BEAUFORT, N.C. — Pirates are taking over Beaufort this weekend for the annual Beaufort Pirate Invasion.
The Cannon Crew is just one of the pirate groups pitching a temporary camp in Beaufort. Their setup is a historical replica of a 17th century pirate encampment.
Carl Cannon is their leader, and he's loved pirates ever since he was little. Now he's living out his childhood dream as Blackbeard. His dreadlocks, gold tooth and jewelry are part of the character.
“My favorite part ... is seeing the smiles on peoples' faces,” Cannon said. “Sometimes wonderment. Sometimes they can't believe that I look so crazy.”
Cannon grew up going to the Beaufort Pirate Invasion, a historical reenactment of the 1747 Spanish pirate attack on Beaufort. The first one started back in 1960 to promote tourism and celebrate the town's history. Now he runs the event, and he's been a crowd favorite ever since.
As her husband runs around getting ready for the invasion, Jo Cannon hung out in their camp and described life in a pirate crew.
“When we're here in this camp, it's family reunion time,” she said. “We're all here together. It's important everybody understands where we are so we know where we need to go. If we don't keep stories alive, the stories will die.”
If there's one thing that brings the crew together, it's their love for pirates.
“What you see is what you get,” Jo Cannon said. “This is who we are. This is not just a weekend event, this is a lifestyle.”
Saturday's events kick off with the Spanish pirate invasion and end with a reenactment of the Battle of Ocracoke on Sunday afternoon. Tickets are $10, and Blackbeard himself will be ready to welcome you to his camp.