Scuttlebutt

Next year, The Tall Ships Races will see the international fleet return to Den Helder, Hartlepool, Fredrikstad, Lerwick and Arendal between 29 June and 6 August.

As with every edition of The Tall Ships Races, the series will offer a range of sailing experiences for trainees and crew

Return of the tall shipsarranged through Gosport-based Sail Training International. The sailing schedule in 2023 is as follows: Den Helder, The Netherlands, from 29 June-2 July; Hartlepool, England, from 6-9 July; Fredrikstad, Norway, from 15-18 July; Lerwick, The Shetlands, from 26-29 July; and Arendal, Norway, from 3-6 August.

Norway’s full-rigged ‘Sørlandet’ is the world’s oldest operational tall ship.

Jewels from the sea

Treasure from the 17th century shipwreck of the Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas (Our Lady of Wonders) in the Bahamas has recently been recovered from the sea by Texas-based Allen Exploration, which employed new technology such as enhanced GPS, metal detecting and high-resolution magnetometers.

The Spanish galleon sank on 4 January, 1656, but a great deal of the treasure was salvaged between then and the early 1990s by adventurers and, more recently, by marine archaeologists. However, there was still more to find!

In addition to jewels and coins, the team from Allen Exploration also found Spanish olive jars and Chinese porcelain, but their star discovery was the sacred Order of Santiago, a religious band of knights active in Spain’s maritime trade. Pirates may have been searching for gold, silver, jewels and rum while plundering ships, but they were also on the look-out for maps, which were considered desirable booty. An article in National Geographic magazine describes one particular atlas from 1680 as ‘extremely valuable pirate booty’ that ‘overjoyed’ pirates when they seized it from the Spanish ship El Santo Rosario in July, 1681. The manuscript was filled with precious navigational information, including maps, charts and descriptions of different places.

It was of such value to English sailors that when Bartholomew Sharpe, who had been arrested for piracy, presented it to the Admiralty, he received a full pardon from King Charles II. This gift saved him from execution, although he was eventually arrested for debt on the West Indian island of St Thomas and died in jail on 29 October, 1702.

According to National Geographic, some members of pirate crews were literate and were highly valued for their ability to read navigational charts. Therefore, books were also plundered from ships that had been taken by pirates.

It’s a fact

Scuttlebutt Pirates spliced on Durlston Head

Congratulations to Ian Adams and Liz Brown, who were spliced at Durlston Castle, Swanage, Dorset, at 12 bells noon on 6 September. The union was witnessed by a full crew from the Brethren of the Coast: “As they exchange treasures of the heart. For all time ‘till death do they part”.

After the ceremony, those present scrambled down towards the cliffs of Durlston Head to take pictures of the newlyweds in front of The Great Globe (one of the largest stone spheres in the world, it weighs 40 tonnes) and then retired to the Red Lion, where much grog was consumed and a great deal of merriment ensued (Editor: I’ve enjoyed many a night of good cheer in Little Jim’s establishment).

Mr and Mrs Adams pose in front the The Great Globe flanked by Cap’n Roger Relentless and Jax Parrow, the Isle of Purbeck’s most notorious pirates.

Scuttlebutt

Old Time Sailors rebooked

The Fishpond Freehouse will once again be ‘pirate central’ when the Matlock Bath Pirate Mutiny takes place on the first weekend in August next year and Grace Bowler, who is responsible for ‘Front of House’ operations at the venue, confirmed to Pirate Plunder that the Old Time Sailors will be making a welcome return.

After their great reception this year, when the band transported the audience on an unforgettable trip into the past, they have been booked to play again on Saturday, 5 August, 2023.

Some of the Old Time Sailors pose with Captain Jack Sparrow look-alike Wayne Truman at the Fishpond Freehouse.

More gear in pirate genre

Princes Risboroughbased Southern Swords specialises in four separate genres – Pirate, Western, Viking and Roman.

The company’s website (www.southernswords. co.uk) has added to the gear available in the Pirate genre and now offers 45 products from high quality suppliers. These include an 18th century blunderbuss decorated with skulls, which is featured in the ‘Trading post’ section on page 22 of this issue.

The Mermaid Inn

Hotel c Restaurant c Bar

A warm welcome awaits pirates and smugglers at this 600-year-old inn 01797 223065 info@mermaidinn.com www.mermaidinn.com

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