Charleston, batten down your hatches — Bootstrap Ginny is coming ashore.

I’ll be stalking the cobblestones next month for Under the Black Flag, swapping ghost stories, signing books, and raising a glass to the pirates who never left this port. If you hear boots behind you on East Bay or feel a cold draft in the Blind Tiger, don’t fret. That’s just the city remembering who she used to be.

Come find me at the event — I’ll be the one with ink on my fingers, salt in my hair, and a storm tucked in my pocket.

And if the ghosts show up too… well, they know their captain.

When: May 15-16, 2026

Where:  Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon on E. Bay St. in Charleston, South Carolina.

Charleston has a RICH (pun intended) pyrate history! There’s Blackbeard’s Charles Town Blockade, the Red Sea Pirates, the Fenwick Pyrate…and more!

First, last year’s invasion was a roaring success! Charleston: Under the Black Flag

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Guests & Presentations

Guests? Aye, we have guests! We have guests that will be making pyrate presentations! Sail on over here to see who and what! Under the Black Flag Guests

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Charleston Pyrates

Charleston Pyrates? Oh yes…let’s start with The Fenwick Pyrate

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Arabian Gold

The organizer of Under the Black Flag is Adam Marrow of Shipwrecked with Captain Marrow fame. In his book, Arabian Gold…Captain Marrow explores the question: Was plundered gold from the Red Sea used to found Charles Town? You might be surprised at the answer…

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Blackbeard and Charleston

Blackbeard’s 400 lb Medicine Chest

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Pyrate Blockades of Charles Town

Charles Town must have seemed like easy plunder for pyrates. Why would I say something like that? Well, my hearties, because you may know about Blackbeard’s blockade of Charles Towne in 1718, but I’ll wager that you don’t know about the other pyrate blockades. Here we go!

Pyrate Blockades of Charles Town: Charles Vane

Pyrate Blockades of Charles Town: Richard Worley, Charles Harris, and Edward (Ned) Low

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Pyrate Executions in Charles Town

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Pyrate Shoppin’

If’n yer gonna do some pyrate-y shoppin’ while yer in town, Bootstrap Ginny recommends these shops:

Relentless Betrayal These folks are PURE PYRATE! From their website: So Sink or Swim. You don’t have a much of a choice. However, Burn ALL the Ships while you are at it.