Ahoy, Matey

Jason Momoa readies his cutlass for a brand-new pirate film, Henry Every takes his first steps into infamy, and festivals from Maine to Carolina thunder with cannon fire.

⚓ This Week in Pirate History — August 29, 1690

Henry Every Casts Off the King’s Colors

Before he became the dreaded “King of Pirates,” Henry Every was just another disillusioned sailor. On August 29, 1690, he was discharged from the Royal Navy following the disastrous Battle of Beachy Head. Broke, bitter, and seeking fortune, he drifted toward darker waters.

Soon after, he’d join the Charles II on a slaving voyage. But Every had other plans — by 1694 he led a mutiny, seized the ship, renamed her the Fancy, and began a reign of plunder. His most infamous deed came in 1695, when he captured the Ganj-i-Sawai, a Mughal treasure ship, in what became the richest pirate heist in history.

From Navy man to fugitive king — it all began the day he walked away from His Majesty’s service.

🌊 Headliner: A New Pirate Legend Emerges — Jason Momoa & David Leitch Set Sail!

Hollywood’s horizon is dark with sails, mateys. Amazon MGM Studios has hooked a wild new script, tentatively titled The Pirate, and it’s not shackled to Disney’s treasure chest.

The tale be inspired by The Raid — a high-stakes, close-quarters brawl — but set aboard a pirate ship dripping with danger and steel. Jason Momoa is in talks not only to star but also to produce, while action maestro David Leitch (John Wick, Bullet Train) may direct through his 87North crew.

Penned by Ms. Marvel scribe Will Dunn, this promises a storm o’ cinematic chaos — Momoa swaggering across the deck, cannon fire shaking the frame, and cutlass duels sharper than Neptune’s trident.

At long last, a pirate flick free o’ Jack Sparrow’s shadow — could this be the new gold standard o’ swashbuckling cinema? Keep yer spyglass fixed; if it sails true, this raid could rival piracy itself.

👉 Read the full story

🍲 Galley Life: How Dinner Was Prepared on a Pirate Ship

Life at sea weren’t all gold doubloons and barrels o’ rum. Most days, supper was cooked in the galley, a small, smoky corner of the ship where a brick firebox called a “caboose” kept the pots boiling. The cook—often a wounded sailor or someone too battered to fight—was as important as the gunner.

🔥 The Rations

• Salted beef or pork packed in barrels, often crawling with maggots by the second week.

• Hardtack biscuits so hard they needed dunking in broth or rum to chew.

• Pease porridge (dried peas boiled into a paste).

• Ship’s biscuit stew—hardtack crumbled into water with whatever meat or veg could be scrounged.

🍴 Cooking Tricks of the Sea Dogs

• Pirates softened their rancid meat by soaking it in seawater overnight, then boiling it with onions, garlic, or spices “liberated” from plundered ships.

• They fried up “sea pie” — layers of biscuit and salted meat baked together in an iron pot.

• When fresh food was scarce, they turned to fish, turtles, and seabirds, hunted while ashore.

  So while the captain might dream of feasts in Nassau, most pirates dined on salty, smoky, makeshift meals, shared from the same pot, eaten with grim smiles and a splash of rum to make it go down.

🍲 Pirate Recipe of the Week: “Wormy Biscuit Stew”

Even scallywags gotta eat! Here’s how ye might whip up a proper pirate dinner aboard a 1720s sloop.

Tasting Notes:
Ain’t fit for kings, but keeps a pirate stompin’ across decks another day. Rum helps. Always rum.

🗓️ Event Spotlight: Eastport Pirate Festival — Maine’s 20-Year Plunder Party

Dates: September 4–7, 2025 (Labor Day weekend)
Location: Downtown Eastport, Maine — Water Street & Overlook Park

For two decades, Eastport — the easternmost city in the U.S. — has transformed into a pirate stronghold each Labor Day weekend. The Eastport Pirate Festival unleashes days of fun:

• Fiery shows and live entertainment

• Swashbuckling parades through town

• Reenactments, encampments, and cannon fire

• Barrel races, contests, and treasure hunts for the wee sprogs

With pirates flooding the streets and mischief in every corner, Eastport’s fest be a rollicking mix of family fun, maritime lore, and good old-fashioned mayhem.

👉 Festival Details

⚓ Event Spotlight: Feast of the Pirates Festival — Belville, NC

Date: Saturday, September 13, 2025
Location: Belville Riverwalk Park, Belville, NC

Are ye ready fer some pirate shenanigans? The Feast of the Pirates Festival storms ashore with a full day of cannon blasts, cutlass duels, and laughter echoing through the trees.

🏴‍☠️ What Awaits Ye:

• Cannon & small arms demonstrations

• Live pirate encampments & cutlass play

• Comedy skits and sea tales

• Grub trucks & fantasy displays

• Games and face painting for the wee buccaneers

• History, lore, and education amidst the smoke

From cannon fire to belly laughs, this be one day no scallywag should miss.

👉 Event Page

💌 Outro from Captain Blackquill

So there ye have it, mateys — a week packed with news of Jason Momoa stormin’ the silver screen, Henry Every’s first steps toward infamy, and two festivals that’ll fill yer sails with fun.

If ye can’t join in the cannon fire in Maine or North Carolina, fear not — the Republic will be back next week with more history, treasure, and plunder from the Seven Seas.

⚓ Stay salty, stay rebellious.
– Captain Blackquill

🗣️ 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!

Sail with us across the digital seas:
📜 TikTok: @thepiraterepublic
▶️ YouTube: The Pirate Republic

🎖️ 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].

 Disclosure: Some links in this newsletter are affiliate links, which means we may earn doubloons (aka a small commission) if you make a purchase—at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting The Pirate Republic, ya savvy sea dog!