Ship's Log

Chanty Master Willoughby Caught, together with Malyson Haight, Barnabee Wilde, and Billy Flynt, raided the American Rover for an afternoon of pirate merriment. Captained by our very own Quartermaster, the Rover set sail with a large party of local military families. Many young scallywags were aboard, some dressed in their finest buccaneer gear, and all clutching their goodie bags of plunder. We roved about the ship, singing chanties, leading the little brigands though line hauling and “talk like a pirate” lessons, dispensing beads and coins, and engaging in random acts of piracy. Billy and Barnabee ably assisted in raising the sails. With fair winds and following seas it was a grand day for a piratical pleasure cruise..

On August 1st and 2nd Blackbeards Crew invaded Bald Head Island, NC.

This was a tremendous event in a very historical location.  The island formally known as Smith Island where Stede Bonnet was captured by Colonel William Rhett in August of 1718.  Bald Head Island Light House, lovingly known as Old Baldy Light was built in 1817 it was the second lighthouse by the same name.  The first had been built in 1795 and disassembled due to erosion.

Blackbeards Crew setup camp at the base of the light complete with four living history stations.  Seamanship, Navigation, Medical Care of Pirates, and Weapons and Tactics.  The crowds were plentiful both on Friday and Saturday.  The crew trained 60 plus new skallawags in the art of being a pirate, Constable Heartless led them in the musket training, Madam Grace showed her skills with a cutlass to the new skallawags, and Black Ross sang Haul away Joe for the new skallawags to haul on a line.  All of the young skallawags proudly displayed their new certificate. Our sound system was a big help in doing the School. 

The crew tried to defend the island from the notorious Sinbad the Pirate aboard the MekaII with Lt. Brown manning ther ferocious bow gun and Mr. Steele the Master Gunner was running the midship's cannons.  The Bos'n and Madam Grace were enlisted as crew aboard one of the local sailing craft to harass the MekaII during it's attack and lost wind entering the marina just before a storm and had to be towed back in.  The Celebration that evening on the edge of the wetlands showed Hatchet Meg the population of Alligators on the island when she counted 14 of them drifting by the pavilion.

Our Crafty Bos'n led a Weapons and Tactics demonstration to educate the crowd in the skills required to capture a prize.  Madam Grace challenged many a would be pyrate in Scuttle Hatch.  Our Chantey Master Willoughby Caught spent countless hours in concert with the Rusty Cutlass who were also there to entertain the crowds.  Braze and Cascabel were their usual charismatic selves. 

During the evening hours we experienced the spiritualness of the lighthouse during a thunderstorm on the first evening which provided a welcom shower to some of the overheated crew.  The second evening we were visited by the everpresent wildlife on the island.  The local racoons tried to ransack Madam Graces Tent and were chased off by the Bos'n.  Constable Heartless then broke out his night vision goggles for an evening of coon huntin'.

Everyone worked hard in the dog days of August in North Carolina to make this a great event.  Huzzah!!!

From Constable Heartless: I am very happy to report that the 18th annual African-American Festival to support the Peninsula Sickle Cell Anemia Association was an outstanding success.  I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the crew for the support and encouragement.  This event each year as many of you know is very near and dear to my heart and is one of the few ways I have to give something back to the community that has supported me for many years.

I would especially like to thank Barnaby Wilde, Malyson Haight, Black Ross, Lady Olive, Miss Kittyhawk Heffwit and Mr. Cutter for being able to adjust their busy schedules to  attend the festival. Your efforts were above and beyond the call of duty especially since Saturday was probably the hottest day that we have experienced so far this year. 

The efforts put forth to support the Peninsula Sickle Cell Anemia Association by a small number of very dedicated people such as the members of the Blackbeard's Crew this year will ultimately benefit many others by giving them hope and a higher quality of life.

I have received numerous favorable comments about the Pirates attending the festival. I have also learned that there was several staff members from the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters present at the Festival.  They were excited to see the Pirates and help spread the word throughout the festival that the Pirates have appeared on a number of occasions at King's Daughters Hospital.

In addition, we provided that little spark of light in the eyes of so many young people and started them down the road to an interest in history.  We have definitely acquired a number of new pirate fans after Saturday.

Attendance at the Festival was down somewhat from previous years but understandable with the current cost of fuel but we were definitely noticed.

One of the Executive Festival Committee members told me that even though we are Pirates, God has reserved a very special place in heaven for the members of the Blackbeard's Crew for their efforts to support such a worthy cause such as the fight against sickle cell anemia. 

Constable Heartless

ND_Crew_Afrikan_American_Festival_(web).jpg 134K View Download

On June 13th, Black Ross (as Blackbeard) and Lady Olive assisted the Vigilant Crew (V.C.) on a successful raid on Pohick Bay Park.  After acquiring practice cutlasses that Blackbeards Crew generously loaned to the V.C. for Scalawag School, we headed up to Lorton, VA. 

On Saturday, we raided Pirate's Cove water park and harassed patrons, posed for pictures, and created mayhem.  We were invloved in the ribbon cutting ceremony and then it was off to battle Blackbeard and his crew.  A large crowd had gathered to see the battle.  Cannons and guns blazed away at Blackbeard and his crew aboard their vessel, The Spirit of America, but they were determined to make it ashore.  The militia suffered several casualties at the hand of the pirates and the rest were hauled away by the press gang.  Next, the V.C. opened up the encampment to visitors and put on fine demonstrations of pirate life including weapons, seamanship, navigation, candle making, etc.  Later on that afternoon, the V.C. conducted their first Scalawag School assisted by Blackbeard and Lady Olive.  We had about 24 kids in the class.  The crew did a great job and the kids were just thrilled!

It's always a pleasure to attend events with our friends, the V.C.  The raid was a great success.  Huzzah!