This morning around 6 a.m. (October 31, 2016) firefighters responded to a fire at Pirate Adventures on the Chesapeake in the 300 block of Third Street in Annapolis' Eastport community. The company had just ended its season on October 30. They offer family-friendly pirate-themed cruises from April through October where kids get the chance to "live life like a pirate," firing water cannons and searching for sunken treasure.

pirate adventures
The Pirate Adventures ship. Photo courtesy of Craig Ligibel.

The building that caught fire was reportedly a storage facility for Pirate Adventures. Firefighters responded and were able to contain the blaze, however an adjoining building suffered smoke damage. One firefighter suffered a minor injury. The cause of the fire remains under investigation and a monetary estimate of damages has not yet been released. 

Our thoughts go out to the owners and employees of Pirate Adventures of the Chesapeake. Thankfully no one was seriously injured, and we wish a speedy recovery to the firefighter who suffered a minor injury. Also affected were Annapolis Canoe and Kayak (ACK), Annapolis Hybrid Marine (AHM), and Chesapeake Bay Seafood Industries (CBSI).

Thankfully the fire was quickly contained but the smoke and oily soot spread into the adjacent shed which houses ACK. They are currently working on cleaning and assessing their inventory and eventually will be moving to a temporary location while repairs are being completed. The small building next to ACK which houses AHM and CBSI was the least impacted, though there was smoke damage and it is thought that the ceiling will need to be replaced. We wish each business a speedy recovery.

For more on Pirate Adventures, check out Craig Ligibel's article, 15 Years of Pirate Adventures in Annapolis.