We've been busy, searching for the lost crown of Captain Kidd. Actually, this was a plan 17 years ago to drum up tourism in Catskill, but failed miserably when a tv show that was featuring the hidden treasure was pulled and never shown. Anyway, for the last month we, Team Ria, have been studying the story and the map, looking for clues. The story goes something like this:

Captain Kidd and his crew of 185, 75 from the city of New York, are sitting in their worm filled boat waiting to find pirates. Instead they see the Quahog Merchant, and decide to become pirates. The ship is full of treasures, gold, fabrics and a diamond filled crown, and a beautiful young girl bound to be married to a rich king. Kidd's second mate, Lad Widerear, falls in love with the girl, who sits around in pantaloons and a camisole and gives him the eye. The rest of the men dress in the fancy clothes and pretend to lay golden eggs. Kidd sees Widerear's interest and gets rid of the girl, takes over the ship, goes back to New York and hides the crown with Lad Widerear 87 miles north of the Statue of Liberty and 36 miles down from Albany. Back in New York Kidd, who has been summoned about his actions, puts on his best dress and tells his first mate Dolton, if you see me drop my hanky, get the hell out of there. When he drops his hanky, Dolton and the crew head back up the Hudson to hide Kidd's share of the booty, before he goes to the brink. They hide the chests of gold doubloons in the same place as the crown, and Dolton asks for a straw from a haystack, takes a needle, puts it in the straw and a small bowl of river water, and laughs as the needle turns north. Then he takes a cross staff and shoots a light at Widerear's end. Perfect he smiles, half of Widerear's age. Aha...now he tells Widerear that he has to stay here with these directions in case Kidd ever comes back. Then the story jumps to the 1900's and a girl name Hannah, escaping the boredom of Catskill finds the crown. Now go and find it. That's all you get.

308 years later Team Ria is in action. Maria and Sam Bellamy, the pirate from the Whydah are sharing a rum coke and are watching from above. "Look at that", Sam says to Maria pointing at the bunch of them running around St. Anthony Friary, "They think they're on to it. Who's the one holding the girl up to the statue of the Blessed Mother, and what is she trying to do?" "Oh, laughed Maria, "That's my brother with Atticus my niece on his shoulders. I think they think the blessed Mother's crown is the doubloon. Oh, wow, Shane is trying to knock the statue down with a big stick. This is getting good." Pirate Sam, interrupted Maria, and pointed in the opposite direction, "And who are those three nuts in the Hudson River in November and what are they trying to do?" Maria turned and laughed out loud. That's my brothers-in-law, Tony and Michael and the white haired guy wearing shorts and no socks, is my mother's fiance. They've been engaged for 22 years now." "And, asked Sam, "What are they doing in the mucky low tides of the river in below freezing weather, in the water?" "Well" explained Maria, "Tim thinks that little piece of land that shows up in the map is Madagascar and he thinks that tidal land is where the treasure is." Sam laughed a hearty laugh, and pointed to a woman on the shore. Maria told him that was her sister Sabra and she was video taping the whole search. And that's my mother and sister Laura in the car watching with the binoculars. Sam turned to Maria, gave her a hug, and said, "You know you're family is nuts, but I am cheering for them." Maria and Black Sam lifted their glass, "Go team Ria, Go."