My Morning Cup: Virtual Belize: Beaches and Cayes...but first...

It is 30 degrees and gray here today in Indiana.

Making it PERFECT for a virtual BEACH DAY!

Come along!

But before we can begin the beautiful beaches and cayes (keyz) first we must learn about a famous guy associated with these islands.

Edward Teach.

(...not ringing any bells?)

A REAL Pirate of the Carribean. You probably know him as

BLACKBEARD

He controlled this bit of the Carribean Sea from 1716-1718.

A British fellow who captured a French slave ship and re-named her Queen Anne's Revenge who joined forces with a friend and fellow pirate, Stede Bonnet. They were 35 years old.

(...and face it...two guys on the high seas plundering and drinking rum...who could blame them...)

The ship.

Their Flag

(I'm thinking there has to be a great backstory here...like maybe something best suited for a therapist's office)
Anyway...

Although their reign was short...along with their lives...the reputation of Blackbeard remains today.

He was called Blackbeard for his fearsome demeanor and heavy black beard in which he often tied fuses, lighting them and giving him the demon from hell appearance.

In November of 1718 he would fall into a well-planned trap by Virginian Robert Maynard and crew and be bludgeoned and stabbed to death.

His Legend would live on.

It was said that Teach's head was severed from his body by Maynard. The disposal of his body is of mixed accounts. Some said he was threw into the sea (where the decapitated body swam around the ship three times then disappeared)...some swore that he was buried in a mass grave and his treasure lost.

A giftshop/museum called Teach's Hole is now on Ocracoke Island...off the coastline of North Carolina...and carries all things Blackbeard now.

Well...come on...we HAVE to go see it.

(I know I promised you Belizean Beaches...this is just a little side trip..okay?)

Okay...apparently no videotape tour is allowed.

Moving on...

Turneffe Atoll offshore Belize was one of his hideouts.

A lot more developed these days with everything from Blackbeard's Resort to Blackbeard's Dive Shoppe, I'm afraid.

If the capt'n could see this place now, eh?