HoCo Pirate Treasure Hunt May 2021

To see previous pirate adventures, go here.

The May 2021 Howard County Pirate Adventures was called the Dread Doubloons of Dickinson. The adventure started at Dickinson Pool, which wasn't open when we came early Saturday morning. I guess swim meet season doesn't start until June?

Point of origin

We followed the map along the local streets passing a house marked for looting. The house is barely visible but the wagon wheel on the map was obvious to me. I pointed it out to my fellow pirates but it took them a while to spot even the wheel.

I guess the wheel does blend in

Our other companions on the walk were the Brood X cicadas who were out in full force. They grossed out the kids and the adults. 

Is it the eyes? The wings? The legs? All of the above?

The bugs come out in the Mid-Atlantic area every seventeen years. They molt a lot and spend a month or so before they go back under for the next seventeen years. 

Molting

Shells left behind in a tree

Climbing the tree

We continued our pirate hunt, finding the first clue at a playground. The kids were more interested in playing than in decrypting the clue.

On the corner is the clue!

Further along the trail we saw a bit of the Middle Patuxent River.

The river

The marker for the clue

The trail to the clue

The next clue was by an abandoned fort. We helped to reconstruct it after getting the next clue.

Checking the fort size

Adding a stick

A nearby drainage pond has a cage that was labeled "Kraken Cage" on the map.

Not safe to sail here

The clue nearby the cage was very easy to spot.

Beads on the tree!

The final clue was hidden in a circle just past a bridge over the drainage stream.

Checking for trolls

Naturally, the circle had two ways to go around with a helpful warning for visitors.

Go right!

The final clue had a mermaid ribbon (which is sort of piratey, right?). With that, we had the code to unlock the chest.

Bee-free side of the circle

The treasure chest

We read the note inside the treasure chest, signed the note, and took some booty.

Reading a message from the captain

On the way back to the car, we stopped at another playground and saw some sidewalk chalk graffiti meant for us.

Yes, you will!