Surfing Utah Lake

 

Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is in development !

Well, it would look as if Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is in the works, or early development at least. I started to see things pop up about it on Instagram a few days ago, buzz if you will. 

Now, of course it could be just rumors, all of our wishful thinking. But I will entertain the idea without a problem, I'm starving for another good pirate movie. The more the better.

Here are a few posts from Instagram I copied, along with some fan made posters below. Let's hope we get more official news later.

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OFFICIAL: It's confirmed that 'PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 6' is in development and apparently Disney has come to an agreement with actor Johnny Depp to return as Jack Sparrow and not only that, actor Bill Nighy would also return as Davy Jones.

The movie would be coming in 2028 and would also have names like Margot Robbie, Jenna Ortega & Kaya Scodelario.

Keira Knightley & Orlando Bloom could also be returning, but nothing is confirmed yet.

There are no plot details yet, but an important part of the story would focus on an undisclosed female character, who would be Jack Sparrow's daughter.

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Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is officially in development, with producer Jerry Bruckheimer confirming that two distinct scripts one of which is a full reboot are currently competing in a horse race to lead the series forward. This high stakes revival is being shaped by screenwriter Craig Mazin, the acclaimed creator of The Last of Us.

The Price of Freedom

(from Amazon.com)

Twenty-five-year-old Jack Sparrow is a clean-cut merchant seaman pursuing a legitimate career as a first mate for the East India Trading Company. He sometimes thinks back to his boyhood pirating days, but he doesn’t miss Teague’s scrutiny or the constant threat of the noose. Besides, he doesn’t have much choice—he broke the Code when he freed a friend who had been accused of rogue piracy, and he can no longer show his face in Shipwreck Cove.

When Jack’s ship is attacked by pirates and his captain dies in the altercation, he suddenly finds himself in command. The wily sailor’s skillful negotiations with the pirate captain—who turns out to be a woman from his past—result in a favorable outcome that puts Jack in line for an official promotion.

After making port in Africa, Jack is summoned by Cutler Beckett, who makes him captain of a ship called the Wicked Wench. Beckett gives Jack an assignment. He has heard a legend about a magical island named Zerzura whose labyrinthine bowels are said to contain a glorious treasure. Beckett suspects that one of his house slaves, a girl named Ayisha, is from Zerzura. He asks Jack to take her along on his voyage and seduce her into divulging the island’s whereabouts. In payment for his services, Beckett promises Jack a share of the treasure.

But this task isn’t as easy as Jack initially believes. Before she agrees to reveal the location of her home, Ayisha insists that Jack take her to the New World to rescue her brother, who has been sold into slavery in the Bahamas. Their voyage is long and arduous, and as they weather a vicious storm and a surprise attack from an old pirate foe, Jack grows to respect and admire Ayisha’s bravery. He knows that Beckett intends to enslave her people after robbing them of their treasure, and Jack’s moral compass revolts at the idea. It might be possible to deliver Ayisha safely to Zerzura, obtain some of the treasure, and convince Beckett that he never found it . . . but the greedy E. I. T. C. official has eyes everywhere, and if he learns that Jack has foiled his plans, he could take away the thing that Captain Sparrow loves most: his ship—and his freedom.

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I didn't even know this book existed, how did I miss it?!

It came out in 2011, had I known I would have snatched me up a copy no problem. But now? Asking price for used copies on Ebay are around $400.00! Are they crazy?

Anyway, you can get it of course on Kindle or Nook for only a couple of dollars. I might just have to do that although I despise trying to read things on Kindle or Nook. Ugh....

Key West Shipwreck Treasures Museum

(from keywestshipwreck)

Key West Shipwreck History

During the golden age of sail, over 100 ships per day passed by Key West. The waters they were sailing were well known as some of the most treacherous in the world. On average, at least one ship per week would wreck somewhere along the Florida Reef.

About the Observation Tower

The brave wreckers would watch the reef night and day from observation towers (some over 90′ high). They would also patrol the reef in their own small vessels. When a wreck was spotted, the cry of “Wreck Ashore” would echo all over the island as men scrambled to the docks to join the race to the reef. The first man to reach the wreck became the “wrecking master” who controlled the salvage operation and got a larger share of the prize. The goods salvaged from the wreck would later be sold at auction in Key West with the wrecking courts awarding anywhere from 25 to 50 percent of the profit to the wreckers, depending on how dangerous and time-consuming the salvage operation had been.

End of the Wrecking Era

Eventually, with the onset of railroads, and improvements in navigational aids, shipwrecks came fewer and farther between. In 1921, the wrecking courts were closed, ending an era that had made Key West one of the richest cities in America. Today, you can relive the era of the wreckers at our historical Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum.

The Isaac Allerton

The ship was 137 feet long and weighed 594 tons. The Isaac Allerton spent her years as a merchant ship carrying cargoes throughout the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and the North Atlantic Ocean. On the night of August 28, 1856, the Isaac Allerton was caught in a hurricane off Saddlebunch Keys, 15 miles ESE of Key West.

She road anchor for several hours before the lines were cut and she ground over Washer Woman Shoals, lost her rudder and sank in Hawks Channel in five fathoms of water. The crew and passengers spent the night in longboats and were rescued the following morning by Key West wreckers led by George Alderslade. Because the ship had sunk in such deep water, the Key West wreckers were unable to salvage all the cargo. But the cargo they did salvage resulted in a payoff of over $50,000 making the Isaac Allerton the richest wreck in KEY WEST HISTORY. Over 130 years later, in 1985, the wreck of the Isaac Allerton was rediscovered by a group of local divers who had been searching for the celebrated Atocha wreck. Today you can relive the days of the Isaac Allerton and see the original cargo from the ship at our The Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum.

My 10 seconds of glory at the New York Yacht Club

So, in June of 2023, we took a trip to New York City for a vacation. 

We had been there once before as a family, and Aimee and I had been there separately many times before thanks to layovers and overnight stays on our many different international travels.

I never knew anything at all really about the New York Yacht Club until I watched the Netflix documentary about the famous America's Cup battle between the US and Australia. (see video clip in previous post)

I thoroughly enjoyed the Netflix production so right before our trip I did a quick search to see if daily tours were given of the NYYC.

Ohhh..... how naive I am.

The NYYC gives tours..... once a month! And the tour only lasts about 15 minutes. So it is basically get the heathens in and get the heathens out as quick as you can.

Anyway, I said to myself that I would be satisfied with just seeing the building from the outside so once we were in New York I found a day I could steal a little time for myself and off I headed to 44th street.

It didn't take long and before I knew it I was standing in front of this amazing building. For the most part it was a quiet street with not a lot of foot or car traffic and I was able to get some good photos and take a few minutes to enjoy the experience.

After those few minutes I noticed here and there a couple of people walking into the club but really only one gentleman was nicely dressed, the other two or three guys were just in shorts and a t-shirt.

I said to myself, "That's odd. This is supposed to be a fine establishment. What the heck?"

So I made the decision to investigate, by walking in the front door!

And that I did, but I was quickly asked "May I help you?" by a well dressed man standing behind the front desk. 

I said to him that I was just wondering if I could take a couple of pictures and he responded that I could but only of the staircase. 

I thanked him, took just two photos, and was out in about 10 seconds. But that is all I needed, it was my 10 seconds of glory.

At least now if I am in an awkward conversation with someone and need something to say I can always pull out, "Have you ever been inside the New York Yacht Club?"

 

Untold: The Race of the Century - Official Trailer - Netflix

 

I read Pirate Hunters!

I'm still here, don't write me off!

It has just been a busy start to the year and I haven't been blogging at all really, but I still exist. And I just finished an awesome book that I would recommend to any and all pirate buffs.

I posted back in 2024 a link to Amazon for this book, 

see post here

and I started reading it at the beginning of the year. And boy am I glad I did, what a fun book to read. Well, maybe not all fun, I was pretty stressed out while reading it as I urged on these divers and shipwreck lovers in their quest to find the Golden Fleece. It isn't as easy as following an X marked on a map, it cost almost a fortune just to maintain equipment, and included trips to New York and Spain to visit libraries with maritime records dating back to the 1600's. 

The Golden Fleece was a pirate ship captained by Joseph Bannister, a pirate I had never heard of until now, which went down in the shallows off the coast of the Dominican Republic in 1686. 

Anyway, not to give any spoilers let me just end it with saying if you are looking for an enjoyable read about some treasure obsessed adventurers this is a good one. 

The Pirate's Wife: The Remarkable True Story of Sarah Kidd

(from Amazon)

"[A] striking, thoroughly researched depiction of just how much persistence and inventiveness it took for a woman in Colonial America to retain security and dignity over the course of her life." —Christian Science Monitor

Few know that Captain Kidd, one of the most notorious pirates to ever prowl the seas, had an accomplice, a behind-the-scenes player who enabled his plundering and helped him outpace his enemies. That accomplice was his wife, Sarah Kidd, whose extraordinary life is a lesson in reinvention and resourcefulness. Twice widowed by twenty-one and a successful New York merchant in her own right, Sarah secretly aided and abetted her husband, fighting alongside him against his accusers. Marshaling in newly discovered primary source documents, historian and journalist Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos reconstructs Sarah’s extraordinary life, uncovering a rare example of the kind of life that pirate wives lived during the Golden Age of Piracy. This landmark work in women’s history weaves together the personal and the epic in a sweeping story of romance and adventure.

About the author

Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos is a historian, journalist and author of THE PIRATE'S WIFE: THE REMARKABLE TRUE STORY OF SARAH KIDD (Hanover Square Press, an imprint of HarperCollins) and THE PIRATE NEXT DOOR: THE UNTOLD STORY OF EIGHTEENTH CENTURY PIRATES' WIVES, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES (Carolina Academic Press). She has published over 40 articles in newspapers and magazines. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and many other publications. As a regular contributor to The New York Times Syndicate’s “Lifebeat” column her stories were published both nationally and internationally. She writes on a variety of subjects, including maritime history, business, science, health, fitness, education, museums, parenting, philanthropy, and lifestyles and trends. 

A former Legislative aide to a U.S. Congressman, she holds a Doctor of Liberal Studies degree and a Master of Liberal Studies degree from Georgetown University. She also holds a Masters degree in Business Administration from The George Washington University. During her studies at Georgetown University she focused her research and writing on issues concerning women, families and communities with a special focus on pirates of the eighteenth century.

She first became interested in pirates while writing an article in 2002 for The New York Times “Museums” Special Section about the Whydah Pirate Museum in Provincetown, Massachusetts. For the last fifteen years she has conducted extensive original research on pirates and their wives in archives in London, Washington, New York, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. She developed a more complete and nuanced history of piracy, and discovered that the lives of pirates, while indeed colorful, were often quite different from those of their literary and cinematic counterparts. 

link to Amazon

Captain Kidd: A True Story of Treasure and Betrayal

(from Amazon.com)

Captain William Kidd stands as one of the most notorious “pirate” outlaws ever, but his legend is tainted by a bed of lies. Having captivated imaginations for more than three hundred years and inspired many stories about pirates, troubling questions remain. Was he really a criminal or is the truth more inconvenient: that he was a buccaneer’s worst nightmare, a revered pirate hunter turned fall guy for scheming politicians?

In Captain Kidd, his ninth-great-grandson, bestselling author Samuel Marquis, reveals the real story. Kidd was an English American privateer and leading New York husband and father. The King of England himself dubbed Kidd “trusty and well-beloved,” and some historians describe him as a “worthy, honest-hearted, steadfast, much -enduring sailor” who was the “victim of a deliberate travesty of justice.” With honors far more esteemed than the menacing Blackbeard, or any other sea rover at the turn of the seventeenth century, how can Kidd be considered both gentleman and pirate, both hero and villain?

Marquis’ biography recreates Kidd’s perilous world of explosive naval warfare and the daring integrity he exemplified as a pirate hunter, as well as the political scandal that entangled Kidd in British–American history, rocking the New World and the Old, and threatening England’s valuable trade with India.

Captain Kidd is both thrilling and tragic. Behind the legend is a real man woven into the tapestry of early America, rendering him a unique colonial hero and scapegoat whose life story was fascinating, exciting, bizarre, and heartrending.

link to Amazon

About the author

The ninth-great-grandson of legendary privateer Captain William Kidd, Samuel Marquis, M.S., P.G., is a professional hydrogeologist, expert witness, and bestselling, award-winning author of twelve American non-fiction-history, historical-fiction, and suspense books, covering primarily the period from colonial America through WWII. His American history and historical fiction books have been #1 Denver Post bestsellers and received multiple national book awards (Publishers Weekly Starred Review, Kirkus and Foreword Reviews Book of the Year, American Book Fest and USA Best Book, Readers’ Favorite, Beverly Hills, Independent Publisher, Colorado Book Awards). His historical titles have garnered glowing reviews from bestselling authors, colonial American history and maritime historians, U.S. military veterans, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, and Foreword Reviews

Avast! Fayetteville Man Continues Lawsuit Against State Over Footage of Blackbeard’s Ship

(cityviewnc.com 11-11-25)

Twelve years after Fayetteville videographer Rick Allen first accused the state of North Carolina of stealing and illegally publishing his videos and pictures of Blackbeard’s wrecked pirate ship, he is still fighting in court.

Allen, whose Nautilus Productions specializes in undersea videography and photography, took the matter to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, on October 22. A panel of three judges heard arguments in the case and will now decide whether Allen can continue his lawsuit, or if he’ll have to walk the plank.

“This case should have ended five years ago,” state Solicitor General Nick Brod told the judges, because the U.S. Supreme Court already ruled against Allen’s claim in 2020. Brod argued that a U.S. District Judge Terrence Boyle was wrong  to let Allen reopen it in 2021.

Allen’s attorney Adam Adler, meanwhile, argued that the case isn’t ready for the Court of Appeals, because Boyle has not issued a final judgment on the question of whether Allen’s constitutional rights were infringed when the state violated his copyrights.

Allen’s dispute dates back to 2013, when he contends the state Department of Natural and Cultural Resources illegally copied and published work belonging to Nautilus Productions. For example, the agency posted some of his video footage on YouTube—–an unauthorized publication that violated copyright law and deprived him of potential licensing fees, Allen says.

Blackbeard’s ship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge, sank after it ran aground off the North Carolina coast in 1718 near Beaufort Inlet and Atlantic Beach. A marine salvage company called Intersal found the wreck in 1996.

The state, which by law owns shipwrecks such as Blackbeard’s, gave the salvage company exclusive rights to access the ship. Because the state lacks the resources to search for pirate ships, it makes deals with marine salvage companies in exchange for a share of the valuables found in the wrecks. But Blackbeard’s ship lacked many valuables; researchers say the pirate crew likely removed the treasure from the grounded ship before it sank. So Intersal and the state entered into an agreement that gave the salvage company commercial rights to produce replicas of the artifacts and exclusive “commercial narrative” rights for things like exhibitions and documentary films.

Intersal contracted with Allen to produce photos and videos of the wreck. He began documenting the wreck and the activities of underwater archaeologists in 1998.

A former news photographer for television stations WRAL and WTVD, Allen co-founded Nautilus Productions in 1997. His website describes a variety of work since then, including undersea documentation of sharks and manatees, shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, and military activities. His clients have included the U.S. Army, National Geographic, the History Channel, the Discovery Channel (including its Shark Week programming), The Travel Channel, 60 Minutes, and the Environmental Projection Agency.

Allen’s lawsuit lists Blackbeard imagery that he says the state illegally copied and distributed:

Videos about recovering a cannon 

Video of an anchor being raised 

Approximately 20 other videos made in 2008 and 2012

“There are still ongoing violations out there in the world,” Allen told CityView on Monday.

“For almost two decades, Allen risked life, limb, and a small fortune documenting the excavation,” reads his brief to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. “This work was treacherous—working in high currents and low visibility. It took hours of dive time to capture mere seconds or minutes of footage.”

Allen says in court papers that he gave copies of the photos and video to the state’s Cultural Resources department for non-commercial research and educational purposes, but that the agency went beyond the agreement by posting copies online without his permission. 

After Allen complained, the agency agreed to stop the copyright infringement and pay him $15,000 for its unauthorized use of his images in 2013, court papers say.

Yet the copyright violations continued, Allen said. More of his videos were published online without permission or payment, and at least one of his was published in The MariTimes, a magazine published by North Carolina Maritime Museum system. (At some point in this dispute, Allen’s imagery was redacted from an archive copy of the winter-spring 2013 issue of the magazine.)

Allen says he tried to get the state to stop, to no avail. 

-Does Blackbeard's Law Permit Piracy?-

In summer 2015, the North Carolina General Assembly stepped in with Blackbeard’s Law.

The law states that the government can do whatever it wants with “photographs, video recordings, or other documentary materials of a derelict vessel or shipwreck or its contents, relics, artifacts, or historic materials” in its possession. 

The state Department of Cultural Resources asked for the provision, state Sen. Norm Sanderson told the Associated Press in 2015. “I’m sure that it was brought forth because of the lawsuit,” he said, referencing a separate lawsuit that Intersal had pending with the state at that time over the use of photos and images from the Blackbeard shipwreck.

(The statute was never officially named “Blackbeard’s Law”—this reporter used the appellation as a nickname 10 years ago, and it stuck.)

Following the law’s  passage, Allen said, the state published more of his work without permission and included some of his videos in a movie shown to visitors at one of the state’s Maritime Museums—both in violation of his copyrights.

In late 2015, Allen filed suit. The state fought the case. In the meantime, Blackbeard’s Law was partly repealed in 2016 and fully repealed in 2023.

The legal fight made its way to the United States Supreme Court in November 2019, where lawyers for the state and Allen argued before the justices. The high court ruled against Allen in 2020. Even if the state government violated Allen’s copyright, the government is protected by sovereign immunity, the justices said.

Under sovereign immunity, the government cannot be sued, according to Cornell Law School, citing common law and the 11th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

But there are exceptions, as courts have previously ruled.

Allen says his case falls under those exceptions, citing the 2006 U.S. Supreme Court decision in United States v. Georgia.

That ruling was about whether a paraplegic inmate in the state prison system could sue Georgia for violations of the federal Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). He said that due to his disability, the prison staff treated him poorly, left him in his cell 23 to 24 hours a day while other inmates were allowed out, and denied services to him that were available to other inmates.

The Supreme Court ruled that the ADA specifically says states can be sued for violations, and that the inmate was entitled to due process of the law under the 14th Amendment guaranteeing that no one is deprived of “life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.”

Allen argues that his copyrights are property, with value, that were improperly taken away from him. “Allen did not have any opportunity to challenge or contest the placement of his work into the public domain,” his lawsuit says.

Lawyers representing the state of North Carolina say in their legal brief that Allen’s case has already been dismissed, and it’s too late now to try to bring in the Georgia ADA lawsuit.

“It’s a request for a do-over,” Solicitor General Brod said in the October 22 oral arguments at the Court of Appeals. “And there is no compelling reason to give Mr. Allen a do-over on these facts. Georgia has been around since 2006. It could have been asserted all the way back when he originally filed his complaint.”

Even if Allen can reopen the case, the state argues, the underlying circumstances and ruling that case don’t match Allen’s copyright claim.

-Judges Question Allen's Effort-

Questions from Court of Appeals judges Robert B. King, Paul V. Niemeyer, and Pamala A. Harris at last month’s hearing suggested they doubt Allen’s case should continue.

“Now you’re basically coming in and challenging the ruling that you can’t sue the state, and you say, ‘Oh, I’ve got a new theory,’” Neimyer said. “There’s something wrong with that.

“Number one is: First you could have raised it earlier,” he continued. “But second: It flies in the face of the fact that both our court and the Supreme Court held the state immune from copyright and you’re now trying to find a theory to get around both courts.”

King had similar thoughts.

“You’re not supposed to be able to go theory-by-theory. That’s not the way the federal rules are supposed to work” for adjudicating cases, she said.

The judges will now ruminate on the case and issue a ruling at a later date. It’s unknown how long that might take; some recent rulings have come in a month, while others have taken a year.

“I’m cautiously optimistic,” Allen said. “It’s been a long, challenging road.”

https://www.cityviewnc.com/stories/avast-fayetteville-man-continues-lawsuit-against-state-over-footage-of-blackbeards-ship/?fbclid=IwY2xjawOh9_lleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe7m20pkEChfiJ86vMZNzar-WAuQFGLdIj5mqjGhtgIORXNxfA1R6frnLLERo_aem_w_VVTwKuac6Q6bAAjuTl-A

Classic Valparaiso city logo

Este diseño emblemático fue creado (1986) por el diseñador Rodrigo Mizala en el marco del concurso de afiches para celebrar los 450 años de Valparaíso. Posteriormente la imagen ha sido utilizada para representar a la ciudad puerto como marca, sin ser esto declarado como tal, pero con el beneplacito de todos aquellos que sintieron que la imagen representa de forma única y maravillosa a la ciudad.

Una marca inspirada en los cerros, escaleras, casa, fierros y estructuras de la ciudad puerto, con los colores propios de la imaginería porteña, con la crudeza  e irregularidad de su “loca geografía”, con ese aparente y evidente desorden visual con que nos obsequia la ciudad y sus cerros cada vez que los visitamos. A todas luces esta imagen  devenida en marca, nace como la ciudad, sin declararse ni fundarse como tal, sin pretensiones pero con la belleza sublime y originaria del puerto.

Sin duda una de las imágenes más bellas que han representado (y que representan) a Valparaíso, con toda la poesía y la identidad posible, para mostrarnos el andamiaje visual que dibuja a la ciudad puerto…

Rodrigo Mizala nos cuenta con respecto al diseño del logo: “Con respecto al logo de Valparaíso, decidí presentarme al concurso, porque era un proyecto muy interesante e importante, trabajé después de mi trabajo en mi casa, no me resultó difícil, de hecho en unas horas ya tenía claro el logo, este proceso creativo tan rápido no era lo usual en mi, y creo que se debe a que en la universidad teníamos un profesor de dibujo que nos llevaba a dibujar a Valparaíso, eso me ayudó a comprender esta ciudad, y poder resumirla en una imagen que la representa y que ha trascendido”.

https://www.dialogosdiseno.com/logotipos/valparaiso/

The Sea Captain's Wife

(from us.macmillan.com)

The true story of the first female captain of a merchant ship and her treacherous navigation of Antarctica's deadly waters, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Widow Clicquot

Summer, 1856

Nineteen-year-old Mary Ann Patten and her husband, Joshua, were young and ambitious. Both from New England seafaring families, they had already completed their first clipper-ship voyage around the world with Joshua as captain. If they could win the race to San Francisco that year, their dream of building a farm and a family might be within reach. It would mean freedom. And the price of that freedom was one last dangerous transit—into the most treacherous waters in the world.

As their ship, Neptune’s Car, left New York Harbor and sailed down the jagged coast of South America, Joshua fell deathly ill and was confined to his bunk, delirious. The treacherous first mate, confined to the brig for insubordination, was agitating for mutiny. With no obvious option for a new captain and heartbroken about her husband, Mary Ann stepped into the breach and convinced the crew to support her, just as they slammed into a gale that would last 18 days. Determined to save the ship, the crew, and their future, she faces down the deadly waters of Drake’s Passage.

Set against the backdrop of the California Gold Rush and taking us to the brink of Antarctica, The Sea Captain's Wife finally gives Mary Ann Patten—the first woman to command a merchant vessel as captain — her due. Mazzeo draws on new archival research from nineteenth-century women’s maritime journals and on her own expedition to the Southern Ocean and Antarctica in search of Mary Ann’s route. Thrilling, harrowing, and heroic, The Sea Captain's Wife is the story of one woman who, for love, would do what was necessary to survive.

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250352583/theseacaptainswife/

Jaws turns 50

This year is the 50th anniversary of the release of the one that started the "summer blockbuster", Jaws.

There are all kinds of celebrations and movie screenings, etc. There are also all kinds of toys and T shirts to celebrate as well. I think I am going to give it a few months, say just before Christmas, and start looking for some of the toys and Blu-Ray's to start going on sale. 

I'd love to get some Quint and Hooper action figures.

I kind of missed all the hoopla surrounding the anniversary, I suppose if you don't live on the East Coast around where the movie was filmed and takes place you aren't going to get much of the buzz.

I did watch it the other day on Netflix, or was it Prime? It is too hard to keep it all straight. And I will check out the documentary that I posted about below, this weekend. 

   

Hot Wheels Brings Spielberg’s Infamous Shark to Your Desktop in a 1:64 Die-Cast Miniature

Jaws celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, and we’ve enjoyed seeing all the special-edition releases rolling out in the past months, ranging from water thermoses, popcorn buckets, and even an incredibly sleek Seiko dive watch. The latest addition to the jubilee celebration is none other than a toy from Mattel. Part of the Hot Wheels lineup, this diecast model recreates the famed Orca boat, owned by Robert Shaw’s Quint in the 1975 film, in miniature form. Let’s take a look.

When Toys Get Serious

Unlike, say, Star Wars or Back to the Future (which has also received some cool merch for its own 40th anniversary this year), Jaws has never been one to dabble much in the toy market. But this is 2025, and “toys for men” is a real thing. This year alone, we’ve seen some quality figures from NECA and a handful of Funko Pops. However, the new Hot Wheels Orca seems to veer away from kitsch and actually offers something you can display proudly atop your workbench or desktop.

The set distinguishes itself by focusing on one of cinema’s most memorable sequences, and Mattel doesn’t phone it in at all. This is a proper diorama that captures the tension of Chief Brody, Quint, and Hooper’s infamous confrontation with the titular great white, with impeccable attention to detail.

Weathered Perfection

With incredible attention to detail, the 1:64-scale Orca nails the weathered, lived-in appearance of Quint’s vessel. The boat doesn’t look like a pristine toy fresh off a production line but actually has a salt-stained, beaten-up character that made the original prop boat so believable as a working vessel. For this set, Mattel has also included a miniature Chief Brody figure positioned on the aft deck, mid-chum, which brings some authentic storytelling to the piece.

Oh yeah, we also get a miniature version of Bruce the shark for this set. Yet rather than going for cartoonish proportions, the die-cast great white maintains the menacing scale and positioning that made the monster so terrifying in the film. He’s frozen here mid-attack, launching himself at the boat’s stern in a way that recreates one of the movie’s most heart-stopping moments. 

Beneath the scene are molded plastic waves to encase both pieces together inside the box. But outside, you can position the shark in various attack poses or separate the elements entirely if you prefer a cleaner presentation.

Wrapped in a Thoughtful Package

Like most adult toys, the Jaws set is made for displaying, not playing. As such, the window box features period-correct 1970s graphics that transport you back to the era when the film dominated both the box office and the overall zeitgeist. When you open the outer flap of the box, it reveals a removable pop-up poster featuring iconic artwork and quotes from the film. The blister packaging uses sculpted and distortion-printed elements to simulate water as well, in order to enhance the diorama effect.

Pricing and Availability

Priced at $32, the Hot Wheels 50th Anniversary Jaws Set launches July 24 at noon EST exclusively through Mattel Creations’ website, with a limit of two units per customer. It will give an exclusive launch in person at San Diego Comic Con as well. Mattel has not said if this will have a limited edition size or not.

https://hiconsumption.com/gear/hot-wheels-jaws-50th-anniversary-set/

 

Steven Spielberg and Nat Geo celebrate 'Jaws' 50th with behind-the-scenes documentary feature

It's been almost 50 years since "Jaws" was released, and since then, cinema - and our relationship with sharks - has changed forever.

The Steven Spielberg blockbuster hit celebrates its 50th anniversary this year with the only authorized documentary made, "Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story," releasing this summer, July 10, on National Geographic.

The 90-minute documentary takes viewers on a "deep dive," going behind the scenes with never-before-seen footage and newly-filmed interviews. It looks at Peter Benchley's bestselling novel and even evaluates the "legacy that fueled a global shark obsession and inspired generations of scientists, storytellers and ocean defenders."

For National Geographic, "Jaws @ 50" is produced by Steven Spielberg's Amblin Documentaries and Nedland Films, in partnership with Wendy Benchley and Laura Bowling. Laurent Bouzereau ("Music by John Williams") directs, with Spielberg diving back into the work that launched his career.

According to National Geographic, "Through candid new reflections, Spielberg recounts the high-stakes production, from battling a malfunctioning mechanical shark and relentless weather delays to his own post-production PTSD and fears the film would end his career."

The documentary also includes exclusive interviews with the original cast and crew, including Joe Alves (production designer), Jonathan Filley (Cassidy), Lorraine Gary (Ellen Brody), Carl Gottlieb (Meadows, screenwriter), Jeffrey Kramer (Hendricks), Ian Shaw (son of Robert Shaw, who played Quint), Jeffrey Voorhees (Alex Kintner) and composer John Williams.

Celebrity filmmakers and actors including J.J. Abrams, Emily Blunt, James Cameron, Cameron Crowe, George Lucas, Greg Nicotero, Jordan Peele, Steven Soderbergh, Guillermo del Toro, Robert Zemeckis and more are also featured in the film, discussing how "Jaws" impacted their work and cinema thereafter.

Interviews are accompanied by never-before-seen footage from Spielberg and Benchley's personal archives.

And more than just a behind-the-scenes look at the film, "Jaws @ 50" also features meaningful conversations with "leading marine advocates and scientists-including Philippe Cousteau, Candace Fields, Austin Gallagher, Gibbs Kuguru, Dr. John Mandelman (New England Aquarium), National Geographic Explorer and photographer Brian Skerry, Dr. Greg Skomal and others."

It also offers a glimpse into the real-life inspiration behind the "Jaws" novel, with "insights from Peter Benchley's wife, renowned voice for sharks and ocean policy advocate Wendy Benchley; their children, Tracy Benchley Turner and Clayton Benchley; and his brother, Nat Benchley."

"Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story" premieres July 10 at 9/8c on National Geographic and streams the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.

Sea People

(from Amazon.com)

For more than a millennium, Polynesians have occupied the remotest islands in the Pacific Ocean, a vast triangle stretching from Hawaii to New Zealand to Easter Island. Until the arrival of European explorers they were the only people to have ever lived there. Both the most closely related and the most widely dispersed people in the world before the era of mass migration, Polynesians can trace their roots to a group of epic voyagers who ventured out into the unknown in one of the greatest adventures in human history.

How did the earliest Polynesians find and colonize these far-flung islands? How did a people without writing or metal tools conquer the largest ocean in the world? This conundrum, which came to be known as the Problem of Polynesian Origins, emerged in the eighteenth century as one of the great geographical mysteries of mankind.

For Christina Thompson, this mystery is personal: her Maori husband and their sons descend directly from these ancient navigators. In Sea People, Thompson explores the fascinating story of these ancestors, as well as those of the many sailors, linguists, archaeologists, folklorists, biologists, and geographers who have puzzled over this history for three hundred years. A masterful mix of history, geography, anthropology, and the science of navigation, Sea People combines the thrill of exploration with the drama of discovery in a vivid tour of one of the most captivating regions in the world.

Sea People includes an 8-page photo insert, illustrations throughout, and 2 endpaper maps.

https://www.amazon.com/Sea-People-Polynesia-Christina-Thompson/dp/0062060880/ref=asc_df_0062060880?mcid=5e194841a652325793518b17f6df88b0&hvocijid=943220808197925301-0062060880-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=943220808197925301&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029671&hvtargid=pla-2281435178818&psc=1

About the author

Christina Thompson is the author of two books: SEA PEOPLE: THE PUZZLE OF POLYNESIA, winner of the Australian Prime Minister's Award, the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, and the NSW Premier’s General History Award, and COME ON SHORE AND WE WILL KILL AND EAT YOU ALL, finalist for the NSW Premier’s Literary Award and the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing. She works at Harvard University, where she edits the literary journal HARVARD REVIEW and teaches writing at Harvard University Extension. She is married to a New Zealander with whom she has three sons.

I could handle living here, walking out my front door and see these palms

 

Duke's Waikiki

I could go for some Duke's Waikiki right about now.

All hands abandon ship !

(artwork by  Sören Meding on artstation.com)

We find ourselves in the Golden Age of Piracy. Just now, this sailing ship (inspired by the Dutch pinnace Duyfken) has been blasted to pieces by a Spanish warship. The main mast is broken, the yard of the foresail is crashing down onto the fleeing pirates. Some sails have gone overboard, but they are still connected to numerous lines, making navigation impossible. The ship is tilting dangerously, already taking on water, and there is absolute chaos as sailors desperately try to untangle the entwined parts. As if that weren't enough, the sea becomes increasingly treacherous. In the midst of the roaring ocean, those lucky enough to find a place in the few rowboats are fortunate. Here, no one had time to gather their few belongings. Everyone is fighting for their survival.

Finally, I found some time again for a personal artwork. Honestly, I must say that I've spent years with this image. It serves as my testing ground to learn new techniques. I'm very pleased that I was finally able to complete the picture, and I hope you like it.

https://www.artstation.com/artwork/kQ39Dz

Pindo palm

 

The South American Jelly Palm, also known as the Pindo Palm, is one of the most cold hardy feather palms and has a long history of scientific reclassification. It is commonly mislabeled as its less cold hardy cousin, Butia capitata. Jelly palms can grow in temperate and subtropical climates up to 20 feet in height with a trunk typically up to 2 feet in diameter. The tree grows quickly once established, pushing 6 or more fronds per year even in cooler climates.

This palm produces a fruit typically yellow-orange in color, which is said to taste like a mix of apricot, pineapple, and vanilla. The fruit is commonly consumed fresh, used to make jelly, or fermented for making wine.

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Striking in its look, the Pindo's feather-leaf, silver-colored fronds (some call it more of a turquoise) produce an exceptional contrast to a typical lawn's color.

These are some of the hardiest palms in South Florida, doing fine in cooler temperatures, blazing sunlight, salty air and dry conditions.

An indigenous plant in some cases called "Jelly Palm," the Pindo Palm generates edible berries that can be made into jelly with a sweet banana/pineapple flavor. The fruits are around 1 inch in size with a seed in the middle. However, just one tree is self-fertile and will produce large bunches of dates every season. 

The style of this palm is distinct yet functional. It is often used for smaller lawns, found in moderate coastline homes, an antique Florida bungalow, or dressing up the backyard of a ranch-style residence. Pindo Palms look great in large forest estates, horse ranches or waterside houses as an intense spot in the landscape.