Little did we know that we’ve been following Blackbeard the Pirate for the last few days. While we were on the Outer Banks, a park ranger at Cape Hatteras told us about a museum exhibit about Blackbeard in Beaufort, South Carolina. Since Beaufort was on our path, we decided to visit the North Carolina Maritime Museum to learn a thing or two about this infamous individual.
We found out that in 1996, a commercial salvage company reported the location of an unidentified shipwreck just outside Beaufort Inlet to North Carolina archeologists. Extensive on-site investigations, excavations and historical research have led researchers to believe that the wreck is the long-lost flagship of Blackbeard the Pirate.
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| Queen Anne's Revenge Model |
Blackbeard’s ship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge, ran aground in 1718. After the loss of his ship, Blackbeard made his way to Bath, where he received the king’s pardon. Blackbeard, however, soon returned to his pirate ways, but was tracked down and killed at Ocracoke Inlet. We were just there yesterday.
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| Blackbeard at the Museum |
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| Is That Tim on a Pirate Ship? |
While the project to recover and conserve artifacts of the Queen Anne’s Revenge is ongoing, the current exhibit at the museum provides insight into what has been found to date. Once more, archeology has provided a fascinating story.
We made our way inland from the coast on our way to Congaree National Park, which we plan to visit tomorrow. As we neared the border between North and South Carolina, I couldn’t resist a stop at South of the Border. For those of you who are unaware of this roadside attraction, South of the Border is the ultimate kitschy rest stop that has drawn tourists since 1950. Its mascot is Pedro, an extravagantly stereotypical Mexican bandido. Tim got one look and wisely decided to drive on.
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| Sombrero Tower |
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| Pedro Welcomed Us |
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| It Never Ends |
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