For 364 days a year, Brier is a small, suburban and geographically landlocked community. On one day in August, however, the SeaScare festival transforms the town into a fanciful seaside village beside Brier Bay.
It’s here that SeaScare’s very own Pirate Seaweed Monster and official mascot, Barnacle Billy, has taken up residence.
After retiring from Captain Ahab’s service on the Nantucket whaling ship the Pequod, Barnacle Billy arrived in Brier and found the perfect retirement shanty, not far from the Brier Yacht Club. When he’s not fulfilling his mascot duties, Billy enjoys a leisurely life “rolling around in sand, tending his milfoil garden and pitching horseshoe crab,” according to his biography on the SeScare web site.
A fiercely private pirate seaweed monster, Barnacle Billy granted the Enterprise’s request for an interview, but only on the condition that it be conducted by Brier Park Board members Craig Harris and Dee Williamson. His replies from the tape transcript follow.
Q: Where were you born, and where did you grow up?
A: ‘Twas born whilst a winter storm was brewing to beat all storms. Into that black, churning sea I came, torn by ferocious waves from me mither’s loving tentacles before I was but an hour old! I grew up wherever the tides took me.
Q: How long did you serve on the Pequod with Captain Ahab?
A: Arr! ‘Twas so long I can’t really recollect. Ya see, I practically raised Cap’n Ahab from a pup. Taught that scalliwag everthin’ I knew about pirating and the sea.
Q: What is the most memorable experience of your pirating days?
A: Teaching Cap’n Jack Sparrow how to be a pirate. He was challenging, but he was such a lovable little knot head I couldn’t help but like him.
Q: How did you choose Brier to retire to?
A: Well, it rhymes and I like rhymes. I also heard they held a celebration each summer, rightly honoring those of us who tirelessly work the seas; not one of those beauty pageants, but a high spirited kick in the aft parade and fair! Where all the sea’s creatures were welcome — no matter how scary — and everyone is a pirate, at least for the day!
Q: What was the community’s response to you when you first moved to Brier?
A: ‘Make yo’rself useful’, Cap’n Calico once told me, and I took those words to heart. So when I dropped anchor in Brier, I took a look around to see how I might do just that. And I’m proud to say, Brier Bay has never been cleaner! There’s not been a single sighting of that new fangled sty-ree-foam on our beaches, and thanks to me earnest efforts, there’s milfoil enough to foul every prop plunked down in the bay!
Q: How did the idea for Seascare come about and how did you become involved?
A: ‘Twas a pearl thought up b’twixt two hard working volunteers on the Brier Park Board — the right honorable Craig Harris and Ken Overstreet. Two finer pirates have never graced another sea or shore! And I’m proud to call them me mates. They were thinkin’ on an idea for a new parade, they took one look at Ol’ Barnacle Billy and said: “That’s it!”
Q: Are you concerned at all about the increase in shark attacks in the Greater Brier Yacht Basin?
A: Sharks?!? Where, man, tell me now! Ha, ha, ha, had you there now, didn’t Ol’ Billy? What’s a little nibble betwixt friends, eh? Keeps things interestin’.
Q: Do you have any interest in running for political office?
A: Aargh, now, that would be scraping the bottom of the ol’ barrel for a Cap’n wouldn’t it? Me thinks I’m much more well known than the mayor of Brier, so why bother!
Q: Do you have a favorite “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie, and if so, which one?
A: Those new fangled stories are too pretty for me. No guts, no glory, all spit polished and bristle fashion, fa! Give me a good old fashioned movie like ‘The Three Worlds of Gulliver’ — now there’s a tale worth admission!”
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