Ahoy, Matey

Ahoy, ye salty dogs and treasure hunters!
Hoist the mainsail and batten down yer inbox, for this week’s edition of The Pirate Republic be packed tighter than a smuggler’s hold. We’ve got whispers of a possible pirate shipwreck off the coast o’ Carolina, a gleaming piece o’ eight pulled from the Aussie sands, and a Black Sea monastery that once stood defiant against a horde o’ sea wolves. And if that don’t wet yer whistle, we’ve even got fresh word from the Hollywood docks about a certain Captain Jack Sparrow—arr, seems the wind be changin’ in the Caribbean!

So sharpen yer cutlasses, pour yerself a tankard o’ rum, and prepare to chart a course through history, mystery, and modern mischief. The seas be callin’, mates… and this week’s plunder is not to be missed!

⚓ This Week in Pirate History

💍 A Pirate’s Vow — Edward Low Weds Eliza Marble (August 12, 1714)

Before Edward “Ned” Low’s name struck fear from Boston to Barbados, the future scourge of the seas was just a fiery-tempered ship’s rigger with a love for one woman — Eliza Marble. On August 12, 1714, in the streets of Boston, he set aside cutlass and curse words long enough to marry her.

Though Low would go on to be remembered as one of the most bloodthirsty pirates of the Golden Age, in that moment he was a man bound not by ropes or irons, but by the vows of matrimony. Sadly, fate’s cruel tide soon swept tragedy ashore — Eliza died young, leaving Low with a broken heart and an anger that would fuel his savage career at sea.

Some say that from that day forward, every merchantman he set upon was another coffin nail in the grief that never left him. And so began his transformation from a married man in Boston to a merciless wolf of the waves.

⚓ “A Whisper on the Wind — Jack Sparrow’s Compass Points to Hollywood”

Arr, me hearties… word drifts ‘cross the seas that the most notorious rum-soaked rogue to ever sail Disney’s waters may yet chart another course.

After years in exile, Captain Jack Sparrow—aye, the very one played by Johnny Depp—might just be coaxed back aboard the Pirates of the Caribbean galleon. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer has let slip that talks have been had with the captain himself… though Sparrow, being the wily soul he is, will only set sail if the script be as sharp as a cutlass and twice as shiny.

If the quills in Hollywood can pen such a tale, we might yet see that swaggering gait and hear the slurred wisdom of a pirate whose compass never pointed north—only toward adventure, trouble, and the nearest barrel of rum.

But beware, mates: whispers be fickle things, and the tide may yet turn. Still, hope stirs in the hearts of all who’ve sailed alongside him, on screen or in spirit.

Hoist yer curiosity and read the full tale from Variety here: Jack Sparrow May Yet Return

⚓ Saints, Spirits & the Petrified Ship of the Black Sea

Off the coast of Burgas, Bulgaria, lies Anastasia Island—a volcanic speck in the Black Sea where the sea breeze carries whispers of saints and the damned.

Back in the 15th century, the island’s Monastery of St. Anastasia found itself under siege by a ruthless band o’ pirates. The scoundrels came for treasure—gold chalices, holy relics, and the monastery’s prized healing herbs. With cutlasses flashing and muskets ready, they thought the monks easy prey. But the holy men turned to a higher power, raising prayers like cannon fire to the heavens.

The answer came swift and savage—a storm so fierce it seemed the sea herself had risen in fury. Waves pounded the pirate vessel, smashing her against the volcanic cliffs until she was naught but driftwood and legend. The jagged rocks left behind still bear the name “The Petrified Ship,” a warning to every sea wolf who dares plunder sacred ground.

Centuries later, the monastery became a prison, home to desperate men plotting escape. In the 1920s, 43 prisoners rowed into history with a daring jailbreak. Today, the site is a boutique hotel and museum—where you can sip wine in the shadow of miracles, mutiny, and maritime vengeance.

Read the full tale here → Saints and Spirits on the Black Sea

🪙 Half a Piece o’ Eight Found in the Aussie Outback!

Blimey, matey—two gold prospectors down under were huntin’ for the usual glitter when they unearthed a rarer prize—a genuine Spanish piece o’ eight, split clean in half!

Back in the Golden Age, such coins were sliced to make change or divvied among a crew. This battered half-real may have once rattled in the pocket of a sailor, a smuggler… or a pirate bold enough to roam the far reaches of the Pacific.

How it washed ashore in the heart of Australia be a mystery for the ages—was it traded, lost in a shipwreck caravan, or hidden away from the King’s taxman? Whatever its tale, it proves that treasure ain’t always buried deep—sometimes it’s just waitin’ under yer boots.

⚓ Read the full tale here: Aussie gold prospectors’ rare discovery

⚓ Wreck Hunters May Have Found the Lost La Fortuna

Off the coast of North Carolina, where the waters hide more secrets than a pirate’s diary, divers may have struck gold—not the shiny kind, but the bones of the feared Spanish privateer La Fortuna.

She met her fiery end in 1748 during a failed Spanish raid, blown apart in a battle that rattled Brunswick Town to its foundations. Now, East Carolina University’s sea dogs have uncovered timbers that match her story—cypress wood not native to these waters, and relics that smell of the Spanish Main.

If the Queen Anne’s Revenge lab confirms the find, we’ll have one more ghost ship to toast at the tavern—a reminder that the sea never forgets its dead… nor their plunder.

⚓ Read the full tale here: Possible pirate shipwreck found off North Carolina

🏴‍☠️ Event Spotlight: Galveston Pirate Festival – Hoist the Black Flag in Texas!

Dates: September 19–21, 2025
Location: Galveston, Texas (galvestonpiratefest.com)

Bat’ten down the hatches and ready yer sea legs, for the Galveston Pirate Festival be settin’ the Texas coast ablaze with three days of rum, revelry, and rascally fun! From the cobblestone charm o’ the Historic Strand to the salty spray at Seawolf Park, every inch o’ this fair port will be crawling with scallywags, buccaneers, and wide-eyed landlubbers lookin’ for adventure.

⚓ Here’s what awaits ye, matey:

• Three Days, Three Ports of Call – Kick off with a raucous Friday night pub crawl, sail into Saturday’s dockside festivities, and close out Sunday with high-seas expeditions and treasure hunts.

• Live Music & High Spirits – Shanty-singers, fiddlers, and bands will have ye stompin’ yer boots while barrels o’ fun keep the rum flowin’.

• Feats o’ Pirate Glory – Barrel races, costume contests fit for kings (and rogues), and a market brimming with trinkets, treasures, and ill-gotten gains.

• Fun for the Young Buccaneers – Axe-throwin’ (foam or steel, dependin’ on the age o’ the deckhand), games, and treasure quests to keep the little swabs busy while ye fill yer tankard.

So polish yer cutlass, lace up yer boots, and make way to Galveston this September. A festival like this be the stuff o’ legend, and ye’ll not want to be the sorry soul who missed it.

🗣️ Share the Spoils, Matey!

Know a landlubber who’d love tales of treasure, ghost ships, and real pirate history? Don’t keep the gold to yerself—send ‘em our way!

📜 Sign up here → https://www.piratefanclub.com/weeklynewsletter-thepiraterepublic

Fair winds and full inboxes!

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🎖️ Thanks for Embarkin’ on the Voyage

We set sail every Friday, storm or shine. Keep yer spyglass pointed at the horizon...
and may yer week be full o’ plunder, parlay, and just the right amount o’ mutiny.

Share this letter with yer crewmates, an if ye find treasure or tales worth tell’n, send them to [email protected].

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