Very neat pic! I love pirate stories and especially stuff like Pirates of the Carribean, or the Black Swan with Arrol Flynn, or the Crimson Pirate.
The only ways I could possibly see to improve this is maybe to do a grimy version. If the light source could look a little more like firelight, and the wood a little more weathered, and the compass a little more dirty and yellowed looking, it might give it a little more of a piratey feel.
But I like this one. Very good job! Keep it up!
I think this is a very novel idea for a desktop and it makes a good one. I agree with .Caiden about the background - it looks a bit pristine and modern for the aged map.
Perhaps sometime you may make one of 'down under ' - Australasia.
Nice work, I like it.
Kidding a little, as the first thing that struck when I opened your image here full-size was the textures you created ... quite well, I might add ... in the wood grain and on the map itself.
An ambitious undertaking to say the least, particularly with the wood. I think you succeeded well on those aspects.
My own personal caveats? If I may be so bold ... the compass and in particular, it's metalwork. (Curious as to how large you created the compass before incorporating into the composite.) Not quite up to the standards you set with the other elements.
Not sure how to best achieve some additional anchoring ... as it seems to be somewhat dissociated from the composition. Hmm ... perhaps the lighting needs some adjustment?
And I am being really nit-picky here ... because make no mistake about my intentions here ... I do like this, and it exemplifies a high degree of mastery with the imaging programs you employed.
Now, if you will excuse me ... I have a plank to walk. :oP