn't quite understand how after that long relationship and quite a successful relationship with Disney that… suddenly I was guilty until proven innocent."
At one point, there were plans for Margot Robbie to star in a female-fronted version of Pirates. This wasn't the reboot or a formal spinoff, but a separate story with new characters.
However, Robbie says that film isn't moving forward. "We had an idea and we were developing it for a while, ages ago, to have more of a female-led — not totally female-led, but just a different kind of story — which we thought would've been really cool, but I guess they don't want to do it," Robbie told Vanity Fair in 2022.
When will Pirates of the Caribbean 6 be released?
No other details have been revealed as far as a timeline, title, plot, or director.
Asked which would come first between a new Top Gun or Pirates movie, Bruckheimer told ComicBook.com, "It's hard to tell. You don't know, you really don't know...Because with Top Gun you have an actor who is iconic and brilliant. And how many movies he does before he does Top Gun, I can't tell you. But we're gonna reboot Pirates, so that is easier to put together because you don't have to wait for certain actors." All he's revealed is that it's moving along in some early stage of production.
Reps for Disney did not immediately respond to Entertainment Weekly's request for comment.
https://ew.com/pirates-of-the-caribbean-6-reboot-everything-we-know-8620606
Monday, September 2, 2024
Pirates of Nassau museum
Pirates of Nassau is very conveniently located for cruise ship visitors and hotel guests in the heart of Nassau. It is situated one block off of Bay Street, a short swagger away from the Straw Market.
http://www.piratesofnassau.com/location/
The Golden Age of Piracy lasted for thirty years from 1690 to 1720 and Nassau was at its heart. The era of piracy in the Bahamas began in 1696 when the privateer Henry Every brought his ship the Fancy loaded with loot from plundering Indian Empire trade ships into Nassau harbour. Henry Every bribed the Governor of The Bahamas Nicholas Trott with gold, silver and with the Fancy itself which was still loaded with 50 tons of elephant tusks and 100 barrels of gunpowder. This established Nassau as a base where pirates could operate safely, although various governors regularly made a show of suppressing piracy.
The pirates became increasingly powerful and the era of true pirate control occurred when a combined Franco-Spanish fleet attacked Nassau in 1703 and again in 1706. The island was effectively abandoned by many of its settlers and left without any English government presence. Nassau was then taken over by English privateers who became completely lawless pirates over time. The Bahamas were well-suited as a base of operations for pirates as its waters were too shallow for a large man-of-war but deep enough for the fast, shallow draft vessels favoured by pirates. From their snug harbour in Nassau they could employ their hit and run tactics to full effect and they devastated the merchant shipping that plied the trade routes just a short sail away. The pirates essentially established their own “Republic” with its own “governors” and their plundered booty forming the basis of a thriving community that attracted rogues, merchants and wild women from far and wide. It was said that when pirates slept, they did not dream of going to heaven but instead of returning to their favourite port of Nassau on New Providence Island.
By 1713 the War of the Spanish Succession was over but many British privateers were slow to get the news or reluctant to accept it and so slipped into piracy. This led to large numbers of unemployed privateers making their way to New Providence to join the “Republic” and swell its numbers. The “Republic” was dominated by two famous pirates who were bitter rivals – Benjamin Hornigold and Henry Jennings. Hornigold was mentor to pirates such as the infamous Edward Teach, known as “Blackbeard”, along with Sam Bellamy and Stede Bonnet. Jennings was mentor to Charles Vane, “Calico” Jack Rackham, Anne Bonny, and Mary Read. Despite their rivalries, the pirates formed themselves into the “Flying Gang” and quickly became infamous for their exploits. The Governor of Bermuda stated that there were over 1,000 pirates in Nassau at that time and that they greatly outnumbered the 100 inhabitants of the city. Blackbeard was later voted by the pirates of Nassau to be their “Magistrate” and to be in command of their “Republic” and enforce law and order as he saw fit.
While the pirates had originally avoided attacking British ships, this restraint disappeared over time and, at their height, the pirates could command a small fleet of ships that could take on the frigates of the Royal Navy. The amount of havoc the pirates were causing led to an outcry for their destruction and finally George I appointed Woodes Rogers as Governor of the Bahamas to bring the Republic of Pirates to an end. In 1718 Rogers arrived in Nassau with a fleet of seven ships and carrying a pardon for all those who turned themselves in and refrained from further piracy. Among those who accepted this offer was Benjamin Hornigold and, in a shrewd move, Rogers commissioned Hornigold to hunt down and capture those pirates who refused to surrender and accept the royal pardon. As a former privateer himself, Hornigold was well placed to understand what needed to be done and he pursued his former comrades with zeal. Although pirates such as Charles Vane and Blackbeard evaded capture, Hornigold did take ten pirates prisoner and nine of them were executed on the morning of 12th December 1718. This act re-established British control and ended the Republic of Pirates in The Bahamas but you can now relive the Golden Age of Piracy at Pirates of Nassau and experience what it was like to be a pirate in 1716.
Sunday, August 25, 2024
Whydah Pirate Museum
https://www.discoverpirates.com/
-Real Pirates and Pirate Treasure-
The Whydah Pirate Museum in West Yarmouth officially opened its doors to the public in June of 2016. The museum is home to thousands of items from the Whydah and houses the largest collection of pirate artifacts recovered from a single shipwreck anywhere in the world.
The Whydah Pirate Museum combines artifacts of the slave trade and the pirate’s life, early maps of the Atlantic and the Caribbean, and imagery of the 18th-century world. The results are a rich and interesting tapestry that echoes and extends the experience of the exhibition itself and reveals a historically accurate portrait of real pirates of the Caribbean.
-A Dedication To Pirate History Recovery And Education-
As artifacts and treasure are continuously excavated, new exhibits are added to the Whydah Pirate Museum every year. The West Yarmouth museum is still new with additional museum wings and an outdoor area planned for future development.
Since its opening, the Whydah Pirate Museum has been visited by hundreds of thousands of guests from every state in the United States, and dozens of countries worldwide. The museum has received numerous awards and critical acclaim for its preservation and presentation of the world’s first discovered pirate ship.
The staff of the Whydah Pirate Museum are grateful to be part of the Cape Cod community and look forward to providing the public with many years of education and enjoyment.
-The Whydah Gally-
The Whydah Gally was built in London in 1715 as a transport for captive humans. It left Africa in 1716, carrying a cargo of enslaved people. After making two voyages under the command of veteran slave-trader Lawrence Prince, pirates captured it while it was homeward-bound in the central Bahamas in January or February of 1717.
Due to its size, speed, and armament, the pirates, led by Samuel Bellamy, commander of a growing fleet of pirate ships, decided to keep the vessel and convert it into their flagship. Bellamy’s multinational pirate crew, comprising nearly two hundred men, had been operating for about a year, capturing dozens of British, French, Spanish, and Dutch merchant ships throughout the Caribbean. They had affiliations with other important pirates of the period, such as Ben Hornigold, Henry Jennings, Oliver Le Vasseur, and the notorious “Blackbeard.”
While sailing up the North American seaboard, the pirate’s new flagship wrecked on April 26, 1717, off the coast of Wellfleet, Cape Cod, during one of the most severe “nor’easters” in New England history. Only two men are known to have survived, making it the worst shipwreck ever to occur on the shores of Cape Cod. Three other vessels in Sam Bellamy’s pirate flotilla were either wrecked or seriously damaged, and authorities captured a number of pirates from these vessels who were eventually tried.
Shortly after the wreck, Governor Shute of Massachusetts dispatched Captain Cyprian Southack, a noted cartographer and commander of the Bay Colony’s naval militia, to salvage what he could for the Crown. Southack found that the ship had capsized and broken up in the storm surf. Wreckage from the ship was quickly swallowed up in the shifting sands of the Cape.
Although Southack recovered little of value from the wreck, his journal and reports to Governor Shute recorded a number of important clues to its location. Utilizing this and other historical evidence, together with cutting-edge electronic remote-sensing technology, a team led by underwater explorer Barry Clifford discovered the wreck site in 1984. Barry Clifford and his team dedicated years of their lives to recovering the artifacts of the Whydah, from cannons and pistols to buttons, buckles, and, of course, pirate treasure: gold, silver, and pieces of eight.
Since the wreck is blanketed with loose sand approaching thirty feet in depth and is less than two thousand feet from shore, and treacherous local sea conditions severely limit boat and dive operations, artifacts are still being recovered in a careful and painstaking underwater archaeological excavation project.
The history of the Whydah encompasses the entire Atlantic world—Europe, Africa, and the Americas—but it holds special significance in North American colonial history, particularly the history of New England. As the first satisfactorily identified pirate shipwreck ever discovered, it provides unique insights into the material culture of 18th-century piracy in the Atlantic world.
-Whydah Pirate Museum's Mission-
When the Whydah Gally was discovered in 1984, the world gained an unprecedented and invaluable resource to study the pirates of the “Golden Age”—one of the most secretive and, consequently, misunderstood societies of the colonial period.
The Whydah Pirate Museum and its affiliated facilities house the largest collection of pirate artifacts ever recovered from a single shipwreck. In addition to recovering and preserving these artifacts, the museum’s mission is to provide educational content that not only engages and teaches students, but also passes on a story that is an important piece of local Cape Cod history.
-The True Tale of the Whydah Gally-
The story of the Whydah Gally is without parallel. The men who turned the former London slave ship into a pirate flagship were not only among the most successful sea rovers of the “Golden Age of Piracy,” they were also among the most egalitarian, diverse, and democratic.
The Whydah pirates were a brotherhood of poor sailors, former slaves, and political exiles who struggled against an era of institutionalized oppression, exorbitant economic disparity, and limited individual rights. Their daily lives were directly impacted by the effects of constant warfare between monarchs, colonialism, globalism, and the transatlantic slave trade. And yet, this motley crew of different cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds banded together to achieve a degree of freedom, fortune, and equality that society would have otherwise denied them.
-The Preservation of Pirate History-
While the journey of the Whydah ends tragically for those who were on board that fateful night in April, it is still not the end of the tale. The story of Whydah is also about the explorers, divers, researchers, and archaeologists who raised this adventure from beneath the seafloor and brought it back into the light. The discovery and excavation of the Whydah involves years of persistent searching, historical research, and sustained scientific efforts by dedicated professionals.
Even after three decades since the Whydah’s discovery, this work is still ongoing. Every year, divers continue to investigate the wreck site, archaeologists continue the delicate process of excavating artifacts, and historians continue to dig through record archives looking for undiscovered details about the Whydah and her crew. Those of us at the museum cannot think of a more noble pursuit—to preserve the legacy of ordinary people, whose circumstances pressed them to lead extraordinary lives. That this pursuit can also be used to educate and enlighten students gives us the greatest joy and satisfaction. We hope that the fascinating story of The Whydah Gally will excite audiences young and old and inspire them to explore the past.
Monday, August 19, 2024
Saturday, August 10, 2024
You Got City Hands Mr Hooper
One of my favorite scenes from Jaws.
"I'm talkin' about working for a living, I'm talkin' about sharking!"
Tuesday, August 6, 2024
The pirate skull and bones
The history behind the skull and crossbones, the first reported one was during 1700 by a French pirate named Emmanuel Wynn, described as "A Sable Flag with a White Death's Head and Crossed Bones in the Fly." A popular depiction of the description has made its way around since, with the inclusion of an hourglass as well based on another description by John Cranby of HMS Poole "a black flag with skull, crossbones, and hourglass."
Another notable description of pirate Sam Bellamy's flag from 1718, as stated by Thomas Baker who had been aboard the Whydah described that when pursuing targets "they spread a large black Flag, with a Death’s Head and Bones a-cross, and gave chase."
The reasons for using such a flag, again popularized in 1700 by Wynn, was the intent to strike fear into their targets by displaying memento mori imagery - a Latin term that is meant to be a reminder that death comes for us all. Gruesome and dour, works of memento mori artwork in the forms of paintings, jewelry, and tombstones, featured skulls, hourglasses, and wilting flowers. These works of art were not meant to be malicious inherently, but were meant to be thought provoking to encourage the viewer to value their life and to make the most of it.
In the concept of a seafaring criminal using it as a threat however, it also worked, encouraging those on the targeted vessel to think about their course of action regarding the pirates wisely - was it worth risking your life to fight back or flee? Often pirates' goals were to encourage their victims to surrender without a fight. Battles resulted in the damage of goods on the enemy ship, and potentially losing crewmembers who would have to be replaced. At sea, these pirates would fashion flags based on memory of memento mori images, and while some may have seen paintings, spotting the images at graveyards and cemeteries was much more prevalent, a practice that had begun as far back as 1557 in Ireland, and Spaniards had long been adorning entrances to graveyards with skull and bone imagery.
Sunday, July 28, 2024
Why The Coconut Palm Points to the Sea
(naturalnavigator.com)
The coconut palm tree (Cocos nucifera) does something that very few trees do. It leans into wind.
Most trees have trunks that will bend away from the wind. A trunk that leans downwind is less exposed and structurally better for surviving strong winds. But the coconut palm is a rebel. Its trunk bends into wind.
Strictly speaking, the palm is growing towards the light (phototropism) not the wind, but since they grow best at the edge of tropical islands, the effect is the same, as most coastline trees are exposed to strongest winds from the sea.
Why does it do this? It is a bit odd for a tree to grow in a way that makes it more exposed and more vulnerable to storms from the sea.
There is a good reason. The palm tree needs to drop its seed, the coconut, as close to the water as possible. Many seeds are carried by wind or animals, but coconuts are taken to start a new life elsewhere, often on another island, by sea currents.
Besides, coconut palms are very sturdy individuals. It takes an extraordinarily strong wind to threaten them. A gale will shake some coconuts out of the tree, but is unlikely to tug hard enough at the roots to cause any problems. A storm will flatten a lot of other species before troubling the tough palm.
It is very likely you know where the sea is already if you can see coconut palms, but if not, remember they grow towards the light, usually the open skies of the ocean and away from the darkness of other trees.
If you look closely, you’ll actually notice that the main trunk leans towards the sea, but the very top bends back slightly towards the land. This is the result of the light and wind working in opposite directions. The top of the tree bears the brunt of the strongest winds.
https://www.naturalnavigator.com/news/2020/02/why-the-coconut-palm-points-to-the-sea/
Sunday, July 14, 2024
Friday, July 5, 2024
How Peter Mel’s Epic Maverick’s Wave Just Made the Unimaginable Imaginable For Us All
(by Sam George theinertia.com January 12, 2021)
Throughout the course of surfing history, there have been those whose performances have redefined what collectively was thought possible. The bold California crew who left first tracks at Waimea Bay in 1957; Gerry Lopez, and later Shaun Tomson inventing modern tube riding at Pipeline in the 1970s; Christian Fletcher’s aerial assault at Lower Trestles; Shane Dorian’s paddle-in push at Peahi; Kai Lenny’s recent big wave blitzkrieg.
Quite different, though, are those singular rides that in their sheer outrageousness have transcended the realm of possibility, instead setting a new standard for what was even imaginable. Picture Laird Hamilton’s Millennium Wave at Teahupoʻo, for example, or Koa Smith’s 27-second barrel at Skeleton Bay. Both rides represented more than just the next step in the evolution of surfing performance, but throughout their fleeting seconds (though not so fleeting in Smith’s case) signaled a total paradigm shift, each a point of departure from what was to what now is. The unimaginable suddenly becoming imaginable.
Which brings me to Peter Mel’s beyond-epic barrel at Maverick’s on January 8. We’ve all seen it by now, the picture-perfect, sitting-there-in-the-channel footage posted on all the surfing websites. It even made the evening news in some coastal television markets. And no wonder — as rides go, it couldn’t have been more entertaining. A perfect three-act drama played out on a moving 50-foot stage: the hero’s roll-in-to-late drop, the hair’s breadth escape from the thundering lip as he pulled into the dark, cavernous tube, his heroic stance as, wreathed in angry spit, he emerged into the sunlight and safety.
An outrageous ride, yes. But any more outrageous than so many of the other amazing rides witnessed during what has to be considered one of the best big wave seasons in memory, not only in California but Hawaii and Europe, as well? Sure, plenty in the surf media hedged their bets, with soft-pedal headlines like, “Did Peter Mel just catch the Wave of the Decade at Maverick’s?” and “Peter Mel Just Raised the Bar…,” etc., etc. But no, the bar wasn’t just raised, it was leaped over by a mile. And yes, there’s no question that this is not only the wave of the decade at Maverick’s, but the best ever ridden at that fearsome break, simply because before this ride was witnessed by the whole surfing world, it was unimaginable. To position oneself outside the known lineups, paddle into a wave this size at Maverick’s and from behind the bowl pull into the barrel off the bottom instead of drawing a safer line through the center…simply unimaginable.
At least to anyone but Peter Mel, it seems, who for almost 30 years had a picture in his mind of what might be done if ever faced with a wave like this. A picture that, by his own admission, frightened him. And yet, when presented with the opportunity — this once-in-a-lifetime wave — he rode it with an aplomb that, while it belied decades of commitment to the Beast of Pillar Point, expressed more deeply a manifestation of the imagination. Not only his imagination, but that of all those surfers who would like to believe that if ever faced by our own once-in-a-lifetime waves, we’d ride as Peter did.
So yes, I say that Peter Mel’s January 8 ride at Maverick’s certainly belongs on that elite list of singular waves that have redefined the imaginable. And critics can wail and curse and comment — call me a kook because I’m not a big wave surfer and have no business making this sort of call — and to that, I say fair enough. Yet to those who choose to say “one of the best…” or add a question mark to the headline, consider this: has any wave ever in history so dramatically, yet so eloquently, made the statement that Mel’s did that day? Not that he’s the king of Maverick’s or that this wave was any better than any of his others —or even better than any wave we might ride, of any size. But rather the clear assertion of what for so many surfers is unimaginable: that instead of behind, our best days of surfing could still lay ahead.
(youtube link to Petrer Mel's ride)
Sunday, June 23, 2024
Wednesday, June 19, 2024
Why Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War Is Still So Great to Play 7 Years Later
(denofgeek.com June 7, 2024)
A pirate’s life ain’t easy.
It’s full of fierce naval battles on the open sea with rival fleets, encounters with fearsome sea monsters, endless plundering and conquest, and so much more. The nice thing about Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War is that it allows you to live out your life as a pirate from the comfort of your couch, or bed, or commuter train…pretty much wherever you like!
Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War is one of the most beloved free-to-play games on the market, and it’s got the longevity to prove it. The game is currently celebrating its 7th Anniversary with exciting updates that bring a host of new features and content, so there’s no better time than now to join the game’s spirited community of Pirates of the Caribbean fans and enthusiasts.
What gives the game such staying power is its engaging gameplay. There’s always something new to do. Players build a fleet of ships, each captained by a Tactician who adds buffs, stats, abilities, and talismans to their vessel. Many tacticians are fan-favorite characters from the films, like Elizabeth Swann, Will Turner, Davy Jones, and of course, the swaggiest swashbuckler of all, Captain Jack Sparrow. If you’re a fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean films, recruiting characters from the movies as tacticians is obviously a dream.
Each of your ships can be upgraded and customized as well, and once you’ve amassed a sizable number of ships, all of the individual customization options allow you to build out a fleet that’s truly your own. From boosting stats in multiple categories, to changing the look of your fleet with color-coordinated pirate flags, to hiring and training crew, it’s easy to get lost in tweaking your fleet to express your personal style.
The best part about building out your fleet is sending them out to the high seas to engage in strategic naval warfare, pillaging and plundering islands and rival fleets, and taking on the pesky East India Trading Company as well as a host of formidable aquatic foes like giant lobsters, banshees, and ancient octopi. The spoils of war are treasures and resources that you can use to upgrade and repair your fleet and build out your fortress to become self-sufficient and withstand attacks from invading enemies.
If you’re a fan of city-building games, Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War thoroughly satisfies with its fortress progression system that allows you to level up a variety of facilities that help support your fleet and protect your assets. For beginners, series mainstay Joshamee Gibbs guides players through the fundamentals of the game by setting goals and offering handy tips.
Speaking of familiar elements from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, the game is filled to the brim with references to the films. As previously mentioned, many fan-favorite characters from the films appear as tacticians, but what’s just as cool is that their ships are available to recruit as well, from the Black Pearl, to the Flying Dutchman, to the Silent Mary.
The most immersive nostalgia trip of all, however, is Shansa’s cave, where players can relive some of the most iconic moments and battles from the movies, like the epic clash at Port Royal, and Jack Sparrow’s standoff with Captain Barbossa at Isla de Muerta.
There’s no shortage of connections to the films in the game itself, but perhaps the best reason for Pirates of the Caribbean fans to play is to connect with fellow die-hards via the game’s alliance system. Joining an alliance allows players to support each other with buildings, research, and trading, work toward group goals, and tackle PvE missions. The more alliance members chip in, the higher their Alliance Power and Alliance Silver rise.
It’s a lot of fun to partake in a shared in-game experience, but the real beauty of Tides of War is that you can message your fellow alliance members and geek out about all things Pirates of the Caribbean. The game has a thriving community of thousands of players who share the same love of the films and lore, and seven years into the game’s lifespan, the player base looks to only grow bigger.
Best of all, for Tides of War’s 7th Anniversary this summer, Joycity is offering a litany of exciting new features and events for players to enjoy. Three new Tacticians will be made available to players, each equipped with unique buffs to help you and your alliance on your way to victory on the high seas. Also included in the update is a powerful new ship for players to add to their fleet: the formidable Triton’s Fury! On top of that, brand-new Monsters, Fortresses, and deep-water denizens will be introduced as well.
But the 7th Anniversary festivities don’t stop there: the highly anticipated Battle Pass, known as the Caribbean Pass in-game, will offer participating pirate Captains a chance to unlock the stunning Rose Garden Territory Skin. There are also a series of events coming up that players won’t want to miss, like an all-inclusive Attendance Event, a 7th Anniversary Collection Event, and several social events on the game’s official Facebook page.
There’s no doubt that Pirates of the Caribbean has one of the most enthusiastic fan bases out there, and Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War is the perfect place for fans to connect. There’s simply no better way to immerse yourself in the world and lore of the Disney movies than to take up the pirate life yourself and head out on the open ocean with your best mates.
You can download Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War now on the iOS App Store, Google Play Store, and the brand-new PC version available on the official website.
There’s no doubt that Pirates of the Caribbean has one of the most enthusiastic fan bases out there, and Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War is the perfect place for fans to connect. There’s simply no better way to immerse yourself in the world and lore of the Disney movies than to take up the pirate life yourself and head out on the open ocean with your best mates.
You can download Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War now on the iOS App Store, Google Play Store, and the brand-new PC version available on the official website.
https://tidesofwar.joycity.com/en
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