PEANUT ISLAND, FL-- On the shores of Peanut Island, near the ships' store and refreshments, across from the fancy houses, and the power plant, a piece of history lies in wait.
"Hands to take up on the weather fore brails," yells the captain of the Privateer Lynx.
"Hands to take up on the weather fore brails," yells the crew of the Lynx.
"The Lynx, she's a Privateer, she's from the War of 1812. She's an interpretation of a national vessel that fought in the war," said Jeffrey Woods, Director of Operations of the Lynx Educational Foundation.
And when you step onboard her, you step back into another century.
"You get to see the crew wearing of the previous era, you'll get to see all the guns, you'll get to see all the neat things that you see in all the movies about going to sea," said Jamie Trost, Captain of the Privateer Lynx.
But her primary purpose is to educate people all over the country.
"She's a traveling vessel, so after West Palm Beach she's going to be heading north to various ports. But we're here to let people know that Lynx is a national treasure, and to not forget where our freedom came from," said Woods.
Being on the boat while it's at the dock is fantastic, it's basically like a floating museum, but imagine being on this boat while it's out sailing. Well, guess what, you can do that too!
"This is where it's interactive, the public, the kids, they all get to help hoist the sails. We actually give you demonstrations of the guns that are on board, we fire the guns," said Woods.
"It's all the romance and all the excitement of going to sea, complete with the period costumes of the crew, and all the high performance characteristics of this vessel, and we still get you back to shore the same day," said Trost.
So take the water taxi out to Peanut Island, and back about two hundred years.
"You remember, you remember back again stepping back in time and seeing where it all came from. I mean, this is it, this is history!" said Woods.
If you would like to learn more about the Lynx, or get information on tickets and tours, click here to go to the Lynx web site.
