Crew Roster

Tortuga Tavern may not be the port of call for hungry guests it once was, leaving itself shuttered except for when Caribbean Plaza is teeming with possible patrons, but it still has a wealth of history and details waiting for the keenest of eyes and wit. We’ve spoken before about Arabella and some of the history tucked away in the eaves of the restaurant, but today we’re in search of pirates. Pirate crews to be exact.

 

Situated on the far end of one of the dining rooms is a window with candles, lanterns, shells, casks, pitchers, a few flowers, an hourglass, and an auspiciously place book. In another establishment or home, minus the casks, it could be mistaken as a family bible. As it turns out, the pages the book is open to features the crew logs for both the Black Pearl and Queen Anne’s Revenge.

 

The Queen Anne’s Revenge may seem like an odd choice to reference here, especially with newer ships like the Silent Mary or Dying Gull, or more iconic vessels, the Flying Dutchman, may be more recognizable to guests. However, in 2011, when Tortuga Tavern received its overhaul refurbishment that resulted in the restaurant’s name change, the Pirates of the Caribbean film, On Stranger Tides, was sitting on the horizon. With Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge featuring prominently in that film, it makes sense to see it included here.

 

With not much known about the film, there are enough breadcrumbs here to lead any old sea dog worth their salt to find some interesting morsels that gave hints about the upcoming movie, such as the inclusion of Angelica as first mate, or spark a-ha moments in those looking back. While most of this crew would not fare well in the end of the film, some of the luckier souls, like The Cabin Boy, would go on to be a part of Barbossa’s crew.

 

Speaking of Barbossa’s crew, the other ledger is definitely the more intriguing of the two. The Black Pearl’s roster has been edited by Captain Jack Sparrow. The original roster includes Captain Barbossa’s ghostly crew and Joshamee Gibbs, which means this roster was originally written after the mutiny of Captain Jack and the sending of Bootstrap Bill Turner to Davy Jones’ locker, as neither is included in the register, but prior to their discovery of the cursed Aztec gold. Jack’s edits, including reinserting himself as captain, are comprised of many of the crew Jack brings onboard with his acquisition of the HMS Interceptor and who we can presume served onboard the Black Pearl as well between The Curse of the Black Pearl and Dead Man’s Chest films. Further edits, as the history of the Pearl unfolds over the course of the series, seem to have not taken place or have slipped Jack’s mind as he is likely in search of rum.

 

While some of the names on either list may not seem familiar, many of the faces, those dirty, bedraggled faces, they represent are familiar to fans of the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Personally, I’d love to see other rosters included, whether in pages that could be turned, but not removed by treasure hungry guests, or other books in the dining room. Regardless, these are a nice tip of the pirate hat and worthy of an exploration the next time you’re in port.