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Michigan Pirate Fest, August 2012 - Grand Haven, MI
Photo: Mission
Billie sorting out the rope for the Forsaken's gibbet
Chapter 2nd: Saturday daytime - Including setting up the period correct corner of the Michigan Pirate Festival; A detailed look at the various displays the Forsaken and Mercury crews put together and Various musings by your author upon them.
When I arrived at the festival, I looked for the Pyrate Surgeon parking sign which I knew that Dennis Dufrense had made for me. Not finding it, I just parked close to the Forsaken site. People were busily setting up their displays. The
Photo: Mission
The ancient Roman's putting together their site (with modern tools, I notice.)
Michigan Pirate Festival was quite large - perhaps two football fields or so. Our site was straight down from the entrance in the back corner. (I would have put us in a back corner too.)
I quickly set up the surgeon's tools on the table under the fly Mark Gist had generously provided for me. Then I walked around and watched everyone else setting up. (I did not offer to help - I had to take photos for the Journal, you see.)
The event seemed to consist of two parts: a Renaissance Faire style part and a bunch of periods reenactors part. If I understood this correctly, Trudi Dufrense had been largely behind bringing in the various period reenactors. As you can see from the photos, there were people from all different eras. It was an interesting concept and I shall be curious to see what happens with it in the following years.
 Photo: Mission Civil War reenactors setting up |
 Photo: Mission M.A. d'Dogge assembling gibbet parts |
 Photo: Mission The official fuel of set up |
Photo: Mission
A pirate pontoon boat that was located at the entry gate to the event.
As promised, the site opened at 10am. I was sort of hoping the first hour would be light on traffic. It was, but not light enough - there were people at my table within 5 or 10 minutes of the opening. The folks in and around Grand Haven took their pirate event seriously!
The traffic was steady throughout the day, but not pressingly heavy, so I was able to get out and look around. There was so much to see that I couldn't possibly put it all on one page, so I'm going to focus on our site on this page and give you a taste of the many other things that were happening around the location on a later page.
Our site was located on both sides of the walking path, so I'll start with the right side and then move over to the left, explaining various displays in the order in which they appeared.
The first thing on the right was the
Kid's Booth put together by the Sos Boss Crew Collective.
Photo: Sos Boss
Carla and Becci at the Kid's Booth
They had just acquired a new tent that could double as a fly. They were once again taking kids names and comments and handing out plastic treasures to the children who stopped by. I noticed that Becci was usually the one manning the booth while Carla went out into the walkway and guided families over to their table. (Carla needs to keep moving around and interacting with people or I suspect she gets bored.)
A new wrinkle had been added to their display since the Put-in-Bay event: a bead assembly operation in the back. You can see Carla in a photo of it below center. It was kind of a neat thing to do, particularly because many of the times I saw it going on, the dads seemed to be just as excited to be involved as the kids.
Photo: Mission
Dad supervising the bead factory operations
I asked Carla where they got the beads from and she said they bought them for the event. She figures they spent a couple hundred bucks to purchase the giveaways for their tent. Of course, they keep all the bead necklaces that the families make and sell them on eBay as a way to fund the Sos Boss Collective Christmas Party. (I'm kidding. I hope.)
Speaking of the Sos Boss Collective - the first word is actually spelled out when you say it - S - O - S, not run together like it looks on their Facebook page. I note this because several people this weekend were calling them Soss Boss, which they accepted with equanimity even though it was wrong. I suspect the reason it looks the way it does is because Facebook does not allow you to have odd capitalizations in your user name. (I know, I tried. I thought the Pirate Surgeon's Journal Facebook page would appeal to a younger, dumber audience if I changed it to alternating caps - tHe PiRaTe SuRgEoN's JoUrNaL.) So I figure they just went with Sos Boss. The collective may be a powerful force in the universe but even they can't overcome Facebook rules. (You must be Timelined!)
 Photo: Sos Boss Becci working the kids booth |
 Photo: Mission Carla and a family making bead necklaces |
 Photo: Sos Boss The Sos Boss Crew |
Next to the Kid's Booth, on the inside corner of the walking track was
Photo: Mission
Trish and Shannon in front of their booth.
Shannon and Trish's booth Shananigens. They were selling leather goods as well as various items that we reenactors had given them. She had my amputated hand business card holders and tooth necklaces on display. (Of which Trish said they sold one necklace. I am a complete failure at marketing my own product.)
Trish was once again working during the day and Shannon was once again... doing whatever it is that Shannon does. Showing off the products to prospective customers by walking around wearing it? He and Carla have something in common.
A little side area had been set up next to their booth with snacks for the re-enactors. While I was sitting there, Trish told me most of her sales were of eye patches for kids. I told her that I had put together an article on eye surgery and hadn't found any proof for eye patches on pirates during period. She looked a little alarmed and said, "Don't spread that around! They're my best sellers this weekend!" (I then told her I didn't find any proof against them either.)
 Photo: Mission Customers at Shananigens |
 Photo: Marci Kroska How do you spell Shananabananagenzs? |
 Photo: Marci Kroska Shannon doing what he does best. |
Photo: Sos Boss
Mark talks of the role of boats
That was it for the right side of the walk way. The left side had several more stations set up. The first was Mark and Jenny Gist's display. Actually, they had two displays - Mark's boat the Firefly and a navigation/weapons display which was sitting under their fly.
Mark had brought the Firefly for the sail-in that was scheduled for Friday evening. Unfortunately with the weather being so rainy and cold, the sail-in was cancelled and the Firefly never left her trailer. She did provide a nice lead in to the PC pirate displays, though.
Photo: Dolphin Danni
Putting up the Firefly's sail
Mark used the Firefly to explain the role of small boats in the careers of pirates. We have several accounts of a small group of pirates using such boats to sneak up to and capture larger boats so that they could begin their careers in earnest. (Sometimes you have to start small.)
From there, he guided his students over to the navigational table where he had several instruments of navigation to explain. He had recently put together a reel for his chip log so that he could explain the concept of knots. (If that's all gibberish to you, knots are the way to measure speed at sea. The rope on the line has knots tied at regular intervals and the chip log caused the reel to pay them out so that speed could be measured. If that also sounds like gibberish to you and you want to understand the concept, see this web page.)
Mark also had several weapons including guns, a blunderbuss and his cannon that he could explain. Mark's wife Jennie was also quite involved in explaining the display whenever Mark wandered off or when people appeared at the table while Mark was explaining the role of small ships to another group. They had quite a display.
 Photo: Mission Mark explains the astrolabe |
 Photo: Mission Mark with navigational stuff |
 Photo: Mission Jennie at the navigation table |
 Photo: Mission Jennie showing a blunderbuss |
This brings us to my surgeon's table. But before we talk about that, I want to talk about my parking sign because I know you're all dying to hear what happened to it. (Anyone who has read a Journal has already heard more than enough about the surgeon's table. If you haven't, you should go here and start reading all the Journals, one-by-one, in order before you read the rest of this one so you can appreciate that last stupid comment.)
Photo: Mission
My truck for the weekend, posing with its sign
I toddled on over to the Dufrense tent and talked with Dennis who said he'd get right on placing my parking sign. Which I understand that he did. Then Thomas Alleman, who arrived on Sunday afternoon, parked directly in front of it. Apparently Thomas can't read. So I uprooted my sign and planted it in front of my truck as you see at right. Unfortunately I couldn't get it to stay, so I wound up putting it back in front of Thomas's car.
Since my surgical instrument table was laid out and ready to go when the gates opened, I stepped up and entertained all comers by explaining whatever 17th century tool or operation the public wished to hear about. (I will not repeat any of that here. If you've never heard my presentation, you need to go here and read every single article I've written so far about period surgery before you read on so you can appreciate that stupid comment.)
In the middle of one presentation, a kid arrived and announced - right in the middle of my presentation - that he was selling real pieces of eight, two for a dollar. Smack in the middle of my presentation! He stopped me mid-sentence! So I bought two to make him go away. (I must say that they were pretty good replicas - not like the plastic junk you usually get.) The people I was presenting to also bought a pair. He could be a heckuva used car salesman. Or a politician. (I'm presuming there's a difference.) It turned out that the salesman was Zeke Dufrense, one of Dennis' sons. He was pestering one of the vendors who gave him the basket of coins and told him to take them around and see if he could sell them.
 Photo: Sos Boss Surgeon's tools - dramatic shot |
 Photo: Dolphin Danni The surgeon with his tools - not so dramatic shot |
 Photo: Dolphin Danni Zeke Dufrense selling fake doubloons |
In between seekers of ancient surgical knowledge, Jennie Gist noticed my barbering bowl and asked me about it. I explained that I had had it custom made by J. Henderson Artifacts. She said it reminded her of Don Quixote, who wore one on his head in the musical version of the play. I knew a little of this play, thanks mostly to the treatment done by Pinky and the Brain, but I didn't know about the barbering bowl. So Jennie posted a link to the video of the song Golden Helmet of Mambrino which I include here for those of you who want to see what she was talking about. It's just another example of the amazing bits of culture you get exposed to in between patrons at a Pirate Festival.
 Photo: Sos Boss Barber bowl with special guest Lob |
 Photo: Stolen Don Quixote and the Golden Helmet of Mambrino |
 Photo: Also stolen Don Cerebro and the Silver Helmet |
Photo: Rootjack
Jeff Ryden as the lone Viking
Next in the procession along the left side of the walk way was Diane Ryden's cooking display. Before I explain that, however, I need to take you back several virtual steps to Diane's husband's display. Jeff Ryden was portraying a Viking with a view towards historic pirates of the past. (You could argue that Viking technically weren't pirates but I don't know enough to refute you, so you go right ahead and argue.)
Photo: Mission
A traditional Viking tent. As far as I know, anyhow.
Jeff was located several places before us and wasn't technically a part of our display. He was a part of our group, however, so I wanted to include him here so that you could see how much trouble he had gone to for this event.
Diane had a pretty elaborate cooking display, although it is kind of hard to show here because it wasn't closely grouped. You can get a sense of it in the photo below left. Diane and Jeff both do their presentations living history style from what I saw. They don't actively seek the attention of the passing crowds the way the rest of us do - they just inhabit the roles they choose. So I can't really give you an elaborate description of their displays. Instead I give you these photos so you can appreciate their work.
 Photo: Mission Girls at the cooking display |
 Photo: Sergio Mazzotta Diane Ryden - Living History Display |
 Photo: Sergio Mazzotta A close up of some of Diane's display |
Photo: Dolphin Danni
Mary Diamond manning the Tavern
Just past the cooking display was the Forsaken encampment and all that that contained. The first thing in line was the tavern, which was really quite well done. A table had been set up in front where people gathered throughout the day to sit. If someone from the Forsaken was handy, I believe they explained the period tavern.
Rats filled me on on this. The tavern's actual name is Tyburn’s Last Drop. Rats said that Tyburn gallows was a three section gallows in England where criminals were hung. Criminals were paraded through the streets from Newgate Prison to the gallows, and as the procession passed the local taverns, the doomed man would be given a drink to see him off. Tyburn’s Last Drop was the final tavern. (Note that this is an indirect tie-in to gibbets and punishment devices by the Forsaken crew. Taken with what is discussed below, it's an Interesting thread that weaves through many of their displays.)
It's always kind of interesting to talk with the folks from the Forsaken because they know interesting bits and pieces about period life like that. I spent a good half hour on Friday chatting with Billie about various aspects of the sailor's life.
 Photo: Dolphin Danni Rats at the Forsaken encampment |
 Photo: Mission The Forsaken Tavern open for business |
 Photo: Sos Boss The girl's tent - it's so tidy! |
Photo: Mission
"OK, who wants a letter that allows them
to legally commit piracy?"
Tucked under the far side of the Tavern was Mary Diamond's writing display. She was making out Letters of the Marque which allowed recipients to legally attack ships of enemies of Britain. (I presume it was Britain.)
Photo: Marci Kroska
Mary Diamond hard at work writing letters
It was pretty busy during the weekend at the surgeon's station, so I wasn't able to see Mary very much and find out how her patter went as I had been able to do at Put-in-Bay. During the brief period I was able to listen, I heard her gracefully drop the fact that ink and paper she had made and was using were both on sale across the way at Shananigen's. If I'd have paid more attention, I might have learned how to market pirate teeth properly. I will have to think more on that.
When things were slow, Mary was also writing letters to crew members, something which I'll explain in the next chapter. In fact, I don't know why I even mentioned it here. (Other than the fact that I needed to fill a bit of space. Oops, I'm giving away my secret techniques...)
Photo: Mission
...and this is fun for you why?
In the very back corner of the Forsaken's display were the stocks and the gibbet. I have been tireless in noting how bizarre I find the public fascination with being strapped into period torture devices and yet it has been a real crowd magnet every time the Forsaken have done it. You couldn't pay me to get locked inside of those stocks - it's a sort of claustrophobia I have, I suppose. Even so, there were people practically lining up to be locked inside of them.
Photo: Marci Kroska
"The one thing my honorable mother taught me long ago
was never to get into a car with a strange girl. But you,
I'm afraid, will get into ANYthing with any girl."
The gibbet doesn't seem as bad as the stocks. You're at least somewhat free to move about in it and you get to force everyone else to do the raising of the gibbet work as they sing M.A. d'Dogge's favorite chanty: Haul Away Joe. All the 'victim' has to do in the gibbet is stand there and watch. Well, they also have Billie's skunk thrown at them, but since it's just a puppet, that's doesn't seem so bad.
Incidentally, I forgot to mention that several of the women to whom Billie offered the skunk had started calling it 'Kitty.' I think they were referring to felines and not giving it a proper name, but since Billie hasn't named the skunk himself, I'm going to refer to the skunk as Kitty henceforth. It makes sense, doesn't it?
 Photo: Mission Singing 'Haul Away Joe' |
 Photo: Mission We always knew he would come to a bad end. |
 Photo: Mission Throwing the skunk at the gibbeted. |
So that completes the tour of the period correct corner. It is always nice to see so many displays at an event as it gives both the reenactors and the visitors something to do. Plus it's educational. Especially when you see Kitty flying towards your head.