Ahoy Mateys! There’s a New Pirate-Themed Scavenger Hunt in the Bay
Do you say “Yarg!” when you’re frustrated? Gaze at parrots longingly? Maybe you keep a collection of jaunty eyepatches for no discernible reason? If so, you might be in desperate need of joining the Freebooter Secret Pirate Society — a mysterious organization that’s said to operate on the saltier fringes of San Francisco.
Helpfully, local author Shannon Mulholland has just come up with a new way to join the society that doesn’t involve making anyone walk the plank. It’s a scavenger hunt, it’s free and it journeys around some of the oldest, most fascinating corners of the Bay. (And also Treasure Island, because, duh.) All aspiring pirates need to do is collect codes from five locations on Mulholland’s map, send them on a postcard to a P.O. box in Sonoma, then wait to receive membership details and a cypher, in the mail.
To get started, Mulholland’s map and instructions are available now from Green Apple Books (506 Clement St.) and 826 Valencia St., but can also be downloaded online. There are 15 stops in all, eight in San Francisco and seven others scattered around the Bay. Highlights on the hunt include the Brigantine Galilee, a ship built in 1891 whose stern now resides in Fort Mason; the Filbert Street Steps, where a semaphore station operated during the Gold Rush; and Heinold’s First & Last Chance Saloon, Oakland’s oldest bar, established in 1884.
Mulholland came up with the idea for the scavenger hunt after completing her new book for middle graders, Finding Sea Legs. The hero of the story is a 13-year-old girl who discovers a lost pirate colony hidden in the waters beyond San Francisco. She soon realizes that pirates are not the villains depicted in old stories and becomes immersed in their misunderstood way of life. Finding Sea Legs is set for release on Sept. 19, 2026, which conveniently happens to be International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Because, yes, that is in fact a real thing.
Though pirate-appreciation is encouraged on the scavenger hunt, you definitely don’t need a peg leg to participate. The Pirate’s Guide to San Francisco is also just a really fun way to explore the storied history of the Bay Area, from Gold Rush times up to the 1939 World’s Fair (for which Treasure Island was built). Happy hunting, mateys.