Kitty Hawk Kites is teaming up with Blackbeard’s Crew to host the 4th Annual Outer Banks Pirate Festival starting today.

The festival lasts four days, from September 16th through September 19th.

Captain Jack Sparrow and Blackbeard’s Crew plan to pillage, plunder and be pirates!  The Pirates will invade several different locations and businesses throughout the Outer Banks. Rumors are circulating about a plan to take over the ship owned by Roanoke Island Festival Park. These pirates also love to pillage at all Kitty Hawk Kites stores in the Outer Banks. Captain Jack Sparrow and Blackbeard’s Crew will visit numerous local establishments. The tentative schedule is as follows:

Wednesday 9/16:
- 3pm-5pm Nags Head KHK – Jockey’s Ridge Crossing
- 6pm-9pm Jolly Roger

Thursday 9/17:
- 11am-12pm – Duck Kitty Hawk Kites
- 1pm – 2pm – Corolla Kitty Hawk Kites – Monteray Plaza
- 4pm-6pm Outer Banks Brewing Station*
- 8pm-9pm Rodanthe KHK

Friday 9/18:
- 11am-1pm Big Al’s
- 2pm-4:30pm Roanoke Island Festival Park*
- 5pm-7pm Pamlico Jack’s*

Saturday 9/19:
- 9am-11am The Dunes Restaurant*
- 10am-4pm Nags Head KHK – Jockey’s Ridge Crossing – MP 12.5

*While at the sponsored restaurants, pirates will feast and interact with other guests of the restaurant or attraction.

On Saturday, September 19th, visit the Kitty Hawk Kites store in Nags Head, NC at Jockey’s Ridge Crossing from 10am-4pm for a pirate encampment. Several pirates will pitch their tents in front of Kitty Hawk Kites, offering a full day of pirate life. Tales and stories will circulate throughout the day as each pirate tries to tell his/her best tale of the sea. Some pirates will conduct the “Scalliwag School for Aspiring Pirates” while others help with the Treasure Hunt!

Blackbeard’s first mate will be in search of new recruitments. Children of all ages will be able to train with the pirates, learning how to sword fight and become a real pirate. In addition, live cannon fire will be shot throughout the day.

Be sure to look for Skull and Crossbones Pirate Flags over participating establishments!

  Beginning in June, visitors to the Outer Banks will become privy to the secret life of pirates and the paranormal phenomenon of phantom ships in the new “Graveyard of the Atlantic – Pirates, Legends and Lore” tour presented by Ghost Tours of America, Inc.

The tours are an expansion of last year’s very popular “Ghost Tours of the Outer Banks.”  Meeting at the Town Center Kiosk in Manteo, the 90 minute walking tour will be held every Tuesday evening beginning June 9 at 8 p.m. Cost for the tour is $13 for adults and $8 for children 10 and under. 

Featured stories include: “Pillow the Life Saving Dog”; “Blackbeard the Pirate’s Pact with the Devil”; the phantom ship, “Carroll A. Deering and many more. According to owner, Andrea Martinshin, “We had so many ghost stories last year that we were unable to cover the nautical ghost stories and pirate lore which is such a big part of the Outer Banks. Individuals that enjoyed our ghost stories last year will find the same quality experience on our new tour.  If you enjoy fun facts about pirates – then this is the tour for you!”

On Wednesday evenings at 8 p.m., more paranormal happenings will be presented in the “Ghost Tours of the Outer Banks tour.  Using the same format, ghost stories from Kitty Hawk to Cape Hatteras are told as well as segments on “How to Communicate with Ghosts” and “Ghost 101”.

In order to be sure that each visitor has an entertaining and enjoyable experience, reservations are required for both tours.  Reservations can be made by calling 252-573-1450.

  Kevin Duffus, Blackbeard historian and author, is attempting to reopen a 274 year old estate of a man from Beaufort County that he thinks was a member of Blackbeard’s pirate crew. 

Duffus believes the crew members’ bones are stored in a box in Raleigh, and says that he will need access to the estate to clarify if the man was in fact part of Blackbeard’s crew.  Edward Slater is the possible crew member’s name, a landowner and merchant who died in 1735. 

With a little help from Slater’s descendants, Duffus is planning to run a series of DNA tests to determine whether or not the bones are of Edward Slater.  If the bones prove to be Slater’s, history could be rewritten.  Duffus believes that if the bones are in fact Slater’s, this will prove that not all of Blackbeard’s pirates were murdered in Williamsburg, VA, as popular history states. 

State officials have neglected to recognize Dufus’ petition to be named executor of the estate. State law provided that the state archaeologist is required to preserve human remains that are in state custody.  Brian Blount of Springfield, MO, is supporting Duffus’ suggestion, and is considered Slater’s grandson times seven. He testified in court in support of Duffus’ petition. Supporters of this petition will also help support a fund to pay for the DNA analysis, which is estimated to cost about $1200.

Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard the Pirate, is quite possibly the most famous pirate that ever roamed the earth. PBS aired a show last night at that discussed the life of Blackbeard and his journeys pillaging at sea. 

There was a time during his reign of terror that he commanded four ships that consisted of a crew 400 strong.  The crews were unrelenting, pillaging ships all across the Atlantic.  Many of these vessels were terrorized in American waters.  In the year of 1718, Blackbeard blockaded the city of Charleston, which had great impact of the city’s economy.  Eventually, the pirate was caught and beheaded off the coast of the Outer Banks. 

A marine archeology team recently discovered what they believe is Blackbeard’s sunken flagship, The Queen Anne’s Revenge, off the OBX coast.  They are hoping that this discovery will help answer some long enduring questions about Blackbeard’s life and death.  Check local listings for details and scheduled reruns.

Away.com recently created a top ten list of places to live like a pirate, and the Outer Banks landed at # 2.   

Ocracoke Island receives attention from pirate lovers everywhere.  The quaint island located on the southern end of the OBX was the home of Blackbeard the Pirate, and much lore still surrounds the island.   

Ocracoke offers a variety of pirate related activities and history.  Two must-sees for any pirate enthusiast are the Blackbeard museum and Tech’s Hole, now a great fishing spot, but in 1718 it was the site of the Battle of Ocracoke that cost Blackbeard his life. 

Kevin Duffus, an author, researcher, and filmmaker has spent 35 years researching Blackbeard’s life. To other historians, he is known simply as the “Blackbeard Expert.” 

Duffus recently published “The Last Days of Black Beard The Pirate” where he explains his well-researched theories of the infamous pirate’s life.  Blackbeard is the source of many tales and legends on the Outer Banks. 

To honor the memory of Blackbeard, Duffus hopes to build a full size replica of Blackbeard’s famous ship, The Adventure. The Adventure was a Jamaica sloop, a common merchant vessel of the times that Blackbeard captured and converted to a pirate ship.

On March 5th, Duffus made a presentation for funding the $5.2 million dollar project to The Committee of 100’s.  His ideas for the project were enthusiastically received by the members. The Duffus plan would have a team of marine craftsmen, augmented by skilled volunteers, take about a year to build the vessel.   When completed, the ship would be used for dockside tours and demonstrations; corporate and special-event charters; festival and re-enactment events both within and outside of the state; and sailing and seamanship instruction.

The ideas are in place, all that remains is getting $5.2 million in funding in a difficult economic climate.  Good luck Kevin; we hope to see The Adventure setting sail soon. 

  November 22, 2008 was the 290^th anniversary of the Battle of Ocracoke, which took the life of the fabled Blackbeard the Pirate. 

This anniversary was commemorated for the first time with a ceremony organized by Blackbeard’s Crew, a living history troupe based in Hampton, VA, and Blackbeard historian, Kevin Duffus. 

Fifty eight people dressed in pirate costumes marched through Ocracoke to the sound of a monotonous drum beat that that helped build the solemn mood of a funeral march.  Followed by an interested crowd of residents and visitors, the marching concluded at Teach’s Hole, named after Edward Teach, Blackbeard’s believed name. Today this historic spot is a thriving fishing hole, but on November 22, 1718, this was the site of a bloody battle that cost 23 men their lives.

Known as The Battle of Ocracoke, it is believed that Blackbeard, 11 of his crew, and 11 sailors of the British Navy were killed.  This ceremony was held to honor the memory of the fallen men and to educate people about the fascinating history of pirates on the Outer Banks.

For more information on the event and a great slide show, take a look at Sundae Horn’s recent article in the Island Free Press. 

Pirates will return to Ocracoke to remember the battle that ended in Blackbeard’s death

On November 22, 1718, two hired merchant sloops manned by 60 Royal Navy sailors from Virginia engaged the notorious pirate Edward Thatch, aka Blackbeard, and his 20 shipmates near Ocracoke Inlet. Following a brief gun battle and hand-to-hand combat lasting fewer than six minutes, 12 pirates were killed, including Blackbeard, and nine men were captured. Eleven of the King’s men were killed…the “Battle of Ocracoke” was born.

The “Battle of Ocracoke” and the death of the notorious pirate Blackbeard will be memorialized on Ocracoke Island at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22.

The memorial event will be held on a soundside sandy beach adjacent to Ocracoke’s Springer’s Point, near the location of the 1718 engagement at Teaches Hole Channel.

More than 50 pirate reenactors, dressed in period attire will assemble at the site for a 45-minute ceremony featuring period music, a newly-composed pirate chantey, an elegy, the floating of a wreath and a 23-gun salute for each of the 23 pirates and King’s sailors who were killed in the battle.

The event has been coordinated and sponsored by Blackbeard’s Crew, a Virginia-based living history performance group, and by Kevin Duffus, a Raleigh, N.C., historian and author of the book, “The Last Days of Black Beard the Pirate.”

The public and media are welcome to observe the inaugural Blackbeard Pirate Memorial. Those attending are encouraged to gather at 1 p.m. at Blackbeard’s Lodge in Ocracoke village at 111 Back Road.

  September brings the end of summer, the start of school, gorgeous fall weather, and hopefully some surf to the Outer Banks.  It also marks the start of a week long celebration of a short, but culturally and historically significant, period in Outer Banks history…the Pirate! 

The Outer Banks enjoys a rich history, and was once a favorite haunt for pirates.  The period from 1710 – 1718 was ruled by pirates on the Outer Banks, including the infamous Blackbeard.  During his career as a pirate, Blackbeard captured over 40 ships and was killed in battle at Oregon Inlet in 1718.

Blackbeard’s Pirate Festival – This week-long event kicks off on Monday September 15^th and continues through Saturday September 20^th.  The headquarters for the festival is Kitty Hawk Kites (MP 12.5, Nags Head), and community events are scheduled all week throughout the Outer Banks.

Enjoy Pirate history, storytelling, reenactments, shows. The culmination of a fun filled week of events will be on Saturday September 20th at the Kitty Hawk Kites Store, MP 12.5, Nags Head. Enjoy everything Pirate; entertainment, reenactments, get your picture taken with a Pirate, etc

Monday
Jack Sparrow visits Kitty Hawk Kites in Nags Head for a Treasure Hunt.
3pm-5pm

Tuesday
Sparrow travels south to Hatteras Island to visit Kitty Hawk Kites in Waves, Avon, and Hatteras Village. 10am – 3pm

Wednesday
Sparrow travels north the visit Kitty Hawk Kites in Corolla for a Treasure Hunt
2pm-4pm

Thursday
Pirate Invasion at the Jolly Roger – 6pm-8pm

Friday – “National Talk Like a Pirate Day”
12pm – Pirates invade Big Al’s in Manteo
2pm-5pm – Pirate Invasion at Roanoke Island Festival Park
8pm – Movie Night at Jockey’s Ridge Crossing in Nags Head – “Pirates of the Caribbean”

Saturday
10am-4pm – Pirate Invasion at Jockey’s Ridge Crossing in Nags Head
Blackbeard’s Crew, Captain Jack Sparrow and Blackburn perform impromptu skirmishes, games, amusement, and more!