Pirates-Chest.com

Tomtuga the northern Pirate Island

The 'Bad and the Good...and he's Ugly'.

The bad was in 2018, I was in the hospital with an appendix scare. I still have it and now the scars where they were supposed to pull it out. The good is last year (2019) was the day I shook hands on the deal to buy this land in Gasport. It was as much of a surprise to the owner as it was to me. It looks so different from that day. Still I stop and stare at all that has been accomplished so far. Actually, it only took eight days of heavy machine work and a few days of cutting trees and a great neighbor pushing dirt around. Yet I have lots more to do.

...so thinking that I need to attach a name to this property other than ''the camp in Gasport''. Seeing how I have too many places that I currently take care of, like the eight lawns that I mow. For example, there is 'The cottage that never gets used in Java'..too long of a name I know. Or I enjoyed the 'Bruggmart' moniker that I had on my house in Bethany, as it really does have one of everything. I could call this 'the North Pole - East' being that the museum uses the property to the west as the NP. Yet that is only for a few weekends in the winter. I'm here mostly for the canal and living the pirate life, this should be more of the backstory.

Tortuga is an island just off of Haiti that a lot of pirates used as their base. So why not play off of that.

Of all the pirate islands of the Caribbean, there was one that was oddly located in the northern country of the Americas. Up in the formidable waters of the Erie Canal sits the island of Tomtuga.

Similar to its sister island of Tortuga, this island is a dangerous, boisterous, filled with drunken and bawdy souls. Tomtuga is a pirate heaven not named after a turtle resemblance but a marauding older fat grumpy bastard that when awaken he snorts and grunts, then rolls back over to continue his siesta. Yet watch him, he sleeps with one eye open...kind of creepy but it might be a hereditary thing.

This island lies south in the Erie Canal and butts up to the steel passage of the GVT. Don't ever cross over the dreaded GVT for it is haunted swamps of the croakers.

Tomtuga a mountainous rocky knoll of an island that is not easily accessed. As Stated and Telegraphed by many, it's confusing thoroughfares off of the mainland of Gasport that are referenced by many names. Obviously meant to confuse potential conquers over the centuries.

To the east lies the fishing harborage of Gasport Marina, is a misnomer being not a gasport; nor a marina; and certainly not a fish insight.

History tells of a ruined 17th century brothel yet to be found or re-established here, with better linens and rates that will include free WiFi and HBO per stay. Having found in one of the few local islands' caves, a large pre-Columbian sculpture of a topless woman with the butterface of an Easter Island escort.

There also seems to be rumors of a local curse. Hidden amongst the deep tree canopy is the Uniroyal tree. Here any mention of how oppressively hot this island is and a set of all-season radials fall from the trees. Too cold and a set of dry rotted winter tires, rolls out from the Firestone bushes. As you can imagine the tires pile up. Might not be so bad if they were needed but this is an island with no vehicle transportation.

Beaches include...well none. There are no beaches it's all rock and poison ivy.

Yet it has a freshwater inverted bottomless lake. Meaning the silky-smooth bottom is on the top and the gleaming brown water is below that. It is very efficient that way, in less accidental drownings and fewer tadpoles infestations.

I dare thee to set foot on the island of Tomtuga!!! No really, it has lots of poison ivy and it gets everywhere.

Yee been warned!!

...And please take your garbage with you. We are no longer the town landfill.

Oh, I forgot, the widely known, yet seldom seen very scary Sasquatch is here too...and his cousin the Abdominal Snowman / Yeti.

They run a combo ice cream & hotdog cart called 'Ice-Foots' most weekends. Blurry photo-ops are usually held at late-afternoons and for a slight fee. Check their media pages for more detail info.

Capt Bruggs

Pirates-Chest.com

Our location and how to contact us...

Mile 313.60'ish on the Erie Canal

Gasport, NY

Call or text: email for phone number

*best way to catch me...

Email:

Capt-Bruggs@pirates-chest.com

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/pirates.chest

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100014350205814

*worst way to find me. Still don't know how to tweet...

Twitter: twitter.com/PiratesChest1

*Hey if you could, I'd love some feedback on what you like or don't like about my site. I'm still working on it as I can. I'd appreciate it.

*Watch

your wake!!!

Slow Please!

10mph

and less in some places.

The western Erie Canal does has speed limits.

The Canal Corp staff at the locks and the lift bridges, actually keep track of your times passing thru. They contact the staff at your next stop, to let them know traffic is coming and to expect your arrival time. Some staff even operate two separate lift bridges.

You can be fined.

Also bank erosion.

Even though the banks of the canal is covered in large rocks, your wake is undermining it.

This is why we have these ''Guard Gates'' that you pass under every few miles. If the canals embankment has a blowout, these drop to prevent mass water exiting. It has happened.

Watch your wake.

*Please put contact info on your outdoor gear like kayaks; canoe; dingy; life jackets / preservers; throw rings; bumpers / fenders. Anything that can come off your boat.

The reason is, say if your kayak slipped off without you knowing and is found out by itself. Now local fire depts and the Coast Guard will be out looking for a potential water rescue victim(s).

These rescue teams can contact you without doing a massive search for a non-existing emergency.

We all want to find those in need of help, but wayward items just puts undue stress on resources.

Thank you.

Hungry??

If you are out on the Great Lakes or other waterways around them and looking to eat.

'Dock and Dine' lists eateries that you can easily access by boat. In most cases you can dock right there or it is a very short walk.

Check them out or send them a link to your favorite place for them to list.

https://www.dockanddineloop.com/

https://www.facebook.com/dockanddines/

Hey, do you live on the Erie Canal or close by and want to be a local host?

Hosts help people on the canal like the walkers; cyclists; kayakers; boaters and others. All these groups are so different, yet use the same space here on the canal. Local people that live on the canal, see all the people and some want to help.

Mixed in the listing on the webpages here will be a few Erie Canal Hosts. They might have a private dock; a place to pitch a tent or RV spot; a parking spot for your car or trailer for an extended stay; a local onsite person to help with issues or as a guide.

Does that sound like something you want to assist with? Send me a message and I will try to explain the details better.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/NYSCanalwayWaterTrail/permalink/1015667725630626/

Do you need your boats AC unit serviced?

Located in Tonawanda NY, western end of the Erie Canal. Call Tim (716) 831-0333

https://www.hvactms.com/

Fellow big boat owner and good guy.

Need a Ford Bronco rental in Buffalo NY?

https://turo.com/us/en/drivers/11434229

Here is an Airbnb for your stay..

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/34679306?source_impression_id=p3_1659269464_Ss1rTD4ZUZcagkM1

How about do you need a campsite on the western Erie Canal?

You are in luck...

https://www.hipcamp.com/en-US/new-york/tomtuga-on-the-erie-canal/on-the-erie-canal-gvt-railroad

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