The Wandering Disciple

Port Royal was a wild place for visiting pirates.  This port in Jamaica was close to many of the shipping lanes and became a popular place for Pirates.  As a result, it was known for Pirate shenanigans as the swashbucklers visited port for booze and booty.  Today you can learn more about life as a pirate and Port Royal at the St Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum.  (Photo: November 12, 2011)

Step off the ship and take a stroll through the streets of Port Royal and be whisked away some 300 years to when pirates controlled the high seas.  At the St Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum in the heart of downtown, the pirate legacy is reborn through interactive displays that allow you to experience life as pirate.  (Photo: November 12, 2011)

A pirate flag for Calico Jack hangs on display at the Pirates and Treasures Museum in St Augustine.  Flags like these commonly referred to as a "Jolly Roger" were used to identify pirate vessels.  While the most common style was the black and white skull and crossbones, there were many variations of the flag depending on the pirate it represented.  The one pictured here belonged to Calico Jack, a pirate who was active until his execution in 1720.  Jolly Rogers such as this one are on display at the Pirates and Treasures Museum on the bayfront in St Augustine.  (Photo: November 12, 2011)

Several treasures from the Atocha shipwreck are on display at the St Augustine Pirate and Treasures Museum. The Nuestra Señora de Atocha was a Spanish cargo ship that sank off the Florida Keys in 1622. A recovery mission was launched by the Spaniards, but those ships ran aground nearby. The wreck remained lost to the sea until treasure hunter Mel Fisher discovered the wreckage in 1985 after sixteen years of searching. (Photo: November 12, 2011)

A swashbuckling pirate guards the ship and its treasure at the St Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum. The museum is the collection of former NBA owner Pat Croce and features many pirate artifact. (Photo: November 12, 2011)

Ahoy matey! Hop aboard the main deck of the pirate ship and live the life of a pirate at the St. Augustine Pirate Museum. The museum features plenty of pirate artifacts including a real Jolly Roger flag, treasure chest and much more. (Photo: November 12, 2011)

St. Augustine, Florida: Avast, me hearties! Climb aboard for a pirate adventure at the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum. Step back into the days when pirates ruled the seven seas and see learn a little about life as a pirate. The journey begins in Port Royal. Take a walk down the streets in the heart of pirate county, browsing at the shops along the way. Here you can see some of the weapons, navigational aids, maps and even medical treatment that was available during the time of the pirates. While in Port Royal, don’t forget to stop at Rogue’s Tavern. It is here where you can witness how pirates spent their free time; drinking, playing games and of course, fighting. This is also where you can learn about some of the most notorious pirates through interactive computers. When you’re done playing around in the tavern, its time to hit the seas onboard the ship. The pirate ship is broken down into several interactive zones including the Main Deck, Gun Deck, Captain’s Cabin ...

St. Augustine, Florida: Well we made it through the cold night. The lowest I noticed the temp overnight was 40 degrees. That last minute stop at Wal-Mart to grab a heater paid off as it did the trick to keep the tent just warm enough to get through the night. Now if only I wouldn’t had forgotten the air mattresses. The cold night rewarded us with a spectacular sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean. We headed to the boardwalk overlook to watch the sun peak over the horizon and welcome us to a new day of adventures. Today was going to be a busy day so we began by heading for breakfast. We decided to have breakfast at Wildflower Café on A1A in St. Augustine Beach. They were highly recommended locally so we gave them a try. It was a bit pricey for breakfast but the food was delicious. My wife had a ham and cheese omelet and my son and I had pancakes. The best part of the meal was the bacon, I could have eaten a lot more but we had a town to explore. After breakfast we headed to Fort Mose Histori...