Argh! Who's ready for an unforgettable adventure at sea?? Join Pirate Adventures of Cortez aboard their pirate ship Sea Gypsy and you will truly have a magical journey that includes a real treasure hunt in the waters around Anna Maria Island, defending the ship in water battles against bad pirates, and even tasting Pirate's Grog!
I had the opportunity to take my daughter Abbey on this adventure in 2020 when she was 6. She had an absolute blast and has always wanted to go back. So, this year I decided to start the summer off with a real "BANG" - and booked another adventure, now at the age of 9. So, what did she think 3 years later? "Mom, it was even BETTER than I remembered it!"
Pirate Adventures of Cortez is located at The Seafood Shack Marina in Cortez, Bradenton. Reservations are recommended and I was easily able to do that through their website HERE. Upon our arrival we were met by one of the crew members, Fin, who gave Abbey her pirate name, an eye patch and let her pick out either a pirate vest or mermaid tutu. There was a quick "How to be a Pirate" meeting where you learned how to talk like a pirate, and then it was time to board the Sea Gypsy. (One thing to note is that there are NO bathrooms on board so be sure everyone hits the bathroom before embarking on their journey.)
Our crew mates Captain Blimey and Fin were FANTASTIC with the kids. They did an amazing job of connecting with them and keeping them enthralled in the story plot, so much so that even I was entertained. The boat ride was amazing, and the music is playful and relevant to the events taking place on the ship. The back-and-forth banter between the crew members was fun and comical and really got all of the kids involved in everything from hoisting the sail to searching for the treasure map.
Wait! What is that?? It's a bottle floating in the middle of the water!! The kids were super excited to get a mysterious message that warned of the rotten Pirate Pete, who they must defeat to get their treasure! Certainly a highlight of the trip for everyone onboard was encountering Pirate Pete on the high seas and engaging in a ferocious sea battle to defeat him. Luckily the Sea Gypsy is equipped with a number of water blasters on each side which the kids were only too happy to blast Pirate Pete with again and again until he was defeated!
Then, using the treasure map that they found, the crew charted a course to find the "X marks the spot".
It was super exciting to find the X, indicating where the treasure was, sunken below to the water's floor. They had to work together as a pirate team to "heave ho" the treasure aboard deck.
The chest is full of treasure and everyone gets to take home their share. It's a party for sure with limbo dancing and we even found some "pirate's grog" floating in the water to celebrate with! What is pirate's grog, you may ask? Well, you will just need to experience the adventure for yourself to find out!
Pirate Adventures of Cortez was a delightful adventure on the water for all involved. At 1 hour and 45 minutes, it was the perfect length of time to experience the whole adventure while keeping the children's attention the whole time. I would highly recommend this tour for children of all ages! Tickets are $32 for children and adults - all participants must have a ticket. They also offer private charters for up to 38 people and birthday party options!
Pirate Adventures of Cortez operates seasonally and will be offering tours through the beginning of September. Tours are available throughout the summer at 9:30AM, 11:30AM, 1:45PM and 3:45PM. They are closed on Mondays. Call (941) 226-5640 to make your reservation today!
Pirate Adventures of Cortez | The Pirate Ship Sea Gypsy
Located at: The Seafood Shack Marina
4110 127th St W
Cortez, Fl 34215
Phone: (941) 226-5640
pirateadventuresofcortez@gmail.com
www.pirateadventuresofcortez.com
