Secrets of the Dead (2000–…): Season 8, Episode 4 - Blackbeard's Lost Ship - full transcript

Announcer: COMING UP
ON "SECRETS OF THE DEAD"...

IN THE 18th CENTURY,

BLACKBEARD THE PIRATE TERRORIZED
THE YOUNG AMERICAN COLONIES.

Woman: BLACKBEARD
DELIBERATELY CULTIVATED
A FEARSOME REPUTATION.

Narrator: HE WIELDED HIS POWER
WITH RUTHLESS ABANDON.

ACCORDING TO LEGEND, HE EVEN
BETRAYED HIS OWN LOYAL MEN.

Man: IN CORPORATE TERMS,
THAT WOULD BE CALLED DOWNSIZING,

BUT IN BLACKBEARD'S TERM, IT WAS
JUST AN ACT OF DOWNRIGHT PIRACY
AGAINST HIS OWN CREW.

Narrator: NOW, THE DISCOVERY
OF BLACKBEARD'S SUNKEN FLAGSHIP

IS REVEALING THE DARK TRUTH
ABOUT THE INFAMOUS PIRATE...

A TALE OF OCEAN ATTACKS,



HARBOR BLOCKADES,

AND A SUSPICIOUS GROUNDING

THAT ULTIMATELY LED
TO HIS DOWNFALL AND DEATH.

BLACKBEARD'S LOST SHIP
ON "SECRETS OF THE DEAD."

CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY
FRIENDS OF NCI

"SECRETS OF THE DEAD" WAS
MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS
TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM...

Narrator: IN THE EARLY 1700s,

THE EAST COAST OF AMERICA
WAS TERRORIZED

BY ONE OF THE MOST
NOTORIOUS PIRATES IN HISTORY.

Man: BLACKBEARD WAS PROBABLY
THE SINGLE MOST DANGEROUS PIRATE
IN AMERICAN WATERS.

Woman: EVEN MILITARY FORCES WERE
LIVING IN FEAR OF BLACKBEARD.

Second man:
HE WAS ABSOLUTELY UNSTOPPABLE.

Narrator: NOW, ALMOST 300 YEARS
AFTER HIS DEATH,

A TEAM OF UNDERWATER
ARCHAEOLOGISTS BELIEVE



THEY HAVE FOUND
HIS LOST FLAGSHIP

BURIED IN THE SAND OFF
THE COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA.

Second man: IT IS
A CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION.

WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IS
PUT BACK TOGETHER A PUZZLE,

MISSING 90% OF THE PIECES.

Narrator: IF THE TEAM HAS
THE RIGHT SHIP,

THEY MAY BE ABLE TO SOLVE ONE
OF THE MOST ENDURING MYSTERIES

OF BLACKBEARD'S SHORT
BUT SPECTACULAR CAREER...

WHETHER HE RAN AGROUND
BY ACCIDENT

OR SUNK HIS SHIP DELIBERATELY
IN A WICKED ACT OF TREACHERY

AGAINST HIS OWN LOYAL CREW.

IN 1996,

MARINE ARCHAEOLOGISTS
DISCOVERED THE WRECK OF
A WOODEN SAILING SHIP,

JUST OFF THE COAST
OF NORTH CAROLINA.

THE LOCATION
OF THE FIND COINCIDES
WITH HISTORICAL RECORDS

OF THE SINKING OF THE
"QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE,"
BLACKBEARD'S FLAGSHIP.

ITS SIZE AND ARMAMENTS
CLOSELY MATCHED DESCRIPTIONS
OF THE POWERFUL VESSEL,

WHICH HAD BEEN
THE COMMAND CENTER OF
THE INFAMOUS PIRATE

WHEN HE TERRORIZED
THE WATERS OF THE ATLANTIC.

Man: HE WAS
A CHARISMATIC FIGURE,

AND HIS WHOLE CAREER WAS ONE
THAT REALLY CAPTIVATED
THE PUBLIC IMAGINATION

BACK IN THE 18th CENTURY,
AND IT STILL DOES TODAY.

Narrator: AT THE HEIGHT
OF HIS POWER IN 1718,

BLACKBEARD COMMANDED
HIS OWN PIRATE NAVY,

WITH 4 SHIPS
AND A RABBLE-ROUSING
400-MAN CREW.

HE WAS AN ACCOMPLISHED
SEAFARING RAIDER,

ATTACKING MERCHANT VESSELS
ALL ALONG THE ATLANTIC
SHIPPING LANES

FROM NEW YORK TO THE CARIBBEAN.

HE STOLE GOLD, WEAPONS,
AND CARGO.

MUCH OF IT HE THEN SOLD BACK
TO AMERICA'S GROWING COLONIES.

IN MAY OF 1718,
BLACKBEARD UNDERTOOK
HIS MOST DARING VENTURE.

HE BLOCKADED THE HARBOR
AT CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA,

PUTTING A STRANGLEHOLD ON ONE
OF AMERICA'S WEALTHIEST CITIES.

Man: NO LONGER DID THE COLONIES
SIMPLY NEED TO WORRY

ABOUT INDIVIDUAL PIRATE SHIPS
STALKING MERCHANT VESSELS

AS THEY MADE THEIR WAY FROM
ONE COLONIAL PORT TO THE NEXT.

NOW THEY HAD TO WORRY
ABOUT A PIRATE ADMIRAL,

A NAVY OF PIRATE SHIPS ABLE
TO RANSACK A CITY.

Narrator:
DESPITE BLACKBEARD'S NOTORIETY,

THERE ARE FEW CONTEMPORARY
DESCRIPTIONS OF HIS BACKGROUND.

THE MOST DETAILED ACCOUNT WAS
WRITTEN 8 YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH.

ACCORDING TO "A GENERAL HISTORY
OF THE ROBBERIES AND MURDERS
OF THE MOST NOTORIOUS PYRATES,"

BLACKBEARD'S REAL NAME WAS
MOST LIKELY EDWARD TEACH

AND HE WAS BORN
IN BRISTOL, ENGLAND.

BLACKBEARD BEGAN
HIS CAREER AS A PRIVATEER,

A MERCENARY OF THE SEAS.

HE ENLISTED DURING
QUEEN ANNE'S WAR,

A CONFLICT BETWEEN THE FRENCH
AND BRITISH THAT BEGAN IN 1702.

THE BATTLE WAS OVER SUCCESSION
TO THE SPANISH THRONE,

BUT THE FIGHTING REACHED
ALL THE WAY TO
THE AMERICAN COLONIES.

FOR PRIVATEERS LIKE BLACKBEARD,
IT WAS A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY.

Konstam: A PRIVATEER WAS
ESSENTIALLY A LICENSED PIRATE.

IN TIMES OF WAR, THE GOVERNMENT
ISSUED LETTERS OF MARK,

WHICH WERE ESSENTIALLY LICENSES
TO GO OUT AND HUNT SHIPS
OF THE ENEMY.

SO, FOR INSTANCE, IF BRITAIN
AND FRANCE ARE AT WAR,

BOTH SIDES WILL GIVE
THEIR CAPTAINS
PRIVATEERING LICENSES,

AND THE OTHER SIDE'S
MERCHANT SHIPS ARE FAIR GAME.

[CANNONS FIRING]

ESSENTIALLY IT WAS A TOOL
FOR ECONOMIC WARFARE
ON THE HIGH SEAS.

Narrator: FOR MORE THAN
A DECADE, BLACKBEARD TOILED
AS A LOYAL BRITISH SERVANT.

BUT IN 1713,
PEACE WAS DECLARED.

THE NAVY WAS DOWNSIZED
AND THE PRIVATEERS FOUND
THEMSELVES UNEMPLOYED.

Man: WHEN THE WAR ENDED,

THE ROYAL NAVY WENT FROM
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 50,000
AND 60,000 MEN

DOWN TO AROUND 15,000 MEN.

SO YOU'VE GOT AS MANY
AS 40,000 MEN

SUDDENLY WITHOUT WORK.

Narrator: WITH FEW
LUCRATIVE OPTIONS,

MANY OF THE FORMER PRIVATEERS
CONTINUED THEIR PLUNDERING,

ONLY NOW THEY WERE UNSANCTIONED

AND IN OPEN DEFIANCE
OF MARITIME LAW.

THEY HAD ENTERED THE HIGH-RISK,
HIGH-REWARD WORLD

OF INTERNATIONAL PIRACY.

THERE WAS POTENTIAL THERE
FOR VERY QUICK, VERY RICH GAINS.

THERE WAS ALSO
THE VERY REAL POTENTIAL

OF HANGING AT THE END
OF A NOOSE,

BUT SOME OF THESE GUYS,
I'M SURE, FELT LIKE
THEY HAD NO CHOICE.

Narrator: MANY
OF THE LESSER PRIVATEERS
HAVE LONG BEEN FORGOTTEN.

BUT THE "GENERAL HISTORY
OF PYRATES" HAS LEFT US

WITH AN UNFORGETTABLE IMAGE
OF BLACKBEARD.

IN TIME OF ACTION, HE WORE
A SLING OVER HIS SHOULDERS

WITH 3 BRACE OF PISTOLS

AND STUCK LIGHTED MATCHES
UNDER HIS HAT.

HIS EYES, NATURALLY LOOKING
FIERCE AND WILD,

MADE HIM SUCH A FIGURE

THAT IMAGINATION CANNOT FORM
AN IDEA OF A FURY FROM HELL

TO LOOK MORE FRIGHTFUL.

BLACKBEARD TOOK
EXTRAORDINARY STEPS TO CREATE
A DEMONIC IMAGE OF HIMSELF.

MARINE ARCHAEOLOGIST
LISA BRIGGS

BELIEVES HIS APPEARANCE WAS
CAREFULLY PREMEDITATED.

Briggs: BLACKBEARD
DELIBERATELY CULTIVATED
A FEARSOME REPUTATION.

HE DID INSPIRE A FEAR AND TERROR
INTO THE HEARTS OF THOSE
THAT HE ENCOUNTERED.

NONE OF THEM WANTED TO FIND OUT
WHAT BLACKBEARD WOULD HAVE
IN STORE FOR THEM

IF THEY HADN'T SURRENDERED.

Narrator: BLACKBEARD'S
RUTHLESSNESS EVEN EXTENDED
TOWARDS HIS OWN CREW.

"THE GENERAL HISTORY OF PYRATES"
RECORDS ONE INCIDENT

THAT REVEALS JUST HOW CRUEL
HE COULD BE.

BLACKBEARD, WITHOUT
ANY PROVOCATION,

DRAWS OUT A SMALL PAIR
OF PISTOLS AND COCKS THEM
UNDER THE TABLE.

HE BLEW OUT THE CANDLE
AND DISCHARGED THEM AT
THE COMPANY.

AAH!

[GROANING]

ISRAEL HANDS, THE MASTER,

WAS SHOT THROUGH HIS KNEE
AND LAMED FOR LIFE.

BEING ASKED THE REASON FOR THIS,

HE ONLY ANSWERED THAT IF
HE DID NOT NOW AND THEN
KILL ONE OF THEM,

THEY WOULD FORGET WHO HE WAS.

Konstam: THE SHOOTING
OF ISRAEL HANDS JUST SHOWS

THAT BLACKBEARD WAS PREPARED
TO RESORT TO DRAMATIC ACTS
OF VIOLENCE

IN ORDER TO ENFORCE
HIS AUTHORITY OVER HIS MEN,

AND AT THE TIME,
THAT WAS ALL-IMPORTANT.

PIRATE CREWS ARE HELD TOGETHER
AS MUCH BY FEAR OF A CAPTAIN

AS ANYTHING ELSE.

Narrator: WITH HIS IRON FIST,

BLACKBEARD BUILT UP
A FEARSOME CREW.

ON NOVEMBER 28, 1717,

THEY SEIZED "LE CONCORDE,"

THE VESSEL THAT WOULD
BECOME HIS FLAGSHIP.

THE SHIP'S CAPTAIN,
PIERRE DOSSET,

LATER RECORDED
WHAT HAPPENED.

LE CONCORDE WAS
A FRENCH SLAVE SHIP
BOUND FOR MARTINIQUE.

DOSSET DESCRIBES HOW, AFTER
A LONG TRANSATLANTIC VOYAGE,

HIS CREW HAD BEEN TOO SICK
TO OUTRUN OR RESIST
THE PIRATES' ATTACK.

BLACKBEARD RECOGNIZED
THE SHIP'S POTENTIAL.

SHE WAS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD.
HER TIMBERS WERE SOUND.
SHE WAS BUILT FOR SPEED.

LE CONCORDE WOULD
TRANSFORM HIS FORTUNES.

Konstam: THE CONCORDE WAS
A GREAT PRIZE FOR BLACKBEARD

BECAUSE AS A SLAVE SHIP,
IT WAS FAST.

IT WAS WELL-ARMED
AND COULD EASILY BE CONVERTED

INTO AN EVEN MORE FORMIDABLE
FIGHTING SHIP.

Narrator: HE RECHRISTENED HER
"THE QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE,"

PERHAPS AS AN IRONIC REFERENCE
TO THE END OF HIS CAREER
AS A PRIVATEER.

SOON AFTER,
INCREASINGLY WILD REPORTS

BEGAN CHARTING BLACKBEARD'S
PROGRESS UP THE EAST COAST.

HE CROSSED THE CARIBBEAN,
SKIRTING THE BEACHES OF HONDURAS

BEFORE HEADING NORTH
TOWARD THE CAROLINAS.

HE PILLAGED AS HE WENT,
SOMETIMES AS MANY
AS 4 SHIPS IN A WEEK.

[CANNONS FIRING]

FACED WITH THE POWER AND SPEED
OF THE QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE,

MOST OF HIS VICTIMS SURRENDERED
WITHOUT A FIGHT.

THOSE THAT DIDN'T
WERE SET ON FIRE.

[CANNON FIRES]

BUT BLACKBEARD'S
EXTRAORDINARY RUN
OF SUCCESS WAS BRIEF.

IT CAME TO AN END
IN EARLY SUMMER, 1718,

JUST OFF THE SHALLOW COAST
OF NORTH CAROLINA.

THE EVENTS THAT LED
TO THE SINKING OF HIS FLAGSHIP

WERE LATER RECOUNTED
BY MEMBERS OF HIS CREW.

ON JUNE 10, 1718,

BLACKBEARD ATTEMPTED TO SAIL
THE QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE

THROUGH BEAUFORT INLET
ON THE OUTER BANKS.

HE WAS AIMING TO JOIN
THE REST OF HIS FLEET,

WHICH WAS WAITING
ON THE OTHER SIDE.

TWO FATHOMS.

TWO FATHOM!

Narrator: BLACKBEARD KNEW
THE CHANNEL THROUGH THE INLET
WAS SHALLOW AND TIGHT,

SO HE WAITED UNTIL
HIGH TIDE TO ENSURE

THAT HIS 100-FOOT VESSEL
HAD SUFFICIENT CLEARANCE
TO PASS THROUGH.

Man: ONE AND A HALF FATHOM!

ONE AND A HALF
FATHOM, CAPTAIN.

Narrator: BUT THE WHOLE AREA
OF THE OUTER BANKS IS SUBJECT
TO STRONG CURRENTS

AND SHIFTING SAND BARS.

THE SHIP RAN AGROUND,

AND DESPITE FRANTIC EFFORTS,

THE CREW COULD NOT
WRESTLE HER FREE.

SHE EVENTUALLY HAD
TO BE ABANDONED

AND SLOWLY SANK BENEATH
THE WAVES AND THE SAND.

HER EXACT LOCATION WAS
NEVER RECORDED.

ARCHAEOLOGIST DAVID MOORE
GREW UP IN NORTH CAROLINA.

HE'S BEEN FASCINATED
BY THE BLACKBEARD STORY

AND HAS BEEN RESEARCHING
THE LOCATION OF THE SHIP

FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.

Moore: HE IS HERE IN OUR WATERS.

HE LEFT BEHIND TANGIBLE
PHYSICAL EVIDENCE,

AND TO HAVE THAT
ARCHAEOLOGICAL POTENTIAL

RIGHT HERE IN MY OWN BACKYARD,

THAT TO ME IS AMAZING.

Narrator:
DAVID BEGAN BY REVIEWING ALL
THE EYEWITNESS TESTIMONIES

FROM BLACKBEARD'S MEN.

HE WAS HUNTING FOR SUBTLE CLUES
THAT WOULD INDICATE THE SHIP'S
EXACT RESTING PLACE.

Moore: THIS DOCUMENT
ACTUALLY TELLS US

THAT IT WAS LOST ON THE BAR,

OR OFF THE BAR AT THE ENTRANCE
OF BEAUFORT INLET.

Narrator: UNFORTUNATELY,

THE SAND BAR IS NOT
IN THE SAME PLACE TODAY
AS IT WAS IN 1718.

DAVID NEEDED A MAP
FROM BLACKBEARD'S TIME

TO HELP HIM RECONCILE
THE 3-CENTURY CHANGE
IN GEOGRAPHY.

USING NEW AND OLD MAPS TOGETHER,

HE WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE
A STARTING POINT FOR THE SEARCH.

BUT EVEN WITH ALL
OF DAVID'S RESEARCH,

FINDING THE LOST VESSEL
AFTER 300 YEARS

WOULD BE A MONUMENTAL TASK.

THAT WAS ASSUMING THERE WAS
ANYTHING LEFT TO FIND.

DIVERS WOULD NEED
TO COMB THE SEA BED

IN AN AREA THAT IS LITTERED
WITH SHIPWRECKS.

THESE WATERS AROUND
THE OUTER BANKS ARE CALLED
"THE GRAVEYARD OF THE ATLANTIC."

BETWEEN 1650 AND 1850,

AT LEAST 2,000 VESSELS
ARE KNOWN TO HAVE SUNK HERE.

Man: IN THE DAYS OF SAIL,

SHIPS SAILING UP THE COAST
WOULD HAVE PROBLEMS

WHENEVER A HURRICANE
WOULD CHASE THEM UP
THE EASTERN SEABOARD.

AND RIGHT OUT HERE
IN NORTH CAROLINA,

THE COAST JUTS OUT
INTO THE ATLANTIC
A COUPLE HUNDRED MILES,

AND BECAUSE THE HURRICANE WINDS
WOULD BE COMING BEHIND THEM,

THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO TACK
INTO THEM. THEY REALLY WERE
FORCED ONTO THE ROCKS.

Narrator: WITH SO MANY WRECKS
SCATTERED ON THE SEABED,

DAVID'S CALCULATIONS WERE
THE TEAM'S ONLY HOPE

OF PINPOINTING THE ONE
THEY WANTED.

THEY SEARCHED FOR 10 DAYS
WITH NO SUCCESS.

THEN, JUST AS THEY WERE ABOUT
TO CALL OFF THE DIVE,

THEY DISCOVERED THE REMAINS
OF A LARGE WOODEN SHIP.

THE MANY CANNONS VISIBLE
AT THE CENTER OF THE WRECK

SUGGESTED IT HAD ONCE BEEN
A FIGHTING SHIP.

DAVID WAS THRILLED,

CONVINCED THAT HIS RESEARCH
HAD BEEN ON TARGET.

Moore: I WAS ECSTATIC.

YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY KNOWS
WHO BLACKBEARD IS,

YOU KNOW, AND SO TO FIND
ONE OF HIS SHIPWRECKS, I MEAN,
THAT'S HUGE, THAT'S BIG.

TOPSIDE, IF WE COULD HAVE
A LITTLE MORE PRESSURE
ON [INDISTINCT], OVER.

Narrator: ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK
QUICKLY BEGAN.

THE TEAM WAS AMAZED AT
HOW WELL THE SHIP HAD WEATHERED
ITS 3-CENTURY INTERMENT.

Masters: THE OCEAN IS
A DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT,

AND IT'S VERY RARE
THAT A SHIP IS PRESERVED
AS WELL AS THIS SHIP IS,

AND WE BELIEVE THAT'S
BECAUSE IT SANK DOWN
INTO THE SAND,

INTO THE OLD SAND BAR,
SO QUICKLY AFTER IT WRECKED.

MOST OF THE SHIP WAS UNDERNEATH
ALL THAT SAND AND IT KIND OF
PROTECTED IT.

IT PROTECTED ALL OF THOSE CLUES
AND ALL THAT EVIDENCE

THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE
TO FOLLOW UP ON LATER.

Narrator: THERE WAS MUCH
TO FOLLOW UP ON.

THE FIRST STEP WAS TO CHART
THE PLACEMENT OF THE WRECK
ON THE OCEAN FLOOR.

THEN THEY WOULD NEED
TO CATALOG EVERY ITEM
BEFORE IT WAS REMOVED.

ONE OF THE PRIMARY GOALS WAS
TO CONFIRM THE SHIP'S IDENTITY.

A TOP PRIORITY ON THAT FRONT
WAS TO SEARCH THE MURKY WATERS
AND SHIFTING SANDS

FOR PROOF THAT THE SHIP WAS
FROM THE RIGHT PERIOD,

THE EARLY 1700s.

WE'LL RECOVER
THE ARTIFACT BASKET.

Moore: WHEN YOU CONDUCT
AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT,

PARTICULARLY WITH
MAJOR EXCAVATION AND RECOVERY
LIKE WE'RE DOING ON THIS ONE,

WE ARE LITERALLY DESTROYING
THIS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE.

AND SO, AS THE ARTIFACTS
ARE REMOVED,

WE HAVE TO MAP THOSE IN PLACE

BECAUSE WE CAN'T GO BACK
TO SQUARE ONE,

LITERALLY CANNOT GO
BACK TO SQUARE ONE.

Narrator: JUST LIKE AT
A CRIME SCENE,

THE POSITION AND ORIENTATION
OF EVERY ARTIFACT IS
A POTENTIAL CLUE,

SO EVERY FIND HAS TO
BE CAREFULLY MAPPED
ON WATERPROOF PAPER,

THEN TAGGED WITH
A UNIQUE EVIDENCE NUMBER
THAT MATCHES THE DIAGRAM.

Briggs: THE KIND OF WORK
WE'RE DOING AND
THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL,

THE METHODOLOGY THAT WE'RE
EMPLOYING ON THIS SITE
IS SECOND TO NONE,

FROM THE TINIEST, TINIEST
LITTLE MICRO-ARTIFACTS

TO ANCHORS AND CANNONS
THAT WEIGH UPWARDS
OF 5,000 POUNDS.

ON A LOT OF LEVELS,
THIS PROJECT'S REALLY
GROUNDBREAKING.

Narrator: THE TEAM HAS
BEEN WORKING ON THE WRECK
FOR MORE THAN A DECADE,

BUT PROGRESS IS SLOW
BECAUSE OF A SHORT DIVE SEASON...

JUST A FEW WEEKS BETWEEN THE END
OF HURRICANE SEASON

AND THE BEGINNING OF
THE WINTER STORMS.

EVEN IN IDEAL CONDITIONS,

STRONG CURRENTS
AND DRAMATIC TIDES
DECREASE VISIBILITY

AND THREATEN TO SWEEP
THE DIVERS OUT TO SEA.

Moore: YESTERDAY WE HAD
A LOT OF SWELLS,

WHICH KEPT THINGS STIRRED UP
ON THE BOTTOM

AND KEPT THE DIVERS
MOVING BACK AND FORTH.

LITERALLY, MY SECOND DIVE WAS
ABSOLUTELY PITCH-BLACK.

AND THEN WE GET INTO
WHAT WE CALL
BRAILLE ARCHAEOLOGY.

Briggs: IT'S REALLY PRETTY EASY
TO GET LOST DOWN THERE.

IF YOU GET TURNED AROUND
AND YOU THINK NORTH IS SOUTH
AND SOUTH IS NORTH,

YOU JUST GOT TO BELIEVE IN YOUR
COMPASS AND BELIEVE THAT THE
COMPASS KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON.

Narrator: DESPITE
THE DIFFICULT CONDITIONS,

THE ARCHAEOLOGISTS HAVE
DISCOVERED THAT MOST
OF THE ARTIFACTS LIE

IN A RELATIVELY CONCENTRATED
AREA ON THE SAND BANK.

THIS SUPPORTS THE SAILORS'
RECOLLECTIONS ABOUT HOW
THE SHIP MET ITS END.

Man: WE'RE NOT SEEING
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE

THAT THE SHIP WAS
BROKEN UP IN A STORM,

AND WE'RE NOT SEEING
A DEBRIS TRAIL

OR A LARGE SCATTER
OF ARTIFACTS.

Narrator: IF THE SHIP HAD
BROKEN APART IN A STORM,

THE CONTENTS WOULD LIKELY HAVE
BEEN SPREAD OVER A LARGER AREA.

Moore: WE DO HAVE
A GROUNDING HERE,

WHICH IS VERY APPARENT
FROM THE COMPACT NATURE
OF THE SITE

AND JUST THE VOLUME
OF MATERIAL

THAT'S COMING OUT
OF THIS ONE AREA.

Narrator: THAT'S GOOD NEWS,
BECAUSE ANY OTHER EXPLANATION
FOR THE SINKING

WOULD MEAN
THE SHIP WAS PROBABLY NOT
THE QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE.

EACH DIVE SEASON, THE TEAM
HAULS UP IMPORTANT ARTIFACTS

THAT HAVE BEEN PRESERVED
BY THE SAND.

METAL ITEMS ARE USUALLY
IN THE BEST CONDITION.

Briggs: THIS IS A CASK HOOP,

AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED
BECAUSE WE RARELY GET TO BRING
THEM UP ALL IN ONE PIECE.

OFTEN WHAT HAPPENS IS THE METALS
AND THE FERROUS MATERIAL'S

KIND OF FALLING OUT
OF THE BARREL HERE OVER
THE LAST 300 YEARS OR SO,

WHICH MAKES IT REALLY FRAGILE
AND REALLY DIFFICULT
TO BRING UP IN ONE PIECE.

Narrator: THE BARREL HOOP IS
A REMARKABLE FIND,

BUT THE MOST VALUABLE PIECES ARE
FRAGMENTS OF TIMBER,

WHICH CAN BE CARBON-DATED
TO REVEAL THEIR AGE.

ONE NEWLY DISCOVERED PIECE
SERVED AN UNUSUAL PURPOSE.

THIS PIECE OF WOOD IS LIKELY
A PIECE OF SACRIFICIAL PLANKING,

WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN OUTSIDE
THE OUTER HULL AND WAS
AFFIXED THERE

SO THAT TEREDO WORMS WOULD HAVE
EATEN THAT PLANKING AND NOT
THE HULL STRUCTURE ITSELF.

IT WAS SACRIFICED SO THAT
THE INTEGRITY OF THE SHIP
WOULD NOT BE COMPROMISED.

Narrator: IRONICALLY,
THIS THROWAWAY PIECE OF TIMBER,

DESIGNED TO BE DESTROYED
BY WOOD-EATING SEA WORMS,

HAD SURVIVED ALMOST 3 CENTURIES
BENEATH THE WAVES.

I'M JUST TRYING TO TIDY UP
A LITTLE BIT FOR YOU.

Man, on radio:
ROGER THAT.

Narrator: ANOTHER GOOD INDICATOR
OF A SHIP'S AGE ARE HER CANNONS.

THEY OFTEN BEAR MAKER'S MARKS

AND SOMETIMES EVEN THE STAMPS
OF THE YEAR THEY WERE CAST,

BUT THE CANNONS NEED TO BE
DEEP-CLEANED ON THE SURFACE

BEFORE SUCH TINY MARKS
BECOME VISIBLE.

RECOVERING THESE ONE-TON BEASTS
WILL BE A DIFFICULT TASK.

Man, on radio:
ALL RIGHT, STAND BY.

I'M GONNA ADD SOME MORE AIR.

[AIR HISSING]

THERE SHE GOES.

HERE COMES, SARGE.
IT'S ON ITS WAY UP.

Man, on radio:
ROGER THAT.

Narrator: FLOATING THE CANNON
TO THE SURFACE GOES SMOOTHLY...

BUT THE FINAL LIFT ONTO THE DECK
IS MORE DANGEROUS.

ALL BUT THE MOST ESSENTIAL CREW
ARE KEPT BACK.

THE DIVERS ARE REQUIRED TO LEAVE
THE WATER BEFORE THE FINAL LIFT.

IF THE CABLE SNAPS,
IT WILL WHIP ACROSS THE DECK

AND SLICE THROUGH ANYTHING
OR ANYONE IN ITS PATH.

[DISTANT CLAMORING]
BEAUTIFUL!

Narrator: GETTING THE CANNON UP
AND TO SHORE IS ONLY STEP ONE.

NEXT IT WILL BE
TRANSPORTED TO THE LAB,

WHERE CORROSION
AND MARINE GROWTHS
CALLED CONCRETIONS

WILL HAVE TO BE PAINSTAKINGLY
BRUSHED AWAY.

ONLY THEN WILL
ANY IDENTIFYING MARKS
BECOME VISIBLE.

Briggs: TO SEE THESE ARTIFACTS
AS THEY COME UP,

AS THEY'RE EMERGING FROM
THE SAND, AND JUST TO KNOW

THAT YOU'RE THE FIRST PERSON
FOR ALMOST 300 YEARS

WHO'S LAID EYES
ON THIS ARTIFACT IS
TRULY, TRULY SPECIAL.

Narrator: THE CANNONS
SHOULD HELP IDENTIFY THE SHIP,

BUT SOME OF THE OTHER ARTIFACTS
OFFER A MORE INTIMATE GLIMPSE

AT DAILY LIFE ON HER DECKS.

WE FOUND A RECTANGULAR
PIECE OF LEAD

THAT HAD A DESIGN ROCKERED
INTO IT. IT'S AN "X."

Narrator: THE TEAM BELIEVES
IT MAY BE A PIECE

FROM A BOARD GAME,
SUCH AS CHECKERS.

ANOTHER AMAZING FIND IS
AN 18th-CENTURY MEDICAL SYRINGE.

AS WORK ON THE WRECK CONTINUES,

THE TEAM IS ENERGIZED
BY SOME EXCITING NEWS...

CARBON-DATING RESULTS
FROM SOME OF THE SHIP'S TIMBERS.

THESE PLANKS FROM
THE SHIP'S MAJESTIC HULL

GREW BETWEEN 1630 AND 1690.

THAT PUTS THEM IN
THE PERFECT TIME PERIOD

TO HAVE BEEN USED
ON THE QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE.

IT'S AN IMPORTANT REVELATION,

AND IT INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD
THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT SHIP.

BUT MORE DEFINITIVE PROOF
IS STILL NEEDED.

THE TEAM HOPES IT WILL COME
FROM OTHER ITEMS THEY HAVE
PLUCKED FROM THE OCEAN FLOOR.

ANY OF THESE CONCRETED LUMPS
COULD HOLD A VITAL SECRET.

3-0-7.

3-0-1-7.

Narrator:
BUT WITH SO MANY ARTIFACTS
TO ANALYZE, CLEAN, AND RESTORE,

IDENTIFYING THE MOST
PROMISING ONES IS AN EPIC TASK.

OUR FIRST STEP IS X-RAYING
THOSE CONCRETIONS AND TRYING
TO FIND OUT WHAT'S INSIDE.

[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]

WE MIGHT POSSIBLY
HAVE A GUN.

BEAUTIFUL.

IF THIS IS WHAT
I'M THINKING IT IS,

'CAUSE IT ACTUALLY LOOKS
LIKE THE BARREL IN THE WAY
IT COMES UP,

THIS WOULD BE
OUR FIRST GUN.

REALLY?
YES.
NICE.

WE WERE NOT...
EXPECTING THIS.

THIS IS EXCITING.

Narrator: IT WILL TAKE MONTHS
TO CLEAN THE DEPOSITS
OFF THE GUN.

IN THE MEANTIME, THEY CONTINUE
TO X-RAY OTHER FINDS.

THE MACHINE ALLOWS THEM
TO PRIORITIZE WHICH ITEMS
THEY SHOULD RESTORE.

HIGHEST ON THE LIST
ARE ARTIFACTS THAT MIGHT
CARRY IDENTIFYING MARKS.

Moore: WE'VE RECOVERED QUITE
A NUMBER OF PEWTER ITEMS,

MOST OF WHICH HAVE BEEN
VERY NICELY MARKED.

WE WERE ABLE TO FIND
THE ORIGINAL TOUCHMARK,

OR MAKER'S MARK,

AND THOSE, OF COURSE, CAN
BE MATCHED UP WITH RECORDS
THAT ARE AVAILABLE.

AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED AT LEAST
3 MAKERS OF THIS PEWTER,

ALL OF WHICH WERE
MANUFACTURING PEWTER IN LONDON,

ALL OF WHICH WERE LATE 17th
INTO THE EARLY 18th CENTURY.

Narrator: OTHER PIECES
FROM THE WRECK,

LIKE THIS BRASS WEIGHT BEARING
THE FACE OF QUEEN ANNE,

ALSO CONFIRM THAT THE SHIP IS
FROM THE EARLY 1700s.

[EQUIPMENT HUMMING]

AS THE TEAM HAD HOPED,

THE CANNONS ARE ALSO
PROVING TO BE VALUABLE IN
THE IDENTIFICATION GAME,

THOUGH THE CLEANING
AND RESTORATION PROCESS
IS AGONIZINGLY SLOW.

Woman: SOME OF THE GUN SURFACES
ARE SO CORRODED

THAT IF WE WERE TO TAKE
JUST HAMMER AND CHISELS TO IT,

THE WHOLE ORIGINAL SURFACE
WOULD JUST FALL OFF,

AND THAT ORIGINAL SURFACE IS
WHAT WE'RE GOING FOR

BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE
OUR MARKS ARE GONNA BE.

Narrator: TO PRESERVE
AS MUCH DETAIL AS POSSIBLE,

CREWS MUST WORK SLOWLY.

WITH DELICATE,
PRECISION HAND TOOLS.

THE PAINSTAKING EFFORT DOES
EVENTUALLY PAY OFF.

ONE OF THE FIRST CANNONS
TO BE RETRIEVED FROM THE WRECK

IS NOW COMPLETELY RESTORED
AND ON DISPLAY.

IT BEARS A DATE MARK FOR 1713,

JUST 5 YEARS BEFORE THE SINKING
OF THE QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE.

THE SAME CANNON PROVIDES
ANOTHER IMPORTANT CLUE
ABOUT ITS ORIGINS.

Moore:
THIS PARTICULAR GUN HERE

HAS VERY INTERESTING
MARKINGS ON IT.

YOU HAVE THE INITIALS
I.E.C...

ESSENTIALLY STANDING

FOR THE EHRENKREUTZ
FOUNDRY IN SWEDEN.

Narrator: BUT INTRIGUINGLY,

NOT ALL THE CANNONS WERE MADE
AT THE SAME FOUNDRY.

THIS RAIL GUN BEARS
A DISTINCTIVE LETTER,

CONFIRMING THAT IT WAS
MANUFACTURED IN ENGLAND.

THE "P" STANDS FOR "PROVED,"

MEANING IT HAD BEEN
SUCCESSFULLY TEST-FIRED.

ANOTHER OF THE GUNS IS
FROM FRANCE.

A SINGLE SHIP WITH WEAPONS
FROM SO MANY COUNTRIES
WAS UNUSUAL.

MOST VESSELS CARRIED ARMAMENTS
FROM JUST THEIR COUNTRY
OF ORIGIN.

THE CANNON MENAGERIE
FROM THIS WRECK CAN
ONLY MEAN ONE THING.

THIS IS CERTAINLY SUGGESTIVE
OF A VESSEL OUT THERE

CAPTURING A NUMBER OF SHIPS
FROM VARIOUS NATIONS

AND TAKING SOME OF THE ARMAMENT,

AND CERTAINLY SOUNDS
LIKE A PIRATE SHIP.

Narrator: OTHER FINDS SUPPORT
DAVID'S THEORY.

EACH DAY, THE TEAM BRINGS UP
THOUSANDS OF PIECES
OF LEAD SHOT.

Briggs: WE'VE ALREADY
RECOVERED A QUARTER OF
A MILLION PIECES, AT LEAST.

THE FACT THAT THIS SHIP WAS
CARRYING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT
OF LEAD SHOT IS INTERESTING.

Narrator: IT'S AN INDICATION
THAT THIS WAS DEFINITELY NOT
A MERCHANT VESSEL.

ANOTHER LEAD BEING INVESTIGATED
IS THE DESIGN OF THE SHIP.

SINCE THE QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE
WAS ORIGINALLY LE CONCORDE,

THE TEAM IS LOOKING FOR SIGNS
OF FRENCH ENGINEERING.

WENDY, WHAT'S GOING ON?

Narrator: DAVID IS HERE
TO ANALYZE ONE LARGE SECTION
OF THE SHIP'S HULL.

HE THINKS IT MAY PROVIDE
A SMALL BUT IMPORTANT CLUE
ABOUT THE SHIP'S ORIGINS.

BASICALLY,
THIS STERN POST RIGHT HERE

WOULD HAVE BEEN THE ACTUAL
TAIL END OF THE VESSEL.

AND SO TO FIND
AN ELEMENT LIKE THIS,

FROM THE STANDPOINT
OF STUDYING SHIP CONSTRUCTION
AND NAVAL ARCHITECTURE,

IS TOTALLY FASCINATING
AND HUGELY SIGNIFICANT.

Narrator: DAVID IS
PARTICULARLY INTERESTED

IN TWO NOTCHES CARVED
INTO THE WOOD.

THEY MAY HAVE BEEN DRAFT MARKS,

INDICATING THE DISTANCE
BETWEEN THE WATER LINE

AND THE BOTTOM OF
THE SHIP'S KEEL.

17th-CENTURY SHIP BUILDERS
IN FRANCE AND ENGLAND

USED DIFFERENT UNITS
OF MEASUREMENT,

SO THESE MARKS COULD REVEAL
IN WHICH COUNTRY THE VESSEL
WAS BUILT.

Moore: NOW THAT'S INTERESTING.

IF THIS... RASCAL WAS ENGLISH,

THAT SHOULD BE AN ENGLISH FOOT.

Wendy: AND THAT'S
A LITTLE BIT LONG.

IT'S NOT.
THAT'S ABOUT 12 3/4 INCHES.

THAT'S A LOT CLOSER
TO A FRENCH FOOT.

Narrator: THE MEASUREMENT
SUGGESTS THE VESSEL WAS
OF FRENCH ORIGIN,

ONE MORE INDICATION
THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT WRECK.

BACK AT THE SITE,

THE SALVAGE SEASON IS
COMING TO A CLOSE

AS THE WEATHER DETERIORATES.

BUT EVERY DIVE STILL PRODUCES
INTERESTING NEW FINDS,

LIKE THIS 18th-CENTURY PIN.

MANY OF THE ARTIFACTS POINT TO
THE VESSEL'S EARLIER ASSIGNMENT

AS A FRENCH SLAVE SHIP.

THESE GLASS BEADS FOUND
IN THE FILTER

WERE ONLY USED IN
THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE.

THIS BRASS COCKEREL,
A SYMBOL OF FRANCE,

IS ANOTHER INDICATION THAT
THE SHIP WAS ORIGINALLY FRENCH.

AMAZINGLY, THE FILTER
ALSO REVEALS A SURPRISE

THAT EVERY ARCHAEOLOGIST HOPES
TO FIND ON A PIRATE SHIP...

GOLD.

Moore: DOESN'T AMOUNT TO A LOT,

MAYBE A THIMBLEFUL VOLUME-WISE,

BUT WE KNOW FROM
HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION

THAT THE SHIP WAS, IN FACT,
CARRYING A GREAT DEAL
OF GOLD DUST.

JUST THE FACT THAT THIS
GOLD DUST HAS BEEN RECOVERED

FROM THE SANDS OUT THERE IN
AND AROUND THE SHIPWRECK

IS INDICATIVE... TO ME, AT LEAST...

THAT THIS WAS, IN FACT,
QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE.

Narrator: FOR DAVID,

THE GOLD DUST IS THE FINAL PIECE
OF THE IDENTIFICATION PUZZLE.

HE FIRMLY BELIEVES THAT,
WHEN LOOKED AT TOGETHER,

ALL THE HARD EVIDENCE SUGGESTS
THAT THIS IS BLACKBEARD'S
FLAGSHIP.

JOHN MASTERS AGREES.

Masters: ARE THERE
OTHER POSSIBILITIES?

THERE MAY BE, BUT WE HAVEN'T
BEEN ABLE TO FIND RECORDS
OF THEM ANYWHERE,

AND THAT IN ITSELF IS
INSTRUCTIVE

BECAUSE THE RECORD-KEEPING WAS
SURPRISINGLY GOOD IN THOSE DAYS.

A SHIP OF THIS SIZE DISAPPEARING
WOULD HAVE MADE NEWS,

SO IT'S HARD FOR US TO IMAGINE

WHAT OTHER SHIP THIS COULD BE
OTHER THAN QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE.

Narrator: IRONICALLY,
OTHER ITEMS THAT HAVE
NOT BEEN FOUND

ALSO HELP MATCH THE WRECK
TO THE RECORDS OF
THE QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE.

MANY WRECK SITES CONTAIN
PERSONAL POSSESSIONS OR CARGO,

BUT THIS SHIP SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN
STRIPPED OF ITS VALUABLES.

THAT MAKES SENSE,

GIVEN THAT THE MEN HAD TIME
TO CLEAR THE SHIP

AFTER IT HAD RUN AGROUND.

Moore: THE PIRATES HAD
AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE OFF
ANYTHING OF VALUE,

AND THE THINGS THEY TOOK OFF,

HAD THEY BEEN LEFT BEHIND,
WOULD IDENTIFY EXACTLY
WHAT'S THERE.

Narrator: IF THE VESSEL
HAD NOT BEEN STRIPPED,

THE ARCHAEOLOGISTS WOULD
PROBABLY HAVE DISCOVERED
A TREASURE TROVE

OF LOOTED GOLD AND SILVER,

SINCE THE SHIP WAS
MOST LIKELY WELL-STOCKED

WHEN IT RAN AGROUND.

JUST A FEW WEEKS EARLIER,

BLACKBEARD HAD COMMITTED
HIS MOST AUDACIOUS

AND LUCRATIVE ACT
OF PIRACY YET...

THE BLOCKADING
OF CHARLESTON HARBOR
IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

BY THE EARLY 18th CENTURY,

CHARLESTON WAS
A MAJOR BRITISH COLONY,

EXPORTING TOBACCO
AND OTHER GOODS BACK TO ENGLAND.

THE TOWN'S ENORMOUS
INNER HARBOR,

PROTECTED BY TWIN HEADLANDS,
WAS A PERFECT ANCHORAGE,

BUT ITS NARROW HARBOR MOUTH
WAS A WEAKNESS BLACKBEARD
DECIDED TO EXPLOIT.

ON MAY 22, 1718,

HE ARRIVED OFF CHARLESTON HARBOR
WITH HIS FLOTILLA
OF PIRATE SHIPS.

HE SET UP A BLOCKADE

AND CAPTURED ANY VESSELS TRYING
TO ENTER OR LEAVE THE PORT.

TO BLOCKADE AN ENTIRE PORT

AS IMPORTANT AND SIGNIFICANT
AS CHARLESTON,

WAS UNDOUBTEDLY ONE
OF THE RED-LETTER DAYS
IN BLACKBEARD'S CAREER.

Narrator: DISPATCHES
FROM ROBERT JOHNSON,
CHARLESTON'S GOVERNOR,

REVEALED THE DEVASTATING IMPACT
OF BLACKBEARD'S EXTRAORDINARY
ACT OF PIRACY.

9 SHIPS WERE TAKEN
IN JUST A FEW DAYS.

ONBOARD WERE SOME
OF CHARLESTON'S
RICHEST CITIZENS.

BLACKBEARD SEIZED THEM
AS HOSTAGES,

ALONG WITH LARGE AMOUNTS
OF SILVER AND GOLD.

Moore: IT WAS PROBABLY
THE SINGLE BIGGEST HAUL
OF HIS ENTIRE CAREER.

Narrator: WITHIN A WEEK,
BLACKBEARD HAD COMPLETE
CONTROL OF THE HARBOR.

NO MERCHANT SHIP WAS WILLING
TO RUN THE BLOCKADE.

CHARLESTON WAS WITHERING.

Brown: THEY NEED TO BE ABLE
TO EXPORT THE GOODS

THAT THEY ARE PRODUCING HERE
OR THE CROPS THAT THEY ARE
HARVESTING HERE.

WITHOUT THAT LIFELINE INTACT,

IT REALLY DOES THREATEN
THE COLONY'S EXISTENCE.

Narrator:
BLACKBEARD RATCHETED UP
THE PRESSURE EVEN FURTHER.

IF THEY DIDN'T DO
EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID,

HE WAS THREATENING TO GO
AND BOMBARD THE TOWN

AND SINK ALL THE SHIPS
IN THE HARBOR.

Narrator:
WITH IMPORTANT HOSTAGES AND
COMPLETE COMMAND OF THE SEAS,

BLACKBEARD COULD ASK
FOR ALMOST ANYTHING.

BUT THIS TIME IT WASN'T TREASURE
OR WEAPONS HE WAS AFTER.

HE WANTED MEDICINE,
A WHOLE CHEST OF IT.

THE GOVERNOR OF CHARLESTON
QUICKLY OBLIGED.

Konstam: ONE WONDERS
IF THE REASON FOR IT

WAS SOME FORM
OF VENEREAL DISEASE

THEY PICKED UP ALONG THE WAY,
PROBABLY WHEN THEY WERE
IN THE CARIBBEAN.

THE MEDICAL CHEST GAVE THEM
A CERTAIN LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE.

THEY COULD COPE WITH EMERGENCIES
FAR MORE READILY.

Narrator: WITH HIS BOOTY
AND MEDICINE IN HAND,

BLACKBEARD RELEASED
HIS PRISONERS AND ENDED
THE BLOCKADE.

HE'D SEIZED A FORTUNE
IN PLUNDER

AND HIS RENEGADE NAVY HAD UPPED
THE ANTE IN THE ATLANTIC.

Brown: BLACKBEARD'S
BLOCKADE OF CHARLESTON

RAISED THE LEVEL OF TERRORISM
ASSOCIATED WITH PIRACY
TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

Konstam: IF IT HAPPENED
IN ONE PORT, IT COULD HAPPEN
IN ANOTHER AND ANOTHER

UNTIL THE ECONOMY
OF THE COLONIES

WAS ESSENTIALLY BROUGHT
TO A COMPLETE STANDSTILL.

FROM THAT DAY FORWARD,
YOU KNOW, BLACKBEARD'S
NAME WAS ON THE LIPS

OF PEOPLE IN EVERY
COLONIAL CITY IN AMERICA.

Narrator: AFTER
THE BLOCKADE WAS OVER,

THE GOVERNOR OF CHARLESTON
APPEALED TO THE ROYAL NAVY
FOR HELP.

ACTION HAD TO BE TAKEN
TO ELIMINATE THE GROWING
PIRATE THREAT.

BLACKBEARD KNEW
HE WOULD BE HUNTED

AND NEEDED
A SAFE PLACE TO HIDE.

TO THE SOUTH, THE TRADITIONAL
PIRATE BASE OF THE BAHAMAS WAS
NO LONGER AN OPTION.

A NEW GOVERNOR,
WOODS ROGERS,

HAD BEEN APPOINTED WITH
A MANDATE TO STAMP OUT PIRACY.

Konstam: HE WAS ACTUALLY
THE PERFECT MAN FOR THE JOB

BECAUSE HE'D BEEN A PRIVATEER.

HE KNEW HOW
THESE PEOPLE OPERATED,

AND SO WHEN HE WENT
IN TO ESSENTIALLY THE BIGGEST
PIRATE DEN IN THE AMERICAS,

HE KNEW EXACTLY HOW
TO CLEAN IT UP.

Narrator: ROGERS OFFERED PIRATES
AN OFFICIAL PARDON

IN EXCHANGE FOR AN END
TO THEIR ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES.

IF THEY REFUSED,
THEY'D BE HUNTED DOWN AND HUNG.

BUT BLACKBEARD
WASN'T READY TO GIVE UP.

Konstam: HE WOULD KNOW
THAT THE FORCE OF THE NAVY

WAS GOING TO BE
CLOSING IN ON HIM.

HE WAS A MARKED MAN.

Narrator: UNDOUBTEDLY,
BLACKBEARD WAS EXPECTING
THE WORST.

THE ROYAL NAVY HAD SHIPS
IN THE BAHAMAS TO THE SOUTH

AND JAMESTOWN TO THE NORTH.

THEY COULD COME AT HIM
FROM ANY ANGLE.

BUT BLACKBEARD HAD
ANOTHER PLAN BREWING.

NORTH CAROLINA WAS
A VERY GOOD PLACE FOR
BLACKBEARD TO HIDE OUT.

HE WAS MORE LIKELY
TO FIND A SECLUDED ANCHORAGE

WHERE HE COULD HIDE AWAY
AND BIDE HIS TIME.

Narrator: IT SEEMED LIKE
AN IDEAL SANCTUARY,

BUT AS WE KNOW
FROM THE HISTORY BOOKS,
SOMETHING WENT WRONG.

INSTEAD OF FINDING A SAFE HAVEN,

BLACKBEARD LOST HIS MOST
IMPORTANT SHIP.

HAD THE CAPTAIN MISJUDGED
HIS OWN ABILITIES

OR IS IT POSSIBLE HE STRANDED
HIS VESSEL DELIBERATELY?

THE TESTIMONIES FROM HIS CREW
MAKE IT CLEAR WHAT THEY THOUGHT.

"HE RAN HIS VESSEL AGROUND
ON PURPOSE TO BREAK UP
THE COMPANIES

"AND TO SECURE WHAT MONIES
AND EFFECTS HE HAD GOTTEN

FOR HIMSELF."

ACCORDING TO THE REPORTS,

BLACKBEARD SPLIT UP HIS CREW
AFTER THE SHIP GOT STUCK.

SOME STAYED
WITH THE STRICKEN VESSEL.

OTHERS WENT TO NEGOTIATE
A SURRENDER ON HIS BEHALF.

Moore: WHEN QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE
WAS RUN AGROUND,

BLACKBEARD SENT A NUMBER
OF PIRATES UP TO BATH

TO CLAIM THE RECENTLY ISSUED
KING'S PARDON.

Narrator: WITH HALF OF HIS CREW
OUT OF THE WAY,

BLACKBEARD PUT
THE REMAINING SAILORS TO WORK

SALVAGING THE VALUABLES
FROM THE QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE.

THEN, WHEN THE WORK WAS DONE,

HE STRANDED THE MEN
ON A NEARBY ISLAND

AND SAILED AWAY
WITH ALL THE LOOT.

Konstam: BLACKBEARD TRANSFERRED
ALL HIS GOODS...

THE NAVIGATIONAL INSTRUMENTS,
THE CHARTS, ANYTHING THAT
WASN'T TIED DOWN...

AND ALL THE PLUNDER
ONTO ONE SMALL SHIP

AND THEN SAILED OFF
INTO THE SUNSET.

IN CORPORATE TERMS,
THAT WOULD BE CALLED DOWNSIZING.

BUT IN BLACKBEARD'S TERM, IT WAS
JUST AN ACT OF DOWNRIGHT PIRACY
AGAINST HIS OWN CREW.

Narrator: SALVAGER JOHN MASTERS
ISN'T QUITE SO SURE.

HE BELIEVES BLACKBEARD WOULD
HAVE CHOSEN A MUCH SIMPLER WAY
TO ABANDON HIS MEN

IF THAT WAS HIS PLAN.

Masters: IF BLACKBEARD'S
INTENTION WAS TO LEAVE PART
OF HIS CREW BEHIND

AND ESCAPE WITH THE TREASURE,
HE HAD PERFECT OPPORTUNITY

TO DO SO THE NIGHT
BEFORE THE SHIPWRECK.

Narrator: THAT EVENING,
BLACKBEARD HAD ORDERED
HIS SMALLER VESSELS

INTO THE SHALLOW WATERS
OF THE INLET,

WHILE HE WAITED FOR HIGH TIDE

ON THE MUCH LARGER
QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE.

Masters: ALL THE OTHER SHIPS
OF HIS FLEET WERE INSIDE
THE INLET,

AND HE WAS AT ANCHOR OUTSIDE.

HE COULD HAVE TAKEN OFF
FOR PARTS UNKNOWN AT THAT POINT

WITH MOST OF THE TREASURE
AND LEFT HIS CREW.

IT WAS AN ACCIDENT.
HE GOT STUCK ON HIS WAY IN.

Narrator: JOHN BELIEVES
THAT EVEN A SMALL MISCALCULATION

COULD HAVE LANDED BLACKBEARD
ON THE SAND.

Masters: EVERY STORM CAN CHANGE
THE GEOGRAPHY OF THIS INLET,
AND WHATEVER MAP HE HAD

THAT SHOWED A PARTICULAR
CHANNEL INTO THE INLET
OR A PARTICULAR DEPTH,

IT'S QUITE PROBABLE
THAT BY THE TIME HE GOT HERE,
THOSE CONDITIONS HAD CHANGED.

Narrator: IT'S A PROBLEM
AS COMMON NOW AS IT WAS THEN.

Man: THE SAND BARS AND SHOALS
SHIFT QUITE OFTEN AROUND HERE.

WE FIND THAT SOME
OF OUR AIDS JUST LAST YEAR

THAT WERE IN 11 FEET OF WATER
ARE NOW ON LAND.

IT'S CONSTANTLY SHIFTING,
THE WIND AND WAVES,

AND THEY REALLY PROMINENTLY
AFFECT THE SHOALING
IN THIS AREA.

EVEN WITH ELECTRONIC
CHARTING SYSTEMS OF TODAY

AND GLOBAL POSITIONING
SATELLITES,

PEOPLE QUITE OFTEN WILL RUN
AGROUND ON A SAND BAR.

Narrator: IF MODERN SAILORS
CAN'T NAVIGATE THESE
TRICKY CHANNELS

WITH TODAY'S HIGH-TECH CHARTS
AND GADGETS,

WHAT CHANCE DID CAPTAINS HAVE
IN THE 1700s?

EVEN THE BEST OF THEM COULD
EASILY HAVE LOST HIS WAY.

WHAT'S MORE, THERE IS EVIDENCE
FROM THE WRECK SITE

THAT BLACKBEARD TRIED TO REFLOAT
THE QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE
AFTER SHE RAN AGROUND.

THAT SEEMS TO SUPPORT
JOHN'S BELIEF

THAT THE GROUNDING WAS
ACCIDENTAL.

400 FEET BEHIND THE WRECK,

THE TEAM FOUND
A SPECIAL 18th-CENTURY
ANCHOR CALLED A KEDGE.

KEDGE ANCHORS WERE
OFTEN USED TO TURN VESSELS

OR TO DRAG THEM OFF SAND BANKS.

Southerly: THE ANCHOR IS
IN THE SAND,

AND IT IS POINTED DIRECTLY BACK
TOWARDS THE SITE AREA ITSELF.

Narrator: AFTER MAPPING
THE LOCATION OF THE ANCHOR
RELATIVE TO THE SHIP,

THE ARCHAEOLOGISTS BELIEVE
IT WAS DELIBERATELY PLACED THERE

TO TRY AND PULL THE VESSEL FREE.

Southerly: IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN
A SUBSTANTIAL EFFORT

WITH SOME SAILORS
IN A LONGBOAT

TO ROW THIS THING OUT
FURTHER OFFSHORE,

400 FEET OR SO,
TO DROP INTO THE SAND.

Narrator: IN ADDITION
TO THE ANCHOR,

THERE IS ANOTHER CLUE
THAT THE SAILORS MAY HAVE
TRIED TO RESCUE THE SHIP.

IN THE CENTER OF THE WRECK IS
A LARGE PILE OF CANNONS
AND ANCHORS.

IT LOOKS LIKE THEY MAY HAVE BEEN
MOVED BACK FROM THE BOW

TO CHANGE THE SHIP'S CENTER
OF GRAVITY.

Southerly: IF WE HAD
A BOAT THAT RAN AGROUND
ON A SAND BAR TODAY,

THE LOGICAL THING
THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY DO
IS TRY AND LIGHTEN THE BOW

AND GET AS MUCH WEIGHT
OFF OF THE BOW.

Narrator: UNFORTUNATELY,
THE RAISED REAR DECK OF
THE QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE

MEANT THE CREW COULD ONLY GET
THE HEAVY CANNONS AND ANCHORS
TO THE MIDDLE OF THE SHIP...

NOT ENOUGH TO MAKE
A REAL DIFFERENCE,

BUT IT WAS THE RIGHT IDEA.

Southerly: THE FACT THAT ALL
THIS EFFORT WAS BEING MADE
TO REFLOAT THE VESSEL

COULD BE TAKEN
AS GOOD EVIDENCE THAT IT WAS
AN ACCIDENTAL GROUNDING.

Narrator: THAT'S WHAT
JOHN MASTERS BELIEVES, TOO,

BUT THERE IS ANOTHER
POSSIBLE EXPLANATION

FOR THE PILE OF CANNONS
AND ANCHORS AT THE CENTER
OF THE WRECK.

TO ENSURE THAT
THEY STAYED UPRIGHT,

TALL SAILING SHIPS REQUIRED A
HEAVY WEIGHT, KNOWN AS BALLAST,
AT THE DEEPEST PART OF THE HULL.

UNNEEDED CANNONS WERE SOMETIMES
USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.

THAT IS CERTAINLY
A POSSIBILITY.

IN FACT, THAT'S A POSSIBILITY
ON JUST ABOUT ANY WRECK

BECAUSE WE DO KNOW
THAT CANNON MADE GREAT BALLAST.

Narrator: THE PROBLEM IS,
AFTER 300 YEARS,

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL WHETHER
THE ARMAMENTS HAD BEEN

ABOVE DECK OR BELOW
WHEN THE SHIP WENT DOWN.

BUT THERE MIGHT BE
ANOTHER WAY TO TELL

IF THE CANNONS WERE BEING USED
AS WEAPONS OR AS WEIGHT.

NOT EVEN THE MOST RECKLESS
PIRATE WOULD CARRY LOADED GUNS
IN THE HOLD.

Moore: IF THEY ARE NOT LOADED,
THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE

THAT THEY WERE, IN FACT, STORED
DOWN BELOW DECKS AS BALLAST.

Narrator: CHECKING
FOR CANNON BALLS SOUNDS SIMPLE,

BUT AFTER SO LONG UNDERWATER,
IT'S NOT AS EASY LOOKING
DOWN THE BARREL.

Welsh: WELL, WE DON'T ACTUALLY
HAVE THE POWER TO X-RAY
A CAST-IRON GUN,

ESPECIALLY THE THICKNESS
AND THE SIZE OF THE GUNS
THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE.

Narrator: SO THE TEAM WILL NEED
TO USE THEIR DELICATE TOOLS

TO SLOWLY BORE THROUGH
300 YEARS OF SEDIMENT.

A CANNON CAN TAKE
ANYWHERE FROM 2-5 YEARS TO
COMPLETE ITS CONSERVATION.

THIS IS ACTUALLY
A PAINSTAKING PROCESS,

AND IT TAKES US A WHILE
TO GET DOWN AN 8-FOOT-LONG BORE

THAT'S ABOUT 3 1/2 INCHES
IN DIAMETER.

Narrator: SO FAR,

4 CANNONS FROM OTHER PARTS
OF THE VESSEL WERE FOUND
TO BE LOADED...

BUT ONE NEAR THE PILE
IN THE MIDDLE WAS EMPTY.

IT WILL TAKE YEARS BEFORE
ALL THE REMAINING CANNONS
ARE ANALYZED,

BUT THE INITIAL FINDINGS LEND
CREDENCE TO THE THEORY

THAT THESE WERE BALLAST CANNONS,

NOT WEAPONS MOVED
TO REFLOAT THE SHIP.

2, 6. HEAVE!

Narrator: BUT IF THE CREW
HADN'T MOVED THE CANNONS
TO TRY AND LIGHTEN THE BOW,

WHY HAD THEY BOTHERED TO DRAG
THE KEDGE ANCHOR ALL THE WAY OUT
BEHIND THE VESSEL?

Man: 6, HEAVE!

Narrator: DAVID MOORE BELIEVES
IT WAS A WAY FOR BLACKBEARD

TO KEEP THEM IN THE DARK
ABOUT HIS PLAN TO BETRAY THEM.

Moore: WELL, I THINK
THAT BLACKBEARD WAS CERTAINLY
TRYING TO MAKE IT LOOK GOOD

TO THE MEN
HE WAS GETTING
READY TO FOOL

OR JILT OUT OF
THEIR SHARE
OF PLUNDER.

Narrator:
JOHN MASTERS STILL THINKS THAT
THE GROUNDING WAS ACCIDENTAL

AND THE KEDGE ANCHOR
A REAL ATTEMPT TO GET
THE SHIP OFF THE SEA BED.

BUT DAVID AND THE REST
OF THE TEAM ARE CONVINCED

THAT BLACKBEARD KNEW
HIS SHIP TOO WELL TO MAKE
THAT KIND OF MISTAKE.

TO THEM, BLACKBEARD WAS
USING THE VERY SKILLS

THAT WOULD NORMALLY HAVE
KEPT HIS SHIP OUT OF HARM'S WAY

TO ENSURE THAT
THE QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE
ENDED UP ON THE SAND BANK.

Konstam:
THE QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE
HAD BECOME A LIABILITY.

IT WAS WELL-KNOWN, IT WAS BIG,
IT WAS POWERFUL, BUT ABOVE ALL,
IT WAS DEEP-DRAFTED.

IT COULDN'T GO AND HIDE
IN ANY LITTLE RIVER OR CREEK.

BLACKBEARD HAD TO GET RID OF IT.

Narrator:
THE DEBATE WILL RAGE ON

AS MORE EVIDENCE IS
PULLED FROM THE SAND
AND RESTORED.

BUT FOR NOW, THE TEAM IS
CONFIDENT THE PIECES ADD UP.

THEY BELIEVE
THE PIRATES' TESTIMONIES,

THE SIZE OF THE SHIP,
THE UNLOADED CANNONS,

AND WHAT IS KNOWN
ABOUT BLACKBEARD'S CHARACTER

ALL POINT TO
AN INTENTIONAL GROUNDING
AND A BRAZEN BETRAYAL.

HE WAS GOING TO HAVE
TO HAVE A MUCH SMALLER VESSEL,

AND WITH THAT,
A MUCH SMALLER CREW.

SO, YOU KNOW,
A LOT OF THOSE ELEMENTS
JUST KIND OF FALL INTO PLACE,

AND SO, YOU KNOW,
THAT'S KIND OF WHY I BELIEVE

THAT, IN FACT, HE DID RUN
THE SHIP AGROUND ON PURPOSE.

BLACKBEARD KNEW
WHAT HE WAS DOING.

HE WAS AN EXCELLENT SAILOR,
HE WAS AN EXCELLENT SEAMAN,

AND I BELIEVE
THAT'S WHY HE CHARTED A COURSE

FOR THIS AREA TO BEGIN WITH,

IN ORDER TO GROUND HIS SHIP
AND LEAVE BEHIND HIS MEN.

Narrator:
AFTER ABANDONING HIS CREW,

BLACKBEARD LAY LOW
FOR A FEW MONTHS IN
THE NEARBY TOWN OF BATH.

HERE, HE ACCEPTED
THE KING'S PARDON

IN A RETURN FOR A PROMISE

TO GIVE UP HIS PIRATING WAYS.

BUT PIRACY WAS
IN BLACKBEARD'S BLOOD.

DURING THE WINTER OF 1718,

HE BEGAN RAIDING VESSELS FROM
A NEW BASE ON OCRACOKE ISLAND

IN THE OUTER BANKS.

HIS NOTORIOUS CRIMINAL RECORD
ONCE AGAIN MADE HIM
A HIGH-PROFILE TARGET.

Briggs: I BELIEVE
THAT EVEN MILITARY FORCES

WERE LIVING IN FEAR
OF BLACKBEARD THE PIRATE.

THAT WAS PERHAPS THE REASON WHY

HE WAS SO AGGRESSIVELY TARGETED

AND BROUGHT TO HEEL.

Narrator: WHEN THE AUTHORITIES
DISCOVERED HIS NEW HIDEOUT,

THEY SENT A ROYAL NAVY POSSE
TO ARREST HIM.

[SWORD UNSHEATHING]

Narrator: ON NOVEMBER 22, 1718,

LESS THAN 6 MONTHS AFTER
THE QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE
RAN AGROUND,

BLACKBEARD WAS FINALLY CORNERED
ON A SMALL SLOOP.

AAH!

Narrator: ACCORDING TO
"THE GENERAL HISTORY
OF PYRATES,"

IT TOOK 5 BULLETS
AND 20 BLOWS FROM A CUTLASS

TO FINALLY BRING HIM DOWN.

BLACKBEARD'S HEAD WAS
THEN CUT OFF

AND PUT ON PUBLIC DISPLAY
AS A WARNING

TO OTHER WOULD-BE PIRATES.

HAD HE LIVED AT ANOTHER TIME,

BLACKBEARD MAY HAVE HAD
THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME
A GREAT CAPTAIN

OR A CHARISMATIC COMMANDER.

INSTEAD, HE BECAME
THE MOST NOTORIOUS

AND COLORFUL PIRATE
THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN.

Briggs: PEOPLE LATCH ON
TO THE IDEA OF BLACKBEARD
IN A WAY

THAT THEY JUST DON'T
WITH OTHER PIRATES,

AND THE AMOUNT OF MYTHS
AND FOLKLORE THAT HAVE RISEN UP

AROUND THE STORY OF BLACKBEARD
TRULY ATTESTS TO THAT.

TO INSPIRE SUCH A RICH FOLKLORE
EVEN IN YOUR OWN LIFETIME

MEANS THAT YOU MUST HAVE BEEN
A REALLY INCREDIBLE INDIVIDUAL.

Narrator:
AS THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK
CONTINUES EACH DIVE SEASON,

AND NEW ARTIFACTS ARE
BROUGHT UP AND RESTORED,

MORE EVIDENCE
WILL BECOME AVAILABLE
TO TIE FOLKLORE TO FACT.

300 YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH,

THE REMAINS OF
HIS SHIP ARE ENSURING THAT
THE LEGEND OF BLACKBEARD

WILL NOT SOON FADE INTO HISTORY.

TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM...
Announcer: ON THE NEXT
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