Hello Jammers...

I have been contacted by a network (NBC Universal) doing a story on the Castle that is burning today. They are looking for pictures, inside and out, of the castle.

Deadline is 4:00 pm EDT, more or less. You may want to post them anyway just because it is interesting. I believe I have seen some here before.

If anybody has any they are willing to share please post here or email me and I will forward them. I know I have seen them

Thank you!

Paul Motter, CruiseMates

Paul,

There are pictures on the Real Estate agency site.

http://miamiangelproperties.com/blog/captain-burkes-miami-beach-castle.htm

I think there are pictures in "The Barefoot Pirate" book as well, but I don't know who owns the rights.

Many of the folks who may have pictures are in Key West at the moment.

Thanbk you - those are good, but I should have specified we are looking for inside pics. I know I have seen them, just can't remember where.

I remember desgining the stained glass for the player piano which was originally in CB's apartment in New York City. The design even has a copy of Captain Burke's tattoo.

I know the castle was featured on the Travel Channel in Great American Castles. Very good videos both inside and out along with interviews with CB

Nice Chuck! I figured you'd have some pix.

Great Pictures!

Do you have any stories about the castle that you could share?

I have a feeling that was one interesting place to visit!

Thanks again!

Gunnar

Wow! Amazing pictures, and what an amazing home.

A BIG thank you to Chuck for sharing those pictures with us all. He also helped the NBC Miami TV news station out a lot.

I remember when I first saw "the Castle" it was pretty well constructed but always lots of building projects going on everywhere. I am sure the neighbors thought it an eyesore because it looked so different from their concept of Miami Beach correctness, but I personally thought it fit Captain Burke's lifestyle perfectly. Behind the walled fence it was like a private adventure at DisneyWorld and the Disney Imagineers couldn't have done better. Entering the gate, crossing the drawbridge over moats filled with sharks was exciting. A large cage of tropical birds, lots of tropical foliage, unique statuary and small stone grottoes reminded you that you were not in Kansas anymore!
Opening the massive door and entering the main hall with 2-story palm trees, enormous fireplace complete with the Sword in the Stone, a naughty Knight and a grand piano set the mood. Lots of unique light fixtures with dragons were everywhere. Beyond the main hall was a wonderful sitting room with custom shaped furniture surrounding a fountain with a small statue and fish, the identical shape, sunk in the floor. In the ceiling the same shape repeated with an opening to the upper floor, surrounded by the same shape furniture. Beyond the sitting room, ceiling to floor windows afforded a magnificent view of Miami and all the windows were on a track and could be opened completely so you could walk out to the pool.
To another side was the great game room with its red pool table. I remember when CB got the pool table on Star Island, a regulation green, and he and the boys spent many hours after dinner--and CB was a real pool shark. At one end of the game room was a player piano with a stained glass front. I remember Oscar & I worked out the glass design incorporating the Admiral's ideas, mermaids with large chests, pirates, ships and the tattoo from his submariner days. Diving that room from the tv room was a wall-size fish tank. Even at Star Island he had several tanks of saltwater fish and his office desk used to set upon a big fish tank as well. When he sat behind his desk it looked like he had his bare feet in the fish tank.
More custom glass work in the wall and doors to the tv room.
On the other side was a dining room with a giant table that could seat his entire extended family, children, spouses, grandchildren. Behind that was a round breakfast room with a magnificent wood table. Jens Freidreicksen spent a lot of time with the inlayed wood. This is the same Jens that was responsible for the teak decks on most of the Windjammer ships. I am sure many shipmates remember the small construction zones on deck during their cruises.
The kitchen had a full size barbeque, big enough for a whole pig and restaurant size walk in refrigerators.
Upstairs were numerous round bedrooms with round beds and more fish tanks separating rooms. Captain Burke had a thing for avoiding 90 degree corners so like the ships, there were no square or rectangular rooms in the castle but only round and curved surfaces. I don't think the elevator was fully completed from the 2nd floor, past the 1st floor and into a small inside pool, but you could actually enter the inside pool, duck under the thick glass wall and be in the outside pool/lagoon.
The outside free shaped pool had several small islands where you could rest a drink with a foot bridge over the pool. At one end was a waterslide for the grandkids to enjoy. On the water side of the deck was a neat dock and sea creatures climbing over the deck edges.
Just like the ships, with the many rooms, balconies and out of the way nooks, everyone could find a private favorite place to relax, read, enjoy music, have a drink and escape the noise and confusion of Miami Beach--a small island in the middle of a big city.

Just like the tall ships of Windjammer, now the Castle is relegated to the memories of those who were privileged to enjoy Captain Burke's generous hospitality and friendship.

Paul,

I had some good, but not great, interior shots of the Castle, taken at one of our earlyJammerfest events.

However, I am in Key West and they are in Louisiana.

Maybe I'll scan and post them when I return.

dellie

Thanks for the great stories Chuck.

It's always nice to get an insiders perspective on things.

Take care.

Gunnar

awsome pics...my favorite decor...early pirate medeval, with a splash of viking...myself i would rather my castle went down in flames than by the bulldozer of the unappreciative...

Video of Castle in better days:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK6nsmGjzLU


Video of Castle going up in Flames

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgO0FeXF8Ig&NR=1

What a shame. First his fleet goes to hell (figuratively) & now his castle (literally). Poor Cap'n Mike. I probaly speak for more than a few by saying to have a house half that size & decorated nearly the same would be a dream come true. Yes, it was different but then so was the owner. How many other people would turn a sailboat into a company like WBC? At least no other homes were damaged.

newest tv reports say fire was started by humans

http://cbs4.com/local/Castle.House.Miami.2.1093654.html