Queen Anne's Revenge - The Flagship of Blackbeard the Pirate

Before she ran aground in 1817,  Queen Anne's Revenge haunted the waters off the Eastern United States during the early 1800s, sending fear into her victims at the mere sight of her.  The ship had the ability to intimidate visually just as her Captain, William Teach did.  He was more commonly known as Blackbeard the Pirate.  Blackbeard himself is said to haunt the waters where he met his demise off the coast of North Carolina to this day.

Queen Anne's Revenge, the flagship of Blackbeard the pirate

Built in 1710, the British cargo ship Concord, was captured by the French shortly afterward and rechristened La Concorde.  The French enlarged the ship to carry more cargo as it was used to ferry slaves to market.  In 1716, La Concorde had an encounter with the pirate Benjamin Hornigold who then converted it to do battle, fitting it with 20 cannons.  Hornigold terrorized the Guinea coast before setting said for the Bahamas and the Americas.  It is thought that Blackbeard derived the name of the ship from Queen Anne's War in which he participated in.

Pirate Benjamin Hornigold, captain of La Concorde

In late 1717, Horgnigold turned his ship over to one of his crew members, Edward Teach.  Captain Teach renamed the ship Queen Anne's Revenge and fitted her with twice the number of cannon, making her one of most intimidating warships of the day, a devastating weapon to be used in the name of piracy.  Teach amassed a flotilla of ships, using Queen Anne's Revenge as his flagship.  His menacing appearance with a long braided beard with black bows and his reputation earned him the nickname Blackbeard.  He would destroy any ship or person who resisted his attacks.

The notorious pirate Blackbeard

The pirate ship Queen Anne's Revenge reigned havoc on ships during the early 1800s captained by Edward Teach aka Blackbeard

At one point in his notorious pirating run, Blackbeard and his devilish flotilla blockaded the city of Charleston, South Carolina and held it for ransom.  Upon his departure from the city while fleeing pursuing ships, he hastily ran the Queen Anne's Revenge aground while trying to enter Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina.  He transferred his flag to another of his ships named Adventure, thus ending the Queen Anne's Revenge reign of terror.

Artist's rendition of the pirate ship Queen Anne's Revenge after she ran aground

 

There have been no consistent reported sightings of Queen Anne's Revenge as a phantom ship, although some claim that one of the ghostly vessels of Whites Creek off the coast of Virginia, is that of Blackbeard and his men.  There are those that believe that Blackbeard hid some of his treasure there in the coastal forests and that he returns in his ship on occasion to make sure that his treasure is safe.

In 1996, a team of researchers discovered what they believe to be the remains of Queen Anne's Revenge off the coast of North Carolina, retrieving one of the cannons, anchor, and other artifacts from the ill fated vessel.  Many of the artifacts are on display at the North Carolina Maritime Museums.  For more info visit http://www.ncmaritimemuseums.com/beaufort/exhibits/beaufort-qar-exhibit.html   

An anchor raised from wreck of Queen Anne's Revenge, flagship of Blackbeard the pirate

Cannon raised from wreck of Queen Anne's Revenge, flagship of Blackbeard the pirate

 
Not so far away from the wreck of Queen Anne's Revenge, just off of Ocracoke Island, is one of the supposed haunts of the ghost of Blackbeard himself, never resting while his hidden treasures remain undiscovered.

Queen Anne's Revenge mockup used in the 2011 Disney film Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides

The Flying Dutchman - seen all over but, mostly seen off the Cape of Good Hope, Africa

The legend of the Flying Dutchman has been around for centuries.  Most are familiar with the ship portrayed in Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.  There are some things about the movie version that are made up, such as it being Captained by Davey Jones.  However, the Flying Dutchman is a real ghost ship and some high profile figures in history have had first hand encounters with this phantom vessel.

The Flying Dutchman is said to be manned by a crew of skeletons and has been seen in many oceans

One version of the story begins back in 1641 when a Dutch owned ship was rounding the Cape of Good Hope in Africa captained by a man by the name of Henrik van der Decken.  Some claim that the term "Flying Dutchman" referred to van der Decken because he was notorious for being reckless with speed and careless sailing.  Others say it is because that the type of ship was actually referred to as a "Dutchman".  None the less, van der Decken's ship headed into a fierce storm while rounding the cape.  As the ship was overcome by the storm and began to sink it is said that the captain shouted out a curse that he would round the Cape of Good Hope if it took all of eternity.  With that, the ship and crew never made it to thier destination.

However, many believe that the curse is real and have claimed to have spotted a phantom ship that gives off an eerie glow.  It is said that this is a bad omen for sailors to spot the Flying Dutchman because most who have seen it have perished or ran into misfortune shortly afterward.  Some say that the ship actually tries to lure ships into the rocks and to their demise so that the dead can join the crew of the Dutchman.  Supposedly, the phantom ship is manned by the skeletons of the ill fated crew and captain who are condemned to sail the seas for all eternity.  In order for one of those damned souls to leave the ship and rest in peace, another sailor has to take his place.

The first recorded account of sightings of the Flying Dutchman were recorded in the song "Rime of the Ancient Mariner."  Eye witness accounts began appearing in writing around the 1820s.

Many say the cursed ship The Flying Dutchan gave off an eerie glow.  Any sailor that lays eyes on it is himself cursed with bad luck or death

In the 1880s, Prince George, who would later become King George V of England, was sailing aboard the Bacchante and the phantom ship was spotted by the tower watchman who shortly after describing the ghostly sight, fell from the tower and perished.  In 1911, there were reports that a whaling ship nearly had a collision with the Flying Dutchman.  There are recorded sightings by sailors from the British Navy in the 1920s and during World War II, German submariners reported seeing the phantom vessel when they were out on patrol as well.  Other reports would come from people on shore, they have claimed to see the Flying Dutchman out at sea or entering nearby bays.  One of the latest accounts of an encounter with the ship nearly ended in death for the crew of the Magelhaen in 1959 when the ship nearly collided with the ghost ship. 

Modern Hollywood's version of The Flying Dutchman used in Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean films now sits in Castaway Cay where Disney Cruises are launched

The legend of the Flying Dutchman lives on through the ages in stories, books, and movies.  Interestingly enough, although the spectral ship has been spotted all over the world, most sightings have occurred off the coast of Africa around the Cape of Good Hope!