FLORIDA: Ahoy there me hearties….

The pirate theme continues as Bev Fearis and family explore more of St Augustine’s tourist highlights.

Thanks to various encounters at Disney (Peter Pan and Captain Hook) and our Pirate Dinner Adventure, my three-year-old son Freddie was now properly obsessed with pirates, so he was very excited about visiting St Augustine’s Pirate and Treasure Museum, an attraction that opened in the city in 2010.

I have to confess, I enjoyed it too. We were given a tour by the charismatic Captain Mayhem, a local magician and a wellknown face around town who is the permanent ‘pirate’ guide at the museum. Dressed in all his swashbuckling fineries, he took us round the museum showing us the highlights and fascinating us with his tales of the sea. Freddie couldn’t keep his eyes off him.

The museum has more than 800 authentic pirate artefacts, including the only authenticated pirate’s treasure chest (once belonging to Captain Thomas Tew 400 years ago) and a 19^th-century Jolly Roger flag, one of only two still in existence. It even has a little section dedicated to Sir Francis Drake, who was also a pirate, according to Captain Mayhem. "Surely not when you’ve got permission from the Queen?" I asked, feeling I should defend the ways of the British Empire. "It depends which side of the sword you’re on," said the Captain, and I guess he’s right.

The collection has been put together by a pirate enthusiast Pat Croce, who first opened a museum in Key West and then decided that St Augustine was a better home. After watching the movie Captain Blood starring Errol Flynn as a young boy, he was hooked (excuse the pun!), and four decades later he’s the proud owner of a very valuable collection. He has also brought in the help of Disney ‘imagineers’ to bring the collection to life. At one point, the three of us were locked in a dark wooden cell with headsets and were told a chilling tale of pirate battles, gambling and decapitations, complete with very realistic special effects. Freddie held on to my hand for dear life, not so much due to the content (I don’t think he properly understood it) but because he thought we were about to zoom off on a Disney-style ride again.

Croce has now taken over a site just behind the museum, facing back on to St George Street, which will be a new ‘Colonial Quarter’ attraction. Scheduled to open this Spring, it promises to be another fun, interactive experience charting the history of St Augustine through the 17^th, 18^th and 19^th centuries, with a viewing tower, a blacksmiths, a Spanish bar and an authentic British tavern. The same Disney imagineers have been drafted in to help work their magic and local reenactors are currently being recruited to bring the history to life. Apparently Captain Mayhem himself is going to play a big role. Where will he find the time.

That night, we headed out to Aunt Kate’s at North Beach, a 10-minute drive out of town. It was the only time we ventured out in the car, and it was definitely worth the trip. It is owned by the Usinas, a Minorcan family who go back generations, to 1768 in fact when they were brought over as servants by the English. Today, they run the fabulous North Beach Camp Resort, and two neighbouring restaurants – Aunt Kate’s (on the river side of the camp site) and the ever-so-slightly posher Reef (on the ocean side). None of the restaurants are that posh here and even if they are the dress code is casual. I guess in the height of the summer, nobody wants to be dressing up.

If you only have one night, I would go for Aunt Kate’s. It’s a beautiful Florida-style house with a large decked terrace overlooking the river beach and fishing dock. The atmosphere is friendly and laid back and the food is fabulous. Specialities include a Minorcan clam chowder, pilau (not an Indian rice but a traditional spicy Minorcan rice dish) and dozens of seafood options – shrimp, mussels, scallops, crab, oysters, and whatever was caught that morning. You can even take in your own catch of the day and have it cooked the way you like it. We dined with the current owners Frank and Betty Usina, now in their late 70s, and heard fascinating tales of their family history. It was definitely one of the most memorable meals of our trip so far. Make sure you try some of Aunt Kate’s special spicy sauce too – it’s got quite a kick.

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