š“āā ļø The Sea Just Returned a Piece of Pirate History
- Captain Blackquill
- Jun 14
- 7 min read
New pirate wrecks emerge from Nassau Harbor, Blackbeard loses his flagship, and Levasseur slips through the Navy's grasp... Issue #59
Every now and then, the sea gives something back.
This week, archaeologists uncovered pirate-era wrecks in Nassau Harborāthe very waters once sailed by Blackbeard, Calico Jack, Charles Vane, and Henry Every.
Meanwhile, we'll revisit the day Blackbeard lost the Queen Anne's Revenge, follow Levasseur's narrow escape from the Royal Navy, and raise a flag worthy of any modern pirate republic.
The tide is coming in, me hearties.
Let's see what it brought with it.
š THIS WEEK IN PIRATE HISTORY
āļø June 1718: When Fortune Turned Against the Pirates
For years, the Golden Age of Piracy seemed unstoppable.
But during one remarkable week in June 1718, fate caught up with two of the Caribbean's most notorious captains.
One lost his flagship.
The other narrowly escaped capture.
š“āā ļø June 10, 1718 ā Blackbeard Runs the Queen Anne's Revenge Aground
Few ships inspired more fear than the Queen Anne's Revenge.
With roughly forty guns and a terrifying reputation, Blackbeard's flagship had become one of the most powerful pirate vessels in the Caribbean.
Then, on June 10, 1718, disaster struck.
While entering Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina, the Queen Anne's Revenge ran aground on a sandbar.
Attempts to free her failed.
The mighty flagship was lost.
ā Accident or Conspiracy?
Historians have debated the grounding ever since.
Some believe it was simply poor navigation.
Others suspect something far more sinister.
Blackbeard may have intentionally stranded the vessel to reduce the size of his crew and increase his share of the treasure.
After the wreck, he abandoned many of his men and continued on with only a select group of trusted followers.
If true, it was one of the most ruthless acts of piracy's most famous pirate.
ā ļø The End of a Legend
The loss of the Queen Anne's Revenge marked the beginning of the end for Blackbeard.
Within months he would accept a royal pardon.
Within months after that he would be dead.
Today, the wreck rests off the North Carolina coast and remains one of the most important pirate archaeological sites ever discovered.
āļø June 12, 1718 ā Levasseur Escapes the Royal Navy
While Blackbeard was losing ships in North America, another pirate was fighting for survival thousands of miles away.
The French pirate Olivier Levasseur, later known as La Buse ("The Buzzard"), found himself cornered near the island of La Blanquilla by the British warship HMS Scarborough.
At the time, Levasseur was still building the reputation that would eventually make him one of the richest pirates in history.
š A Narrow Escape
The Scarborough carried superior firepower and represented exactly the kind of threat pirates feared most:
A dedicated Royal Navy hunter.
Levasseur's situation appeared desperate.
Yet somehow he managed to evade capture.
Rather than ending his career, the encounter became just another chapter in his rise.
š° A Fortune Yet to Come
The escape proved pivotal.
Had the Navy succeeded that day, history might never have heard the name Olivier Levasseur.
Instead, he survived long enough to capture some of the richest prizes ever taken by a pirate, including treasures that would eventually fuel the legend of his famous cryptogram and lost treasure.
More than 300 years later, treasure hunters are still searching for what he left behind.
ā Pirate Republic Take
June 1718 reminds us how quickly fortune could change beneath the black flag.
One pirate lost the most feared ship in the Caribbean.
Another escaped the noose before it could tighten.
Yet both would become legends.
Because sometimes history isn't decided by victory.
Sometimes it's decided by survival.
āš“āā ļø FEATURE STORY
The Lost Ships of Nassau Finally Surface
For more than three centuries, Nassau Harbor has been the spiritual home of Caribbean piracy.
Blackbeard walked its streets.
Calico Jack drank in its taverns.
Henry Every's men likely spent stolen fortunes along its waterfront.
And now, for the first time, archaeologists may have uncovered the actual remains of the ships that made the Pirate Republic possible.
āļø A Discovery Three Hundred Years in the Making
An international team of marine archaeologists has discovered six shipwrecks in Nassau Harbor, three of which appear to date directly to the Golden Age of Piracy.
The finds were made after researchers received the first official permission to dive in a protected section of Nassau Harbor.
What they discovered exceeded all expectations.
Among the finds:
ā A charred wooden ship hull
ā Swivel guns used by pirates during boarding actions
ā An iron cannon
ā Twenty-five lead musket balls
ā A grinding stone used for sharpening blades
The most dramatic discovery was a burned wooden hull still resting beneath the harbor floor.
Pirates were notorious for destroying captured vessels after stripping them of cargo, weapons, and fittings. Burning ships to the waterline was one of their favorite ways to erase evidence.
This wreck shows all the signs of exactly that kind of pirate handiwork.
ā ļø Could This Be Henry Every's Ship?
One possibility has historians buzzing.
The construction of the wreck closely resembles vessels from the late seventeenth century.
When archaeologists examined the burned timbers, they began asking a remarkable question:
Could this be connected to Henry Every?
After capturing the Mughal treasure ship Ganj-i-Sawai in 1695, Every became the most wanted criminal on Earth.
His flagship, the Fancy, disappeared from history.
No confirmed wreck has ever been found.
While researchers are being cautious, the possibility alone is enough to ignite imaginations across the pirate world.
Imagine touching the remains of the very ship that carried the richest pirate haul in history.
š¦ Sharks, Currents, and Pirate Ghosts
Finding the wrecks was no easy task.
The waters around Nassau are known for powerful currents and large shark populations.
Divers searched an area that had already suffered extensive dredging and coastal development.
Many believed nothing would remain.
Instead, they found evidence that Nassau may still be hiding dozens of pirate-era shipwrecks beneath the harbor mud.
ā More Than Just Pirate Ships
The expedition also uncovered clues about Nassau's recovery after piracy faded away.
Archaeologists discovered:
š· Glass wine bottles
š¬ Cargoes of clay tobacco pipes
š¦ Wooden shipping crates
š¶ Rigging and trade goods
These finds help tell the story of Nassau's transformation from pirate stronghold to legitimate trading port.
š“āā ļø Pirate Republic Take
Hollywood gave us the legend.
These wrecks may finally show us the reality.
For generations we've imagined where the ships of Blackbeard, Calico Jack, Charles Vane, and Henry Every ended their days.
Now, for the first time, archaeologists are beginning to uncover answers beneath the waters of Nassau itself.
And if this expedition is only the beginning...
The greatest pirate discoveries may still be waiting beneath the harbor floor.
š°š“āā ļø PLUNDER OF THE WEEK
ā Fly the Colors, Matey!
Every pirate needs a flag.
Not just any flag.
A flag that tells the world exactly where you stand.
This week's Plunder of the Week is a Pirate American House Flagāthe perfect banner for any captain who believes a little rebellion makes life more interesting.
Whether it's flying from your front porch, waving over a backyard barbecue, hanging in your pirate den, or guarding your man cave, this flag lets visitors know they're entering pirate territory.
š“āā ļø Raise the Colors
This 3' x 5' double-sided flag features:
ā Readable graphics and lettering from both sidesā Weather-resistant polyester constructionā UV and fade resistance for outdoor useā Rugged construction built for year-round flyingā A bold blend of pirate spirit and American pride
In other words...
It's built to survive more than a few storms.
āļø Perfect for Pirate Season
With pirate festivals, Renaissance Faires, beach gatherings, and summer adventures getting underway, there's no better time to hoist your colors.
Fly it from:
š“āā ļø Your porchā Your patioš Your boat dockš» Your backyard tavernš„ Your Fourth of July celebration
Or anywhere a proper pirate might gather.
š“āā ļø Inspect the Treasure
š Hoist Your Colors Here Pirate American House Flag
šš“āā ļø PIRATE EVENT OF THE WEEK
ā Conwy Pirate Festival ā Where Pirates Invade a Welsh Castle
Most pirate festivals happen on the waterfront.
This one happens beneath the shadow of a castle.
Welcome to the Conwy Pirate Festival, where pirates, privateers, sea rogues, and adventurers gather in one of the most picturesque historic settings in Britain.
Set in the medieval walled town of Conwy, with the magnificent Conwy Castle overlooking the harbor, this festival feels like stepping into a storybook where pirates and knights somehow occupy the same chapter.
š“āā ļø What Awaits Ashore?
Visitors can expect:
āļø Pirate reenactors and living history displaysš“āā ļø Costumed crews roaming the townš¶ Music, entertainment, and maritime funā Family-friendly activities and treasure huntingšŗļø One of the most scenic pirate settings you'll ever find
Few pirate festivals can boast a genuine medieval castle as a backdrop.
Conwy can.
š Why It Stands Out
Most pirate gatherings celebrate the Caribbean.
Conwy reminds us that pirate history stretched far beyond Nassau and Port Royal.
The rugged Welsh coast, ancient fortifications, and maritime heritage create an atmosphere that feels entirely different from the tropical pirate ports we usually imagine.
It's a place where the Age of Sail meets the Age of Castles.
ā ļø Captainās Log
Some treasures are buried.
Some are lost.
And some wait patiently beneath the waves until the sea decides it's time to tell their story.
May your compass stay true,
your flag fly proudly,
and your next adventure be just beyond the horizon.
šµ
Fair winds to guide ye,Blue seas beneath ye,Gold if ye find it,And good mates beside ye.
šµ
Until next tide, me heartiesā
Captain Blackquill āš“āā ļø
"The horizon always holds one more secret."Ā ššŗļøš“āā ļø
š£ļø SHARE THE SPOILS, MATEY
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šļø THANKS FOR SAILING WITH THE CREW
We set sail every Friday, storm or shine ā delivering pirate history, legends, and lore from across the seas.
Keep yer spyglass trained on the horizon,rest when the winds allow,and may your course be steady, your hold full, and your tales worth telling.
If ye stumble upon treasure, tall tales, or pirate lore worth sharing, send word to:š§Ā captainblackquill@gmail.com
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