A 40-foot ship manned by tattooed, chantey-singing, grog-swilling pirates has charted a course for the beaches of Oak Bluffs this summer. There will be no pillaging of the town, however, because the buccaneers will be buckaroos between the ages of 2 and 10, sailing the high seas on the Sea Gypsy, the flagship of Pirate Adventures Martha’s Vineyard.
Jeremiah McCarthy, co-owner of Pirate Adventures Martha’s Vineyard with his wife Catherine, said the idea came to them two years ago, when they were looking for something to do with their children. “My wife was online and found this pirate ship in Hyannis,” Mr. McCarthy told The Times. “Apparently it had been operating for 20 years. I’d never even heard of it.” Mr. McCarthy said that 10 minutes into the trip, his wife called and said, ‘We have to buy one of these.’”
Than Drake of Hyannis created the first pirate adventure 20 years ago with a converted sailboat, and over the years, the design has become more refined. The Sea Gypsy’s hull was built in Maine, then shipped to Hyannis, where Mr. Drake converted it into a proper pirate ship. There are five different pirate adventures along the East Coast, but Mr. McCarthy said it is not a franchise.
Mr. McCarthy, a fourth-generation Islander and owner of the Dockside building on Oak Bluffs Harbor, said he sees Pirate Adventures helping to fill the family entertainment void on the Island.
“We have a 3-year-old and a 6-year-old; we know how little there is for families to do together here,” he said. “You can go to the beach, you can go to Felix Neck, but there’s not a lot of structured activities.”
There’s another compelling reason that inspired Mr. McCarthy to start the business. “Who doesn’t want to be a pirate?” he said. “I’m amazed how many adults want to do it.”
At least one adult has to accompany each child or group of children, so grownups can live the dream, if they so choose.
Before boarding the Sea Gypsy, each new “mate” will get a pirate name and be fitted with pirate garb. Foam swords will be available for swashbucklers. Face paint and temporary tattoos will be applied, and landlubbers will learn how to talk like a pirate.
The journey to find sunken treasure will last about 70 minutes. There is a bathroom onboard.
After leaving Oak Bluffs Harbor, the Sea Gypsy will chart a course due south, about as far as the Inkwell. The five daily trips are timed to avoid the ferry traffic at the North Bluff and at the SSA terminal.
Once under sail, the crew will work together to find pieces of a treasure map, which will determine the ship’s destination. “Along the way, we find a message in a bottle, and we’re attacked by Stinky Pete, the Island’s smelliest pirate, and the kids fight him off with water cannons,” Mr. McCarthy said. “Eventually we discover where X marks the spot, and everybody has to help pull the treasure chest from the water, and once it’s on the deck they all get a handful of pirate booty.”
On the trip back to the harbor, pirates will celebrate their success with singing, dancing, and non-alcoholic grog that they find floating in the sea.
“It’s a highly interactive pirate experience,” Mr. McCarthy said, laughing.
The trip will cost $32 a person, child or adult, and there’s a 20 percent discount for Dukes County residents. Mr. McCarthy said he’s looking to hire energetic staff members who are good at public speaking and enjoy entertaining children.
For more information, go to mvpirates.com.