'Work," proclaims a T-shirt in a store in Beaufort, "is for people who don't know how to PLUNDER!" This North Carolina town loves piracy, and especially the legacy of Edward Teach (better known as Blackbeard).
Pronounced "Boh-fort," the seaside community should not to be confused with South Carolina's Beaufort, which is pronounced "Bew-ford." It is a favourite stop for snowbird sailors like myself, who are moseying south down the IntraCoastal Waterway, the protected inland passage that runs nearly 1,800 kilometres from Norfolk to Miami. Beaufort's ocean inlet also provides safe access to the open sea for skippers who have taken the ICW to avoid the notorious shoals off Cape Hatteras, but are now bound offshore on direct passages to and from the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Every spring and fall, cruising boats stream through Beaufort. Its casual, low-rise downtown is full of gift stores, bookshops, galleries, restaurants and coffee houses -- including two Internet cafés.
Though the waterfront of this nautical town is equally accessible to landlubbers, it is particularly well prepared for cruising sailors. Blackbeard himself seems to have recognized this back in the 18th century. Indeed, the legendary pirate's home -- Hammock House, built in 1709 -- is the oldest in town, and is included in "Ghost Walks" held each evening.
In 1996, the reputed wreck of his ship was discovered lying in eight metres of water near town, though its discoverers wouldn't reveal the exact location. But the ship's bell and other artifacts are displayed at the North Carolina Maritime Museum on Front Street in Beaufort.
Blackbeard's mastery of the arts of image and spin created the popular archetype of pirates and piracy. He was no slouch in battle -- his ships once blockaded the port of Charleston, and he was capable of defeating a Royal Navy ship one on one -- but he deliberately cultivated a terrifying image, twisting his huge black beard into braids, and setting a length of slow fuse afire at each side of his face when he leapt aboard the ships he pillaged. His fearsome reputation induced most skippers to surrender without a fight. His favoured hideout was the intricate, treacherous Carolina coast, where his pursuers could rarely find him. The coast consists of a long arc of sandy barrier islands known as the Outer Banks -- sweeping kilometres of beaches, fronting directly on the ocean, with broad, shallow sounds behind them.
Beaufort lies near the southern end of the Outer Banks, and so the region is a beach-lover's delight. Shackleford Banks, part of the Cape Lookout National Seashore, is one of the world's finest barrier island beaches. Its wild ponies are famous -- and the island lies only a few kilometres from Beaufort. You can take a tour boat out there, or rent a kayak and paddle out yourself.
In fact, you can even see wild horses from downtown Beaufort. My boat, Magnus, was tied up at the Town Docks. I was delighted one morning to see half a dozen dolphins off the end of the dock, their dorsal fins gracefully rising and slipping away as they browsed for food. Beyond the dolphins lay Carrot Island, near enough that a middling swimmer could reach it. That day, I talked to some local people who mentioned that Carrot Island also has a herd of 50-odd wild horses. Walking down the dock that afternoon, I scanned the island -- and sure enough, five tawny horses were meandering along the beach.
Beaufort wears its history lightly, although almost every house downtown seems to bear a plaque giving its name and date. Most were constructed in the 18th and 19th centuries. The stately houses facing the harbour along Front Street are particularly elegant, and many of them have been converted to inns.
And that salty, bloody history is always there. In his late 30s, Blackbeard retired from piracy and managed to obtain a royal pardon from the governor of North Carolina, though the governor was rumoured to be in cahoots with him.
In 1718, however, the governor of Virginia -- no friend to his counterpart in North Carolina -- organized two British naval vessels to find and capture Blackbeard. They cornered him about 80 kilometres from Beaufort, at Okracoke Inlet. The arch-pirate took 20 sword cuts and five pistol bullets before he died. His severed head was hung from the bowsprit of the naval sloop Pearl, and later exhibited at the entrance to the Hampton River in Virginia.
Carolina folk tales say Blackbeard's headless ghost wanders the coast on stormy nights, sometimes exhibiting a mysterious light, howling and searching for his head.
That wild sound I heard as I lay in my berth was the trumpeting of a wild stallion, surely. Wasn't it?
Pack your bags
GETTING THERE
Beaufort is a three-hour drive southeast from Raleigh, N.C.
WHERE TO STAY
Beaufort Inn: 101 Ann St.; 1-800-726-0321; http://www.beaufort-inn.com. Offers 44 well- appointed rooms starting at around $100 a night (double occupancy).
The Inlet Inn: 601 Front St. (at Queen Street); 1-800-554-5466; http://www.inlet-inn.com. Located on the historic Beaufort waterfront. The inn's 37 rooms start at about $80 a night (double occupancy).
THINGS TO DO
North Carolina Maritime Museum: 315 Front St.; 252-728-7317; http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/maritime. Free admission.
Beaufort Ghost Walk: 252-342-0715. Participants gather every night at 5:30 for this 45-minute stroll. Adults, $12; Kids, $10.
MORE INFORMATION
For more information about Beaufort, visit http://www.tourbeaufort.com or http://www.visitnc.com.
