NOLA Pyrate Week ~ Take what ye can, GIVE something back!™

Ahoy Mates!

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Capt. John Swallow

Welcome to the official website for NOLA Pyrate Week – THE Pyratical celebration of culture, art, food & entertainment in New Orleans. Join us as we rebuild, renew and rise up!

NOLA Pyrate Week happens every spring at about the same time…last weekend o’ March to the first weekend o’ April – in and around New Orleans and the Bayous o’ South Louisiana!

…Dates for 2014 (our Sixth Annual) are Fri. March 28 to Sun. April 6…

All news, events and other special announcements follow this one…ye can follow the Captain on Twitter or Google+, join the Quartermaster on Facebook, or contact us through the site.

NOLA Pyrate Week – Take what ye can, GIVE something back!™

‘Bayou Fabio’ IS News

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Capt. John Swallow

Carolyn Scofield o’ Fox 8 News (WVUE, New Orleans) took a trip to Bayou Dularge to interview our mate Rickey Verrett (aka ‘Bayou Fabio’) – WVUE has now also dubbed him “The Don of Dularge”. It’s a great segment – 7 minutes in a newscast is spectacular – and a great look at Rickey’s work; including a bit with Dr. Allyse Ferrar (Nicholls State University) who studies Garfish and credits Rickey for sharing his knowledge.

Good thing Rickey’s such a humble chap or all this praise & publicity might go to his head!

FOX 8 WVUE New Orleans News, Weather, Sports

Seafood Straight Off The Boat

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Capt. John Swallow

If yer looking for the freshest seafood possible in Louisiana, the Louisiana Direct Seafood initiative will help! A brilliant idea that needs to spread across the country for farmers, fishers, hunters…and folk looking for fresh, local food.

Each coastal website posts ‘fresh catch’ messages of what is new on the dock and how to buy. Connect with local fishermen at a site near you for quality, wild-caught shrimp, crabs, oysters and fish, all from local waters.

Folks forget that this is how we are supposed to get food – FAMILIES who fish, hunt and farm – and share their bounty with those who may have other skills and trades to share! Not only does this sustain a great culture, it helps regulate the harvest…AND food that is local to where ye live is the best food for ye – keeps ye healthy, prevents allergies, provides more robust nutrition for yer body (vitamins, minerals, oils, etc.). Of course, just the fact that it’s truly fresh – never frozen, not irradiated, “grown local” – makes it that much better than anything ye find in a wrapper!

Thanks to our mate Capt. Wendy Wilson-Billiot for pointing this out to us…if ye haven’t checked out her fantastic blog on life in the Bayou, what are ye waiting for? Go READ something! If ye happen to be in Louisiana, hail Capt. Wendy for a Wetlands Tour, Fishing Charter or her trademarked “Bayou Woman Adventures” – ye can even stay in the fabulous Camp Dularge, right on the Bayou – and tell her the Pyrates sent ye!

Sailing Into The Sunrise…

Posted on April 14, 2013 by Capt. John Swallow

Another fantastic series o’ adventures behind us, we thank all who joined us from near and far – and all who supported us in time, energy and spirit!

We managed to catch up with a few more mates than usual, make new ones and renew old alliances. Visits across New Orleans, Chalmette, Houma, Terrebonne Parish and beyond…food, drink, music and camaraderie…BBQ, Boudin & Beignets…and o’ course, RUM.

Some o’ our mates have been writing some fine articles about us – and others are still in the works – anything that helps educate and promote our cause is well appreciated! All o’ these folks are sites ye should follow and read regularly; they have good insight into what’s really happening out there. The fine crew at NOLA Defender wrote this…our own crew member, Captain Wendy, posted this on her blog, followed by some lovely photos o’ the wetlands.

Time to regroup, get photos processed and plan the next series o’ adventures…more to come soon…

BBQ, Bands & Bikes!

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Capt. John Swallow

As NOLA Pyrate Week goes “Back To Da Bayou” on Sat. April 6, we are in good company in historic downtown Houma! In addition to our Merchant & Artisan Market there are at least three other grand events…not to mention all the other local attractions, tours, etc.

A special mention to the fine folks at the Regional Military Museum who have graciously loaned us our Community Welcome Tent! Visit the museum for some unique insight into the lives o’ the folks it honours – and say “ahoy” to the curator, Mr. C.J. Christ (who is an expert on the infamous “U-Boat”).

First and foremost, supporting the community and the Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center (LSU) – they will be holding a BBQ Fundraiser across the Bayou from us ~ 11am-1pm. Serving the Houma & Terrebonne Parish community since 1978 (started as a teaching hospital for LSU), the L.J. Chabert Medical Center is ranked as one of the top ten employers in Terrebonne Parish – the hospital employs over 1,000 individuals in the region and is responsible for contributing approximately $65 million dollars in revenue to the local economy.

Also across the Bayou is the now annual Houmapalooza Music Festival. Presented by the Regional Arts Council, this is a free, all-day, outdoor music festival featuring independent, original bands; a showcase of the greatest musicians and bands you’ve never heard before, all in one place – 10 bands/10 hours! Of course, there will also be a multitude o’ local food vendors there – so after ye support the Medical Center, ye can enjoy some local desserts!

Around Houma this weekend, ye may notice the throaty sound o’ some Iron Horses…celebrating the 110th Anniversary o’ Harley Davidson Motorcycles is the 30th Annual State H.O.G. Rally (that’s Harley Owners Group for the uninitiated)! These rallies take place all over the country, but they start in Houma! Thousands o’ flock will be enjoying this gathering and it’s associated events – as well as touring the Bayous o’ Terrebonne Parish and visiting events around town (like ours).

Avast! Swamp People & 2013 Poster

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Capt. John Swallow

Avast ye scallawags! Heave to, scrape the barnacles off yer bottom and prepare the sloop for a run up the coast! The fifth annual NOLA Pyrate Week is busy planning adventures for ye filled with Rum, BBQ, Music and…well, MORE ADVENTURES!

Have ye seen History Channel’s “Swamp People”? In it’s fourth season, this popular show is about to take a very interesting turn for the “real” in reality TV – our mate Rickey Verrett (aka “Bayou Fabio”™) is set to be the new star…and he’s not a Gator hunter! Rickey is a true son o’ the Bayou, descended from one o’ the original families o’ the Houma Nation, he lives, works, eats & sleeps in the Bayou. A master fisherman, Rickey hunts the only other thing in the Bayou as ancient and dangerous as Gators – Alligator Gar!

These prehistoric monsters are the largest freshwater fish in N. America; often as large as 6 – 8 ft. and easily weighing 100 - 200 pounds (heaviest one on record was 365 lbs.). They have a long, flattened snout filled with hundreds o’ nail-like teeth, armoured bodies covered in serrated edged, knife-like scales (used by the Houma for arrowheads) and have been known to survive up to 2 hours out of the water! Read more about Rickey and his favourite prey at Capt. Wendy’s most excellent blog, Bayou Woman.

Join us in the historic town o’ Houma – Saturday, April 6 from 10am – 5pm at the Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum; literally on the Bayou in the middle o’ town! Ye may meet Rickey, Capt. Wendy, listen to our official Pyrate band The Whiskey Bay Rovers, and peruse our Merchants & Artisans Market! (if yer interested in displaying yer work at the Market, contact us immediately, spaces are limited!)

So, mates…without further fanfare, here is our 2013 poster for yer perusal – click it and feel free to share, print, display it everywhere – and join us for our many adventures (far too many to mention on a small poster – subscribe on the right and stay up to date with all the happenings)