Shiver Me Timbers!
Laura Noel, aka Madame Grace of Blackbeard’s Pirate Crew, said the purpose of their living history encampments is to ignite peoples’ imaginations, and that’s what they did the weekend of Oct. 25 and 26 on Ocracoke during the First Annual Blackbeard’s Pirate Jamboree.
The weather was clear and sunny and hundreds of visitors joined in and enjoyed watching several professional groups “play pirate.”
In addition to Blackbeard’s Crew, there was the Meka II, helmed by Captain Horatio Sinbad, who has lived on his period brigantine since the 1960s, the Ada Mae, a skipjack from New Bern, the Sea Scouts, which are youths ages 14 to 20 and one member of The Shadow Players, a stage combat group from Raleigh. Kevin Duffus, Blackbeard historian, gave two talks about the myths and facts about the pirate.
“This is as authentic as you can get,” explained Bill Burgess, one of the Devilmen of Cape Feare, after the “Battle of Ocracoke” in Silver Lake with three period boats and lots of gunpowder making loud reports.
Burgess and dozens of other pirate re-enactors take special pride in having their costumes and experience authentic to the period of the 1700s. That means using period fabrics for clothing and shoes, buttons, tents, and even period food, which was prepared over an open fire in a large black cauldron in the yard of 161 Irvin Garrish Highway where Blackbeard’s Crew was camped for the weekend along with a few vendors of period items. The Devilmen had made camp on the harbor side of the property.
Re-enactors have a passion for history and the times, Madame Grace added.
John Collamore, or “Dutch,” as he is called in the crew, conducts 18th navigation demonstrations with period tools to the North Carolina and Virginia standards of learning for math and geometry for fourth and fifth grade.
“I love to see the light go on as to how we use a compass to navigate a course,” he said about his demonstrations. “It’s great to see the kids connect math to something real like this.”
Saturday morning, the jamboree began with pirates on period ships shooting at pirates on the land.
“We’re gonna get you, Blackbeard,” yelled one from the dock at the Devilmen encampment as he shot his pistol to no avail at a taunting Blackbeard, played by Todd Willis.
“What? Is your powder wet?” Willis with arms outstretched yelled from the aboard the Meka II, which was outfitted as Blackbeard’s boat The Adventure. “I hear (the bullets) whizzing by.”
At 3 p.m., the main re-enactment battle between Blackbeard and Lt. Robert Maynard amid more cannon fire and narrated by a Duffus culminated in a swordfight aboard The Adventure. Maynard hoisted Blackbeard’s head for all on land to see.
Musical accompaniment throughout the weekend was provided by the six-member Motley Tones from Raleigh, singing sea chanteys, drinking songs and bawdy songs especially for adults Saturday evening outside of Natural Selections in the Bawdy Beer Garden.
The event concluded Sunday with a march to Springer’s Point by the pirates to commemorate the fallen Blackbeard and his crew. About 50 festival-goers joined the dozen pirates who mustered at Blackbeard’s Lodge on Back Road and walked along Lighthouse Road to the sound side beach.
After a recitation by Duffus of the events that occurred there Nov. 22, 1718, Willoughby Caught, chantey master for Blackbeard’s Crew, sang two original songs about the pirate. Hatchet Meg tossed the commemorative wreath that she had made into the water. A report from The Adventure off shore concluded the service.
“This was my most favorite festival all year,” said Cindy Clark, one of the Tones, who has been to at least a dozen pirate festivals this year. “Everyone was so friendly and the crowds were very engaging.”
Business owners noted at increase of traffic in their stores. Some had more sales than others.
“Business was up,” noted Mickey Baker owner of the Mermaid’s Folly. “It was a beautiful day and a lot of fun.”
“The festival brought more people here than I thought it would,” said Rich Corbin, who works at Ride the Wind Surf Shop.
Though he didn’t note an increase in sales, Bob Chestnut, Surf Shop owner, said he enjoyed the event and thought if events were held at more locations businesses would get more traffic.
Trudy Austin, a cashier at the Ocracoke Variety Store, said she heard a lot of positive feedback from the community.
Daphne Bennink, who spearheaded the event three years ago, was pleased that the weather was good for the first time in three years, allowing the festival to happen.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better first Jamboree,” she said. “The weather was beautiful, the attendance was great and the participation on all levels exceeded our expectations. We thank the business community for their support, and we are so proud of what we accomplished.”
