The Legend Revived: Lost Pirate Ships of the Bahamas Revealed

An underwater archaeological team has uncovered six historic shipwrecks off the coast of New Providence in the Bahamas, including three vessels linked to the Golden Age of Piracy. Led by Michael Pateman and Sean Kingsley, the research revealed ship remains, cannons, musket balls, and tobacco pipes, indicating pirate and commercial activity in Nassau harbor from the 17th and 18th centuries.

An underwater archaeological team has uncovered six historic shipwrecks off the coast of New Providence in the Bahamas, including three vessels linked to the Golden Age of Piracy. The research, led by Michael Pateman, director of the Bahamas Maritime Museum, and Sean Kingsley, editor of Wreckwatch magazine, revealed ship remains offering a direct connection to pirates active in the area between 1695 and 1720. At the first site, iron cannons, lead musket balls, a sword sharpener, and cannonballs were found, characteristic of a fast sloop – a preferred pirate vessel. The second ship testified to the harbor's return to legitimate trade, with glass bottles, bricks, and tobacco pipes decorated with British royal symbols, identified as an English merchant ship from the 1740s. Inside the harbor, a charred wooden hull was located, possibly belonging to pirate Henry Every's ship, the Fancy, from 1695. The researchers emphasize that the findings provide a glimpse into the lives of seafarers who turned to piracy due to harsh naval conditions. The items will remain in public ownership under the Bahamas National Heritage Collection.