Corkscrew Trading Company - Sailing, Pirate, and Island Lifestyle

We Love you Christina

2010-12-08T18:17:00.000-08:00

As always, we love our celebrities. Christina Aguilera had some sexy pictures leaked. While celebrities deserve their privacy like the rest of us, we understand the interest, this the need for corkscrew refuge. See you in the Bahamas....

Back to the Beach

2010-11-15T07:23:00.000-08:00

Well, the Corkscrew Season has begun in the Florida Keys, South Florida, and the Bahamas! We have just finished sailing from the Chesapeake Bay and Marths Vineyard (where we spent the summer) to out home island in the Bahamas. The season for drunken parties, feasts on the beach, and living large has begun. Who will be our guests this year? Who knows.... after our first two seasons of amazing castaway beach parties word has gotten out. We have had numerous requests from many actors, sports stars, musicians, and even business leaders....who will show? That rock star, movie star, or perhaps a famous athlete? Could our beaches host Jessica Alba , Lady Gaga , Kesha , Rhianna , Tony Romo , Leonardo? Well, the list of those in contact for amazing vacations is long....we'll see.....You can be assured that we will keep you updated on the hedonistic good life and hopefully you can have a little fun reading of our exploits.....Who will be spotted? Who knows?

Secret Celebrity Vacation Spot? A-listers Spotted?

2009-07-20T06:15:00.000-07:00

It has recently been leaked the that a famous group of celebrities were seen being boated to the Corkscrew Pirate Compound in the Bahamas. Yes, it is true and we will not divulge the names, though they are out there on the net. The isolation and true hedonistic nature of the island is why so many celebrities party with us. Please respect their privacy. Though we like to post about our parties, please respect the privacy of us as well as our guests. Corkscrew locations have never been revealed and luckily we have not seen them posted on the net. Our facilities are quite remote. Celebrity vacations happen all the time here and they often use our remote locations to get away from the spotlight. We will continue to post updates and stories as long as it does not lead to harassment at our locations.

Powerball Jackpot to Jackpot o' Rum

2009-06-11T05:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple nice drink recipes you're sure to love. Nice tropical drink recipes.

Coconut Water and Rum-Fill a glass with ice
-Fill half up with Coconut Water
-Add Condensed milk to taste
-Throw in a shot of white rum
-Grind some nutmeg over the top

Gauva Punch-Fill a pint glass with ice
-Fill Half with Gauva Juice
-Add a good shot of Pineapple Juice
-Throw in a shot of white rum

A PowerBall Winners Story...Some Answers.....

2009-04-24T05:31:00.000-07:00

I've gotten many emails asking me not only about winning the Powerball, sharing Powerball stories, but what it's like to have money and hang with stars. I guess I could indulge a bit. Though this site is not really about powerball winners stories, it's more about therapy for myself and having something to occupy my free time. In the end, the blog is more about my own little hobby then winning the powerball or hanging out with celebrities. Just a fun thing for me to do as I sit on a boat or on a beach with my laptop and a satellite card. Anyway, as far as winning the powerball...it's a great feeling...a little shock at first as you never think you are going to be that 150 million to one person. But after the initial shock wore off and the initial spending took place, that's when I figure it was time for a change (see previous posts.) Luckily, I didn't invest money right away...with the market and all, so I never took any of those stock market losses. In fact I bought a lot of stocks at their lows. I don't wear fancy watches, Armani suits, or drive flashy cars...I usually haven't bathed in days (except for swimming in the ocean), the hint of beer and rum usually emits from me, and my wardrobe consists of a stained Hawaiian shirt, cargo shorts, and flip flops. The transformation into a party pirate...hey...what can I say. I have fun almost every day. I run a few bar and grills and host parties. Thats about it. As far as meeting celebrities...it's not really that hard. When you have tons of cash you find yourself very welcome at the best restaurants, resorts, fund raisers and parties. Just sort of happened. Then for some reason as these celeb types heard my story and what I do all day, they just sort of wanted to hang out with me. See, nothing really magical, just sort of happened. As far as naming celebs, sharing locations, or dates, you can probably guess I keep that quiet for obvious reasons. All that being said I still love sharing my stories as they are just plain cool...at least I think they are. In the end while I do this as a hobby in my spare time, I still like to see people reading my site and it brings a smile to my face when I see people wearing a Corkscrew t-shirt. Hopefully you all will enjoy my writing, stories, and other useless rants. Please share this site with your friends as it keeps me going to know people are reading.

New Corkscrew T-Shirts and Junk!

2009-04-24T05:28:00.001-07:00

Check out our great new Pirate T-shirts and Sailing Clothes! Pirate and Island Apparel for those looking for unique t-shirts and gifts. Even a new Pirate Corkscrew Thong!

Chillin and Grillin...Bahamas Beach BBQ

2009-04-23T11:58:00.000-07:00

Mojito Chicken Skewers

Chillin and Grillin on a beach, yeah I know it's something we do everyday. Well, here is a very nice recipe I figured I'd share. First Skewer up some chicken, green and red peppers, and some white onion.

Next, take all this:

1/4 cup chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups fresh orange juice
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Simmer it in a pot for about 5 minutes. Let it cool down, then soak out the chicken in it. Finally, grill the skewers till fully cooked. These are a great afternoon or evening treat. Have a bit of Corona with it!

Let the Pirate Festival Begin!

2009-04-23T09:48:00.001-07:00

As the heat of summer begins to penetrate the Caribbean we're working on not only setting up a last of the season pirate festival, but planning on splitting our time between the Bahamas and the Chesapeake Bay. We're going to do a last party before heading north for a bit. The celebrities are lining up for this one! We'll be hopefully going nuts sailing the Chesapeake for most of the summer before heading back to the islands. The last party, set to begin in 3 weeks is already in planning and we're going out in style. With our new pirate compound designed for the true heathen we're setting the bar even higher. Our list of celebrity A and B listers set to attend is now at 7, plus many behind the scenes producers, directors, and even a few fashion designers! It's all on the hush hush (no celebrity sighting here!) as our private parties are, but these people will be arriving for 5 days of mayhem!

Bahamas Pirate Party Compound Progress

2009-03-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

Wow, have we been busy building our Bahamian home! The main house have been roughly pieced together. We've built a large bar area, a nice outdoor kitchen with spits and grills, and indoor kitchen, a power center (with batteries connected to our solar, wind, and backup generators), A large outhouse with solar showers, outdoor bonfire, BBQ feast area, massive hot tub, and have even started building guest shacks. The guest shacks are basically 15X15 thatched roofs, canvas walls, and hammocks inside. We did run a small electrical line to each shack to provide one light and an outlet. It's pretty primitive, but has what you need. It all about low maintenance and hedonism here. The bar area has a large fridge and an ice machine (this kills most of our energy, kind of have to run in lots and be very careful) . The kitchen is really two...and indoor and an outdoor. The indoor is still open but covered. It nothing more then propane and charcoal grills and burners. At the edge of the beach we have our bonfire area with a side area as an outdoor kitchen. This has a stone oven and a fire pit with steel grates and spits. Next to this and the bonfire area we have a series of tables and a feasting area. There must be 100 hammocks all over and beach chairs and umbrellas everywhere. Most of the compound is at the tree line and just inside. The rain collection and cisterns are up. We have quite a few food-grade 55 gallon drums as well as a buried 500 gallon tanks. they are all kind of piped together. We use gravity and hand pumps to disperse the water. We've also rigged big tarps to funnel water into the collections tanks when it rains. We have no shortage of water now. This is completely amazing. Most everything is running...we still have work to do everyday, but we usually chill early in the AM, work right around 10-12 siesta in the early afternoon, chill late afternoon, and then feast and party all night. Right now we have 12 Corkscrew Pirates living on the island.

The Provisions Roll In! Pirate Compound Growing!

2009-03-07T07:30:00.000-08:00

As I was sitting on the beach late yesterday having a cocktail my delivery ship arrived a day early! With the help of my crew and a few of the ships crew we were able to get everything ashore just after dark. A generator with large fuel tank, another wind turbine and tower, extra battery backup batteries, a small ice machine, and about 250 cinder blocks (this was a tough move)! We also got about 20 sheets of corrugated metal, for roofing. Today we're going to clear some areas for bungalows, which will be 2x4 framed, cinder block based, corrugated steel roofs, and the walls will be a mix of netting, thatched palm leaves, and canvas. Doing a bit more work on the main house as well. Running some more electrical, cinder block shell for storage, electric, kitchen, etc. Building an outdoor fire pit will grates and spits for grilling. More supplies to arrive in a few days.

Corkscrew Pirate Beach Community

2009-03-06T12:28:00.000-08:00

Like my little Bahamas beach hut? Well, we've settled on our new property. Some changes but we ended up on a small cay in the eastern Bahamas. While I didn't buy the whole island, I got 75% of it and the rest of the island is uninhabited with no others living on it, so it's as good as ours. We have about 6 acres on this pristine island. We have a very small cove and dock for a few of our boats and a nice stretch of perfect white sand beach. I've been here a few weeks now getting a mooring in place and repairing the dock. I've also set up our first residence, a supply shed, and a small beach bar. This is true tropical, island, pirate living. I just had a small wind turbine and a few solar cells put up, so we have enough power for a few light and a fridge. Also put in a rainwater collector and cystern as the island has no source of fresh water.....which is probably why I am the only one living here. Oh well, let the games begin.

Being a Pirate, not all Fun and Games......

2009-01-15T09:47:00.000-08:00

It may sound like an easy job, playing pirate, but it's a lot of work. First when you wake up you must decide what to do that day....should I explore, going sailing or just pass out on a beach. Next you must acquire the necessary beverages for the day. Finally, you must plan your dinner and nightly party. In any case yesterday I decided to jump on my little 24 ft sailboat and scoot around to some of the smaller local cays. I found the very small scrap of an island with the most amazing beach! Wonderful. I anchored just off shore and took the zodiac in. The beach was small, but spotless! There was no one around and looked as if no one had ever even been there. There is a bit of scrub and a rocky shore on the one side and a pristine beach on the other. I am considering using this spot as my next castaway adventure.

Happy Bahamas Holidays from the Pirates!

2009-01-13T06:47:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the delay in writing friends! It's been a busy and party crazed holiday season in the islands. After spending some time alone on a desrted island I decided to rejoin the world for the holidays. Though I expect I will re-do my adventures alone on an island over this winter. We spent much of the time in our current location living a bohemian lifestyle on a deserted cay in the Bahamas, but we are now sailing through the Turks. Weather has been nice and we are in the midst of planning another celebrity laden beach party in the Caribbean. Updates to Follow!

Eaten by a Shark! Almost.....uninhabited island risks!

2008-10-03T08:14:00.000-07:00

Hmmm....ok, so I am waste deep fishing and all the sudden I freeze as I feel water rush past my ankle. I look down and see a 4 foot shark swim by. I don't think I took another breath for about 10 minutes.....but quickly got to shore. Wow! Anyway, last night was fine. Read by campfire, slept on the beach, grilled up some more fish and even a lobster that I caught. I am going to try and catch enough conch to make a decent meal. I still have not seen any boats or planes, I am really out there. It's very peaceful and relaxing knowing you're on the edge of the world. Living on an uninhabited island life Robinson Crusoe is pretty nice, but it does have it's challenges.

Pirate T-Shirts and Sailing Clothes

2008-10-02T07:59:00.000-07:00

Check out our great new Pirate T-shirts and Sailing Clothes! Pirate and Island Apparel for those looking for unique t-shirts and gifts. Even a new Pirate Corkscrew Thong!

Pirate Castaway Journal

2008-10-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

Please excuse the time delays/crossovers, posts are being done by my friends while I am marooned on this uninhabited island, trying to act like a pirate castaway! As stated I am on an uninhabited island in the Bahamas acting like a shipwrecked pirate. Why not right? I think everyone has at one point dream of being a castaway on a tropical island...right?

Well, I've cheated a bit and brought a lot of supplies. I've set up my small camp just inside the treeline, overlooking an amazing beach and crystal clear Caribbean waters. I am out there, haven't seen so much as a plane or boat in 24 hours. I have a small camp (hammock, screen room, tent, small fire pit) as well as 3 thermacells to keep the bugs away. Drinking Doorleys Rum, which I've brought a great supply. I did manage to catch a nice Bone Fish shortly after my arrival which I grilled over a fire with fresh tropical fruits. Amazing! Ihave been spending the first day setting up camp and getting settled in, as I am not sure how long I will be here. I have a small solar cell to keep my satellite phone juiced. I will also be sending updates via txt message to my friends which they will post.

Pirate, Island, Sailing T-Shirts

2008-10-01T07:24:00.000-07:00

We've got some great new Pirate T-Shirts! Check out the store which feature pirate, island, sailing, and wine gifts! Our unique designs bring you into the Corkscrew Pirates Lifestyle!

A Pirate Castaway I am..(Caribbean Castaway Unihabited Cay)

2008-09-30T11:26:00.000-07:00

A Pirate Castaway I am!Ok, need a bit of a break After watching castaway for the 20th time I have decided to take a break from society (not that I have it that bad down here.) I have found a very small unihabited Cay in the eastern bahamas and will make myself a castaway on it. I may actually think I am apirate...not sure...reality is quickly fading :) -Anyway, my island is in a remote part of the eastern bahamas and get's almost no traffic. This cay is small, less then 10 acres I suppose....no water either...uhhgg. It does however have great beaches, fishing, and a center of thick vegitation. This is a pretty remote island. Moored off it a few times and never saw a boat. Here's what I am taking: 20 Gallons of Water, A Bunch of Food, Rum, Hammock, some books, Sleeping Bag, String and Rope, Some tools, some fishing equiptment, a portable screen room, a tent, basic supplies. Ok, I know, a real castaway wouldn't have all that! I am adventursome, not crazy. A local I know who live about 10 miles a way has been paid to bring me water and check on me every few days as well as take messages back to my crew to post on this blog so you can follow my progress. This place is amazing and very beautiful...I am not sure how I'll feel about it after a few days.

Castaway! Funny Island Story

2008-09-26T05:55:00.000-07:00

This is a great story of a man who decides to try being a island castaway, not in the tropics, but on a small island in New York City. Really funny......

The idea first takes my fancy on a 747 stuck in a holding pattern over JFK. Looking down from my miserable prison in the sky, I notice what I never do on a map: islands. Little egg-shaped ones in the East River, specks of green just past the harbor’s mouth; there are even some surprisingly sizable blobs right next to the airport itself. What if, I think to myself in a high-altitude fever dream, the plane crashed and no one noticed? What if I were a modern-day castaway, marooned on an island? Could I survive in the wilderness? Did I have what it took? On my favorite TV show, Man Vs. Wild, I’ve seen Bear Grylls make insect repellent on the hoof, squeeze drinking water from elephant poop, and set up a homey little camp with little more than the clothes on his back. Surely, I think, I could hold my own for a couple of days in the wilds of New York.

Read More...NYMag

Great Sailing Article

2008-09-26T05:14:00.000-07:00

Really good article from a great online magazine......

Based on my experience sailing from St. Croix to Myrtle Beach at the same time last year, I knew I would have plenty of time to attend my father’s 90 th birthday celebration on the 23 rd of April if I departed St. Croix by the 5 th of April (last year it took me 12 days).

I departed early morning on the 4 th, and had a pleasant sail past St. Thomas and Culebra, and up towards the east coast of Puerto Rico. I had decided to follow the same route as last year, except that I would stay much closer to land in the event of any problems. My route was to go past Puerto Rico, the Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas, staying within fifty miles of shore. After the Bahamas, I planned a straight offshore route direct to Myrtle Beach. The best laid plans…

Pirates at Home in the Turks and Caicos

2008-09-25T07:46:00.001-07:00

Chillin in the Turks and Caicos! Pretty much sailing and grillin every night. A few of the pirates have returned as well, another group set sail for the Bahamas to check on the Bar and oversee some work at the Bahamas poperty. Finishing up some details on out new beach pirate community in the Bahamas, working up site plans, and hope construction will start in 6 months on the Corkscrew Pirate Compound!

We've started plans for an amazing week between Christmas and New Years. Looking at a crazy Pirate beach party ending in a New Years Eve beach party! We've confirmed 7 celebrities who will be in the area anyway. Word continues to spread and we have some serious a-list celebrities coming to the party! One serious music mogel, one hip hop star, two prime-time actors, and three BIG movie stars! This could be our biggest star-studded event yet! Two are actually bringing chartered yacths and mooring them off the beach! Keeping location, list, and details hushed as this would be a big press draw, which we don't want. Details to follow. OK, wow, update as I am typing this. Just got an e-mail from out previous fanmous musician, he'll be attending as well and has agreed to perform on New Years Eve with his full band! This guys sells out arenas, so what a treat!!!!!

Namibia Shpwreck Found

2008-09-24T12:14:00.000-07:00

Two and a half weeks more - this is the only time a multinational team of archaeologists have left to salvage what they can from the site where the remains of a centuries-old shipwreck emerged from the ocean floor near Oranjemund on April 1.

A massive, man-made wall of sand that has pushed back the sea so that diamond-mining company Namdeb can extend its search for diamonds to what would normally be part of the seabed is set to be given over to the forces of nature again around October 10.

More...

Blackbeard the Pirate Shipwreck

2008-09-24T12:12:00.000-07:00

Researchers on the wreck of the presumed Queen Anne's Revenge (QAR), Blackbeard's flagship, will conduct the fall dive expedition Sept. 15-Nov. 7, and they are thinking big.

The highlight of the thousands of artifacts they expect to recover is a cannon about eight feet long and weighing more than a ton, at about 2,500 pounds. It will be the 12th cannon recovered.

"Cannons are favorites among tourists and museum visitors, and the large number of cannons found at this wreck site only adds to Blackbeard's lore," said QAR Shipwreck Project Director Mark Wilde-Ramsing.

More....

Pirates Strike Again!

2008-09-24T05:31:00.000-07:00

Somali-based pirates struck again yesterday, hijacking a Greek-owned, Bahamas-flag bulk carrier with 19 crew on board, bringing the number of vessels believed to be now held for ransom to 13 and to 24. This latest attack reportedly occurred off eastern Somalia in the Indian Ocean while most other recent attacks on merchant vessels have been in the gulf of Aden.

As reports of attacks and actual hijacking continued to to come in representatives of the the European Community Shipowners' Association (ECSA) had talks on Friday with the EU officials responsible for co-ordinating a European response to the piracy crisis in the Gulf of Adenand Indian Ocean. ECSA welcomed early contact with the recently formed EU Naval Coordination Cell.

More....

Pirate T-shirts and Gifts are available in our online store.....

Top Earning Pirates

2008-09-24T05:22:00.000-07:00

Chek out our new Pirate T-shirts @ Corkscrew Trading Company! Great Pirate shirts, T-shirts, and gifts.

The Top 10 colonial-era pirates in terms of wealth (in 2008 dollars), as determined by Forbes magazine:

1. Samuel "Black Sam" Bellamy: $120 million

2. Sir Francis Drake: $115 million

3. Thomas Tew: $103 million

4. John Bowen: $40 million

5. Bartholomew "Black Bart" Roberts: $32 million

6. Jean Fleury: $31.5 million

7. Thomas White: $16 million

8. John Halsey: $13 million

9. Harry Morgan: $13 million

10. Edward "Blackbeard" Teach: $12.5 million

Englishman Samuel "Black Sam" Bellamy, whose sunken Whydah ship is immortalized in a private museum in Provincetown, emerged as the wealthiest pirate in Forbes "20 Highest Earning Pirates" list published Friday. Forbes described high-seas piracy as "the colonial era's version of investment banking."

more....

Sailing the Pacific

2008-09-19T05:04:00.001-07:00

T o this day, Steve and I both still have a hard time trying to identify an exact moment or date when the idea of cruising the worlds oceans entered our minds. It didn't happen occur as a split second decision, nor a burning desire to fulfill a lifelong dream. Rather, it came to us at a time when both of our adventurous clocks seemed to tick in time together. We were on the same wavelength and were looking for a new challenge. It was then that the idea to cruise in a sailboat evolved.

That was nearly three years ago. Back then, when we made our decision, we realized that we were taking on a project that was something huge. We didn't think getting a boat or ourselves ready for an adventure of this magnitude would be easy, and we had a hunch that there would be many obstacles along the way. But somehow, we felt that no matter what it would require, this was something we wanted to try, and now, while the opportunity was there for the taking.

View the whole log....

Sailing the Caribbean...very good sailing journal

2008-09-19T05:04:00.000-07:00

In the summer of 1995, after some years of planning and preparation, my friend Sarah and I gave up our jobs in the City of London to take a year off and sail across the Atlantic to the Caribbean. The original plan was to do the standard "Atlantic Circuit" and sail the boat back to England the following year. But when we were there, we liked it so much that we decided to leave the boat there, go home to earn some more money, then come back and carry on. This we did, returning last February for Trinidad Carnival.

The intention then was to work for six months each year in the UK (during the summer) and then sail for six months in the Caribbean. This, broadly, is what I have been doing since then. For brief information on the most recent trip (December 97 to May 98), see that section.

Read More....

Party Up - Heading Home

2008-09-17T09:27:00.003-07:00

Party went very well tonight and I managed to fix the problem with the boat. I am heading out this morning. I'll be sailing to my house on another island in the Turks. Need a break from the partying. My crew will be enjoying the party for another day and then cleaning up the site. They'll meet up with me in the Bahamas next week. We'll basically be chilling out for the next month or so until Thanksgiving, then we'll all fly up to the US for Thanksgiving, probably into Philly or BWI and spend Thanksgiving with friends and family. We'll see if we can convince a few extra people to join the pirates. On a side note I've purchased a nice peice of land in the Bahamas, very isolated with it's own beach. I am planning on building ten full size huts (bedroom, kitchen, bath, living room, porch). I'll let my crew live in them! Looking into the permits to establish a dock and marina bar there as there is a deep water channel right next to us I could probably lease. I'll need moorings and docks for the whole fleet, which should not be a problem.

Visiting the Bahamas

2008-09-17T09:27:00.002-07:00

The Bahamas is an archipelago comprising 2,500 cays and 700 islands. The islands have a sub-tropical climate, extremely warm and friendly people, and the clearest waters in the entire Caribbean region - according to the astronauts. It isn't surprising that tourism is the island's largest industry.

It will be fun for you learn about the island's history before actually visiting it, simply to know about the diverse characters in its past. You will find tales of the notorious pirates, Calico Jack and Blackbeard, and Loyalists who escaped the American Revolution to reconstruct their lives on the then known British soil. It's very interesting.

More....

Pirates on the Beach - Hangin out Island Style

2008-09-17T09:27:00.001-07:00

Well, another great party is winding down. We have another 2 days, cutting it short. Everyone is chillin on the beach, making music, grilling, acting like pirates and dancing. We're thinking of another pig roast tonight and a final blow-out! Working on the engine of one our Hunter sailboats, some issues. Once I get that done, we'll prep for our pirate party tonight and start marinating the pig. There are some new t-shirt design for Corkscrew Pirates, so check em out! Two of our celebrities left the party, had to go back and attend business state side, we still have out celebrity chef, our CEO, and our musician though. Says he wrote a new song yesterday that will be on his next album. Very neat!

Sailing News

2008-09-17T09:27:00.000-07:00

20 monohulls from the latest generation have been specially designed and built for the 2008 Vendée Globe by architects from around the world. Two opposing design options: on the one hand, a large beam and power, on the other, the lightweight minimalist approach. All of the races in the 2008 season and the qualifying passages that the Vendée Globe organisers make compulsory for the skippers, have enabled the boats to be developed and improved. In the end, the fleet is fairly homogenous, made up of boats, which are very similar in terms of performance and which could well improve on the record set by Vincent Riou (87 days, 10h and 47 mins) by five days of sailing. We shall start to get some ideas about that in just a few weeks!
More...Yachte.com.au

Nevis - Caribbean, Island Life

2008-09-17T06:51:00.000-07:00

My companion Juliet and I were bouncing in our rusty old jeep along a dusty road on the tiny Caribbean island of Nevis – dodging huge potholes, gormless goats and scampering monkeys – when we passed an old man who was riding a small donkey with his long legs dangling almost to the ground. He was chatting volubly on a mobile phone.
For us that moment summed up the irresistible appeal of the prettiest of all the West Indian islands, for Nevis manages magically to blend the old and the new, to exude a delightfully old-fashioned charm as well as offering almost every modern comfort.

More....telegraph.co.uk

Nice Read - Sailing Story

2008-09-17T06:47:00.000-07:00

Whether he was building boats or sailing them, that now-famous line from The Wind in the Willows was an apt description of British-born nuclear engineer Wilf Kidd's take on life.

"As soon as he left work, he was doing something involved with the boat," his son Richard, a well-known area teacher and musician, said Monday.

"And from a family point of view," he added, "that was our relationship - working on the boat and crewing with him, and going (as his four children did) on these incredible journeys to the islands of Scotland, the Hebrides.

Read More - Telegraph Journal

Powerball Winner Stories Q&A

2008-09-16T08:06:00.000-07:00

Well, with some great questions, decided to do a little Q&A session based on that. Q

(Q)What's it like to wine the Powerball? (A) It's good. A bit surreal at first as I think no one every "really" thinks it will be them that wins.

(Q)What made you decided to do what you do now? (A)Well, after wasting a year after winning and not being really the better off for it I started to think of what would be the perfect life. Decided that would be not being overloaded with fancy toys and masions, but living an amazing life sailing from house to house in the Caribbean and having parties non-stop. That eventually led to opening a few low-key bars.

(Q)How did you first start getting celebrities to show up at your parties? (A) Wasn't as hard as you would think. My first year or so in the islands was spent sailing, buying a couple houses, and having crazy beach parties for friends. In doing that you do meet lots of people, including celebrities who are vacationing. Invited a few here and there and word sort of spread. No real formula.

(Q)What is your typical day like? (A) There really is no typical day and it really depends. Sometimes I just lay on the beach reading, sometimes I am doing business with my bars, sometimes managing my boats and properties, other times setting up the next big party.

(Q)Where are your bars located and can I go? (A)We kind of like to keep a low profile and can't really have just tons of people showing up. That's what makes our parties and bars special. Our bars have small staffs and caretakers so we are not real concerned with actually making huge profits. We basically make enough to keep the place open so we basically have stopovers all around the Caribbean. We may however do contests to invite readers to parties.

(Q)Why do you blog about your life? (A)I guess it's kind of therapy and a way to connect with the real world. Allows me to vent thoughts and experiences as well as look back at great times. I also like the fact that people can kind of share in my good fortune in a way.

(Q)What's your favorite thing to do? (A) I would say sailing. It's a quiet, relaxing, and yet demanding passtime. Here is a picture of the inside of my Hunter Boat!

What a night!

2008-09-16T05:44:00.000-07:00

Well, our celebrity chef did show and our provisions came in. While not crazy and not slow the night turned out to be a great resting point. We watched out chef make his magic, roasting another whole pig, grilling pineapple chicken and coconut shrimp. We had another impromptu Bob Marley concert by our bagpipers followed by yet another jam session with our celebrity musician...bagpipers backed him up. Everyone ate, drank, and danced the night away. Another batch of RUM punch disappeared...argggg...it's a pirates life for me!

Updates......arrrgggg

2008-09-15T05:52:00.000-07:00

First, check out the new t-shirts in our store! We have some really crazy pirate t-shirt designs, fun stuff! Last night turned out to be more of a relaxing beach party night then the night prior, which was simply crazy (see stories below). Last night ended up as just stories, lots of music, and grilling up great foods.
Seems like the party burn out hit after a few nights of drunken partying. I expect from past trends that tonight will have a bit more and then out final nights will be crazy as hell. We plan on sailing and playing on jetskis all day today. Actually got a "celebrity" chef to join the party. He will be here later today and has agreed to host the feast tonight! That should be a real treat.

Update: Party Raging!

2008-09-14T06:12:00.000-07:00

Hurtin' this morning! The party when truly old school with drunken reveling way into the AM. Total guests at this point are about 43! The pig roast was fantastic. We cooked the pig in a hot box under the sand and pulled it out for a feast. All our celebrities and VIPS showed, even the tentative ones and.......we even got two additional!
One is a well known Hollywood producer, but I'd still say that counts as celebrity, especially with the blockbusters this guy has done. And the other is a TV star from (not) one of the main networks. The feasting was non-stop, the drinking was heavy, singing and dancing on the the beach like cannibals. Our bagpipers continued to convert Bob Marley songs, out one celebrity musician did a 7 song set, and there were many playing bongo drums all night as the rum drained, the bonfires roared, and the limbo and dancing escalated. Amazing!!!! These are the parties you hear about, crazy old school roman style parties....except on a tropical beach. Wow, the stuff you see. I am siting here amazed at this sight. The smell of food and smokey fires still lingers. The smell of fresh brewing Jamaican Coffee is hangin in the air. I am looking one direction and passed out in a pile of people under a tarp is a guy who's sold millions of albums and packs stadiums. I looked the other way and theres an actor in a hammock with cargo shorts on that you usually only see on the red carpet in a tux. Next to a pile of empy rum bottles there's a guy who just had a huge summer movie. Then there's about 40 other people scattered all over the pace. My crew is rushing around on 4 campfires cooking up fresh coffee, grilled sausages, homefries, and pancakes. Quite a sigh indeed. Another day of beach fun ahead, having a half dozen jetskis brought in as well as a big inflatable island for the shore.

Beach Party Update

2008-09-12T05:09:00.000-07:00

Well, the first official night kicked off! The party lasted well into the night with top notch entertainment, great food, and way too much rum punch. We had a few guests arrive in boats and even had one of our VIPS arrive in a chartered sea plane. Fires raged on the beach and the smell of grilled chicken and pineapples hung heavy on the beach. Our bagpipe crew did manage to convert a few Bob Marley songs to bagpipes which sent the party over the top. The sun is up and the Pirates and our guests survived! I am in town getting some last minute provisions and the day will be spent prepping for tonights feast. We are bringing back a whole pig to roast on the beach in a hot box. Tonights feast should be even crazier as one of our celebrity musicians is planning a guitar only set. Most people are sleeping in again and will spend the day playing volleyball, singing, tanning, and playing games.

Beach Party - Turks and Caicos

2008-09-11T11:55:00.000-07:00

Here's a cool beach party pic! The party lasted into the night and was nuts! Opening ceremonies are always a good time.We should have an amazing party tonight. Got some very cool people coming in and just fixed a 6 gallon batch of rum punch! We have over 20 lbs of chicken and veggies marinating in Jerk Sauce for skewers over the beach fire tonight. Amazing thing.....we had two guests show up with bagpipes! Somehow with outr crazyness bagpipes on a carribean beach seems very fitting. Their trying to learn Bagpiped Bob Marley songs....hysterical...especially when your drunk. All the boats as well as a few palm trees have Corkscrew Pirate Flags hoisted! Well have some more updates soon!

About the Corkscrew Trading Company

2008-09-11T11:39:00.000-07:00

Corkscrew Trading Company is blog that covers the adventures of a powerball winner who is living the island and pirate lifestyle in the caribbean. Days are spend sailing, having beach parties, sailing the caribbean, having crazy rum filled adventures in Turks and Caicos, Bahamas, Florida Keys, and the Virgin Islands. The Corkscrew Trading Company manages exclusive bars, houses, beach parties and provisions.

The Party Begins!

2008-09-11T09:29:00.000-07:00

The beach party has officially begun. We have moored four corkscrew boats just off the beach and set up about 15 tents and built an makeshift outhouse and firepit. A provision boat has just arrived. The party began late last night with marley and buffett music lots of ale and rum. We roasted a pig as well on an iron handcrank spit I purchased from a local. This morning everyone was a bit off since we partied until about 2:30 AM. One a-list musician just arrived from LA and brought his guitar to provide entertainment for the week...amazing since this person is legendary. We also have two other confirmed celebrities, one a football star and the other a lead for a main network show (prime time top 10) :) - They'll be arriving later today. We have a tentative on a big movie star and a CEO of a tech company....they have partied with us before and are in the process of trying to clear their schedules. Total count with our crews we'll have about 45 people and should be here for the next two weeks. This beach is amazing, classic tropical beach, uninhabited, no one for miles! Updates to come.

Sunny Days in the Turks

2008-09-10T09:44:00.000-07:00

Howdy fellow Corkscrew followers! Well, again playing catch up as it's been a busy couple weeks. We decided some R&R was needed to 4 of the Corkscrew Fleets ships are now moored of a deserted cay in the Turks and Caicos. We did bring enough rum, wine, and food for about 2 weeks, so I expect we'll be having beach parties for atleast the next 10 days. Latest update is all bars and houses are intact and have not been affected by recent hurricanes. There were 3 celebrity sightings at Corkscrew bars this past week (two in one of our bahamas location and the other in our BVI location.) One of the celebrities (a usual visitor to all the Corkscre bars) ended up partying until about 4:30AM with the staff before everyone passed out! Next morning, staff and guests all woke up on the floor, top of the bar, and make shift beds on the front porch. We have also just confirmed 2 "VIPS" will be attending our beach takeover here at the Turks location. Well wishes, we'll stay updated as much as possible.

Sadness....and a Drunk Smile

2008-09-09T16:03:00.000-07:00

One of the older Corkscrew vessles as we said wrecked. Happily, the land owner has in fact agreed to lease us the beach for 10 years! We also just got the thumbs up from the Bahamian goverment to establish a bar there. (playing catch up here). Anyway, we have an engineer re-enforcing the structure and a architect figuring out how to transform the wreck into a bar. So as we sat on the beach looking at our sad wreck, we all ended up having a beach fire, getting drunk, and talking about out new bar (makes 5)! As you have all probably heard, this hurricane season has sucked. Oh well. Other then this small accident which has turned into a party....all our boats, houses, and bars are safe! See you all soon!

Corkscrew Vessle Wrecked

2008-09-09T15:26:00.000-07:00

Yikes! Sad news, we beached a Corkscrew Vessle loaded with treasure and rum. While the rum and treasure (as well as Jimmy Buffet and Bob Marley Albums) were recovered, the ship "Tortugas Revenge" was damaged. It is however a very nice beach so we are considering transforming the wreck into a brothel and saloon. The remote Bahamas beach would be a perfect stopover for sailers looking for a getaway. We are in active negotiations with the property owner to lease the beach. More to follow.

Arrgh! We're Still Here! But the rum is gone.

2008-09-09T07:59:00.000-07:00

Avast! We're still here, drinking rum, ale and wine! Hurricane Ike and the rest shall not defeat the Corkscrew Pirates. It has however delayed our "aquired" supplies of Wine and Ale from the New World.
Lucking for the Corkscrew Trading Company our warehouses here in the Dry Tortugas are well stocked. As the storm approached our staff boarded up the windows and doors and proceeded to have a hurricane party...in traditional island style. Wine, wenches, and rum flowed freely. As the sun broke through the next day empty rum casks littered the floor and one our out boats was actually perched on the top of our saloon! Check out our new t-shirts in the Corkscrew online store. PS: Numerous wenches have gone missing....we think they escaped the storm in a dinghy. They appear to have run off with some provisions! Arrrgggg!

Wench Auction Party

2008-09-07T07:45:00.000-07:00

Arrrggghh! The latest pirate wenche auction at Corkscrew Trading Companys warehouse and saloon got a little out of hand last night. The pirate auction included pirate clothing and gifts as well as a series of loose wenches that were aquired via pirating means in Belize. The wenches were taken to out warehouses in the Dry Tortugas and the madness ensued. Grog flowed freely as the Corkscrew Brewing Company gave away free pints. The wenches in question got a little crazy after the auction having sampled the latest in hijacked rums. Much swinging from the lights and gunfire took place as a bar brawl wreaked havock. Just another night at the Corkscrew. There are still some Corkscrew T-Shirts leftover, so check out the online store for yours!

Hijacked Rum (Pirates Strike Again)

2008-09-06T16:28:00.001-07:00

FYI: Our warehouse in Dry Tortugas just got a shipment of Authentic Barbados Run. We'll not say what distillery we aquired such provisions from, but tis good stuff. We've scratched off the labels and painted over it with the famous corkscrew logo. Should be hittin a home port soon. Visit our store for great Corkscrew T-Shirts.Corkscrew Online Store

Recipe: Pirate Jambalaya

2008-09-06T10:24:00.000-07:00

Mmmmm, lot of fresh seasfood, Fall approaching, how about beer and a nice Pirate Jambalaya. This one is a sure fire hit while sitting onthe back porch watching the leaves change.

Alright, while this is a tasty recipe and looks very nice, it is VERY easy to make. Here's what you need:

2 Cups of Chicken Broth
1 Cup of Rice
1/2 Cup Dice Onion
1 Can Petite Dice Tomatos
1 Pinch of Saffron
2 Breasts Rough Chopped Grilled Chicken
4 Grilled Spicy Sausages (cut like coins)
2 Cups of Shrimp
1/2 Cup Petite Diced Green Peppers
1 Diced Clove of Garlic
1 Sprig of Rosemary

1.) Start by making sure the chicken and sausages are cooked. Grill them for best flavor, chop up and add to a large pot or deep pan.

2.) Add the Onions and Green Peppers. Stir in, mix, and cook with the sausages and chicken.

3.)Toss in the Garlic and Rosemary. Allow the flavors to blens, make sure the Peppers, garlic, and onions are cooked.

4.) Add the Saffron,2 Cups of Chicken Broth, and the Cup of Rice. Stir and mix. Cover and let sit. Allow the rice to soak up all those great flavors. If the liquid goes away and the rice is still a bit crunchy add a bit more water in 1/4 cup increments. You want it tender but firm.

5.) Once the rice is about done, dump in the Can of Tomatos and the Shrimp. STir and allow to mix and cook.

6.) When you know everything is cooked down right, plate and garnish with a sprig of rosemary.