Trail of the Pirates: Aren't We All Pirates?

Trail of the Pirates is a travel series exploring maritime history, culture and lore between Key West and St. Augustine on the east coast of Florida.

I found more than just pirates on this journey. (Photo taken in Key West.)

I'm taking a moment to breathe. My journey up the east coast of Florida far exceeded every expectation; it was more than anything I could have ever imagined. And you know it means something for me to say that -- being the jaded Miami Beach gal I used to be. I say used to be deliberately, because even though I still am that woman, traveling away from Miami has breathed new life into me.

I sit here writing today, with half (or possibly more) of my heart still lingering in St. Augustine. For some reason I haven't quite yet figured out, that city has brought out the best in me -- two visits in less than two months under my belt and the promise of more in the future.

Much has happened in the last two weeks to me and those I love, running the whole gamut of emotion from grief to joy. A dear friend of mine lost his mother after she fell into a coma; another friend remarried and is living happily ever now. (No sooner did I return from St. Augustine, I drove to the gulf coast to attend the wedding and explore Pine Island.) I've made new friends along the way, too, including one who is very special.

I drove 1,663 miles in a span of 10 days between Key West and St. Augustine. And another 350 miles or so between Miami and Pine Island. Mind you, not so long ago, I couldn't even get into a car.

The beach at Sebastian Inlet State Park on the Treasure Coast.

The journey from quiet coastal mangroves in the Keys to the roaring surf of Anastasia Island, with all the beautiful beaches in between, gave me a glimpse of hope, love and joy that I've found hard to find in Miami. There really is something to be said about the road less traveled, especially in Florida. And let me add this: to be inspired by beaches, as I always have, has nothing to do with sex; the most romantic moment may be nothing more then a deeply genuine, lingering embrace.

Was I really looking for pirates? Or was I really searching for treasure in my own heart and in the hearts of those whom I would newly discover?

The line is blurry right now. I did learn a lot about pirates. I did learn a lot about maritime history. But as with every journey, I also learned a lot about myself.

Being next to someone I care about, not saying a word, sitting at the Castillo de San Marcos on a glorious day, gazing at a tall ship as it sailed around the Matanzas River -- all this combined made for a perfect moment of peace and fulfillment I shall not soon forget. I really think I prefer a simpler life.

The Lynx Privateer sailing on the Matanzas River in St. Augustine.

I also learned a lot about potential.

It has taken me over 15 years to get to the point where I am today. I don't regret one single step, even if I'm not exactly where I want to be. But being in this moment is as perfect as anything I would ever want, even if it's still imperfect. Travel writing is my passion and I'm finally living my dream, though it comes not without sacrifice. Realizing this was a humbling lesson.

Piracy, by definition, is the taking of something that isn't yours. But let's turn this around: what about seizing the things that are rightly yours? What about your dreams? What about your passions? What about love? Those things are your birthright.

I think that in some ways, we are all pirates. We are all trying to find some splendor that we think doesn't belong to us. But the truth is, the treasure is within, it's already part of us, shining brightly even when we can't see it, even when we're sailing in a tempest. What are you doing to salvage the gold you left behind in some personal shipwreck? What are you doing in your daily life to claim your treasure?

Anyway, now that I'm back, the complete pirate series will officially begin. Expect stories to start trickling in, including a few about pirate history right here in South Florida. Stay tuned ... I have much to share -- not only the fascinating history but also an itinerary you can follow if you, too, should decide to follow the trail of the pirates.

Trail of the Pirates: Everything That's Old Is New

Trail of the Pirates is a travel series exploring maritime history, culture and lore between Key West and St. Augustine on the east coast of Florida.

Pirates didn't have iPhones or GPS ... how did they manage to spin such a notorious reputation and get around back in the day?

I finally made it to St. Augustine -- five days and approximately six hundred miles later! Yesterday, no sooner did I arrive than I had an exclusive interview with Pat Croce, founder of the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum. The venue had a soft opening this weekend, and is still a bit under construction, but will have a grand opening to the public in December. I can't wait for you to see the video! (Upload speeds are terribly slow here, but you can see all my uploaded stuff so far on YouTube.)

Afterward, I headed over to the Pirate Gathering, where I had the opportunity to interview a lovely lass who's involved in the Ancient City Privateers. Last night's agenda ended up in a hilarious and incredibly fun pub crawl around the nation's oldest city, which I would now consider a mecca for all things pirate. And I gotta say, service and people are so friendly and smart in St. Augustine. Even the tourists are a several notches above the scum on a South Beach bathtub. Sorry, folks, but really I feel quite at home in this town, even though I'm a Miami native.

I won't be updating daily again until I start my "official" posts on this amazing adventure. There is so much information to gather and share, I may have to catch up with you after I return to Miami next Tuesday.

Today's Google logo is priceless. It's the 160th birthday of Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure Island.

TREASURE REDISCOVERED

In addition to all the pirate shenanigans, I do have some business here. I'll be guest lecturing at Flagler College on blogging and writing in Tracy Eaton's class. Eaton is a journalist whom I met by chance because he's writing a book about Harley Davidson in Cuba. (My great uncle, Luis Bretos, was a champion racer and owned the exclusive Harley franchise in Havana. Eaton came down to Miami earlier this year and interviewed my father, who is one of a few remaining old timers who can speak of Cuba's glorious pre-revolution Harley Davidson culture.) Small world, eh? Really ... that six degrees of separation thing is no joke.

As well, I'm planning a social media workshop for businesses in the hospitality and tourism industry. Whew ... and as if that wasn't enough, I'll be on the Social Media Club South Florida panel Tuesday night, which focuses on Tourism, Hospitality and Social Media. I suspect I might be a bit frazzled after the long haul from St. Augustine to Miami, but it's all good!

Life is rich ... who knew that I'd be driving so far after recovering from agoraphobia. Not long ago, I couldn't even get into a car. I dare say that the freedom of the road and the opportunity to follow my calling and passion might be (gasp!) better than sex. It's not without sacrifice, but it's all so worth it.

Seriously, I had an epiphany while staring out at the water in Jensen Beach. As with every journey, I have reaped some enlightenment along this path.

My life has come full circle. Years ago, I left academia after I took my doctoral exams. I was supposed to write a book about the literary and historical interpretations of the Caribbean and Florida, and instead I discovered travel writing, which changed my life. I didn't want to keep my knowledge enclosed within the ivory tower of academe. Why write a Ph.D. dissertation that would collect dust on a bookshelf when I could share everything I knew with the world? I ended up with the dreaded title "ABD: All But Dissertion" ... but what does it matter?

Real education was my goal but I didn't want to do it in the traditional stuffy classroom. And I always had the dream of publishing my own travel magazine. Blogging has made all the difference for me -- a dream come true. Now I find myself doing EXACTLY what I had set out to do, without even realizing it as I was doing it. I feel so blessed and am so grateful. So heed me folks -- follow your heart, even if it means living outside the white picket fence of those voices that hold you back. It's worth it!

Fair winds to all! And don't forget, in the meantime, you can follow the Trail of Pirates on Twitter.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Hands down, this travel writing series would not have been possible without the devotion and support of the friendly and generous folks at the Visitors and Convention Bureau of Florida's Historic Coast, which covers St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and the beaches in the area. A little love goes out to Hidden Florida, too. Additional thanks go to Annie's Costumes, Visit Florida and the Hilton St. Augustine Historic Bayfront, which is the smallest Hilton property in the world -- utterly elegant and charming, serving amazing Spanish-inspired food at Avilés Restaurant. The vicequeen approves!