As many of our readers know, in 1996 a research company located a submerged shipwreck in Beaufort Inlet (formerly known as Topsail Inlet) that was believed to be Blackbeard's flagship, the Queen Anne's Revenge. At this date nearly everyone is convinced that this is, in fact, the ship which the infamous pirate deliberately ran aground in June of 1718, cracking the mainmast and many of her timbers.
Blackbeard then convinced Stede Bonnet (the "Gentleman Pirate" who was an involuntary guest on his vessel) to take Bonnet's own ship and crew, and sail to the West Indies to accept the recently offered pardon from King George. In the confusion Blackbeard marooned more than two dozen of his own pirates, then slipped away from the rest aboard a small sloop, the Adventure. With a much smaller crew Blackbeard sailed to Bath to seek the king's pardon from his friend, North Carolina Governor Charles Eden.
Just five months later Blackbeard was killed at Ocracoke Inlet.
Since 1997 researchers and archaeologists have been diving on the Queen Anne's Revenge, bringing up artifacts and pieces of the wreck for the state of North Carolina. Recently an eight foot long, 2000 pound cannon was salvaged from the QAR. You can read more here:
http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/10299600/
Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article written by my Uncle Marvin in 1954. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102111.htm.
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Philip, enjoy the info on Blackbeard and Queen's Anne Revenge.
ReplyDeleteTell me, how's the weather? Looks a little rough along the OBX. Notice on the Ocracoke Airport web-cam water standing from the heavy rains. Winds and choppy waves has closed ferry service on the Pamlico Sound. Despite what I've seen on-line, I would love to be there.
In October of 2009, I experienced my first Nor'eastor @ Ocracoke. I was about the only visitor walking around in the chilly, heavy rain and wind, but I found warm & inviting shelter @ VC on that Sunday afternoon. Had good conversation, delightful aroma of cedar in the air, and wonderful, interesting hand-crafted items to see in VC. Some would say I was crazy to be out in that wicked weather, but I was having a grand time. It seemed I had the island all to myself. Everyone else appeared to be inside their homes or hotel/motel rooms, out of the elements.
It's still a most pleasant memory to me!
It has been raining most of the day...and it's a bit windy. Actually, we are so protected on Lawton Lane & Howard Street that I don't always realize how windy it is out by the water. I also just heard that the SQ & CI ferries are not running this afternoon.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Philip, for the update. Hope the ferries will be up and running by Sunday. The post on NC ferry web-site indicates ferries will not run today (Sat) either.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what treasures the ocean will bring along the shores? As I recall from your blog, the shelling was fantastic after Irene.
Very cold and windy in Person county, NC. too. Guess November is here!
I just heard, unofficially, (Saturday 10 am) that the Hatteras ferries are running.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct, Philip.... CI/SQ ferry service still not up. Hatteras is operating. That's encouraging news.
ReplyDeleteWUNC (NPR) did a story about this, too:
ReplyDeletehttp://wunc.org/programs/news/archive/IEH102611.mp3/view