The anticipated largest-ever gathering of pirates today will have a delegation of Eastern North Carolina buccaneers in attendance.
The Devilmen of Cape Feare, a living history group composed of ENC residents are headed to The Mariners’ Museum and Park in Newport News, Va. for “Pirates Pack the Park” today, an attempt to wrest the Guinness World Record of most pirates in one place from the United Kingdom.
That record was set earlier this year at the Hastings Pirate Festival, which drew 14,231 people meeting at least the minimum requirements for dressing like a marauding corsair.
“In the last two or three weeks, there’s been a lot to encourage us to think that this could happen,” said John Warren, Mariners’ Museum public relations manager. “And that’s because what we’re finding is that when we’re out and about — the reasons why we think we may break this record are anecdotal — people already know about the event, and we’re hearing from so many people saying, ‘We’re planning on coming.’ ”
But, the Devilmen group — about 14 members are attending — will be doing a little more than the basics.
“There are a lot of different groups of pirates — we’re not Hollywood pirates,” said Bill Hill, captain of the Devilmen. “We set up an authentic camp, and we run our camp as you would aboard ship. A lot of groups don’t do that, and that’s fine. There’s a lot of groups who are entertainers. We’re not entertainers.”
Kinston resident and Devilmen member Jeff Bockert said the group sets out to educate.
“It’s a way for living history interpreters to, basically, interpret the Golden Age of Piracy,” Bockert said. “The people, their only knowledge of it sometimes is ‘Pirates of the Caribbean,’ or Robert Louis Stevenson books. But it’s to show them the average pirate is not what they think of in popular mythology. They were pretty mean, hardened individuals. And our equipment and clothing and everything is of the time period.”
To be considered in the world record count, attendees have to wear at least a pirate hat or bandana, a plain white T-shirt, rolled-up pants or wench skirt, and an accessory item like an eye patch, jewelry, toy sword or something else typical of a pirate.
The event lasts from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the official count occurring at 2 p.m.
Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 and Wes.Wolfe@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.