.

Sidebar Header Graphic

.

Haunted House Art HEDZ Horror Props Costumes

PSJ Title Main

Pirates of Paynetown 2010 Page Menu:   P   1   2   3   4   5   6   E       Next>>

Pirates of Paynetown 2010 - Bloomington, IN

Preparing the boats for battle
(Photo: Mission)
Chapter 5th: Why Andrew had to retaliate; How the boat crews formed for battle; What happened in the ship-to-ship fighting; Who fired cannon and What happened when the pirates took to land. Also comments on a very strange battlefield romance, hat games and other oddments.

The ominous party on the bottom of the previous page announced that we were going to engage in more ship-to-ship than ship-to- shore fighting . This made sense from a ship point of view because not many soldiers showed up at the edge of the water where the boats were during the battle. Arriving at our little reserved boat beach, we found Priddy Princess captain Andrew Priddy involved in a contretemp (left) over the sale of his boat the previous night during the Sailor's Divvy. I didn't explain this then, so let me now. Michael Bagley had put Andrew's boat on the auction block and had planted several folks to bid it up very quickly. It got to about $2G before Andrew turned bright purple and Michael fessed up.

Andrew's boat at Paynetown
(Photo: Mission)
Following that bit of fun, everyone started shipping their boats into the water. (This was where I had to lose my socks - so much for that promise!) Andrew's boat was the newcomer to the battle scenario. He had Nathan and a guy in a top hat whose name I know not with him. Their boat was to be the target of the pirates. (Heh heh.) Everyone had their eye on that top hat. Meanwhile, the pirates were out enjoying another traffic jam in the middle of the water while they waited for the battle to commence. Mike Dollinger's boat the Wespe was out again with the same crew (below left.) So was Jay Henderson's boat the Tantrum (below center). The Mercury crew (us) was smaller than Sunday, so six of us loaded into the Green Black Sheep (below right). Mark Gist served as the captain and hand cannon shooter with Michael Bagley and Jay Babcock rowing the boat. Silas Thatcher (red kerchief) and Sam were our gunners. I was in the back, steering. (A bad choice. I knew I should have taken that left turn at Albuquerque!)

The Wespe, Sunday Battle ready
(Photo: Mission)
The Tantrum, Sunday Battle ready (Photo: Mission) The Black Sheep, Sunday Battle ready (Photo: Jessica Bagley)

Crew of the Firefly looking ahead
(Photo: Mission)
We in the Green Black Sheep all stood - or, rather, sat - ready to fire (right). In preparation, Mark Gist to arose to fill our craft's hand cannon with black powder (below left). Finally the order was given for the attack to begin. A lot of the effort was focused on attacking the Priddy Princess per the plan. (Below center. That wee craft firing on them in the right side of the picture is called...well, I don't know what it's called. That's why I haven't mentioned it yet. It contains Tracy Garland (firing) and young Bradley.) Of course, we would have fired on the PP without the plan because it also contained event organizer Nathan Logsdon. Some of our shooters also fired upon the land, perhaps for dramatic effect, because it sure didn't do any good. (Below right: Silas Thatcher unloads his weapon toward the shore.)

Blacksheep rowers (Photo: Mission) Priddy Princess boat approaches us (Photo: Mission) Firing pistols towards land (Photo: Mission)

View of the boats during battle from cannon
(Photo: Jessica Bagley)
The British folks on land weren't just sitting there merrily humming "The hills are alive...with the sound of gunnnn- fire..." while our boats shot towards shore. No! They were manning the cannons and waiting for those of us in our boats to get within cannon shot range. (At left.) Had we been smart, we would have stayed well clear of the cannons. We weren't and we didn't. (Not because we were stupid, but because we knew they didn't have any cannon balls. Did I ruin the mood? Sorry.) Some exciting cannon-fire photos were caught like the crew below left. (Note to young readers who've never re-enacted: those two people in the foreground are not talking on their cell phones. They are covering their ears. It's hard to hear someone on a phone when your ears are ringing from cannon fire.) Chole Black got in on the action as the person in charge of firing the gun. Below center, Chole sets off a charge as load rammer Brandon Scott covers his ear. Below right, she cover her face in embarrassment because she totally missed.

Guy on cell phone by cannons during battle (Photo: Thatchers) Chole not dressed for battle (Photo: Jessica Bagley) Brandon and Chole on cannon crew (Photo: Jessica Bagley)

Tantrum landing on beach during battle
(Photo: Thatchers)
People running from ships during battle
(Photo: Thatchers)
Eventually shooting at the Priddy Princess without any ammo got sort of boring, so the pirates decided to make landfall and attack the Paynetown British defenders. At left, the Tantrum lands, disgorging Chris Anderson and Jay Henderson. That's Mike Dollinger coming down the beach.

At right, Stephen Priddy and Nathan come running from the Princess in a dramatic moment - preparing to attack. The pirates took up offensively defensive positions on the beach. Below left are girl I don't know, Chris and Suzanne Larner at the ready. Below right we find Jay Henderson, Suzanne (still behind the sign) and guy and girl I don't know.

Chris Anderson and Suzanne Larner during battle (Photo: Jessica Bagley) People crouched on beach ready to attack (Photo: Thatchers)


(Photo: Jessica Bagley)
The colonials or British defenders or whatever they were weren't just standing around. They were...well, they do kind of look like they were just standing around at right, don't they? Maybe they were posing. Or perhaps they were waiting for the opportune moment. I know exactly two people in that photo - the guy in the kilt is Michael Stevens and the girl crouched down on the ground is Andrea Logsdon. The rest...who knows? Anyhow, the defenders eventually got into the swing of things and started priming and loading their weapons in preparation for the pirate assault (below left). Can't you just hear all the cocking of weapons and clicking, like in the movies? Unfortunately, it is almost nothing like that. So you might want to get your ears checked. Once the defenders got their weapons loaded, they fired a volley at a safe 30 degree angle. (Below center - they wouldn't want to hurt anyone, you know.) I promised to give you a better shot of Andrea Logsdon, and here we are (below right). I call it, "Andrea - stand and deliver!"

Defenders prepare their weapons (Photo: Thatchers) Defenders fire their muskets (Photo: Thatchers) Andrea Logsdon in a dramatic pistol shot (Photo: Jessica Bagley)

The Black Sheep pulling into shore during battle
(Photo: Thatchers)
While all this battle sturm und drang was occurring, the Green Black Sheep was just pulling into port. It did not quite produce the intense, ordered, rushed scramble of pirates that the other boats had. In fact, I just stayed in the boat with Jay Babcock and took poorly thought-out photos of the land battle (below left) that started between our crew and the crew of the Priddy Princess (who arrived several pictures ago.) Our crew went after them with gusto, as can be seen from the photos below. They raced onto the shore and accosted Andrew Priddy (in the dark blue jacket), Nathan (who doesn't appear anywhere in the photos below except as a corpse on the beach, and the guy with the top hat whose name I do not know (in the top hat. Obviously). After dispatching, several of the Thatcher camp came forward to attack Sam, which is something I think we can all appreciate.

Mission in the back of the boat (Photo: Thatchers) Silas Thatcher enters the fray (Photo: Mission) People fighting on beach (Photo: Mission) People fighting more on beach (Photo: Mission) Capturing Sam Stein on beach (Photo: Mission)

There are few events I have attended that can compare with Paynetown for the sheer volume of corpses that turn up after a battle. If I were giving awards for number, manner and type of corpses, I would definitely have to bestow it upon this event. The beach was littered with the things just like last year, creating a really decent idea of what results from a real battle as well as an opportunity for your ship's surgeon to practice his trade. Of course, all my surgical instruments required for this opportunity were sitting on the table several pages ago, so all I could do is stare at them while Michael stole their possessions (below right.)

Bodies lying everywhere on beach (Photo: Thatchers) Michael counting bodies (or something) (Photo: Thatchers)

Pirates take the camp!
(Photo: Jessica Bagley)
While we were all fooling around on the beach wading through fake corpses, interesting things were going on in the heart of camp. Since the pirates had defeated the British, they were busily going about taking camp, harassing the prisoners and deposing the Governor, Gavin Kelly. At left we have the pirates (including Mike Dollinger in the print shirt) corralling the captured British prisoners (one of whom is Andrea Logsdon - the one in glasses, in fact) with the help of some women in bikinis. There are no tourists during times of war. Below left, Tracy Garland gives a poor soldier a bad time with her gun and...something...what it that? A sword? A branding iron? A Nganga's juju stick? That's the Governor there looking on helplessly. Then the pirates led the Governor off to what was doubtlessly a horrific fate, below right. Or maybe they were just taking him out for tea. It's hard to say for certain.

Capturing the Governor (Photo: Jessica Bagley) Leading the governor away (Photo: Jessica Bagley)

Now, amidst all the gunfire and slaughter and taking of cities by pirates, I think it is appropriate to take a moment and recognize that even during open warfare, love can blossom. Take the case of Sam and Carol. (Carol is Connie Thatcher's friend and her old boss.) Yes, Sam and Carol were in the midst of battle when they fell together in a pile in the surf. Sitting there, arms akimbo and legs a-tangle, they traded meaningful glances over their weapons (she - a dainty axe, he - a sensible belaying pin). This lead to dancing on the beach amongst the corpses, weapons still at ready...*sigh*...how can anyone comprehend the ways of love? Of course, real life set in and Sam said one of those things he's forever saying and the next thing you know she goes all Lizzie Borden and Alfred Hitchcock camera angles on him. (If you knew Sam, you'd probably understand.) Still, the point is that even in the middle of a conflict, love finds a way. (It ended in a grisly murder in this case, but it did find a way.)

Sam and Carol in the water 1 (Photo: Thatchers Sam and Carol in the water 2 (Photo: Thatchers) Sam and Carol in the water 3 (Photo: Thatchers) Carol hacks Sam with the hatchet (Photo: Thatchers)

Another interesting little vignette occurred that I think it's worth drawing attention to that concerns the guy with the top hat. No, I don't know his name (even though he has appeared in both of my Paynetown Journals.) Yes, I think the top hat is funny. Thus you have this. Like me, pirate Michael spotted the guy with the top hat from the Priddy Princess lying prone and apparently mortally wounded following the above-described skirmish. Of course, pirate re-enacting is all about the hats. OK, it's not, but hats are certainly the most poignant part of the fascination with period clothing. No one wants to sit and prattle on about their constantly bagging long period socks - well, almost no one. The longish and hot waistcoats are not a source of great interest either. And who would wish period pants with no pockets on anyone but their enemy? (Besides, if we all started switching pants, well...I think you see the complications involved.) But hats! Ah, hats! If someone has a hat that is not a tricorn (which are as common as dirt at pirate events), then you have something! So Michael naturally wanted to try on the top hat. The guy is playing dead, right? This resulted in the series of events below.

Michael stealing hats 1 (Photo: Mission) Michael stealing hats 2 (Photo: Mission) Michael stealing hats 3 (Photo: Mission)

Kate Bagley in the Patck Hand Original Hat
(Photo: Mission)
Grace Thatcher  in the Patck Hand Original Hat
(Photo: Thatcher's Collection)
Speaking of hats, there wasn't quite as many people trying on the Patrick Hand Original Planter's Hat, although Kate Bagley indulged (at left). Of course, my pal Grace Thatcher had missed out on the Thatcher pictures from the Fall Columbus '09 Journal that started all this silly wearing of my hat, so she had to don the chapeau. That's Zach behind her. I think he's jealous that she gets a photo with my hat, so he's making his own darned hat! He gets points for creativity, if not execution.

Pirates of Paynetown 2010 Page Menu:   P   1   2   3   4   5   6   E       Next>>