Ahoy Matey’s! With the upcoming Pirates of the High Seas & Renaissance Fest coming up on October 11-13, 2024, I thought it would be fun to share some interesting facts about pirates that might surprise many of you! This annual event celebrates the legacy of the pirates who once roamed the Gulf of Mexico and pillaged the Emerald Coast, telling the tale of Dominique Youx, and his krewe of loyal buccaneers, through staged pirate battles and storytelling. To learn more about Dominique Youx, visit https://kreweofdominiqueyoux.com/history/.
Incredible Facts
- OUTFITS AND ACCENTS: They were actually invented by Disney. Pirates didn’t have a uniform accent and many of the sayings that are used, and that we recognize, came from the Disney movie “Treasure Island”. The movie, which was full of “arrs” and “shiver me timbers”, permanently shaped pop culture’s vision of how pirates looked, acted, and spoke. It’s the same with what they wore. Pirates actually wore typical seafaring clothing, while pirate captains and those with more money donned more expensive outfits.
- EYE PATCHES: Pirates DID wear eye patches, but not for the reason that we’ve been led to believe (a missing eye). Pirates would patch one eye so it always adjusted for the darkness difference of belowdecks and the bright ship decks.
- HOOKS FOR LIMBS: There are a few fictitious-sounding details about pirates that are accurate. Battling pirates did lose limbs from time to time and some of them would have replaced their absent appendages with a hook or a wooden peg and members of the crew received compensation for the loss of body parts in action—an early form of worker’s compensation.
- FEMALE PIRATES: Men did dominate the world of piracy, but there have been several women who were notorious pirates. Ireland had two notorious pirates, Grace O’Malley and Anne Bonny (pictured below) and America’s first female pirate was Rachel Wall. She was eventually arrested for robbery and hanged at the young age of 29.
Photo Courtesy of Best Life Online
- PIRATES STOLE BOOKS: . Some members of pirate crews were literate and were essential for reading navigational charts. Books were even sometimes part of the booty taken from ships that the pirates pilfered.
- SPECIAL FOODS AND MENUS: Since pirates didn’t have refrigeration on their ships, they needed special menus. So, they brought food onboard that wouldn’t spoil quickly. They brought cured meats, fermented vegetables and also kept animals on board that provided them with milk, eggs, and fresh meat if needed.
- LIVE MUSIC AND THEATER: Since months, and sometimes years, were spent at sea, the pirates needed to entertain and keep themselves occupied, so they had bands play and sometimes perform theater shows. Most were given the Sabbath Day off to rest.
- PETS: Because animals such as dogs weren’t really an option due to their size and difficulty to care for, pirates often had parrots. They were easy to acquire in Caribbean ports. Some were kept, but most were sold when the ship reached home. They were colorful, they could be taught to talk—always entertaining—and they fetched a good price in the bird markets of London.”
- PIRATES STILL EXIST: Even today! Today, pirates are most common in the waters around Indonesia, Somalia, and Nigeria, according to NBC. As of March 2019, there have been 14 actual and attempted pirate attacks in Nigerian waters.
Now that you know MORE than you ever thought you’d know about pirates, why not plan your vacation in Panama City Beach in October. During the Pirates of the High Seas and Renaissance Fest, pirate-fans can enjoy online and in-person activities, including a digital pirate costume contest, an in-person and online treasure hunt, parades, live music fireworks, Renaissance vendors and activities, and more all while visiting Panama City Beach.
While there, how would you like to take a cruise on the The Sea Dragon for a pirate cruise? Drift back in time to the carefree days of pirates. Sit back and relax as your children laugh and play under the watchful eyes of Capt. “Fearless” Phil and his friendly crew. Join them for an adventure that you and your kids will never forget!
Land Ho, after all your adventures, you will need a place to rest your heads, and we’ve got you covered at Premium Beach Condos. Check out our beautiful accommodations that are sure to please the fussiest (and cutest) of pirates!
“Where there is a sea, there are pirates.”
Pirate information credit of E. Bruce Goldstein’s Sensation and Perception, National Geographic, Smithsonian Institute, and the International Maritime Bureau.