Blackbeard The Pirate

I imagine that most everyone in America has at least heard of Blackbeard the pirate. According to what I read, Blackbeard was the most notorious pirate in the history of seafaring. Little is known concerning his origin, but documents suggest he was born in Bristol near London, England. Some say he was born in America, but that is highly unlikely. He was probably born around 1675, and his real name was thought to be Edward Teach.

Though most publications mentioning the pirate by name over the past couple of centuries have identified him as Edward Teach, the majority of primary source documents written during the time of his activities indicate that "Thatch" or some other phonetic derivation (i.e., Thach, Thache, etc.), was actually the name he was going by at the time. The name Drummond is mentioned by one early source, but this is not supported by the vast volume of other documentation.

As a young seaman, he likely served on a British privateer that was based in Jamaica, an island in the Caribbean. Privateers were privately owned, armed ships hired by governments during time of war. The privateers' mission was to attack the ships of the enemy. Queen Anne of Britain allowed Teach's privateer to plunder French and Spanish ships during the War of the Spanish Succession and to keep stolen goods. By war's end, Teach had become an experienced sea robber. He then joined a group of fierce Caribbean pirates.

In A General Historie of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates it says that Blackbeard was a tall man, well over six feet, and that he often fought, or simply showed himself, wearing a crimson coat, a big feathered tricorn hat, and having multiple swords and knives about his waist, and bandoleers stuffed with pistols across his chest. He braided his beard and tied the braids with black ribbons, and then stuffed burning rope or cannon fuses under his hat to make him self look more ferocious and menacing. With a beard that almost covered his face, he would strike terror into the hearts of his victims.

The sight of Blackbeard was enough to make most of his victims surrender without a fight. If they gave up peacefully, he would usually take their valuables, navigational instruments, weapons, and rum before allowing them to sail away. If they resisted, he would often maroon the crews and burn their ship. Blackbeard worked hard at establishing his devilish image, but there is no archival evidence to indicate that he ever killed anyone who was not trying to kill him.

Blackbeard made a home base in North Carolina, a British colony, near a string of islands called the Outer Banks. From there he preyed easily on ships traveling the American coast. Local townspeople tolerated his presence because they liked to buy the goods he stole, such as cloth and sugar. Pirate goods were usually cheaper than imported English goods. The colony's ruling officials turned a blind eye to Blackbeard's “import” business.

Blackbeard's piratical career lasted only a few years, from 1713 – 1718, but his fearsome reputation has long outlived him. Blackbeard had worn out his welcome in the Carolina’s when in November 1718, Virginia’s governor Alexander Spottswood sent Lieutenant Robert Maynard with two sloops to attack Blackbeard. Maynard sailed from the James River on November 11, 1718, in command of thirty men from HMS Pearl, and twenty-five men and a midshipman from HMS Lyme. Spotswood gave Maynard command of two hired sloops, the Ranger and Jane. Maynard found the pirates anchored in a North Carolina inlet on the inner side of Ocracoke Island, on the evening of November 21.

Early the next morning, the Ranger and the Jane closed in on Blackbeard’s ship, but both sloops were temporarily grounded in pursuit. Blackbeard killed several of Maynard's men with cannon grapeshot and tossing grenades. He boarded Maynard’s sloop thinking he had the advantage in men, but Maynard's remaining troops rose from hiding spots in the hold and a fierce fight ensued. During the struggle, Maynard fought Blackbeard and shot him in the shoulder, but Blackbeard kept up the fight until another officer came up from behind and gave him a fatal blow with a sword. Upon seeing their leader fallen, the others quickly surrendered, and the battle ended. Blackbeard was no more.

How To Spot A Bear!

Pirates and bears, bears and pirates, what do they have in common? Absolutely nothing that I know of! I do know that I like to read about pirates, and I love the history and all that there is to learn about how much the act of piracy has to do with the very establishment of these United States.

I also like bears, especially the black bear; probably because they are the only bears that I have encountered in the wild. On more than one occasion, I have come across a black bear and have been absolutely enthralled by it. One might ask where you can go and see a black bear in its natural habitat. According to http://www.bear.org/ their range is over most of the forested regions of North America, including all Canadian provinces, Alaska, at least 40 of the 50 states in the continuous United States, and significant portions of northern Mexico.

In the eastern United States, the black bears range is continuous throughout New England but becomes increasingly fragmented from the mid-Atlantic down through the Southeast. In the Southeast, most populations are now restricted to the Appalachian mountain chain or to coastal areas intermittently in all states from Virginia to Louisiana.

My encounters have been in the western part of the US, and most recently in Canada, specifically in the Canadian Rockies along the Colombia River Basin. I was way up north visiting the Mica Dam, a hydroelectric dam spanning the Columbia River 135 kilometres north of Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada. It is also the dam farthest up the river on the Columbia River Basin.

The reservoir below the dam was a fishing ground for bald and golden eagles, a site that left me speechless, but then came the bears. Black bears roamed all about, and it became instantly clear that my associates and I were not at the top of the food chain. This was a remote and primitive area, and bears were everywhere, and it was fantastic!

Shortly after visiting Mica, as well as the Revelstoke Dam, I went over to Whistler, which is a few hours north of Vancouver. It is also where they will hold many of the skiing events during the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympic Games. While there, I had the opportunity to walk the slopes where the slalom events will take place, and to visit the bob sled and luge tracks.

While walking up the mountain, you had to be careful that you did not step in poop, bear poop that is. Even down in the Olympic Village, the bears had come calling and left their mark. The bear’s habitat is being disrupted by the construction efforts as our neighbors to the north prepare for the games, and the bears are simply curious to see exactly what is going on. Great strides are being taken to protect the bears and to relocate as necessary, but largely the approach is to coexist and leave them be. It seems to be working.

My point to today’s blog is to share a few simple points about how to see a black bear in the wild. The following pictures should help spell it out. First, go where bears live:

Once you get there, look for warning signs about bears being in the area:

Next, look for signs that bears are in the area.

Finally, you will find a bear; or bears as the case may be. However, follow all of the rules and do not attempt to approach or feed or encroach on their space. Keep a safe distance, travel in numbers, stay in your vehicle and take in the moment, snap a few pictures and move on!

Lastly, changing the subject entirely, CONGRATULATIONS BRAD!!! My son graduates from Salisbury University tomorrow. That now makes four through college, with one at med school. Once again, a very proud papa bear!

Polar Bears International (PBI)

In a previous blog I urged readers to find out about what the impact of the melting polar ice is having on polar bears. While there are more polar bears on the planet than there were twenty-five years ago, I think it is important to educate ourselves on what is going on and what the polar bear’s declining habitat means to all of us. Again, I don’t know about all of the issues surrounding global warming, but it’s easy to see that something is going on, and it is directly affecting polar bears. There are several organizations that can help educate you and tell you more about what exactly is happening, like Polar Bears International (PBI).

PBI supports research projects that benefit the world's polar bears, and that is all that I am advocating here – education and research! PBI's educational efforts include a number of innovative projects collectively known as the Adventure Learning Program. PBI's core mission is to conserve the world's polar bears through research and education, and they are dedicated to understanding and communicating all points of view on issues affecting polar bears throughout the world. 100% of all donations go to the initiatives. To find out more, go to http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/.

A Pirate of Exquisite Mind

I just finished reading one of the most interesting books that I have read of late; A Pirate of Exquisite Mind: The Life of William Dampier: Explorer, Naturalist, and Buccaneer, by Diana and Michael Preston. I was not familiar with Dampier, and being an avid reader of all things piratical I came upon this book while visiting the gift shop at the San Diego Maritime Museum. I thoroughly enjoyed it, I was fascinated by what was presented here, and I find the story of Dampier’s life to be almost unbelievable.

In case you are unfamiliar with Mr. Dampier, allow me to introduce you. William Dampier, born in September of 1651 (died in March 1715) was an English buccaneer, sea captain, author and scientific observer. He was the son of a tenant farmer, and went to sea in the 1670s, eventually joining a crew of buccaneers who had no problem crossing the line into out right piracy. Over the next 40 years, he wandered around the globe and spent years in the Caribbean, raiding Spanish ships and settlements. As he traveled, he recorded his observations in journals that he managed to preserve in bamboo.

He was the first Englishman to explore or map parts of New Holland (Australia) and New Guinea. He was the first person to circumnavigate the world three times. The information he recorded produced three travelogues, beginning with A New Voyage Around the World in 1697. His books became bestsellers, and he published the first account of Australia's aborigines and the first English description of the zebra, the breadfruit, and the effects of marijuana. His writings galvanized generations of scientists, writers, and explorers.

While he was a pirate; or a buccaneer as he claimed, he launched dozens of raids on gold-laden Spanish ships, and marched through Panama's jungles to sack cities for their gold and treasure. However, what distinguished him from an ordinary pirate was his sharp eye for observation. He was the first self-made naturalist to visit the Galapagos; his sketches of the region's turtles set the stage for Darwin's future visit. He also drew detailed maps of nearly every place he visited, charts that defined Western Europe's knowledge of the Americas and the South Seas.

Diana and Michael Preston, in A Pirate of Exquisite Mind, describe him as “the greatest nautical explorer-adventurer, British or otherwise.” Charles Darwin called his books "a mine of information" and took them aboard the Beagle during his exploratory cruises. Jonathan Swift and Daniel Defoe used his experiences as inspiration in writing Gulliver's Travels and Robinson Crusoe. Captain James Cook relied heavily on his observations while voyaging around the world. Samuel Taylor Coleridge called him a genius and "a man of exquisite mind."

Dampier has more than a thousand entries in the Oxford English Dictionary, and he introduced hundreds of words into the English language, including barbecue, chopsticks, and kumquat. Dampier's powers of observation were astonishing. He was the first to deduce that winds cause currents and the first to produce wind maps across the world. His insights when on land were equally acute: For example, he introduced the concept of the "sub-species" that Darwin later built into his theory of evolution, and Dampier's description of the breadfruit was the impetus for Captain Bligh's voyage on the Bounty.

For the life of me, I cannot recall having ever read about Dampier during any history class at any level, which troubles me. Perhaps I missed class that week or the public school system, not to mention my college alma mater, which I will not mention, did not adequately educate me about this “exquisite” explorer. No matter, I can’t wait to pick up a copy of his own writings from his first published manuscript, A New Voyage Around the World.

If this was your introduction to Dampier, then I highly recommend you pick up a copy of the Preston’s book, as it presents an extraordinary story about one of the most fascinating people of the 17th century. Perhaps like Dampier’s own work, recognized as the first “Travel Guides,” it will spark your imagination about that incredible period of discovery. Pirate aficionado or history buff or simply having an inquisitive mind of your own, A Pirate of Exquisite Mind is a great read!

Brew At The Zoo And Wine Too!

For today’s posting there are a few things I need to address, the first of which is HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my youngest set of twins! Keeping in line with that theme, CONGRATULATIONS on your pending graduations!! This weekend, my daughter graduates from Radford University; and in two weeks her twin brother graduates from Salisbury University. I’m one proud Poppa Bear!

So, there will be no book event this weekend. However, next up is the BREW AT THE ZOO, a fund raising event at THE MARYLAND ZOO IN BALTIMORE. It takes place Saturday, May 23 & 24, from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Come on out and sample many of the area’s finest craft beers and wines while you enjoy great music at one of The Maryland Zoo’s biggest events of the year!

They will have give-aways, VIP tents, lots of merchants, delicious fare from a variety of vendors, artisans and authors (that’s me), and a fun-filled Kid Zone. I will be hanging about in the Kid’s Zone, selling and signing books to help raise funds to support the zoo, so come on out and help this worthy cause, and “… partake in the delicious brew and wine tasting and relax while we provide YOU with A ZOORIFFICLY WILD experience you’ll never forget!”I advise you to purchase advance tickets online NOW! This event will happen RAIN or SHINE. Tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. The event is a popular one, and it will sell out! Go to the Maryland Zoo website and buy your tickets, today!

Next topic concerns a rather sensitive issue, but one that should be fundamentally important to us all; that being the plight of the Polar Bear. I am not going to go into a lecture here, but I simply ask that you educate yourself as to what is happening to the habitat of this wonderful and majestic creature. I don’t know about all of the aspects of Global Warming, but I do know this; if we don’t do something to stop the melting of the polar ice this animal will not be around a whole lot longer. It’s a sad situation, and we need to do what ever we can to help save this species from becoming extinct!

To learn more I encourage you to visit a couple of web sites, World Wildlife Fund and Polar Bears International. There is a tremendous amount of information on both sites, and be sure to watch the video featuring Noah Wyle when you are at the World Wildlife site. Remember, “Even the simplest everyday activities can make a real difference to the environment.” GO GREEN!

More Book Signings!

Wow! I never realized it would be so difficult to find the time to keep up with a blog.

Since my last posting I have been working on the second book in the series, shooting to have it to my illustrator, Ruth Palmer, so she can start working on the illustrations as well as spending the weekends at book signing events, and working on the website!

Let’s move on, by looking back at the past few weekends. The last weekend in April, we were at the Warrenton Wine Festival in Warrenton, Virginia. I know that that was not what the website schedule had slated; and that’s another thing proving difficult to keep up with! Please check in a few days and the schedule will be up to date and take you through the rest of the spring and into the summer events that we are planning.

Back to the Warrenton Wine Fest; that was a great deal of fun! Pat Daly, the owner of Books and Crannies, clever name by the way, put together a schedule for a variety of local authors to attend and sign their books. I was there both afternoons of the two day event, met a lot of nice folks from the area, and signed quite a few books. Several local wineries were present, there was live music, food and other artists and vendors, and it was a good time had by all.

Other authors included Marc Leepson, who was promoting his new book, Desperate Engagement. Ellen Crosby, the freelance reporter for the Washington Post, was there with her series of murder mysteries set in the Virginia Wine Country. Her latest effort is The Riesling Retribution. Susan McCorkindale was also there, promoting her new book, Confessions of a Counterfeit Farm Girl, which she describes as Sex in the City meets Green Acres. You just have to read that!

It was a pleasure meeting all of them, and I sincerely appreciate Pat working me into the schedule at such a late notice.

This past weekend we were at the Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds outside of Annapolis, Maryland. This was the Great Grapes Wine, Arts and Food Festival, and again, that was not what the schedule said, but we are changing our updating procedure at this very moment. The GGWAFF had a lot of promise, but the weather did not cooperate on Sunday and we had to pack up our tent and run for it, and I mean that literally.

We will give it another shot the weekend of June 13th and 14th when we set-up at the GGWAFF at Oregon Ridge Park in Cockeysville, MD. However, we have other events scheduled before that, so check out the events tab and see where and when Blackbear the Pirate makes his next appearance. I hope to see you there! Happy Cinco de Mayo!!