What do you get if you cross a vampire and a snowman?
Frost Bite.

Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year
from The Tempest Twins Fan site.

Welcome to the Vampirate fans from Mexico, France, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Tuvalu (a Polynesian Island). Also a thank you to those from the Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand (Aotearoa), Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Tonga, Ukraine, United Kingdom and of course the United States (Commercial, Educational and at home) who have visited us in the past.

St Mary's Island, off Madagascar was an important place where pirates used to get their ships repaired. When a ship was beached, this was when pirates were most at risk of attack.

Black Powder, Gun Powder, Lift Powder, Grain Powder, and Meal Powder are basically the same material, an explosive mixture of sulfur, charcoal and potassium nitrate or saltpeter. Because it burns rapidly producing lots of hot solids and gases, that can be used as a propellant, it is ideal for the cannons. But it won’t burn effectively if it is wet, moist, or damp.

Welcome to the Vampirate fans from Spain, Singapore, Italy, India, Thailand, China, Portugal, Armenia, Ukraine and New Zealand (Aotearoa) and Czech Republic. Also a thank you to those from the Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, Sweden, Tonga, United Kingdom and of course the United States (Commercial, Educational and at home) who have visited us in the past.

The English term for a pirate flag is the Jolly Roger. It is thought the name comes the french joli rouge meaning pretty red. This was as the early pirate flags, which were hoisted before a battle, were blood red. They signified there would be no survivors. Later pirate captains designed their own flags, they were usually white on red or black backgrounds. Around the 17th century the white on black pirate flags come to be nicknamed Blackjacks and the skull and crossbones emblem was nicknamed the Jolly Roger. The flag was then used to warn victims to surrender without a fight. This tactic was very effective, lots of booty was gained without blood being shed.

Our competition winner is Sailor Black Anne Read, Well done. Thank you everyone who contributed. I tried to do it as randomly as possible, all entries were on the same size paper, folded in the same way and then my almost three year old pinkie, Swabbie Calico Bess Flint, mixed them up, put them in the tankard and then picked one out.