Origin of the Moniker

First Came Bubba 

The origin of "Bubba the Pirate" came in two steps. It began with 'Bubba.' When my sister's youngest was still quite young, she decided that she couldn't call her uncle 'Todd' because her dad was 'Todd.' Never mind that one was 'Dad' and the other was 'Uncle Todd.' She decreed that she would call Uncle Todd - 'Bubba.' No one knew where that came from exactly, but it stuck and soon the whole family was using 'Bubba.'

Back to the Age of Sail 

A few years later, Bubba was driving a truck to support his boat habit and using his sister's address and crashing there on the odd days when he was in town. When he was around, Bubba often got called upon to bring a forgotten book or a caffeinated drink to the school where the nieces attended and his sister, Amy, taught. Because he wore a hoop earring and had a boat, Amy introduced him to her class one day as 'Bubba the Pirate.' Soon all the ladies in the office and most the students at the middle school all knew Bubba the Pirate.

When thinking about a web presence for his vagabond life it seemed obvious to use "Bubba the Pirate." Check out this post from 2009, when the name became official.

We're Naught but Humble Pirates

Now I know there are people who object to pirate culture and whitewashing the image of pirates. I understand where they're coming from. Further, the bandana wearing, rum-drunk, obnoxious American flying the jolly roger from his boat and yelling 'aarrrr' all the time in Caribbean ports is not something I support either.

However, the Age-of-Sail Pirates have become a cartoon; Jack Sparrow, Muppet Treasure Island, etc. Modern pirates carry AK-47s and don't fly flags. They are bad dudes. I don't support or condone modern piracy.

Just this year, however, Disney finally decided to remove the kidnapped bride auction from their Pirates of the Caribbean rides. Clearly, we have bigger problems than arguing about Long John Silver and Captain Hook.

I am Bubba the Pirate here, and here I will remain.