Queen Anne's Revenge - The Flagship of Blackbeard the Pirate

Before she ran aground in 1817,  Queen Anne's Revenge haunted the waters off the Eastern United States during the early 1800s, sending fear into her victims at the mere sight of her.  The ship had the ability to intimidate visually just as her Captain, William Teach did.  He was more commonly known as Blackbeard the Pirate.  Blackbeard himself is said to haunt the waters where he met his demise off the coast of North Carolina to this day.

Queen Anne's Revenge, the flagship of Blackbeard the pirate

Built in 1710, the British cargo ship Concord, was captured by the French shortly afterward and rechristened La Concorde.  The French enlarged the ship to carry more cargo as it was used to ferry slaves to market.  In 1716, La Concorde had an encounter with the pirate Benjamin Hornigold who then converted it to do battle, fitting it with 20 cannons.  Hornigold terrorized the Guinea coast before setting said for the Bahamas and the Americas.  It is thought that Blackbeard derived the name of the ship from Queen Anne's War in which he participated in.

Pirate Benjamin Hornigold, captain of La Concorde

In late 1717, Horgnigold turned his ship over to one of his crew members, Edward Teach.  Captain Teach renamed the ship Queen Anne's Revenge and fitted her with twice the number of cannon, making her one of most intimidating warships of the day, a devastating weapon to be used in the name of piracy.  Teach amassed a flotilla of ships, using Queen Anne's Revenge as his flagship.  His menacing appearance with a long braided beard with black bows and his reputation earned him the nickname Blackbeard.  He would destroy any ship or person who resisted his attacks.

The notorious pirate Blackbeard

The pirate ship Queen Anne's Revenge reigned havoc on ships during the early 1800s captained by Edward Teach aka Blackbeard

At one point in his notorious pirating run, Blackbeard and his devilish flotilla blockaded the city of Charleston, South Carolina and held it for ransom.  Upon his departure from the city while fleeing pursuing ships, he hastily ran the Queen Anne's Revenge aground while trying to enter Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina.  He transferred his flag to another of his ships named Adventure, thus ending the Queen Anne's Revenge reign of terror.

Artist's rendition of the pirate ship Queen Anne's Revenge after she ran aground

 

There have been no consistent reported sightings of Queen Anne's Revenge as a phantom ship, although some claim that one of the ghostly vessels of Whites Creek off the coast of Virginia, is that of Blackbeard and his men.  There are those that believe that Blackbeard hid some of his treasure there in the coastal forests and that he returns in his ship on occasion to make sure that his treasure is safe.

In 1996, a team of researchers discovered what they believe to be the remains of Queen Anne's Revenge off the coast of North Carolina, retrieving one of the cannons, anchor, and other artifacts from the ill fated vessel.  Many of the artifacts are on display at the North Carolina Maritime Museums.  For more info visit http://www.ncmaritimemuseums.com/beaufort/exhibits/beaufort-qar-exhibit.html   

An anchor raised from wreck of Queen Anne's Revenge, flagship of Blackbeard the pirate

Cannon raised from wreck of Queen Anne's Revenge, flagship of Blackbeard the pirate

 
Not so far away from the wreck of Queen Anne's Revenge, just off of Ocracoke Island, is one of the supposed haunts of the ghost of Blackbeard himself, never resting while his hidden treasures remain undiscovered.

Queen Anne's Revenge mockup used in the 2011 Disney film Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides

Le Griffon (The Griffon), Phantom Ship on Lake Michigan near Washington Island - Green Bay, Wisconsin

In 1679 French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle constructed one of the first full sized sailing ships to sail The Great Lakes, Le Griffon.  This distinction would be short lived as on her return trip during her maiden voyage, Le Griffon disappeared never to be seen again.  According to many eyewitnesses over the centuries however, this doomed ship still sails the waters of Green Bay.

Drawing of the Le Griffon which embarked on it's maiden voyage on The Great Lakes, never to be seen again

Le Griffon departed the Niagara River and made way for Green Bay, sailing waters never before attempted in a vessel of this type.  The waters of The Great Lakes had only previously been navigated by canoe.  The local Native Americans warned La Salle and his crew that the ship was doomed, but they did not heed their warnings. 

At one point in the trek northwest, Le Griffon had to drop anchor and wait for favorable winds to continue their journey, at which point La Salle sent a party ahead by canoe to prepare for the ship's arrival in Green Bay. Finally the winds came and after making a long arduous journey and successfully navigating through the Straits of Mackinac, La Salle and his crew reached Washington Island in Green Bay.  They were greeted by local Natives and the advance party he sent ahead who gathered over six tons of fur to be loaded for the journey back to Niagrara.

Before the ship departed, La Salle had decided to stay behind so that he may return with another party by canoe and explore the lake shores for a passage to the Mississippi River.  He sent the Le Griffon on with instructions for the remaining six man crew.  Le Griffon and her crew were never seen again.

El Caleuche - Chiloé Island, Southern Chile

According to Chilean legend, based on the mythology of the people of Chiloé Island, located about 600 miles south of Santiago, a ship sails the oceans of the world manned by those who have drowned at sea. The ship is El Caleuche, the ship of the dead.

El Caleuche, or the ship of the dead according to Chilote mythology, sails the oceans collecting souls that have drowned

The ship is actually a figure or being of the Chilote Mythology that appears as a brightly glowing, lively masted sailing ship.  It is said that when it is approached, it will suddenly turn into a marine animal or an inanimate object to disguise itself.  It sometimes travels under the water where it cannot be seen.

According to the legend there are three ghostly figures of the Chilote Mythology that carry the drowned victims to El Caleuche.  They are siblings, two sisters and a brother:  La Sirena chilota who is a mermaid, La Pincoya chilota who is another type of water spirit, and the El Pincoy who is the brother, a merman.  Once they place the drowned victims on El Caleuche, the victims come to life again and live happily and celebrate with the other crew.  However, they can never leave except once a year to visit their family.

Depiction of La Sirena chilota

It is said that another type of crew that visits the ship and those are Brujo chilote, a type of sorcerer that are said to be carried to El Caleuche on the backs of Caballo Marino or a type of phantom sea horse that dwells in the ocean.  These visitors are different than the drowned in that they are of the evil sort and like to try and spoil the party.