So, I decided to change my profile picture as advised…Upon looking for a picture, found my namesake to fit me like a whoroscope 😉
Here is the story of the pirate named Graybeard.
Captain Albert Kendall Hall, an ambitious seafarer from Cornwall, England, rapidly rose through the ranks to become one of the youngest captains in the history of the British Royal Navy. In 1702, at just twenty-five years of age, he was easily distinguished by his unique, prematurely gray beard. While commanding the man-of-war, HMS Gratitude, Hall’s unflinching, steadfast courage against the Franco-Spanish Fleet in the Battle of Vigo Bay earned him the nickname La Roca which translates into “The Rock.”
Here’s the best part…
British naval historians believe that after the destruction of the Spanish at Vigo, La Roca illegally pillaged a huge bounty of silver, gold and “other fabled treasures” from the doomed galleons of the richest treasure fleet ever to sail the Spanish Main. Her Majesty, Queen Anne, summoned the triumphant La Roca back to England in 1703. She had fully expected to bestow upon him a well-deserved knighthood for bravery and exemplary service. However, to her shock and humiliation, the captain unexplainably absconded with his loyal crew of six aboard Gratitude, making off for the New World with much of the stolen treasure. Graybeard having discovered the secret map marking its secret location, he got underway immediately making toward the northern passage to the Land of Pleasant Living.
Gotta love Captain Halls style. F~~~ you bitch, I earned this and you want me to give it to you and then work harder as a knight? I’m taking your (HMS) Gratitude and am off to retire with my mates. Bitch went after him but he was (of course), smarter.
The long version is even better…
The long version ends with he has treasure, taken from the bitch, doesn’t use it! Still happy.
The name fits me just fine:
-I have a gray beard
-I retired early and have found my northern ‘Land of Pleasant Living’
-I am not competitive ”Fearing that pirating would be too competitive in the Caribbean, Graybeard plotted a course for Delmarva on the northern coast of Virginia.”
-My determination gets me through anything “Gratitude suddenly stopped – she was hopelessly stuck in the mud and was unable to turn around. Once again, the Captain’s remarkable resourcefulness came to bear. Graybeard ordered all men ashore, whereupon they began clearing a road for transporting the ship’s contents over-land where they would reclaim it upon reaching the Chesapeake Bay. For several weeks, the pirates labored unloading cargo from the stranded ship and carrying it to a hiding place on the Chesapeake side of the passage. They called this hiding place, Chesapeake City. When the last of the cannons and treasure chests were removed, Gratitude was once again afloat and ready to make sail.”
-I have an agreeable wench “Before long, they had all found beautiful wenches, who would allow them to fish, sail and drink as much beer as they pleased.”
-I’ve even been called ‘Rock’ many times.
Might have to take a ride on the BMW this summer to Rock Hall, Maryland. Maybe early August…Aaarrrggg!
Oh the silly s~~~ I do with my time…Ha!
Upon further research on Cpt. Hall, I found that he and the HMS Gratitude do not exist in any british records.
The total gain from the Battle of Vigo Bay was only 14,000 british pounds. It is figured the Spanish unloaded silver worth 3 million pounds off the treasure fleet before the battle.
The ships sent by Queen Anne were supposedly led by the grandson of Sir John Hawkins (1532-1595). So, do the math, his kids were born around 1562 (Richard) who had kids around 1600. The grandchildren of Sir John Hawkins would be over a hundred during the Battle of Vigo when Cpt. Hall was 25. No Jay Hawkins is in the records of the british navy in that time.
Graybeard is a great tale of the sea created to help the oppressed free themselves and continued to enable a town to have a pirate party.
Yup, still works for me…
Gravel Pit 2 years ago.
