I first heard about Gulf Wars from Kiko, a participant at the Louisiana Renaissance Festival 2002 (LRF). At that time he was dating my young friend, Regina, so we all tended to hang out at faire together (Photo, Left: Kiko at left and Regina at right, pose together with Gulf Wars XII in the background). He happened to mention Gulf Wars in passing, which immediately riveted both my interest and attention. Now I've had friends in the Society for Creative Anachronisms (SCA) since my college days, so I was already well aware of the annual contests held between the various SCA kingdoms -- most notably Pennsic in the East and Estrella in the West -- but Gulf Wars was something new to me. I wanted to learn more! Over the winter, then, I checked out the Gulf Wars website, www.gulfwars.org, looked up the SCA booth at the North Texas Irish Festival (NTIF) for more information and made numerous calls to Kiko, checking on details, making plans and coordinating our schedules. Everything I read and heard about Gulf Wars only served to increase my excitement again and again! Even better, Regina was also anxious to attend as it would give her another opportunity to hang out with Kiko. She definitely was NOT excited about waiting a whole year until LRF came around again to see him!!!

So on Thursday, March 13th, in the Year of Our Lord Two-Thousand-And-Three, I left work early, went home, loaded my camping gear into my sturdy little truck, drove over to Regina's house, loaded HER camping gear onto my truck and we took off together for Mississippi. Surprisingly, we made excellent time on the road, arriving in Lafayette, LA -- where Kiko lived -- by 7:30pm. I was all for pushing on to Hammond further up the road, but Kiko generously offered his own home as a free place to spend the night, instead. Now I certainly couldn't turn down his hospitality, especially when he offered me his own bed to sleep in while he and Regina took the couch and the hide-a-bed respectively in the living room. And I REALLY appreciated his generous hospitality when all the fatigue of work and driving caught up with me, abruptly. Bidding them both good night, I left them watching television together while I stumbled off to bed well before 9pm and quickly slipped into blissful unconciousness...

FORT BATTLE--28 views of the Castle Siege between Ansteorra and Trimaris at Gulf Wars XII!

RAVINE BATTLE--Seven views of rapier action in the ravine at Gulf Wars 2003.

NOVA--Ten views of the Vyking presence at Gulf Wars XII.

GULF WARS IN THE MIST--Nine views of Gulf Wars early in the morning!

VIEWS OF A GULF WAR--13 images of gateways, portraits and SCA humor at Gulf Wars 2003.

Standard Disclaimer: This webpage is strictly an *Unofficial* look at Gulf Wars XII held near Lumberton, MS in March, 2003. The author of these pages is in no way, shape, manner or form connected with Gulf Wars; the Society for Creative Anachronisms (SCA); the Kingdoms of Ansteorra, Trimaris, Meridies or the Principality of Gleann Abhann; and/or any of the other sponsors associated with this event. All opinions expressed are strictly this author's own. Unless noted otherwise, all photographs are copyright ©2000-2004 by George Laking.