#tortuga bay

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Santa Cruz Island, Ecuador

A marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) swimming in Tortuga Bay, part of the Galapagos archipelago. Greenpeace has called for the creation of a high seas marine protected zone under a new UN treaty to secure a much wider area around Ecuador’s Galapagos archipelago

Photograph: Ernesto Benavides/AFP/Getty Images

[titanomancy]

Just like a prayer, I'll take you there.

[jj-online]

i have beef with tommy bahama. release more tortuga bay fabric now.

[acornminiatureslog]

New 30k mechanicus robots actually have a robo-foot sized for space marine prosthetics!

[katesfoxhole]

I've been out of actually collecting miniatures and playing the tabletop game for almost a decade, for reasons, but I can still signal boost a company I think more people should know about.

Tortuga Bay Studio makes some interesting and good-quality miniatures and ships internationally, despite being located in eastern Ukraine and occasionally getting shelled by real-life artillery from the real-life evil empire next door.

I haven't made a purchase myself (again because reasons) but an old friend--the guy who introduced me to 40k in fact--got some of their stuff and is very pleased with them. They're supposed to be "true scale" and he describes them as "primaris-sized" despite being old-style marines, which he likes.

Their sculpting style is a little thicc and maybe won't be to everyone's taste. They mostly do marines--modern and heresy-era--but they also have a small Ukraine-themed Imperial Guard army as well. I'm especially taken with their standard bearer:

(I assume I don't need to explain the reference. Also comes in Ork.)

They have a youtube channel with "unboxing" videos that shows several of their minis close up.

Delivery is a little slow (my friend's order took 4 weeks) and I've experienced the occasional outage at their online store, which again is understandable given they're working in a real-life warzone. Despite the Reasons and my general poverty I am seriously considering picking some of their Guard up. A small 2e-sized force maybe, 3 squads and an HQ? I'm a strong supporter of Ukrainian independence and there's not much I can do about it being broke and half the world away, but maybe supporting a Ukrainian business can help out a little?

Slava Ukraini, and fuck Putin in particular.

[hannaedits]

Five-Star Reads for May 2024

[familywelltraveled]

Grand Cayman Island One Day Itinerary

The Cayman Islands is a chain of three islands in the Caribbean. People flock to the Cayman Islands for the warm climate, the tropical island vibes, and the spectacular beaches. Grand Cayman is a popular cruise ship destination. If, like us, you visit Grand Cayman for just one day, we’ll show you what you can see and do on a bus tour of the West Bay of Grand Cayman Island. Quick Cayman Islands…

[staffatemyblog]

Fleshing out my space marines' lore leads to more messy drama in the narrative, more messy drama leads to me wanting to build more models. I need to find a job so i can buy the stupid hobby supplies and mush 28mm barbies together as I narrate them beating the shit out of each other.

[jimmythecannon]

This is why I carry 7 guns when I'm being a pirate.

Gunslinger: Those who live by the sword… get shot by those who don’t.

[goalhofer]

2023 World Baseball Classic Italy Roster

Pitchers

#7 Michele Vassalotti (Carolina Mudcats/Valencia, Venezuela)

#17 Braxton Lorenzini (free agent/Aurora, Colorado)

#19 Alex Bassani (Fortitudo Baseball 1953/Castel San Pietro Terme)

#21 Vincenzo Aiello (Staten Island FerryHawks/Staten Island, New York)

#25 Jeffrey Passantino (Gigantes De Carolina/Ft. Myers, Florida)

#29 Steven Woods; Jr. (free agent/Huntington, New York)

#33 Matt Harvey (free agent/Mystic, Connecticut)

#34 Vin Timpanelli (Chattanooga Lookouts/Staten Island, New York)

#35 Brian Marconi (Lehigh Valley IronPigs/Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

#36 Glenn Albanese; Jr. (Rocket City Trash Pandas/Wheaton, Illinois)

#38 Ryan Castellani (Kansas City Monarchs/Phoenix, Arizona)

#41 Joe Biagini (free agent/Redwood City, California)

#42 Matteo Bocchi (Parma B.C./Parma)

#44 Claudio Scotti (FCL Mets/Rome)

#46 Sam Gaviglio (free agent/Ashland, Oregon)

#48 Michael Nittoli (Iowa Cubs/Tempe, Arizona)

#53 Neil Pallante (St. Louis Cardinals/San Clemente, California)

#64 Nick Fanti (free agent/Smithtown, New York)

#67 Matt Festa (Seattle Mariners/Brooklyn, New York)

#72 Alessandro Ercolani (FCL Pirates/Borgo Maggiore)

#75 Nicolò Pinazzi (Dayton Tortugas/Milan)

#77 Tiago Da Silva (Generales De Durango/São Paulo, Brazil)

#90 Mitchell Stumpo (Reno Aces/Raleigh, North Carolina)

#92 Joe LaSorsa (Tampa Bay Rays/Mt. Kisco, New York)

#94 Joey Marciano (Sacramento River Cats/Carbondale, Illinois)

Catchers

#30 Alberto Mineo (Parma B.C./Gorizio)

#41 Vito Friscia (Philadelphia Phillies/Oyster Bay, New York)

#42 Brett Sullivan (San Diego Padres/Stockton, California)

#59 Dominic Miroglio (Arizona Diamondbacks/Oakland, California)

Infielders

#8 Nick Lopez (Kansas City Royals/Naperville, Illinois)

#9 Vinnie Pasquantino (Kansas City Royals/Chesterfield County, Virginia)

#20 Miles Mastrobuoni (Chicago Cubs/San Ramon, California)

#22 David Fletcher (Los Angeles Angels/Cypress, California)

#82 Robel García (Toros Del Este/Las Matas De Farfán, Dominican Republic)

#91 John Valente (Toledo Mud Hens/New Rochelle, New York)

Outfielders

#3 Dominic Fletcher (Reno Aces/Cypress, California)

#11 Sal Frelick (Nashville Sounds/Lexington, Massachusetts)

#78 Ben DeLuzio (Iowa Cubs/St. Louis, Missouri)

Coaches

Manager Mike Piazza (Italiana Baseball/Phoenixville, Pennsylvania)

Bench coach Blake Butera (Hudson Valley Renegades/Metairie, Louisiana)

Pitching coach Mike Borzello (Italiana Baseball/Los Angeles, California)

Bullpen coach Jason Simontacchi (Omaha Storm Chasers/Mountain Valley, CA)

1B/Infield coach Jack Santora (Tri-City Dust Devils/Monterey, California)

3B/Hitting coach Chris Denorfia (Hartford Yard Goats/Southington, Connecticut)

Outfield coach Michele Gerali (Italiana Baseball/Parma)

Assistant coach Joe Hsu (Hardin-Simmons University Cowboys/Abilene, Texas)

[writingquestionsanswered]

Describing Scene Locations

Anonymous asked: I've been writing for a decade, mostly short stories, and have recently started writing a fantasy set in the 17th century. My setting is a world pretty much like ours, but with made-up names for specific towns and whatnot. The characters are pirates, and a few are non-human. I'm finding it difficult to figure out where certain plot points take place when the story is mostly character-driven. There are parts where they need to be on land, but apart from 'vague port/island', I don't know what else to do with it. (Am I overthinking this?) I suppose my question is: How specific do secondary locations have to be for it to be immersive and realistic (for their world) without it being lackluster or overdone? I don't want it all be "it's a beach with a village," but adding a giant seaside kingdom seems overkill if it's only mentioned in passing once or twice. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these - this whole blog is a gift, really.

[Ask edited for length]

First, thank you... that is very kind of you to say! ♥

So, I think it really helps to think of your story in terms of scenes, and to think of each scene almost like a scene in a play. Your scene's setting is like the stage in the play, and the amount of description is the amount of scenery and props on the stage.

If you've been to plays, you've probably noticed that the scenery can be very minimal or very elaborate, depending on the needs of the show:

With fiction, it works the same way. How little or how much you describe the scenery (setting) depends on the needs of the scene, but you do need to make sure to give the reader a sense of place. Looking at the first image, just with the little bit of scenery that's there, we know this scene is taking place in a home, perhaps a living room. If the two men were just sitting on chairs with no other scenery, we wouldn't have that sense of place.

However, that doesn't mean that any of your scenes need to be set in sprawling seaside kingdoms. There are all sorts of land-based settings for pirates:

-- bustling port town like Port Royal or Tortuga -- coastal village, town, or city -- isolated island or cove -- small fishing village -- seaside castles or estates -- pirate's stronghold on a hidden island/cove/cave/bay -- tropical jungle or rainforest -- remote island -- colonial outpost -- swamps and marshlands -- rural countryside -- ancient ruins

There are all sorts of reasons pirates might go ashore in these places:

-- to resupply (food, water, liquor, gunpowder, ammunition) -- to buy specific items (weapons, clothing, equipment for ship) -- to sell, trade, deliver, hide, or bury loot -- to hunt and gather resources -- to recruit crew -- to maintenance, repair, or refit the ship -- to meet with allies, informants, business partners, etc. -- to visit friends/acquaintances -- to avail themselves of various goods and services -- to drink in a bar, gamble and carouse with friends -- to enjoy some much needed rest and recreation -- to learn or exchange information -- to seek medical treatment/medicine/remedies -- to seek legal assistance or meet to discuss legal matters -- to "case" a potential target for a raid -- to visit family and love interests

Within these settings and potential errands, there are many specific settings you could use:

-- the docks of a bustling port -- the tavern of a coastal village -- a quiet moonlit cove where pirates are laying low -- the great hall of a seaside castle -- a masquerade ball at a country estate -- the crumbled ruins of an ancient civilization in an isolated jungle -- at a freshwater lagoon on a remote island during resource stop -- busy market at a colonial outpost -- fisherman's shanty in a quiet bayou -- an official's luxury town home in a big city -- the coastal farm belonging to a family member

So... having the different locations in mind, how much or how little do you describe them? Once again, all you have to do is create a sense of place for the reader. If your pirates are having a heated argument on the docks of a busy port town, you may at least want to give a vague description of the docks, whether it's night or day, what the weather's like, how crowded it is, and maybe a brief sampling of what the crowd is doing, notable sensory details (sounds, smells, visuals) etc. You can also weave those details into the narrative in a way that serves a dual purpose. For example, maybe in the argument, one pirate gestures to a toothless fish monger and uses them as an example in a point they're trying to make. Not only is this a necessary part of the dialogue, but it also fills in some of the scenery detail. Or, maybe instead, they're perusing spices in a bustling seaside market while they talk/argue quietly. Here are some posts from my description master list that will hopefully help further:

The Right Amount of Description (5 Tips!) The 3 Fundamental Truths of Description Description: Style vs Excess/Deficiency How to Make Your Description More Vivid Adding Description to Your WritingWeaving Details into the Story Guide: Showing vs Telling When “Telling” is Okay

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

♦ Questions that violate my ask policies will be deleted! ♦ Please see my master list of top posts before asking ♦ Learn more about WQA here

[sitting-on-me-bum]

A marine iguana on the beach at Tortuga Bay, Santa Cruz island, part of the Galápagos archipelago in Ecuador. The Pacific waters are unusually warm for this time of year: El Niño has already begun and could be the most intense in decades, threatening the black marine iguanas

Photograph: Ernesto Benavides/AFP/Getty Images

[titanomancy]

Rip and tear.

Rip and tear their guts.

[penandsorcery]

"The SSC nerds said that all male pilots become women. What a bunch of idiots," I deride, strolling back into the Tortuga wing repair bay of the cruiser. The crowd of muscled butches clad in sleeveless and fashionably rag-tag military surplus gear standing with one foot on dramatically-stacked ammo crates to look cool because we're not allowed to smoke in a high-oxygen environments look at me as if they're holding back laughter. I'm a funny man, I think. Once more I feel like I might be missing something.

[thatsmzbitchtoyou]

A Pirate's Life for Me Chapter 2

Summary:  Captain Bucky Barnes and his crew on the Armored Star are the most fearsome pirates in the known world.  They’ve given the British fleet a run for their money as they try to free the enslaved and take from the rich, but they could have never guessed how the British empire would retaliate against them.  When a new pirate ship appears and lays waste to all in its path, will Bucky and his crew be ready for the wrath of a woman scorned?

Warnings:  piracy, pillaging, sexual assault, death/murder, blood/gore, violence, smut

*manbo:  voodoo priestess

Previous chapter Next chapter

After a long few months at sea that finally ended in a successful takeover of the British trade ships, freeing the enslaved people aboard and taking the other supplies and gold, Bucky was sitting in a tavern on Tortuga, celebrating their victory with his crew and stocking up on supplies before they would head back home in the morning.  He finished drinking his second pint, shooing away a prostitute before standing to relieve himself outside.  When he finished he headed toward the front door when he heard–

“Did you hear about Barataria Bay?” one of the prostitutes leaning against the wall said quietly to the one next to her.

“Barataria Bay?  No,” the other replied.

“The story is the British tracked down Barnes’ wifey and his crew’s families there,” the first continued, leaning toward her conspiratorially.  “Leveled it.  It’s still smoking to this day they say.”

“What?” Bucky barked, making them both jump at his voice.  He cornered them so they wouldn’t run.  “Where did you hear this?”

“At the docks!” The first said quickly, looking at him with wide eyes, the other’s mouth open wide as she stared at him.  “Captain of the Jolly Sailor said something about the smoke being a thousand feet high.”

Bucky’s eyes bulged, his breaths getting faster and heavier.  “What else did he say?” he demanded.

“I…I…” she stuttered.

He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her.  “What else did he say?!”

“Please sir!” the first cried.  “He said he was sailing by and they saw the fire and smoke and a large British ship leaving!  He said he heard sirens crying.  That’s all I know!”

“When was this?” he whispered, his fingers digging into the flesh of her arms.

She squirmed.  “I don’t know, he mentioned passing through Dominica, so a few weeks ago?”

Bucky was going to be sick.  He let go of her and thanked her quietly before running inside.  He started gathering his crew and they got to the Armored Star in record time.  It was still a few days trip home, and he was praying to whatever sea god he could think of to favor their sails to get home faster and prove it wasn’t true.

***

Ash.  Smoking embers.  Dried blood everywhere.  Bucky fell to his knees when he reached his home to find it torched, one wall still standing that was riddled with bullet holes.  The crew members had run through the surrounding village, calling out for their lovers, wives, and children, but no one was there.  He cried heavily as he looked around.  Y/N was right.  She was always right.  Why didn’t he listen to her?  Now she was gone.  Everyone was gone.  The cries of his crew were too much to bear, but he sat still and listened.  This was his punishment, surely, to hear the anguished cries of men who lost everything like him.  He looked to his left to the cemetery just beyond the hill and saw multiple rows of freshly dug graves.  His heart lurched to his stomach and he vomited profusely, the reality of it all settling in.  He’d abandoned her when she begged him not to.  He’d betrayed her.  He screamed as he felt something deep inside him fracture.  Bucky would never forgive himself.

***

“Did you hear about the pirate attack at the Brimstone Hill Fortress?”

“Yes!  It was a bloodbath!”

“What about the one at Fort King George?”

“Was that the same ship?”

“I saw it!  It was a deep, emerald green hull.  It used to be the British fleet’s Vanquisher, but was stolen and renamed Dido’s Lament.  It’s been wreaking havoc along the islands.”

“Dido’s Lament?”

Bucky tuned out the chatter around him.   A new, up and coming group of pirates that had taken the islands by storm, or something like that.  He didn’t care anymore.  Nothing mattered.  After he and his crew left Barataria Bay they had wandered the sea aimlessly, still fighting back the British and looting, but it all seemed meaningless now.  His crew’s morale was gone, all looking like shells of themselves as they went about their regular duties on board.  Bucky nearly inhaled his sixth pint, unsteadily standing and heading back to his room in the tavern.  He couldn’t remember what island they were on now.  

“They say you can hear sirens scream before they attack.”

“The sea is on Dido’s side…”

Bucky grabbed a prostitute by the arm and hauled her to his room.  She protested at first until he jingled a money bag in her face.  He slammed the door behind them and sat on a chair, undoing his belt and pulling his pants down just enough for his cock to spring free.  She kneeled in front of him and started to pleasure him, her mouth warm and inviting as she bobbed her head up and down.  He shut his eyes tight and envisioned his treasure pleasuring him and how perfect she was at it.  This woman could never compare, but it would have to do.  His hands gripped the chair’s armrests as his hips trembled, his breath getting heavier.  He could see Y/N now, smiling up at him as he caressed her cheek, her eyes twinkling with mirth as she sucked him just right so he was at her mercy.  The way her pussy would envelop him perfectly, like it was made just for him.  Her bright smile.  Her boisterous laugh.  Her love of the sea and the stories he would tell her of his travels and finding creatures of the deep.  Her kisses…

Bucky held the woman’s head down on him as he came in her mouth, spilling thick ropes of cum down her throat, making her cough and slightly gag.  When he was finished he opened his eyes and let her up.  “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, sir, you're gonna have to pay extra for that!” she spat at him, wiping her mouth.  

“Fine,” Bucky said in a bored tone, grabbing the money bag and pulling out a handful of coins.  “This enough?”

“Yessir,” she said with a wide smile.  “Are you sure you wouldn’t like something more?”

“No,” he grumbled.  “Get out.”

She huffed but stood and nodded, quickly leaving his room and shutting the door hard behind her.  Bucky tucked his cock back into his pants, standing to lock the door and then walking to the bed.  He let his body fall on it with a grunt.  He hadn’t fully made love since he’d left Y/N then found the Bay a year ago, and he didn’t think he ever would again.  He only used prostitutes for quick relief while he was on land, then would let himself suffer.  That’s what he deserved, a lifetime of suffering for his sins.  He began to cry, like he did every night, exhausting himself into a fitful night’s sleep of memories of Y/N, and the harrowing cries of his crew.

[acornminiatureslog]

Captain Tetys, in charge of the first company, most veteran of the terminators, and seen by many firstborn in the chapter as the goalpost to aspire to in regards to keeping up with their younger primaris siblings. Trained in swordsmanship by Daemos Thane as a young sergeant, he wields the chapter's relic blade and paired knife, collectively referred to as the Esian Blades.

This guy was my first kitbash, a bit rough and simple, but still a favorite model of mine. Eventually, I plan on upgrading him and the rest of my terminators to Tortuga bay truscale models, but that's a project waiting for me to have income again.