Fort Aventura Resort Story Documents

Fort Aventura Resort: Paradise of the Seven Seas High Concept Narrative

The largest island of the Caribbean is known to the Taino natives as cubao, the “great place.”

Here, among tropical forests in the thick of the Golden Age of Piracy, an English privateer has seized a vacant fort standing guard over Santiago bay. The treasure he discovers there is not “great.” This treasure is nothing short of wonderous.

Elated with his find, the renowned pirate, Christopher Myng, summons to the island a small crew, a motley band of comrades he trusts with his life: There is the British captain Henry Avery and his spirited daughter Henrietta, collectors of beautiful artifacts and master escape artists; Don Pedro, a ruthless young Spaniard who is destined to be redeemed by true love, but right now, he loves a good fight and cannot be bested in battle; Hafidat Sahib Alsiyada, the granddaughter of a Moroccan queen who pirated in the Mediterranean Sea, a lover of stories who inherited her grandmother’s adventurous spirit; Kasim Reis, a good-natured way-finder descended from an Ottoman admiral, navigator, and cartographer who helped many a lost sailor find his way.

The crew rendezvous at the fortress and, together, they pledge to protect the treasure found by Myng. Deciding to hide their discovery in plain sight, they convert the massive fortress into an elaborate pirate hideout, a haven where all voyagers, regardless of race or creed, can rest and chart their next course. All would be welcome. But few would discover the secret carefully guarded by the founders of the hideout.

Now, hundreds of years later, you find yourself walking through the doors of this renowned pirate hideout. As you wander the castle’s stone corridors, one question echoes within your mind: will you find the treasure that many have sought before you?

Programming

Welcome to Fort Aventura, a family-friendly resort located on the U.S. Virgin Island of Grand Bahama. A short cab ride from Cyril E. King airport delivers guests to this vacation destination overlooking Magen’s Bay Beach.

Based on the Castillo de San Pedro de La Roca fortress in Santiago Bay, Cuba (a fort that was actually occupied by pirates for a short time), Fort Aventura is built to resemble a 17th-century military fort. Our pirate founders discovered an invaluable treasure in this location long ago that they decided to hide in plain sight, establishing a new pirate hideout on the premise. Centuries later, their fort has been updated to include modern-day amenities; however, the hotel remains a haven to seafarers of all ages and walks of life.

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During their stay, guests can explore an immense tropical lagoon featuring two unique pools, shop in luxurious boutiques, choose from multiple dining options, treat themselves to piratethemed makeovers in the salon, and delight in the nightly fireworks spectacular.

Enhancements to resort experiences include but are not limited to a family suite, offering additional space and amenities in guest accommodations; VIP cabana rentals; and specialized themed dining packages.

Now, please join us as we take a dive into a guest’s experience at Fort Aventura Resort, and see everything this swashbuckling paradise has to offer.

Guest Experience and in-Depth Narratives Approach

Guests park or valet and approach the hotel entrance, crossing a wide footbridge over a shallow “moat.” The steep walls of the fortress are looming, treated with a limestone façade, limestone (several varieties) being typical of Cuban geology. The pirate hosts have seized the fort during a lapse in construction due to funding issues, circa 1660, and parts of the fort are unfinished (and/or destroyed). Otherwise, the structure is pristine. Guests enter the hotel at the second level.

You approach a stone fortress carved into a steep rockface overlooking glittering stretches of azure water. A wide bridge flanked by groves of lush palm trees provides access to the fort, and as you proceed at a slight incline, you notice a British flag flapping in the wind over the ramparts. The citadel, although intimidating, seems unfinished. The looming towers on either side seem hastily constructed of timber and stucco, in contrast to the uniform stone of the fort proper. This strikes you as odd, but you notice the heavy doors of the fort stand ajar and sounds of merriment beckon you forward.

Lobby

Guests enter the hotel lobby and approach the concierge. The “founding” pirates amassed a large amount of treasure from all over the world. Additionally, pirates who have stayed at the hotel have sometimes contributed their own spoils out of gratitude. The result is a wide array of decorative props (and even furniture), recalling different places and time periods (surrounding and preceding the European Renaissance). These items serve to soften the room and elevate it, as it is naturally austere in form and materiality—resembling, of course, a fort.

You pass through the doors of the citadel and proceed through a stone corridor, the walls of which are lined with portraits of six fearsome-looking seafarers. The plaques beneath their portraits contain only their names, and you wonder what significance these figures have.

The corridor opens into a wide and surprisingly well-appointed room with a modest stone floor and a dark wood-paneled ceiling. The far side of the room is open, offering views of serene 2

waters and allowing daylight and the sounds of seagulls and ocean waves into the room. Ceramic pots resting on side tables are filled with blossoming orchids; palm trees are scattered here and there, and an odd assortment of paintings of various size, style, and subject matter adorn the walls. And there in the center of this great room is a bubbling fountain with water coming from a rock in the center with six cannons leaning on it.

In the corner, a man with a hook for a hand is seated at a gleaming baby grand piano playing a lively tune, and as you approach a long, high table running along one side of the room, a beaming pirate welcomes you to Fort Aventura. He asks from which far-off shores you’ve traveled and how long you might take rest at the castle. He is joined by another pirate who somewhat gruffly seizes your luggage, hoisting it onto his shoulders and quickly rushing off, calling over his shoulder unconvincingly that he will ensure that your booty is delivered to your quarters.

The concierge smiles apologetically, and everyone in your party signs a pirate code outlining the rules of conduct for staying within the hideout. The littlest crew members are given tri-cornered hats and a map marking the location of your lodgings. He advises you to consult the locals for information on the whereabouts of the Rum Room, if it is a raucous revelry you’re after. And one last thing—your host leans in to tell you that one of the hideouts founders, a pirate by the name of Myng, loves the fort so much that he still frequents it. He has hidden a small treasure somewhere on the grounds as a challenge to his most adventurous guests, but few have found it.

He gives you a single clue—a sketch that may help you determine the whereabouts of Myng’s treasure. Armed with directions, warnings, and amiable dinner suggestions, you make your way toward your guest room.

Fancy Treasures

The hotel’s gift shop is located off the lobby. The store is the most lavish, elegant room in the entire fort and features elaborate tile work on the floors and walls, a high, gracefully sloping ceiling, and gleaming lanterns. This place recognizes Henry “John” Avery, known in the late 17th century as the King of Pirates. A massive manhunt was once carried out in search of Avery, who managed to evade his captors and disappear entirely. The shop is staffed by a cast member representing his daughter, Henrietta, who was raised in the lap of luxury and acquired a taste for fine things at a young age. In addition to basic souvenir offerings and snacks, guests can purchase high-end jewelry, antique jewelry replicas, and period clothing.

You pass beyond an elaborate wrought-iron gate and enter a gem of a boutique. As you take in the glistening Spanish tiles lining the walls and the rows of jewel-toned brocade gowns on display, you’re greeted by a young woman who welcomes you with a proud smile, gesturing grandly around the room and telling you about her offerings. Without much prompting, she launches into the story of her father, who helped establish the fort as a pirate hideout. She has named her store after his beloved ship, Fancy. She confides that many still don’t know his true identity but that he was among the most famous of pirates in his heyday, successfully stealing from a convoy of the Grand Mughal on its way to Mecca that was filled with precious metals and jewels (she gently touches a gleaming broach around her neck). She swears you to secrecy before telling you that he still lives on this very island and visits the fort often. He was inspired by the 3

lush landscape of the beautiful island and always loved to entertain friends and regale visitors with his tales of ‘ole. He longed for a haven where pirates from all over the world could dine and drink and tell stories together—a new, grander Tortuga. This island represented just such a paradise. The woman entreats you to enjoy yourself, and you continue to peruse the shop, sampling dates and nuts from a market cart and admiring the tapestries of silk and satin that adorn the ceiling. Step lightly. If you’re on the lookout as you continue to explore the fort, you just might encounter a dashing old sailor with hair the same fiery red as Henrietta’s.

Castaway Cafe

Adjacent to Fancy Treasures is the hotel’s grab-and-go, Castaway Café. This area is themed in relation to the full-service restaurant, Piri’s Provisions. Cavernous Piri’s represents the workshop of a famous cartographer whose maps and in-person expertise rescued many a castaway. Don’t get “lost” in an afternoon slump—grab a coffee at the café, which features a pastry counter and pre-packaged meals. The café is open early and closes late, offering options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night.

The smell of fresh Cuban coffee lures you around the corner, and a few feet from Henrietta’s, you find a quaint café. The floor and walls of the shop seem to have been constructed from the wreckage of a ship: the floorboards are smooth, and a canopy comprised of an old sail drapes like a tapestry across the ceiling. Gilded words behind the counter read: “Fed men tell good tales.”

Grab a flaky croissant from the pastry counter, or opt for a piece of fruit from one of the barrels “on deck.” Prepackaged “rations” in the refrigerated section include “Salted Pork and Sea Biscuits” (ham sandwich) and bottles of “Grog” (Budweiser). Don’t be alarmed when you tip the crewmember, and he cries out, “Land ho!” and sounds a loud bell on the wall. Simply gather your goodies graciously and be on your way.

Accommodations

Guests access their rooms, which appear a little less rugged than the architecture of the lobby while still alluding to the fort. Certain architectural details (such as a shallow alcove around the bed) give the rooms an intimate feeling. Comfortable seating and bedding, more beautiful trinkets, and elevated fixtures in the bathroom speak to the luxury that guests would expect to find in an exotic hotel.

Curiously, you push open the door to your room and step inside. You find yourself in a cozy room with slightly rugged limestone walls and smooth wooden floorboards. Elegant cast iron wall sconces shed a warm light on the room—several lamps are nestled in crevices in the walls themselves, and soft daylight streams through a small window carved into thick walls of the fortress. Peering around a corner, you glimpse a small alcove, in the center of which is a bed with an ornately carved wooden headboard, flanked by fluffy pillows and stretches of soft, white sheets. You find the same eclectic assortment of beautiful trinkets and tapestries in this room—a jewel-tone bowl resting on a marble-topped tea table boasts an assortment of fresh tropical fruit.

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To your delight, the elegant settee against the wall folds out into two twin bunk beds, an exciting boon for small sailors.

Stepping onto the cool stone floor of an adjoining room, you find a soaking tub and tall wooden linen cabinets. A deep washbasin and a mirror with an elegant, curving silhouette take up the adjoining wall. A pirate haven, indeed.

The Lagoon

The hotel’s main pool is centrally located and resembles a lush, tropical lagoon, bordered by a looming, interactive shipwreck installation. The pool is zero-entry, reinforcing the illusion of a beach or natural pond. In addition to exploring the shipwreck, which contains access to the pool’s waterslide, guests can swim around/between several rockwork features and play under waterfalls or relax in covered cabanas. In the evening, the main pool closes, and an evening show is performed on a stage that extends from the ship. One of the area’s smaller pools is adult-only and offers swim-up access to the Rum Room. Other features of the area include beach access and a small lazy river.

A long, curving boardwalk delivers you to a secret lagoon, featuring a series of turquoise saltwater pools framed by lush palm trees and flowering tropical vines. Large rock formations tower over the pools and create small waterfalls and unique passageways for curious swimmers.

Just off the luxurious lagoon, you spy the wreckage of what must have once been a glorious ship, a long, curving waterslide extending from its middle deck. Take a leisurely swim around this lively lagoon, which swashbucklers frequent to joke with the guests. Drift in the lazy river, settle into one of the cozy cabanas with a good book, or take a dip in a more serene location and have an afternoon cocktail. Whatever water experience you’re looking for, you’re sure to have a whale of a time.

Seven Seas Restaurant

Once guests have finished unpacking, it’s time for lunch! Head to Fort Aventura’s quick-service restaurant, The Seven Seas. This Irish-pub-themed buffeteria has something for everyone. Grab a hot meal from one of the service counters, or opt for a sandwich or salad from the grab-n-go coolers. Enjoy your meal in the cozy dining room, featuring sculptures and paintings of ancient seafaring myths, or head out to the patio and dine at one of the café tables nestled underneath the palm trees.

Fort Aventura has long been a haven, a place where voyagers, regardless of race or creed, can take rest and chart their next course without fear of interference or capture. One can only imagine the colorful tales told by the fort’s inhabitants during their long nights of revelry. The Seven Seas quick-service restaurant embodies these tall tales. After guests select their fare and beverages from the counter, they wander past gleaming wood-paneled walls and stained-glass embellishments. Although pirates of all nations gathered here, the pub was established by an Irishman, and the décor portrays creatures from the legends told by voyagers of old: elaborate carvings of mermaids and enormous Kraken adorn the walls. Many a myth has been shared 5

around these wooden tables, but stories evolve over time. They take on new life and detail with each telling. How will you add to the rich stories that came before you?

The Rum Room

The hotel bar is located on the lowest level of the fort, adjacent to the sit-down restaurant and offering partial views of the pool area. The main seating area features rockwork, giving guests the feeling that they are in a cave-like waterway, a secret passage where goods could be smuggled into or out of the fort. The seating area overlooking the pool is smaller, as it offers a swim-up functionality to one of the smaller pools. Small ponds like the ones featured in the restaurant also appear in the bar, lending a similar natural-cavern effect.

A mysterious, winding staircase within the fort takes you down to the Rum Room, where you present the password given to you upon your arrival and are granted entry. Intimate collections of low-slung couches dot this mysterious cavern, where you can sample the latest spoils of generous regulars, who like to leave some of their supply within the hideout. Large wooden kegs are nestled into the corners of the cave-like hideaway, and a serpentine stone bar curves from the main room to a side area. The sound of gently rushing water draws your attention to the wall, where a small waterfall cascades into a series of connected pools that dot the cavern. Take a seat on one of the cozy couches, and watch mysterious blue lights dance in the ponds, or follow the bar around to a sunlit terrace overlooking the lagoon, where you notice that swimmers are gliding right up to the bar for a libation. Drink up, me hearties!

Piri’s Provisions

The hotel’s table service restaurant is located on the ground floor (beneath the lobby area). It tells the tale of Piri Reis, a 15th century Ottoman cartographer who authored The Book of the Sea, one of the most famous cartographical works of the period. Many cartography and navigational props adorn the room, which is lit by ornate, exotic pendant lamps and vintage wall sconces; the décor is otherwise fairly subdued, allowing the ceiling to be the focal point of the room, being comprised of a large, radiant star chart resembling Piri Reis’s own work. Another architectural detail of interest are the ponds and little waterfalls that are featured in the space, which is designed to resemble a natural limestone cavern-turned workshop. The restaurant offers Turkish fare, in honor of Reis, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A limited menu is available for late-night room service. A cast member representing one of Reis’s descendants interacts regularly with guests.

Next to the Rum Room lies Piri’s Provisions. The scents wafting from the kitchen are intriguing enough, but what captures your attention is the fact that you don’t seem to be in a restaurant, at all. There are rows of gleaming walnut tables and spacious corner booths; however, many surfaces around the room are buried beneath cartography tools: magnifying glasses, sextants, quill pens, compasses, and scraps of paper obscure antique cabinets and side tables. What’s more, a glorious chart of the night sky stretches across the entire stone ceiling, which is rather high. Illustrations adorn the walls, including colorful depictions of stormy seas and naval charts, 6

and you notice that the far wall is not constructed of hewn stone but is rough, like the wall of a cave. Indeed, the entire ceiling is somewhat dome-shaped, and you feel as if you’ve somehow strayed outside of the fort.

Along one wall, you make out the message of an elegantly curving, gilded script: “A calm ship is one with a good cook.” You need no further prompting to request a table from the hostess, who greets you from her station in front of a large antique mail sorter with countless scrolls of paper sticking out of its slots. An enthusiastic crew member seats you, and you peruse a wide selection of seafood delicacies, including seasonal fish, clams, urchins, and more. If seafood doesn’t strike your fancy, opt for a zesty, creamy soup made of lentils or grilled meat served on white fluffy pieces of bread.

As you savor your selection, you’re approached by a young server who inquires about the quality of your meal and informs you that you’re dining in the former workshop of her great grandfather, an Ottoman admiral, navigator, geographer, and cartographer. She tells you with pride that her great grandfather was the most famous of way finders. This cavern pre-dates the fort, and the pirates who founded the hideout made their way here with the use of his maps, which are known for their precision and detail.

She tells you that her grandfather was always eager to help others find their way, a gift he has clearly passed on in his lineage, as the server guides you towards the finest red wine you’ve ever had, a blend she insists was retrieved from a nearby shipwreck.

The Grotto

The hotel spa consists of a series of connected caverns, each host to at least one unique pool, including a hot/cold immersion pool and several massage pools featuring powerful jets. The front of the spa (reception, the inner courtyard, and the foremost “baths”) are more pristine, alluding to Turkish or Roman baths and featuring columns and mosaic tile work. The back of the spa, where most of the massage pools are located, opens up to one large, cave-like area that is open-air on one side, providing a view of the poolside cabanas. A sauna, an aromatherapy steam room, private cabanas for massages, a tea and juice bar, a nail bar, and a makeup counter are also available. This area pays homage to Caribbean pirate queen Sayyida al Hurra, one of the most successful pirates of all time.

Hidden rooms and secret pools abound in this pirate hideout. Go looking for another one when you’ve spent the day exploring the castle and your feet and back long for a rest. A series of adjoining caverns comprise The Grotto, where weary travelers seek the restorative powers of the warm mineral waters that can be found there.

As you enter the first of these caverns, you’re surprised to find a sprawling tile mosaic stretching the length of the entire wall behind a concierge desk. The swirls of jewel toned glass depict a woman with a fierce scowl. Her hair is tucked into a crimson scarf, and an ornate pistol hangs casually from her sash, gleaming against her full, emerald green skirt. In elegant, curving text above her are the words: “The Woman Sovereign.”

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You take a glass of chilled spring water infused with herbs and tropical fruit and proceed to wander the caverns, discovering a social pool, alive with the cheerful sound of waterfalls. There are also more quiet rooms with calm waters, a room that is filled with warm steam and the smell of lavender, and private cabanas.

Strewn among all these rooms are countless beautiful artifacts: golden chalices and antique chests dot the corners of the rooms; embedded gold bullions and precious gems appear intermittently in the floor, as if they were nonchalantly dropped on their way to a keep.

Yet, even more numerous than the antiques are the beautiful flowers that fill vases on end tables and grow out of crevices in the very walls of the caverns. Bouquets of dried herbs hang from the ceiling, and bright sprigs of orchids and tiny air plants hide around every corner.

As a crew member offers you a tea made from a blend of fragrant spices, she tells you that these treasures and plants were amassed by a woman who is descended from one of the most powerful pirates in the world: Sayidda al Hurra, who resorted to a life of piracy to take revenge on crusaders who had forced her to flee her home due to her Islamic faith. She would go on to control the entire west of the Mediterranean Sea, eventually marrying the king of Morocco and ruling for 30 years.

Another crew member chimes in, saying that this cavern is a favorite of Sayidda’s granddaughter, Hafidat Sahib Alsiyada, who inherited her grandmother’s love of the sea and headstrong personality. Her desire for adventure led her to shirk the confines of her sheltered childhood and secretly join a pirate crew, eventually amassing a crew of her own as well as a large fortune. She helped found this hideout, in part out of her desire to safely stow her exotic treasures, but the Caribbean waters of her grandmother’s homelands stir deeper emotions in Hafidat. She’s inspired by the stories she read as a child about a fountain that could cure all wounds and halt aging. She imagines the waters of this sacred place might hold their own healing powers.

There’s only one way to find out—spend the afternoon exploring these magical baths.

Ocean-Born Mary’s

Another roomy outpost offering grab-and-go foodstuffs and pool and beach-related merchandise is located on the lower level near the pool deck. Ocean-Born Mary’s tells the tale of the ruthless Don Pedro, whose heart softened when he looked upon the love of his life. The shop is extravagant, yet it is more masculine in materiality than Fancy Treasures. This theming supports more practical interior design decisions that will ensure safety and durability, necessary considerations due to the store’s proximity to the pool (e.g., skid and water-resistant vinyl planks).

Although captains did not always receive special treatment or loftier accommodations, certain charismatic personalities, such as Don Pedro, surely enjoyed such luxuries. Coolers lining the walls contain grab-and-go snacks and sandwiches as well as libations, and the large central counter stocks a selection of cigars and designer sunglasses.

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You’ve embarked on an epic quest for sunblock, which you forgot to pack, and you stumble upon yet another large and luxurious giftshop near the hotel’s lagoon. This is not a room fit for just any king—nautical charts adorn the walls, alongside skeletal jaws of giant fish. Gleaming swords with filigree fitted to their handles are also displayed (high out of the reach of little sailors), but what holds your gaze is a portrait of a beautiful, tall, red-haired woman. You grab your sunscreen and a bag of cheese curls and head to the counter, where the crew member in charge inquires if you’ve seen the ghost. You laugh it off, but the woman looks serious as she tells you that the ghost of Ocean-born Mary haunts the store and sometimes cajoles unsuspecting customers. “She’s well-meaning and high-spirited but a little mischievous,” says the clerk, who tells you that Mary likes to creep down the stairway leading up to the nearby tower and frighten passers-by.

She tells you that Mary’s parents were Irish immigrants on their way to their new home in America when the fierce Don Pedro attacked their ship. He had ordered all the captives killed, but then he heard the cries of Mary below deck. She had been born that morning. Don Pedro looked upon the child with tenderness and told the woman, Elizabeth, that if she named her daughter after his mother, he would spare everyone on board. She hastily agreed, and Don Pedro heaped bountiful gifts upon them, including an emerald green brocade silk for Mary’s wedding dress. Years later, Don Pedro would retire and go in search of Mary, who had been widowed.

They would marry and live happily until the end of their days. Many of Don Pedro’s possessions fell to Mary’s children, one of whom took up a life of privateering himself and has found respite here in the fort. Mary comes to watch over him and to hear tales of adventures on the high seas.

She especially loves the story of the dreaded pirate who was disarmed by the mere gaze of a child.

Additional Narratives Pirate Persona Narratives

Don Pedro

Elizabeth and James Wilson were Irish immigrants from Londonderry, Ireland. In 1720 they set sail for America. They had been granted some land in Londonderry, New Hampshire, and were hoping to start a new life there.

As they neared Boston, Elizabeth went into labor and gave birth to a daughter. While she was giving birth, a strange vessel accosted the ship. They were fired upon and were forced to heave to. Their ship was boarded by a band of swarthy pirates. Their leader, a surprisingly young man not yet twenty years of age, was dark, handsome, and ruthless. He was called Don Pedro, and his English was flawless as he ordered all the captives killed.

At this fatal juncture, the cries of a newborn baby could be heard from down in the hold.

Startled, Don Pedro ordered the captain to take him to the child. After gazing for a long time at 9

the tiny girl, Don Pedro said to Elizabeth: "If you name this child after my mother - Mary - I will spare the lives of everyone on this ship." Frightened by the fierce pirate, Elizabeth hastily agreed.

Don Pedro sent one of his men back to the pirate ship. When the man returned, he was carrying an armload of gifts. Don Pedro presented these to Elizabeth. Fingering a green brocaded silk with an odd look of tenderness on his ruthless face, he said: "This is for my Mary's wedding dress." Then he and his men returned to their ship and departed.

Soon after their ship landed safely in Boston, James Wilson died. His widow and daughter went to Londonderry to claim the land in his name. Ocean-born Mary grew into a tall, beautiful redhaired woman. In 1742, wearing a green brocade gown made from the silk given to her by Don Pedro, Mary was married to James Wallace. They had five children, four sons and a daughter.

Sadly, after the birth of his fourth son, James Wallace died.

Around that time, Don Pedro, having retired from the sea, decided to build a home in New Hampshire. Having never forgotten his little Ocean-born Mary, Don Pedro began seeking to discover what became of her. Finding her a widow in Londonderry, he married her and brought her and her children to live in his grand mansion in Henniker. He gifted Mary with a stately coach and four, in which Mary would often be seen riding around the countryside. One by one, her sons grew up, married, and settled down near Mary.

One day, coming in from an errand to town, Mary saw Don Pedro and one of his retired pirates carrying a large black trunk to the orchard in back. She heard the sounds of digging, and then silence. Don Pedro came back to the house alone, and they never spoke of the matter. But later, he told Mary that when he died, she should bury him and the treasure under the hearthstone. A year later, Mary came home one evening to an empty house. She started searching for her husband and found Don Pedro in the orchard, stabbed to death with a cutlass. Mary buried Don Pedro with his treasure under the hearthstone and there they lay to this day.

After her death in 1814, Mary's ghost began to haunt the house where she had once lived with her pirate-husband. People would see a tall, beautiful red-haired woman come walking down the long staircase. Sometimes, she could be seen standing beside an upper window, or throwing something down the well. Others had witnessed Mary driving in her coach and four up to the front door of the house. The house was finally abandoned and later torn-down, although the house where her son Robert lived still stands and is sometimes called the Ocean-born Mary house.

Henry Every Henry Every also known as John Avery, Captain Bridgeman, or Long Ben was a British pirate that was active for a very short period of time in the late 17th century (around 1670s). His ship was called "Fancy" and he was known as the King of Pirates. He became famous for stealing from a convoy of the Grand Mughal on its way to Mecca and it was filled with precious metals & jewels. There was a manhunt for him, but he was never captured. What I found most 10

interesting was that it was rumored that he had changed his name and retired to live on an unidentified tropical island as a rich man.

I thought this could be a good inspiration to set up our story. Maybe he bought the fort off some pirates who had previously conquered it or maybe he himself took it before officially retiring. He could serve as one of our founding members and original owner of the land and I think it would be fun if he maybe resembled Bob. Henrietta Every Henrietta was Henry Every's child whom he had with a Spanish lady he fell in love with while he was stationed in Corunna (before he took over the ship and renamed it Fancy). After Henry retired, the 3 of them moved to the Caribbean and lived in what used to be an old Spanish fort.

Henrietta's father would often host parties with friends from the good-ole days and they would all share tales from their adventures as pirates. Eventually, they all decided to convert the residence into a hideout, where retired and active pirates could go relax and shared their stories, but where they could also profit from passing merchants and castaways.

Because Henrietta grew up rich, she developed quite a taste for jewels and the new trends in clothing. She would often offer protection to merchants passing through in exchange for goods like spices, textiles, precious stones, etc. Eventually, she opened a store at the now settled pirate hideout and called it "Fancy Treasures" as a nod to her father's vessel the "Fancy", and her taste in style.

Piri Reis My main inspiration was from Piri Reis who was an Ottoman admiral, navigator, geographer, and cartographer. He was born sometime between 1465 and 1470 and was deceased in 1553. The story of my persona would be as one of his descendants.

His legacy to his lineage would be to always welcome castaways and guide them to the right direction during reposes as he did in his wild adventures. He regarded knowledge as the ultimate tool and never tolerated anyone leveraging it over anyone. He was not known as an explorer yet his many secret trips into the seas is what helped him become legendary. Many described his vessel as a beacon of hope for the lost at sea, a compass in itself. He then fleshed out his adventures which became a milestone in Ottoman history. It was called Kitāb-ı Baḥrīye, or "Book of the Sea", one of the most famous cartographical works of the period written by Piri Reis himself. The Kitab-ı Bahriye has two main sections, with the first section dedicated to information about the types of storms; techniques of using a compass; portolan charts with detailed information on ports and coastlines; methods of finding direction using the stars; and characteristics of the major oceans and the lands around them. Some say he navigated through the stars almost like magic and was never lost.

When asked about his success, he would answer ‘A calm ship is one with a good cook’. The patience and resilience through his many travels were through a good meal and sharing of knowledge not in a cordial manner but in a friendly atmosphere. The Turkish culture gives great importance to conversing over meals and inviting even strangers to your table to share joy with 11

you. I would imagine the dining area was created in his honor as in Turkey you never turn back a hungry guest. It is said that some descendants had remained in one of his favorite communities in the Caribbean, fishing out the most glorious fish, bringing aged wine from shipwrecks, and collecting the mightiest sea urchins from the depths of the water using some of Piri Reis’ personal maps. Of course, they don’t set out to the sea only to bring food home, but some elite captains would be selected to dive and navigate the feistiest oceans and waters and treat themselves to the endeavors of the deep. Only they would have access to the classified maps drawn by Piri Reis himself. The food brought back might just be a cover-up for the secret getaways.

In 1528, Piri Reis drew a second world map. A century after Piri's death and during the second half of the 17th century, the third version of his book was produced, which left the text of the second version unaffected while enriching the cartographical part of the manuscript. Yet what many didn’t know were that many different versions exist with Piri Reis’ secret finds and the most beautiful lagoons. Come dine in the Caribbean getaway and maybe the walls could whisper secrets of the past and you might just find yourself among the elite captains.

Sayidda Al Hurra Believed to be Lalla Aicha bint Ali ibn Rashid al Alami, Sayidda al Hurra (which means, “Free and independent noblewoman; the woman sovereign who bows to no superior authority,” in Arabic) was the ruler of Tetouan in modern-day Morocco. The pirate queen was active primarily during the early 16th century and is said to be one of the most important female figures of the Islamic West in the modern age. Sayidda al Hurra resorted to a life of piracy to seek revenge on Christian enemies who she felt humiliated her because of having to flee from Grenada. To ensure the success of her objective, she allied herself with Barbarossa of Algiers, giving her full control over the Mediterranean Sea (Barbarossa controlled the east, she controlled the west). As pirate queen, Sayidda occupied the waters of Iberia and North Africa, disrupting Spanish and Portuguese trade lines. When negotiations came into play, she proved herself to be an unwavering and grounded diplomat. She later married the King of Morocco and after 30 years of ruling, was deposed by her son-in-law in 1542. She was stripped of her status and power and faded into anonymity, though it is believed that the next 20 years of her life were quietly spent in Chefchaouen.

Hafidat Sahib Alsiyada As the granddaughter of Sayidda al Hurra, Hafidat Sahib Alsiyada (which means, “Granddaughter of the Sovereign,” in Arabic) inherited her grandmother’s love of the seas and headstrong personality. Having spent her entire life sheltered from the world, she longs for the ability to travel to new destinations. She addresses this longing through reading about the adventures of pirates and the various places they visit, her favorite stories involving her grandmother. After listening in on her servants talking about a pirate ship disguised as a merchant vessel arriving in the port, Hafidat secretly boards the ship and becomes part of the crew. After many years and countless exploits, Hafidat Sahib Alsiyada has saved up enough money and garnered enough support to hire a crew and go on exploits of her own. Her insatiable 12

desire for discovery has brought her to Caribbean waters, where unfamiliar waters and customs fill her with a sense of intrigue and adamant determination. By disrupting trade lines, Hafidat has amassed a considerable amount of gold and artifacts, particularly finding interest in exotic fruits, plants, and minerals (though having left her royal status behind, she still maintains a love for luxury and the exotic). Unfortunately, she soon realizes that she has no place to safely store it all this wealth. After hearing about Castillo del Marro, a pirate safe haven that doubles as a storage facility, Hafidat charts out her path with a new destination in mind.

Christopher Myngs Christopher Myngs was an English Privateer based out of Jamaica. He often raided Spanish commerce ships for the English government. Myngs was a fearsome privateer who lead thousands of privateers and was known to lay waste to Spanish towns throughout the Caribbean.

Myngs was so ruthless and destructive that the Spanish government declared him a common pirate asked the English to reign him in, but to no avail. Myngs is the privateer that historians agree attacked Santiago de Cuba and Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca. Years later, he died in battle from injuries incurred by a sharpshooter during a battle with a Dutch naval battle.

Myngs loved Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca so much that he stayed their himself and decided to hide some treasure in somewhere in the unfinished fort leaving only a sketch of the hiding spot. Many swashbucklers have tried to find it, but all have failed. Will you find the gold of Myngs?

Guest Experience Enhancement

The guest experience enhancement that most augments the story of Fort Aventura is the Enchanted Compass, an interactive toy available in all the hotel’s retail locations.

Should guests choose to purchase the compass, they will be able to dock it at designated RFID points throughout the fort, unlocking additional entertainment features (a starry night sky projection in the kids’ room of the family suites, e.g.).

The compass tells the story of the founding pirates, and, if the audio clues provided at certain touchpoints are followed in sequence, the compass will lead the guest to the fountain in the hotel lobby, which is revealed to be the fountain of youth. Guests are provided with a secret password to obtain a keepsake from the grab-n-go location as a reward.

Possible Guest Experiences Associated with Enhancement After dinner, do some more exploring with your compass. Your wayfinding skills lead you back to the hotel lobby, where a touchpoint near the cannon fountain reveals that the fountain is, in fact, the treasure that was discovered by the fort’s pirate founders: the fountain of youth.

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The compass then guides you into the nearby grab-n-go, where you whisper a secret word to the crew member behind the counter and are presented with a small container of spring water in a collectible bottle.

While you are here, some of your crewmates may want a small snack or a coffee to enjoy while watching the nightly show.

Synopsis: Discover the fort’s secret treasure and receive a small reward at Castaway Café.

Alternative: After dinner, go in search of a hot beverage to enjoy while you’re watching the nightly show.

The smell of fresh coffee lures you into Castaway Café, which looks to have been constructed mostly out of old ship parts.

Grab a flaky croissant from the pastry counter, or opt for a piece of fruit from one of the barrels “on deck.”

If you purchased the enchanted compass, you may have discovered the location of the fort’s hidden treasure, which is none other than the fountain of youth, disguised as the hotel’s fountain!

Whisper the secret word to the crewmember behind the counter, and you will receive a small bottle of spring water in a collectible bottle to commemorate your adventure.

Synopsis: Purchase some snacks and beverages for the evening show at Castaway Café.

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