The
Whydah was christened after the West African trading post of Ouidah, where African slaves were loaded into her deep cargo for shipment to the Caribbean. After only one of these voyages, she was captured by notorious pirate Sam Bellamy off the Bahamas in February 1717. Bellamy's command was just as ill-fated. Only a few months later, and packed with plunder, the
Wydah was lashed to pieces by a legendarily rough storm and sank rapidly off of Cape Cod. There were few survivors.
The sea swallowed the Whydah along with her treasure, yet the fascinating saga of this storied ship was far from over. Centuries later, underwater explorer Barry Clifford, raised on legends of the sea around Cape Cod, set out to find the wreck. His quest literally led him into the history books, and he located the first authenticated pirate ship ever in 1984. Illustrated with dramatic color artwork by Greg Manchess, and awash with Ken Garrett's dazzling photographs of the artifacts raised by Barry Clifford, this book captures the golden age of piracy in all its glory. Real Pirates will delight rambunctious pirates-at-heart and armchair treasure hunters alike. Thanks to Barry Clifford, the multifaceted story of the ship that lay hidden in a watery grave for more than 250 years can now be told.
