The What, How, & Why of the Whydah Pirate Ship

The Whydah: A Pirate Ship Feared,  Wrecked and Found

By Martin Sandler

                          >> Published by Candlewick Press, 2017

                           >>   Recommended for ages 8-12

»A 2018 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Finalist

Reviewed by Marilyn S. Black, M.Ed.

          You may have heard about ruthless pirates from faraway places, like Blackbeard, who seized vulnerable ships and plundered their treasures on the high seas many years ago. But did you know that an actual pirate ship sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, lost off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts? The Whydah was a former slave ship captained by Samuel Bellamy. On April 26, 1717, the vessel was caught in a terrible storm and sank near what is today known as Wellfleet, Massachusetts. About 150 souls perished along with the ship, only a few survivors remaining. A Bay Colony naval officer named Captain Southack was lucky enough to locate the wreck, but he could retrieve little of its contents. Thankfully, he did document what he saw, and by luck his historical notes were preserved. For approximately 250 years, the actual location of the wreck was lost due to time and the shifting sands.

          In 1984 marine expert Barry Clifford intervened. He was able to locate the shipwreck using state of the art marine technology and the record left to posterity by Captain Southack. Today, the Whydah is the only verified pirate shipwreck in the world, in contrast to the many claims concerning potential shipwrecks. The Whydah is unique in that respect. Clifford and his team unearthed various artifacts, such as silver, gold, pistols, and cannons. In fact, excavation of the shipwreck continues today, as new items are located and catalogued.

          Many of these artifacts are housed in The Whydah Museum in West Yarmouth, not far from the shipwreck site. Visitors can walk through a gallery of pictures and videos about the wreck, and then see actual coins, pistols, and cannon remnants brought up from the bottom of the sea. There is even a replica of the ship. Museum goers engage in a scavenger hunt that evokes the thrill of the search by Clifford and his team. After you read the book, visit the Whydah Museum and see for yourself. You will be transported to a time of piracy and shipwrecks of long ago!

Marilyn S. Black, M.Ed.

Additional Bookseller Notes: Read this book to explore the exciting true story of the captaincy, wreck, and discovery of the Whydah — the only true pirate ship ever found — and the incredible mysteries it revealed.

“Sandler offers an insightful look at how different the realities of pirate life were compared to how it has been mythologized in popular culture...A fascinating, vivid look at what one shipwreck reveals about the realities of the “Golden Age of Piracy.”
-Kirkus Reviews

“This book brings to life...The account of the challenges Clifford and his crew had to face to find the Whydah is very thorough.”
-School Library Connection

“Sandler's broad research and his evident fascination with the subject result in a multifaceted story that many readers will find rewarding.”
-Booklist