Pirates: Interview with Pirate DJ Bilgemunky

Ahoy, maties! I haven't written about pirates in a while, but I'm gearing up for Pirades in Paradise in Key West later this year, which will add to my Trail of the Pirates Florida documentary travel series.

Today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day, so in honor of all pirates far and wide, I'm treating you to an exclusive interview with Bilgemunky, a pirate DJ who runs an arrr-tastic radio show and website full of pirate-y goodness.

I spoke with Bilgemunky while he was on vacation here in Miami. And yes, I walked unabashedly through the lobby of the Delano Hotel wearing my buccaneer's hat.

Bilgemunky writes about pirate stuff more so from a pop culture perspective than a historical one and his site offers great information. Learn more by watching the video.

Gasparilla Pirate Festival

Ahoy! Pirates invading Tampa Bay!

In my endless pursuit of Florida pirates, I drove up to Tampa in January to check out the annual Gasparilla Pirate Festival, which features a pirate "invasion" and a parade.

The event dates back to 1904 when a group of the city's social and civic leaders adopted the legendary pirate's name for a city-wide celebration involving a royal court and parade. The "Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla" was formed and invaded the city on land until the commission of an authentic pirate ship replica in 1954 made the krewe seaworthy.

José Gaspar's existence is doubtful. According to legend, Gasparilla the Spanish pirate may have called Charlotte Harbour and surrounding islands home in the 18th century, but there's no definitive documentation. And if there's one thing the Spanish were really good at, it was keeping records of everything that happened in the New World, especially when they were running the show in Florida.

So Tampa took over the story of a certain Spanish rogue, one who allegedly had ties to royalty and the military, and romanticized the legend. But whether or not this pirate existed really doesn't matter -- the fanciful story with an equally fanciful name translates today to a wild event in Tampa, a city with a rich history often overshadowed by its east coast counterparts. Everyone talks about Henry Flagler; no one ever talks about Henry Plant, another railroad tycoon who helped build Tampa, but that's another story.

MY GASPARILLA ADVENTURE STARTED WITH DRINKS BEFORE BRUNCH

I arrived at the Tampa Convention Center for a $10 parking spot around 8:30 AM. I stayed at the Sheraton Suites, a great hotel only ten minutes away by car, but I had been warned about traffic later in the day, what with the throngs of folks attending the event. Getting around downtown would be impossible and this was no surprise -- by 8:30 AM all the parking spots were full on the lower level.

By 9 AM, different krewes were on their boats firing gunpowder weapons either docked by the convention center or tooling around the bay. The outdoor café was serving reasonably priced beer and Bloody Mary's (excellent call, City of Tampa). It was all good, except that I had to wait another couple of hours to enjoy the official Gasparilla brunch. The wait was worthwhile, but it would have been more fun with travel companions. Nevertheless, the air was filled with not only the sound of gun shots, but also with an intangible, buzzing anticipation. I had no idea what I was in for; it was interesting to be a Gasparilla virgin!

By 1 PM or so (yes, at this point I was ready for a nap after a Bloody Mary and couple of vodka tonics), the pirates arrived in Gaspar's ship. The invasion was nothing short of eye-popping spectacular. The vessel, laden with pirates, docked at the convention center followed by an entourage of smaller ships, all of which were firing gunpowder. Hundreds of members of the Mystic Krewe disembarked and then a mass of humanity walked over to the parade, which went for miles, much of it on Tampa's gorgeous Bayshore Drive.

Wow. Just wow. They were dressed to the nines hours before the parade. It's all about the beads.

A friendly Tampa bartender, serving drinks in the morning.

This fella was greeting everyone at the door for brunch.

A beautiful ship. The gun shots were actually quite loud.

A boat load of pirates invading Tampa at the convention center.

THE PARADE

Because I had a press pass, I was allowed to hang outside police lines on the street. I found a friendly officer and staked out my position, but only to wait another two hours standing on my feet for the first floats to go by. The wait was tedious for me and unfortunately the officer, though handsome and single, was quite busy. Note to self: next time, do this with a bunch of friends and not as a reporter.

By 5 PM, I had seen five arrests from drunk and disorderly revelers. The police man told me that the paramedics had already done the round of the drunk frat kids by 11 AM, who set up kegs illegally further down the parade route. (It's illegal, but somehow it's tolerated.)

I saw one of those kids coughing up blood on the way to the live music show after the parade.

But it wasn't all mayhem. In fact, considering the number of people flocking to Tampa Bay that day (up to half a million or more, I was told), the crowd was quite tame and under control.

Behind me were families standing with their kids, all eager to pick up beads, which parade participants were flinging from their floats. I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with those kids, especially since I was the only idiot who went to the parade in costume. Several drunken fools also asked to pose in photos with me and I played good sport, wishing, at this point, that I was just as drunk. (I stopped imbibing when I knew that my only relief was a port-a-potty shared with several thousand people.) Festival attendees don't do costumes on the invasion day though, so lesson learned.

Also, I loved the live music at sunset on Tampa's Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park -- a gorgeous expanse of public space on the river, right smack in urban downtown -- where I was able to finally sit down and relax.

At this point, you've probably noticed I haven't talked much about pirates. That's because even though there were pirate krewes, floats and participants in costume, this was not a traditional pirate festival like the one in St. Augustine -- it's more flashy a la Hollywood -- without the painstaking reverence to historic authenticity. In fact, I met Gasparilla pirates in St. Augustine who told me "yeah, we're all about the bling." As gaudy as it seemed compared to the event in the nation's oldest city, Gasparilla does get major points for street party though, and if that's something you love, you'll be in heaven here.

Just about every float was as colorful in character.

Gotta pay tribute to Anne Bonney and Mary Read!

I can't stop laughing about the I <3 Publix button under the Jolly Roger.

This pirate was scary!

I only kept two bead necklaces, one with roses and the other with skull and crossbones, which were handed to me personally by two different gentlemen. My pride and joy, of course, was the skull and crossbones tattoo stamp I got from a member of the Mystic Krewe when I flashed just a tiny bit of cleavage from under my buccaneer coat.

The closest I'll ever get to a tramp stamp!

IF YOU GO

If you attend the Gasparilla invasion, it's definitely worth staying walking distance to the events either downtown Tampa or Harbour Island, so book a hotel room early. If you book on the outskirts of the bay, plan ahead to use public transportation or downtown parking.

The parade itself is free, but I recommend paying for the brunch as you'll have the best seat in the house for the actual invasion. Then pay for a bleacher seat at the parade, as it will be too crowded by then to stake out a spot. Coolers are allowed and so is alcohol but don't bring glass bottles or cups.

If you've got little ones, a kid friendly version of the festival takes place around the same time. But there were plenty of kids in the invasion parade as well; just make sure they can deal with crowds.

Make a whole weekend out of it. Tampa gets back to normal rather quickly after the festival and there's much more to do in the area. To name a few: shopping at International Plaza, touring historic Ybor City, dinner at Columbia (try the salad, you'll thank me) and Charley's Steakhouse (mouthwatering), sunsets on Clearwater Beach (the causeway drive is beautiful), and a visit to Tampa Bay History Center to learn about the Gulf Coast's role in Florida's history.

MORE PHOTOS ON FLICKR



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Many thanks to Tampa Bay and Company, GM in the Southeast (they provided my ride -- a sweet Chevy Cruze) and Sheraton Suites Tampa for supporting Sex and the Beach's pirate expeditions!

Trail of the Pirates: Florida East Coast Recap

Trail of the Pirates is a travel series exploring maritime history, culture and lore between Key West and St. Augustine on the east coast of Florida.

Skull and crossbones mark the spots were treasure is found and pirates roamed. More Florida Jolly Rogers to come in the future.

The first edition of my Florida east coast road trip in search of pirates has come to an end for now, though I will be undoubtedly exploring more in the future. Obviously, no Trail of the Pirates would be complete without investigating the west coast of Florida and the Panhandle!

The journey is only just beginning. As much as I learned, I'm sure I only scratched the surface. I'll be updating this series as I roam more around Florida and beyond. It'll be a never ending quest for me as there is so much to explore when it comes to pirates and maritime history. Don't be surprised if I send dispatches from the Caribbean later this year.

To support my first-hand experience, I'm currently taking a Florida history course at Miami-Dade College with Dr. Paul George. But pirate mayhem is just around the corner, too: I'll be be attending the Gasparilla Pirate Festival in Tampa next weekend, which I hear is quite a wild party.

I definitely had pirate on the brain after a week of traveling. Yours truly with a special pirate friend in St. Augustine. And yes, had we been authentic, we wouldn't have been wearing the sunglasses or taking portraits with an iPhone.

ITINERARY

Anybody who's willing to do a road trip can explore just like I did. Here's a recap of my Key West to St. Augustine itinerary. Follow each link for more information on each destination.

FLORIDA KEYS - MONROE COUNTY
Mel Fisher Maritime Museum

MIAMI - MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
Biscayne National Park and History Miami Museum

HUTCHINSON ISLAND & STUART - MARTIN COUNTY
Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge Museum

VERO BEACH - TREASURE COAST - INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
McLarty Treasure Museum and Mel Fisher's Treasure Museum

SAINT AUGUSTINE - ST. JOHN'S COUNTY
St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum
St. Augustine Pirate Gathering

TIPS

Dear Miamians, you really don't know beaches and ocean until you get out of damn Ocean Drive. If you've only ever lived in Miami-Dade, do yourself a favor, get out there and explore the rest of this beautiful state and no, I'm not talking theme parks.

I've made it easier for you on Google by creating a map of Trail of the Pirates. And as always, feel free to ask questions in my Trail of the Pirates thread at Miami Beach 411.

I'll leave you now with a little pirate humor. What if pirates had Twitter?



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I wouldn't have been able to do this without the businesses, organizations and folks that supported my wanderlust but more importantly, my mission to teach the world about Florida and the Caribbean through travel writing.

Once again, thanks to the following for supporting this journey:

Annie's Costumes, Captain Hiram's Resort, Discover Martin County, Florida’s Historic Coast Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Florida Keys and Key West, Hilton St. Augustine, History Miami Museum, Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort and Marina, Hyatt Pier 66, Indian River Chamber of Commerce, Pirate Republic Seafood Grill and Bar, Visit Florida, and Westin Key West Resort.

And of course, thanks to all the people I interviewed for their time and enthusiasm.

Trail of the Pirates: St. Augustine Pirate Gathering

Trail of the Pirates is a travel series exploring maritime history, culture and lore between Key West and St. Augustine on the east coast of Florida.

Pirate devotees have fun but take historical accuracy seriously. In St. Augustine, they were a friendly, welcoming bunch. I felt right at home even though this was my first festival.

My pirate journey ended with an inspiring weekend getting to know some of the nice folks who attended the St. Augustine Pirate Gathering, many of whom were part of a larger pirate community from across the country. About 5,000 people participated in the festival that took place in November.

For some, it's a lifestyle and a chance to leave behind everyday routine for a little role play, bedecked in gorgeous costumes. But it's also a public forum of sorts to learn about maritime history and culture. After visiting pirate-related locations for almost a whole week, it was truly something special to see that history come alive with other pirate enthusiasts and devotees.

The festival, then in its fourth year, set up on a field by the old Spanish Quarter and featured an all-day program for school-aged kids, a pub crawl and evening bash for grownups, a parade, battle reenactments, sword play, canon firings, music, dancing, entertainers and vendors selling pirate wares. There was even a letters of marque ceremony, presided over by the St. Augustine Royal Family, which claims lineage back to Spanish nobility. (A letter of marque is the official document of government-sanctioned piracy. Many pirates were independent, but some were privateers working for a nation's boss.)

This particular festival prides itself in authenticity, so many visitors were sporting truly spectacular garb and accessories. I felt naked not carrying a weapon or my own tankard for drinks!

This strapping pirate posed for me at the Castillo de San Marcos. Back in the day, pirates would never have been welcome here, of course.

It's not uncommon to see people walk around St. Augustine's Spanish quarter in period costumes on a regular basis as there are many reenactment activities in town. But on this particular weekend, the cobblestoned streets were crawling with pirates, providing non-pirate visitors with an extra thrill. If you were in costume, chances are someone asked you to take a photograph. It happened to me several times; I never stepped out of my hotel room in regular clothes.

And while there was much revelry and a spirit of shenanigans, none of it was over the top crazy -- St. Augustine's bars close at 2 a.m. I'll never forget the experience of walking through those quiet streets at night with a special pirate friend I made over the weekend ... or another wonderful moment just sitting on the sea wall at the Castillo de San Marcos on a beautiful cool but sunny day, gazing out into the bay, watching the Lynx Privateer sail by. (The ship is a gorgeous reproduction of a War of 1812 naval schooner and was docked in St. Augustine during its tour.)

So while the festival itself was bustling with activity, it was also possible to enjoy the old quarter in a leisurely way.

The Lynx Privateer sailing on the Matanzas River, as seen from the Castillo de San Marcos. That's Anastasia Island in the background.

The Pirate Gathering isn't just a good time; proceeds go to maritime education for kids. Read more about the cause in my interview with Captain Tom from the Crew of the Black Heart.

Enjoy the photos below.

A couple of pirates relax on the seawall at The Castillo de San Marcos. Many non-pirate visitors were doing the same. The reenacters at the fort were firing canons that afternoon. (Not real canons, mind you.)

The Brigands played fun, catchy music. They describe themselves thusly: "The Brigands be a musical minded group, performing songs, Sea Shanties and tunes, lore and fact, from the Golden Age of Piracy, 1650-1750 and beyond."

Drinking sangria at the Taberna del Gallo is good for you. This was a popular spot for pirates over the weekend.

Pirates gathered at the Taberna for music and song. Pictured here: Nasty Nate Cole on the concertina, member of Rusty Cutlass, a pirate band from Central Florida.

This lovely lass was one of the gathering organizers.

These nuns were part of a comedy troupe called Nun for the Road. Even a pirate deserves to go to heaven.

The Buccaneer Bash featured elaborate table settings and pirates dressed to the nines.

Pirates were savvy in recycling. Carry your own beverage container and don't pollute the environment with plastic cups or bottles!

More pirates at the Buccaneer Bash in their sartorial splendor.

A photo opp ship. The couple running it hailed from South Florida.

Vendors sold everything for your pirate needs.

This pirate wench, a resident of the Florida Keys, called herself Caribbean Pearl and wore elaborate costumes all weekend long. In case you're wondering what pirate needs are, look at everything that's hanging from her belt.

RANDOM FUN STUFF

Bilgemonkey, who runs an excellent pirate website and acted as festival DJ, wrote a detailed recap of the event at After Action Report.

Pirate Fashions N Fotos is a fun store in St. Augustine featuring a full photo studio with props. Take an individual or group portrait in your garb or theirs. Costumes, weapons and accessories are also available for purchase.

If you love pirates, the best weekend to visit St. Augustine is during the Pirate Gathering. But the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum is also open year-round and is a must. See my interview with Pat Croce, the museum's founder.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Special thanks to Annie's Costumes, Visit Florida, Florida's Historic Coast and Hilton St. Augustine for supporting this part of the journey.

Trail of the Pirates: Interview with Captain Tom

Trail of the Pirates is a travel series exploring maritime history, culture and lore between Key West and St. Augustine on the east coast of Florida.

The St. Augustine Pirate Gathering grew from grassroots parties and events that began in the early 1980's with the Maiden's Pub Association, also known as Crew of the Black Heart. They were involved in producing the 2010 Buccaneer Bash, an evening party for grown-ups at the festival featuring food, drinks, music and dancing. (The Ancient City Privateers is a different group that organized the overall event.)

I interviewed Captain Tom, one of the founders of the Maiden's Pub Association, to learn more about the festival and the local pirate community.

SATB: How did this all get started?

Captain Tom: Back around 1982, a group of friends celebrated a birthday in pirate costume in the Jacksonville area with beer drinking, contests and a treasure hunt. It was so much fun, we did it again every year and eventually formed the Maiden's Pub, which was a "ghost" pub that would appear where ever we happened to be in port.

SATB: The words crew, crewe or krewe are used frequently to identify pirate groups. What exactly is a crew?

Captain Tom: A crew is a group of people who band together socially to do pirate stuff. The name of the crew can be fictional or historical.

SATB: It seems like a lot of work must go into putting together these pirate events. Does it ever stop being fun?

Captain Tom: In our first charter, we agreed to "if it stops being fun, we stop doing it." I stepped down as president because it started feeling like work to me and I actually wanted to enjoy the events as a guest for a change. Bryan took the reigns and I'm very proud of him.

SATB: The costumes I've seen are incredibly beautiful and elaborate. Are they expensive?

Captain Tom: A basic man's costume could easily run you about $1,000. You're looking at custom-made breeches, great coats, accessories and weapons. I have three outfits and six shirts. We save our finery for the Buccaneer Bash -- silk, feathers, leather boots and elaborate pistols. Women's costumes are even more expensive. Bodices are made with real bone, lace is hand-stitched and so on.

SATB: I couldn't help but admire the authenticity of the costumes. I mean, they're really more like "clothes" and not costumes. How detailed are they?

Captain Tom: The best costumes are accurate down to the stitching. Some seamstresses are "stitch nazis" who know exactly what kind of stitching and buttons would be historically accurate. But in some cases the information isn't being passed down to the newer generation of costume makers, which is a shame.

SATB: Maiden's Pub and The Pirate Gathering are much more than an excuse for revelry. How did you get into the non-profit arena?

Captain Tom: At first, we just wanted to be someone else for a day. But as we got older, we thought we would make this big and help kids learn what went on in maritime history -- everything good and bad. When we learned about the St. Augustine Lighthouse summer camp, we knew it was a perfect match. We now provide scholarships for kids to participate in educational experiences with the Lighthouse Maritime Archeological Program. This year, we gave out over 20 scholarships.

SATB: What other good works have local pirates done?

Captain Tom: The Pirate Gathering seeks to further history and education of the time period; it isn't just about pirates. And earlier last year, Peg Legs for Pirates helped raise money for victims of the Haitian earthquake who lost limbs.

SATB: There could be no better city to host a pirate festival than St. Augustine what with its historic Spanish quarter and fort. How do you feel about the new St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum?

Captain Tom: We love it. With the museum, it really shows there were pirates here in the past. It gives credibility to what we do.

SATB: Where do you see all this going?

We want to keep it up and hopefully expand. I'd love to see it grow so we can pay for any kid who wants to go to summer camp.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Special thanks to Annie's Costumes, Visit Florida, Florida's Historic Coast and Hilton St. Augustine for supporting this part of the journey.

PHOTO CREDIT: Maiden's Pub Association

Trail of the Pirates: Who Is Mary Read?

Trail of the Pirates is a travel series exploring maritime history, culture and lore between Key West and St. Augustine on the east coast of Florida.

Earlier in this series, I interviewed Sandra Riley, a Miami author who wrote a novel based on the lives of two female pirates, Anne Bonny and Mary Read. While on the St. Augustine leg of the journey, I had the opportunity to speak with Michelle Murillo, who portrays Mary Read in historical reenactments.

Murillo happened to be in town during the St. Augustine Pirate Gathering. I met with her on a groggy Sunday morning at the historic Taberna Del Gallo, founded in 1734, located on St. George's Street in the old quarter. At this point, I had been on Trail of the Pirates for six days and was so swept up by pirate events in St. Augustine, I didn't even know what day it was anymore!

During the weekend, a handful of "pirates" set up camp on the adjacent grounds of the Spanish Quarter Museum, where reenacters portray life in St. Augustine exactly as it would have been in the 18th century. Murillo was among the visiting pirates who eschewed a comfy hotel for a more authentic experience. The night prior to the interview, folks from the Pirate Gathering showed up at the Taberna to sing songs around a fire while musicians played on period instruments.

The Taberna serves delicious sangria and beer and is lit only by candles ... the perfect setting for pirate revelry!

Check out the video for Murillo's own thoughts on Mary Read's unusual and courageous life.



Based in Melbourne, Murillo is a reporter for the Florida News Network and got hooked on pirate history while covering an event. Visit I AM MARY READ website for more information on her appearances. Trail of the Pirates will stop by Key West later this year for Pirates in Paradise, where I'm looking forward to see Murillo perform her reenactment of Mary Read's trial.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Special thanks to Annie's Costumes, Visit Florida, Florida's Historic Coast and Hilton St. Augustine for supporting this part of the journey.

PHOTO CREDIT: Michelle Murillo

Trail of the Pirates: St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum

Trail of the Pirates is a travel series exploring maritime history, culture and lore between Key West and St. Augustine on the east coast of Florida.

An original Jolly Roger flag on display at the museum.

PAT CROCE - PIRATE ENTHUSIAST EXTRAORDINAIRE

After four days of learning as much as I could about pirates on the east coast of Florida, I finally arrived in St. Augustine, just in time to interview Pat Croce, founder of the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum. The museum used to be located in Key West but found a new home in the nation's oldest city, which is fitting, considering that St. Augustine was a strategic port and subject to pirate raids during its Spanish history.

Pat Croce is a modern-day renaissance man -- he's done everything from pioneering work in sports medicine, to serving as president of the Philadelphia 76ers and working as author and motivational speaker. But it's his passion for pirates, which he has cultivated since childhood, as well as his boundless and infectious enthusiasm on the subject, that inspired the museum. Over the years, he has collected authentic artifacts from all over the world, many of which are on display at the museum.

The museum was still under construction when I interviewed Croce. As busy as he was, he took a few minutes to speak with me. I think it was this conversation that really "hooked" me on pirate history. There's a real personal passion behind this museum; it's no ordinary attraction.




THE MUSEUM

As fate would have it, I would return to St. Augustine in January during which time I had an opportunity to tour the museum fully completed and open to the public.

Located across the street from the fort (the Castillo de San Marcos, completed in 1695), the museum brings pirate history to life with beautiful displays, theatrical lighting, sounds and even smells. It's an interesting, more high-tech complement to St. Augustine's historic Spanish quarter, which is already a rich destination for authentic living history experiences.

Give yourself at least two leisurely hours to see and read everything -- interactive displays feature touch screens and video, making it easy to learn quite a bit of "serious" history in a fun way. Kids will love this, but so will grown ups. And while it has some magic touches by Disney Imagineers, it's not Disney in a kitschy way.

One of two original chests on display at the museum.

I especially enjoyed the replica of Port Royal, a prosperous yet decadent city in Jamaica that earned a reputation as the Caribbean's wickedest. Port Royal was also an infamous pirate stronghold and was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1692.

The Rogue's Tavern features paintings of many famous pirates, some of whom had dealings in Florida, including Andrew Ranson, who escaped execution in 1684 and helped build the fort across the street and Louis Aury, a French corsair who controlled Amelia Island just north of St. Augustine in 1817.

Particularly fascinating are photos from an archeological dig that prove English privateer Sir Francis Drake burned St. Augustine down to the ground in 1586. But Drake would not be the only unwelcome Englishman. In 1668, another privateer, Robert Searles, sacked the town, murdered residents and ransomed hostages. Those he considered not of pure Spanish blood were selected to be sold as slaves in the Caribbean. It was this raid that prompted Spain to build the fort that would eventually protect its interests in Florida.

This museum was definitely one of the highlights of my pirate journey. Not only was I standing on ground zero of past pirate attacks, but I could really connect the dots -- the Caribbean, the Spanish Main, riches and treasures, pirates, politics and war -- all of it deeply part of Florida and the amazing city of St. Augustine.

RANDOM FUN STUFF

History Miami museum did an exhibit about the Jamaican City of Port Royal in 2007. Read more about it at Miami Beach 411.

If you recall my Treasure Coast segment, Henry Jennings, who raided the sunken Spanish 1715 fleet, hailed from Port Royal. And speaking of the Treasure Coast, some jewels and artifacts on display at St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum are on loan from The Florida Division of Historical Resources. Chances are, some of those were probably salvaged from watery depths by Florida treasure hunter Mel Fisher.

How well do you know your pirate history? Follow the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum on Twitter and Facebook for weekly contests.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Special thanks to Annie's Costumes, Visit Florida, Florida's Historic Coast and Hilton St. Augustine for supporting this part of the journey.

PHOTO CREDIT: St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum

Trail of the Pirates: Treasure Coast

Trail of the Pirates is a travel series exploring maritime history, culture and lore between Key West and St. Augustine on the east coast of Florida.

Sunken treasure from the 1715 fleet still lies just offshore here.

MCLARTY TREASURE MUSEUM

After Martin County, I headed north to Indian River County via A1A to the McLarty Treasure Museum, a small historical outpost near Sebastian Inlet State Park. But don't let the museum's size deceive you -- it's in the waters just behind the museum where one of the east coast's most colossal shipwrecks took place in 1715, when a fleet of eleven Spanish galleons, loaded with treasure, succumbed to a hurricane.

The story behind the 1715 fleet takes us back to Europe. Elisabeth Farnese, the wife of King Philip V of Spain, had a taste for finery and refused to consummate the marriage until he could produce her long wish list of gold, silver, diamonds, emeralds and pearls, some of which may have come from as far as Manila in the Philippines.

This wasn't the first time the king worked hard to please her; it would be the third fleet to go down with her jewels, the last estimated at $900 million. It seems the queen eventually put out even without her bling, birthing two sons for the king. Don't think the queen was simply a greedy bitch, though. She was a powerful politician in her own right and knew exactly what she was doing.

But I digress. As we all know, where ever there was treasure, you'd also be likely to find marauding pirates. After the 1715 fleet sank, 700 poor souls went missing and those who survived set up camp at the McLarty site. They managed, but under horrible conditions, despite receiving some help from the local Ais Indians.

Some very dramatic history took place here in the eighteenth century. Today, this area of the treasure coast is a quiet stretch of beach.

The Spanish abandoned salvaging attempts in 1719 but not before experiencing several raids from pirates, including two from Henry Jennings, an English privateer with operations out of Port Royal, Jamaica. His first attempt at raiding the sunken ships and terrorizing the salvage camp was so successful, he came back for seconds, "relieving" the Spanish of additional booty. It's said Jennings was ruthless and even the Governor of Jamaica revoked his commission as privateer. Eventually, Jennings became a leader in the pirate haven of New Providence, Bahamas.

More than 250 years after the wreck, Mel Fisher and Kip Wagner worked the area, where on-going salvaging efforts, now performed by private companies, continue to yield treasure. Recently in October, a mother and daughter dive team found a solid gold bird near Fort Pierce valued at $885,000.

You don't need to dive with a license to find treasure. Aficionados with metal detectors can search for coins, jewels and other artifacts by combing the shore, especially after a windy storm coming in from the northeast.

The McLarty Museum houses artifacts and some treasure from the fleet. If you go, make sure you see the in-house video, which is very informative.

Below, hear me yapping about the history, with the sound of the surf in the background.



MEL FISHER MUSEUM

For the true motherlode, I headed a little north back on the mainland where Mel Fisher's daughter, Taffi Abt-Fisher, gave me a tour of Mel Fisher's Treasures Museum in Sebastian. Unlike the non-profit Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, which I featured in the first installment of this series, this museum is privately owned but open to the public. Today, the museum is run by Mel Fisher's grand-daughter with a little help from mom, who has retired from the historic salvaging business and works as a consultant. Though small in size, the museum is jam-packed with gleaming pieces from many of Fisher's salvaging efforts. As well, it houses a laboratory where you can see specialists at work cleaning artifacts through a large glass window. The museum also has a wall exhibit devoted to the history of this treasure hunting family.

This is what it's all about, folks. The pieces are not only stunning, but also tell tales of their own.

INTERVIEW

I had the pleasure of interviewing Abt-Fisher after she gave me a tour of the museum. She was very humble and laid back about her family's amazing accomplishments, approaching it with an "it's all an a day's work" attitude, which I found refreshing. But in truth, without the Fishers and others who worked doggedly at historic salvaging, Florida would be missing a very important part of its maritime history.

At one point in Mel Fisher's career, the State of Florida tried to claim it owned the Atocha site near the Keys. After much legal wrangling, Fisher won his case, but thereafter 20% off all his finds would go to the state. The problem here, according to Abt-Fisher and others I've spoken to, is that the treasure just sits there, with nowhere to exhibit. It's a vast cultural heritage stuck in Tallahassee, all dressed up and nowhere to go.

Salvaging treasure has never been easy. "The government could be considered the true pirates," Abt-Fisher said. "They're constantly trying to take away our right to go treasure hunting."

But let's not get into politics. This series is about the rich history we find here right off Florida's waters. Here's Abt-Fisher talking about her favorite family finds and more.



AROUND VERO BEACH AND SEBASTIAN

SEBASTIAN INLET STATE PARK

Pure energy roars through the man-made inlet joining the Atlantic and the Indian River.

Sebastian Inlet State Park is a beautiful state park located 15 miles south of Melbourne Beach and just minutes from the McLarty Treasure Museum. Fishing is a popular activity here, but other recreational activities are available. A small wading beach welcomes bathers when the surf is too rough on the ocean. Expect native vegetation, sea oats and dunes as your backdrop on the beach, a favorite among surfers when the waves are just right. A fishing jetty extends out to the Atlantic and is good for a walk even for non-anglers. If you love the sea, come here and fill your lungs with some incredibly invigorating air and listen to the sound of the powerful currents.

CAPTAIN HIRAM'S

The Sandbar is worth a stop when you're in the Sebastian area.

The Sandbar at Captain Hiram's Resort is a waterfront restaurant and bar facing the Indian River, near Mel Fisher's Treasures. Come here for refreshment, great food and live music on the weekends.

Colorful and laid-back, any parrot head or pirate would love it where you can kick-back with sand under your feet. There's also a slightly more formal indoor restaurant if you don't want to eat outdoors.

If you stay at Captain Hiram's, ask for a waterfront room facing the Indian River. Get up early to see dolphin frolicking in the water.

WALDO'S DRIFTWOOD RESORT

Waldo's Driftwood Resort, located on the ocean in Vero Beach, is one of the weirdest and most interesting places I've ever seen. Even if you don't stay here, come and check out the exterior architecture, which is made completely of found timbers and planks, as well as a hodge-podge of nautical objects and antiques from around the world. The restaurant on site is open for lunch and dinner. Make sure you come during the day, so you can feast your eyes on all the architectural details. Every inch of the exteriors has something interesting from Waldo Sexton's collection. As a pioneer, Waldo was quite the character. Learn more about him here.

Waldo's Driftwood Resort, founded in 1935, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Special thanks to Annie's Costumes, Visit Florida, Indian River County Tourism and Captain Hiram's Resort for supporting this part of the journey.

Trail of the Pirates: Hoist the Jolly Roger!

Trail of the Pirates is a travel series exploring maritime history, culture and lore between Key West and St. Augustine on the east coast of Florida.

I recently came up with this quote: "When the going gets tough, hoist up the Jolly Roger."

The Jolly Roger is the classic skull and crossbones image we've come to associate with piracy. Historically, pirate ships would raise the flag (sometimes even a plain black flag) to warn ships and encourage a surrender. Basically, the Jolly Roger signified the following: "We're not bound by the usual rules of warfare or engagement. Surrender the booty and we'll leave you alone."

Of course, I've turned the meaning of this around a little. To me, hoisting the Jolly Roger is a metaphor for life. When things go wrong, tell those wrong things to back off and get the hell out of the way. It's by getting rid of everything that blocks you that you find your real treasure.

Anyway, I had hoped to do my entire Trail of the Pirates series without interruption from other posts, but certain obligations prevent me from doing so. Please pardon the pirate interruptus and don't worry! I'll be back in a few days days, with Indian River County and St. Augustine stories to complete the series, including three exclusive interviews: Taffi Abt-Fisher, the famous treasure hunter's daughter; Pat Croce, founder of the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum that recently opened in St. Augustine; and Captain Tom, founding member of Maidens Pub Krewe of the Black Heart, folks who worked toward the idea of a Pirate Gathering idea years ago and are also raising funds for maritime history education in the St. Augustine community.

You can see a gallery of Jolly Roger flags over at Wikipedia. Here are a few.




If you want to see an original, head over to the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum. Pat Croce purchased the only two known in existence. One is on display.

Photo courtesy of St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum. Taken during Grand Opening on December 3.

So in the meantime, fair winds and groovy sailing!

Trail of the Pirates: Don Pedro Gilbert, Hutchinson Island

Trail of the Pirates is a travel series exploring maritime history, culture and lore between Key West and St. Augustine on the east coast of Florida.

A whole lotta nothin' makes Hutchinson Island beaches beautiful for their pristine beauty. But looks are deceiving: rich maritime history lies underneath the surf. View from Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge.

On my third day of Trail of the Pirates, I finally hit the Treasure Coast, so called because of the numerous Spanish galleons that sank roughly from Hobe Sound to the south and Sebastian Inlet to the north.

While in Stuart, I crossed the causeway over the wide St. Lucie River to Hutchinson Island, a barrier island so tiny in some sections, it seems as if it could be swallowed by the ocean to the east and the river on the west. Here you'll find Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge, built in 1876.

In the 19th century, the U.S. Government commissioned ten houses of refuge to help mariners who shipwrecked along the coast of Florida. Back in the day, Florida was sparsely populated and there were few, if any, resources for stranded sailors. Imagine not only injuries, but the bugs, the lack of fresh water, food and no roads. In short, if your ship was wrecked and you didn't drown, you were still screwed. These conditions, which spelled a slow demise at best, make today's survivor show contestants look like a bunch of pansies. So the government stepped in to help sailors -- yes, that's how busy shipping traffic was up the Treasure Coast. Houses of refuges were absolutely necessary.

Today, the Hutchinson Island landmark is a maritime museum and the only house of refuge still standing.

No, you can't buy drinks at Gilbert's Bar. In fact, there isn't a kitschy beach side touristy bar anywhere in sight. It's pure beach bliss.

A famous east coast shipwreck, the Georges Valentine, lies a mere 100 feet off shore. In 1904, the Italian brigantine set sail from Pensacola, Florida with a load of mahogany intended for Buenos Aires, Argentina. A turbulent storm took it off course as it passed near Havana -- that must've been some storm because that's way off course! Seven of the ship's twelve-man crew survived thanks to the rescue efforts of the house of refuge's keeper.

The house, as seen from the St. Lucie River side. A local gardening program has eradicated invasive plants and replaced it with native vegetation. The sea oats are lovely.

The porch facing the ocean. Gilbert's House of Refuge is available for small weddings and special events. It's quite romantic, actually.

The parlor inside the house. Furnishings are original or authentic reproductions. The inn keeper would've lived here with his wife and kids; rescued sailors stayed upstairs. You can self-tour the interior and also see the bedroom and kitchen.

WHAT ABOUT PIRATES?

It's the land on which the house was built, Gilbert's Bar, that ties the area's history to pirates. Bar is short for sandbar and it's here where Don Pedro Gilbert, a former privateer, ran operations in 1832 on his schooner. Privateers were officially licensed by governments in times of war to take ships of enemy countries. Many privateers turned pirate as they sought fortune on their own without letters of marque, which were issued by governments authorizing pirate vessels to attack and capture enemy vessels.

Think of it this way: let's say your country is at war with your neighbor and you want to go take all your neighbor's crap away from him because you can reap some spoils of war by giving the navy a helping hand. Well, it's OK as long as the government tells you so, hence the letters of marque. But if you're not at war and you don't have permission from the government, it's technically illegal. What if you still want to do it? Simple: you go pirate and do the same thing on your own. If you think this doesn't happen in some form or another in today's world and economy, think again!

But I digress ...


As a pirate, Gilbert also used ambush tactics: the Gulf Stream, which is about two miles away offshore, was a super highway for navigation. At night, Gilbert would light bonfires on shore, tricking captains into thinking there might be sailors in need of rescue. Like moths to a flame, the ships were drawn to the treacherous reefs.

Gilbert had a reputation of being ruthless and the law would eventually catch up with him. After a stint in Africa, the U.S. Government brought him to trial in 1835, where he was hung at the gallows in Boston, his rotting corpse for all to see from the harbor in a statement that clearly stated: "this is how we treat crooks." At this point, the 1820 U.S. Piracy Law had been in effect 15 years, forbidding piracy as well as slave trading. Gilbert is technically the last American pirate to be executed for his crimes, although Nathaniel Gordon would be tried as well in 1862 for smuggling slaves.

Rocks like these can be seen as far south as Jupiter, but the formations in Martin County are particularly stunning.

There's another, if not directly pirate-related, connection between Hutchinson Island and my journey's end, St. Augustine. The rocks along Martin County's beaches are outcroppings of solidified ancient shell sediment known as Anastasia Formation. The rock is also called coquina and was quarried on Anastasia Island in St. Augustine to build the Castillo de San Marco fort, completed in 1695. In Martin County, you can see impressive examples of coquina, an amazingly hardy yet flexible building material that would help St. Augustine defend itself against foreign invaders and pirates.

INTERVIEWS

I had the pleasure of interviewing Jim, museum keeper of Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge, on the day of my visit. If you go, hopefully he'll be there. Tell him I sent you.




RESOURCES AND MORE

PIRATES
A pirate festival takes place every year in historic downtown Stuart, which is in between the old Flagler tracks and the St. Lucie River. It's quaint and charming, with a definite old Florida feel. The Treasure Coast Pirate Fest is free but a portion of all proceeds benefit Stuart Heritage, Inc. and the Maritime and Classic Boat Museum.

BEACHES
Hutchinson Island is breathtakingly beautiful for its simplicity, which is why I think this section of Florida should also be called the "Zen Coast." This tiny sliver of island separates the ocean from the St. Lucie River, with nothing but dunes, rock formations, sea oats, waves, the sound of surf and blue skies to please the senses. It all seems so pure -- a few hours of doing nothing here will surely help unwind. Check out Bathtub Reef Beach; hopefully it will be open for swimming and if it's not, bring a picnic basket and simply bask in the natural scenery. Other equally peaceful public beaches, with plenty of parking and access, abound on the Treasure Coast up A1A.

HOUSES OF REFUGE
For you Miamians who don't want to make the the three and a half-hour trek up the coast, check out the visitor's center at Biscayne National Park, which was featured earlier in this series; it's modeled after the original House of Refuge in the Miami area.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Special thanks to Annie's Costumes, Visit Florida, Discover Martin and Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort and Marina for supporting this part of the journey.