What’s The Deal With The Gasparilla Pirate Float That Was On Ebay?
It’s amazing what you can find out there. We wanted to know what the deal was with the Gasparilla pirate float that was recently on Ebay?
Every year the Gasparilla pirate invasion is one of the highlights of living in Tampa Bay. The floats, the beads, the costumes. It’s a ton of fun being on the float tossing beads to the crazy crowds that line Bayshore. When we heard that there was a Gasparilla float for sale on Ebay, we wanted to know more.
First of all, it wasn’t an internet rumor, there was actually an Ebay listing. It was listed as “Pirate Float Pirate Ship Float” with a starting price of $25,000 (what, no Buy It Now option?). According to the listing:
“This float is 33Ft x 10Ft and has a second deck with railing. There are two bathrooms, men’s has just a urinal. There is plenty of storage . Stairs on the back for easy on/off access. It can hold many people during your parade. This could also be used as an awesome playhouse or for your business.”
The Tampa Bay Times did some digging into this listing and found out that the float is named Vanity and belongs to the Bonney-Read Krewe. This all-woman krewe has only 60 members made up of all professional women, all “women of spirit and wit.” Their name comes from two of the most famous and ferocious female pirates ever to sail the seven seas: Anne Bonney and Mary Read. Take a few minutes to read up on them, these ladies were not to be messed with!
Sadly the listing has been taken down and the Bonney-Read Krewe is selling the float through private channels. Guess they didn’t want to pay the percentages to Ebay and Paypal. Can’t say we blame them!
So if you’ve ever wanted to have your own Gasparilla float, contact them!
[SOURCE: 10 Tampa Bay/Tampa Bay Times]