There are big happenings in the Cayman Islands this week. It’s the 30th annual Pirates Week! Yes, it’s that time of year again where drunken revelers can dress up as Johnny Depp and say things like “avast, me hardys” without looking like total douchebags.
Pirates week officially started on Friday, with a night of drinking (in true pirate tradition). But the festivities really got going on Saturday, with the annual pirate invasion, commemorating some point in time when pirates and Britains fought, or something like that.
Here’s a rundown of the Saturday afternoon festivities:
6:00 am — I wake up and go to work, because I work on Saturdays (and Sundays). Sucky.
1:00 pm — business starts slowing down, as the road through town is closed, and people are gathering for the festivities. From the dock of our shop we can see the fort that is built on a small island in the harbor, which the pirate ships will attack.
2:30 — the pirates (locals dressed in pirate garb) have finished boarding the two pirate ships, and they start heading out to sea. We head out to the dock to watch the attack. I take out my camera to get some pictures, and my co-workers generously suggest that I head in to town to get a first hand look. As I’m leaving, they yell “you’d better run — it looks like they are about to start.”
2:40 — I make it down to town, and find a spot out on the dock where we refuel our boat. I have a great view of the harbor, and of the crowds gathered in town. The pirate ships are circling in the harbor, and my camera is ready to capture the action.
2:50 — the pirate ships are still circling, and I’ve taken lots of pictures and video of them from far away that I’ll never use. I am starting to get bored, so I look over towards town where the people are. There is a stage set up, and some local girls are dancing as entertainment. They are not good.
3:00 — still no pirates. The entertainment has shifted to some guy on a BMX bike doing wheelies. I kid you not. This is how things work in Cayman. He’s probably related to someone in the government, and the guy said “hey, my nephew can ride a bike good - let’s put him in the entertainment.” I am glad I’m watching from across the harbor and don’t have to be subjected to this up close.
3:08 — the entertainment on stage is now a very large woman doing a belly-dancing routine. I miss the BMX guy.
3:20 — the dancer is done (finally!), and now it’s a guy on a unicycle. They best part of this routine is that they have to call two guys up on stage to help him get up on the unicycle, and it takes him five minutes (literally) to get up and riding. I start to regret having come down to town to witness this spectacle.
3:40 — a helicopter starts to circle overhead. The invasion is starting:
Yes, that’s right, way back in the day when pirates invaded the Cayman Islands, they started their attack by parachuting in. These Caymanians are all about historical accuracy.
3:42 — the attack finally begins. The fort fired first at the pirate ships (which is where the action picks up in this next clip), and then the cannons roared with return fire:
3:47 — the fort was supposed to blow up after the exchange of cannon fire, but that hasn’t happened. The pirates are now sailing into port, and are landing and beginning their “invasion”:
3:55 — The fort still hasn’t exploded, and I’ve been away from work for way longer than I should have. The pirates are now headed into town for a big “battle” with British soldiers, but I decide to skip the fight and get back to work. Having already survived the BMX guy, I can’t imagine what crap entertainment I’ll have to withstand as they prepare for battle.
4:47 — back at work, we hear an explosion. A quick walk out to the dock reveals that the fort finally exploded. I’m glad I didn’t wait to see it.
And with that, Pirates Week got into full swing! What else is in store this week? Lots of fun! Today was an underwater treasure hunt at Andrea’s dive shop, during the week they have 5k and 10k runs scheduled, as well as 5k and 10k swims (pirates were apparently very big into exercise!, and festivities will peak next Saturday with a cardboard boat race. I may go check it out, but if I do I’ll be sure to go late enough that I miss the skateboarder, flower planter, and whatever other great local entertainers they have in store for warm-ups!