Ahoy, Matey

Break out the rum and ready the roast—this week we’re toasting pirate fathers, spotlighting fearless daughters, and chasing a fresh Hollywood tale across the high seas. Grab your spyglass, mates—adventure’s off the starboard bow.

⚓ This Week in Pirate History

June 10, 1718 – Blackbeard’s Flagship The Queen Anne’s Revenge Runs Aground

After blockading Charleston and stirring fear up and down the Carolina coast, Blackbeard’s reign hit rough seas. On June 10, 1718, his fearsome flagship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge, ran aground on a sandbar in Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina.

Some say it was an accident, but others whisper it was deliberate—Blackbeard's way of thinning his ranks and cutting loose those he no longer needed. He and his most trusted mates escaped aboard smaller vessels, vanishing into the mist.

The wreck was lost to the sea for centuries until it was discovered in 1996 by Intersal Inc. Today, the North Carolina Underwater Archaeology Branch continues to excavate and preserve her secrets.

⚓ Legacy: A ghost of the deep, the Queen Anne’s Revenge remains one of the most iconic wrecks of pirate history.

🏴‍☠️ Pirate Dads & Their Pirate Spawn

Ah, Father’s Day... when even pirates raise a mug to the old man—be he captain, cook, or cursed immortal. This year, we honor three tales of bloodlines and bonds forged on storm-tossed decks. Some may be tales of truth, legend, and history- others be the imagined invention of Tinseltown scribes.

👦🏼 John King – Cabin Boy of the Whydah

Only 11 years old, John King chose the pirate life after his ship was captured by the legendary Black Sam Bellamy. Rather than cry for mama, young John demanded to join Bellamy’s crew—leavin’ behind his family to find brotherhood under the black flag.

His remains were discovered centuries later in the wreck of the Whydah, reminding us that some pirates found family not in blood—but in crew.

🎬 Will Turner & Bootstrap Bill – Buccaneers by Blood

In the Pirates of the Caribbean films, Will Turner sails headfirst into a life of piracy to protect those he loves—and in doing so, uncovers the truth about his father, Bootstrap Bill Turner, a pirate enslaved aboard the Flying Dutchman.

The two reunite across cursed seas and impossible odds, their destinies tied tighter than rigging in a storm. Will’s journey from blacksmith to immortal captain proves that even in pirate tales, a father's legacy sails deep.

⚓ Legacy: From cursed coin to cursed ship, the Turners show the power of a name—when it's shouted across the waves.

🧭 Carina Smyth – The Brilliant Buccaneer’s Daughter

Orphaned and brilliant, Carina Smyth believed in science, not superstition—until her charts led her straight into the jaws of legend. In Dead Men Tell No Tales, she discovers she’s the daughter of none other than Captain Hector Barbossa.

Though they’re reunited only briefly, Barbossa’s sacrifice to save her life proves the old rogue had more heart than he let on. In the end, it wasn’t treasure that defined him—but a daughter worth dyin’ for.

⚓ Legacy: Carina’s tale reminds us that even the fiercest pirates might leave behind more than plunder—sometimes, they leave love.

🎁 Father’s Day Gift Picks – Pirate Style!

/💌 Raise Yer Tankard to Dad – and Share the Legend!

Got a father who taught ye to hoist the mainsail, swing a cutlass, or maybe just grill a mean fish on Fridays? Then share this letter with the ol’ sea dog and let him sail through pirate tales worthy of his name.

⚓ Send the Pirate Republic to yer pirate dad this Father’s Day — because no man should face Sunday dinner without a shot of rum and a story of the sea.

📜 Sign him up here →

🦜 Want to send yer dad somethin’ better than socks? Here be a treasure trove of Amazon gift ideas, hand-picked for pirate papas:

• Pirate Hawaiian Shirt – For plunderin’ in paradise

• Pop-up Pirate Gift Card Holder – A treasure chest surprise

• Pirate Spyglass – For keepin’ watch from the porch

• "Pirate Dad" T-Shirt – Say it proud on the high seas

• Pirate Coffee Mug – For brewin’ dark roast rum

🎬 Hollywood Eyes The Pirate Reenactor Community! “The Pirate King” Film Adaptation

Lights, camera, sea-swaggers! 🎥 Word just dropped—Rob Riggle (yes, that Marine-turned-funny-man) and Jordana Brewster are signed on to star in The Pirate King, a swashbucklin’ feature directed by Josh Plasse, inspired by the true exploits of pirate Captain Todd Willis.

Riggle plays a Marine veteran battling PTSD and addiction, who finds redemption through joining a pirate reenactment crew—an unexpected voyage that leads him to reclaim his purpose... and perhaps custody of his daughter. Brewster joins the cast, praising the film’s “humor and heart,” and director Plasse calls it a tribute to veterans and the community of Virginia Beach.

This ain’t your typical pirate romp—it’s a tale of modern warriors discovering redemption on the high seas of imagination. It boldly blends the colorful world of pirate lore with the emotional resilience of real-life heroes. As a fellow shipmate, I—Capt. Black Quill—hope Hollywood lets this ship sail true.

🏴‍☠️ Is it time to toast a veteran with rum and cannon fire? I certainly think so.

⚓ Curious for more? Read the full Deadline scoop →

📅 Sails on the Horizon – Upcoming Pirate Events

📍 Pirates Storm the Harbor – Victor Harbor Town Hall, Australia

June 21, 2025
The pirates are takin’ over Coral Street in Victor Harbor for a day of family fun, vendors, cosplay, and cannon blasts!

Facebook Event Link →

📍 Whitby Pirate Festival – Whitby, UK

August 29–31, 2025
This 3-day UK pirate bash includes music, reenactments, costume contests, and local pub takeovers in one of the most scenic ports in England.

Facebook Event Link →

🗣️ 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!