Businesses step up in mutiny on the beach

The pirates won't be denied because, well, there's too much booty at stake.

Swords have been clashing on Fort Myers Beach, where organizers of the annual Pirate Fest were ordered to walk the plank after they announced they'd canceled the fall event.

Businesses have relied on the October festival that draws some 12,000 Jose Gaspar aficionados to the shores of this beachside town during the slowest part of the year for tourism.

The original organizers of the event called off the faux-pirate fest a few days ago because they said local businesses weren't underwriting the event.

Aarghh, responded business lubbers.

Together with the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce, businesses banded to attract the pirates and their wenches back under a new organizer.

Now that's the way to put down a mutiny, mateys!