orking side by side for the next three years he and

Fisherman Doug laid the groundwork for what would become the enigmatic curiosity it is today .

Morgan ’ s Cove really set sail in 2011 when Firato located a hand-built replica of a sixteenth century Spanish galleon for sale in British Columbia . Firato purchased and transported the 25-by-38-foot craft to his house where a crane operator hoisted and lowered the two-and-a-half-ton ship onto her mooring . The crew christened the galleon the ‘ Lady Morgan ’ where she majestically rests today .

Over the years , in the costume and character of his alter-ego , Captain Vito Catana , Firato estimates he ’ s done over a thousand tours of the cove and hosted a dozen or more big events .

Inspired by the Cove ’ s mystique , Firato and his wife Julie have both published books about Morgan ’ s Cove .

Before the Hurricane is Firato ’ s adventure novel about time-travel and high seas piracy with characters loosely based on his life . His first foray into writing began in 2015 when he needed a back story to present on his tours of the cove .

“ We created a narrative of time traveling with the ship to the golden age of piracy , where we ’ d go after the Spanish galleons sunk by hurricanes never to be found .” As the story goes , since Captain Catana and crew find their treasure before anyone else , it ’ s not technically stealing ,” he said with a chuckle .

40 WINTER 2022 gmhTODAY Magazine gmhtoday . com