Captain Cannonball sails the high seas as a pirate – Destin.com – Destin Log and Walton Log

Walks of Life is a monthly feature that highlights people in different careers and explains how their career influences their life. In todays Walks of Life feature, meet cruise captain Cliff Atwell.

First Mate Kirby Jake Scarborough shows off some pirate treasure aboard the Buccaneer Pirate Ship in Destin. [DEVON RAVINE|DAILY NEWS}By Savannah Evanoff

Cliff Atwell never pictured himself with long locks, coarse facial hair or a sword at his side.

For his identity as Captain Cannonball aboard Southern Stars Buccaneer Pirate Ship in Destin, these things are practically a requirement. Atwell provides family pirate adventures for up to 22 cruise trips a week in the summer.

I truly believe God put me where he wanted me to be, because never in my life did I want to be on a tour boat dressing like a pirate, acting like a pirate, Atwell said. However, I have found out that on this boat Ive been able to meet some really good people.

February marked Atwells 10th anniversary with Southern Star, and his fifth year as captain of the pirate cruise ship.

Ahoy!

Atwell has known what he wanted to do since he was 15.

He was raised in Destin and he noticed the success of boat captains, Atwell said. The community respected captains, he said.

The day I was old enough to get my captains license, I got it, Atwell said. I became a captain. I started out on private yachts and charter boats here in Destin.

For most of his life, Atwell was a charter boat captain. He would fish and take people to fish in the Gulf of Mexico.

In the late 1990s, Atwell watched the fishing industry shift as it became regulated and knew it was time for his own transition. In 1997, he started work with Southern Star, as a captain for evening dolphin cruises.

In 2011, the Southern Star owners, Steve and Wendy Wilson, approached Atwell about being captain of a new Destin pirate ship endeavor.

I said, I dont want to be captain of a pirate ship; Im not interested, Atwell said. I like it here. Im fine. I dont want to be captain.

After no significant arm-twisting, Atwell and his wife, Nicole, agreed to help promote the giant pirate ship, a fantasy come to life. The two dressed up as pirates for YouTube promotions and parades, he said.

It wasnt long before the Wilsons approached Atwell a second time.

Cliff Atwell reflects on the past five years he has played Captain Cannonball, captain of the Buccaneer Pirate Ship in Destin. [DEVON RAVINE|DAILY NEWS]They were like, Listen, you say you dont want to be a pirate, but youre perfect for it, so you need to do it, Atwell said. I said, OK, Ill try, Ive loved it ever since.

Now Atwells once-short hair hangs to his shoulders in curls, and he wears pirate attire head to toe from a sash across his waist to black, folded-over boots on his feet.

People think he just dresses like a pirate, but its a full interactive cruise, Atwell said. The children who participate are happier when they get off the boat, he said.

They got to experience something you cant experience anywhere else, not even in Disney World, Atwell said. In Disney World, you cant interact with the pirates, you cant get your pictures up there with the pirates, and you cant be one of the pirates. Here, they can do it all.

Atwell has had some memorable times on the Buccaneer pirate cruise, he said.

He fondly remembers a blind boy in a wheelchair who attended the cruise. Atwell asked the boys mother for permission to take the boys hand and let him see him as best he could.

I took my pirate hat off and I ran his hand all over it and I let him feel the hat, the feathers, the pins and everything on it, Atwell said. I let him feel my face and my beard, then across the baldric, where my sword and everything goes. He was in awe.The boy asked the color of Atwells shirt, piecing together a mental picture of the pirate who stood before him.

Thats probably the one that touched me the most, Atwell said.

Little pirates

Captain Cannonball poses with Sonia Muthuveeran, Adela Trevino, Alina Muthuveeran, 3, and Marlon Muthuveeran aboard the Buccaneer Pirate Ship in Destin. [DEVON RAVINE|DAILY NEWS]They say a captain is only as good as his crew.

Atwell knows this well, said Annie Graham, aka the gypsy pirate Anna Marie. Hes trained her and Kirby-Jake Scarborough to be the best possible crew, she said.

Id never been on a boat before in my life until I walked on for this interview, Graham said. Theres not a thing on this ship that I cant do and that I havent done crawling in the bilge, doing engine maintenance, soaking up oil, pumping things out. Hes a great teacher.

People dont realize how dangerous the situation can be on the ship, but Graham never worries, she said.

I know no matter what conditions were going out in that were safe and the children are safe, Graham said. Hes really good about keeping the ship stable and secure.

Atwell turned him into a mate, Scarborough said.

Hes taught me everything I know about boats, Scarborough said. Hes been like a big brother really.

During a cruise, the three actors interact, often fighting over treasure and threatening mutiny, Graham said. There is a power play between Graham and Atwells characters, she said.

Rings festoon the fingers of Captain Cannonball, captain of the Buccaneer Pirate Ship in Destin. [DEVON RAVINE|DAILY NEWS]He plays the role of the authoritative captain, but I am the one essentially running the show on the stage, Graham said. Its a constant, Well, Im the captain so you should do this, and Well, Im down here actually doing it, so you just drive the ship.

The children on the trip become little pirates and join the crew at the end of the trip, Scarborough said.

They become buccaneers themselves, Scarborough said. Its pretty awesome watching them come from nervous kids walking on board, then were able to turn them into little pirates.

Girl pirates are the toughest of all, though, Scarborough said.

Theyll challenge (Atwell) and yell at him Throw him overboard, Scarborough said. He gets this look on his face of total shock. You dont know whats going to come out of a kids mouth, especially when youve got them all hyped up and theyre all excited and were talking about treasure.

Atwell has the hardest job on the boat, Scarborough said.

Hes responsible for up to 149 souls, Scarborough said. Hes responsible for being an actor, being a DJ running the music simultaneously and running the ship. I would be very surprised if you found anyone else who could just step right into that job.

Atwell enjoys being in a career with no boss man assigning him deadlines, he said.

Its really nice to have a job that you come to work and enjoy it, Atwell said. In the beginning, I never did want to dress like a pirate and come to work, but once I started doing it, its a lot of fun.

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Captain Cannonball sails the high seas as a pirate - Destin.com - Destin Log and Walton Log