Welcome aboard the Blackwater Pearl
With the

Blackwater Pyrates (BWP)

Many people are surprised to find out that the pyrates are not a Mardi Gras Krewe. They are often referred to as an “Adult Fraternity”. The pyrates attack leisure activities as fiercely as they attack community service. Founded in 2006, the pyrates have become an important part of the Blackwater River Community in Milton, Florida. The Blackwater Pyrates are not only active on the Fourth of July Duck Race, they are active the entire year.

January is awards month in Milton and in 2010 the BWP won the Community Achievement Award presented by the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce. The year begins with the kick-off of the annual Duck Adoption that culminates in the Great Mill Town Duck Race on the 4th of July. From January through July the Pyrates will sell rubber German racing duck adoptions to 3000 duck race participants. Three of those will become our lucky winners. First place will take $1500.00 home, while the second and third place winners also take home cash prizes. The event attracts thousands of visitors and is sponsored by the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce.

February is the annual Mardi Gras parade which is sponsored by Main Street Milton. The pyrates bring the 30’ Blackwater Pearl out of storage and the Good Times Roll. The parade starts just northwest of the Historic District, winds into town, down Willing Street, along the river and terminates at the South Riverwalk.

By April the pyrates are loading their chains, winches, floats and trash bags to participate in the annual Pyrate’s Earth Day Cleanup that only begins cleanup season for the pyrates along the Blackwater River and it’s tributaries. To date, the BWP has been responsible for the on-hands removal of 10 derelict boats that were deposited along the length of our rivers by hurricanes and tropical storms. In addition to numerous navigational hazards they remove, the pyrates pick up hundreds of pounds of trash and debris that accumulates along this increasingly popular waterway. Earth Day usually comes to a close on Skull Island where the pyrates overnight and spin stories of their most significant river recoveries. The Blackwater River is home to eighteen sunken historic vessels that date back to the lumber days (1800’s). In the 1800’s the Milton-Bagdad area was the site of the most prosperous lumber mills in the nation. The BWP watches over these sites to ensure they are preserved for future generations. But it’s not all work. April also marks the beginning of the lighted boat parade season. From April through September the pyrates pick the best full moon night of each month, cover their boats with lights and pick a populated cove to parade in. After the parade, the pyrates raft all of the boats together and pass food and laughter for hours until someone says, “let’s go home”.

May is the pyrate’s most creative month. It is in May that the pyrates expand their clothing line with new t-shirts and festival items. May is also Riverwalk Art Festival where the pyrates usually display their wares in an effort to keep patching the boat.

July is just one big duck thing. With the front-end-loader in place and the ducks counted, the pyrates set up a 400-foot racetrack in the river and dump three thousand ducks off the highway 90 bridge. At the end of the day some lucky winner goes home with $1500.00 in their pocket and some treasure seeking individual can net actual silver coins in the hidden treasure chest concealed somewhere in town. The silver coins are handmade by Santa Rosa Jewelers (By pyrates Jules and Pearl) and each has the Blackwater Pyrate trademark on them.

August is hot in Florida, so this is the month that pyrates usually reserve for themselves. They can usually be found on Skull Island or Pyrates Lagoon. They overnight in some of these places so if you drop anchor and notice that you are surrounded by boats with distinctive yellow/red/black and white Blackwater Pyrate flags check your anchor line occasionally and make sure you don’t have a pyrate on it.

October is pretty spooky in old Mill Town. If you haven’t been to Ghostwalk, you’re missing a great time. The entire town becomes a stage as each venue portrays a different spooky historical event. And yea, the pyrates are one of those venues.

November is the beginning of Light up Milton. The historic District comes to life with over a million lights and displays, which are donated by local businesses and erected, by the city and volunteer groups. As soon as we get through Thanksgiving, the lights usually go on.

December is a special time for the pyrates. The pyrates usually come out in full force to support the Chamber of Commerce Lighted Christmas Parade. As luck would have it, a pyrate has won first place for the last three years but the competition is getting stiffer each year. Like many organizations we are awarded a family who could use some help with Christmas. This Secret Santa project is a special time when we can make sure all of our citizens have a great Christmas morning despite unexpected hardships.

So that’s the pyrates. You too can join in the fun by becoming a member. The membership of the Blackwater meets each third Wednesday at the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce, 5247 Stewart Street at 6:00PM. They publish a monthly newsletter that highlights all upcoming events as well as monthly happenings, pyrate profiles and waterway news. The BWP focuses primarily on the Blackwater River Basin area, it’s preservation, education and water safety. For a free newsletter, simply contact us.