'Yellow brick road' leads to Massachusetts pirate booty


Recommended Posts

BREWSTER, Mass. ?  He calls it "the yellow brick road" because it's literally sprinkled with gold dust.

This road runs along Cape Cod's shifting seafloor, and undersea explorer Barry Clifford believes it leads to undiscovered treasure from the wreck of the pirate ship Whydah.

About two weeks ago, Clifford and his dive team took a previously unplanned trip back to the wreck site, and Clifford returned more convinced than ever that the road he's exploring is a path to riches.

"We think we're very, very close," Clifford said.

The Whydah sank in a brutal storm in 1717 with plunder from 50 ships on board. Clifford discovered the wreck site in 1984 off Wellfleet and has since pulled up 200,000 artifacts, including gold ornaments, sword handles, even a boy's leg.

But just this year, Clifford learned far more treasure may be resting with the Whydah, the only authenticated pirate ship wreck in U.S. waters.

Colonial-era documents discovered in April indicated the Whydah raided two vessels in the weeks before it sank. Its haul on those raids included 400,000 coins, the records said.

A Sept. 1 dive during what was supposed to be Clifford's last trip of the season uncovered evidence he was near those coins. That convinced Clifford he had to make another trip before summer's end. So Clifford and a seven-man crew went back on a three-day trip that ended Sept. 13.

Clifford headed for the "yellow brick road," which refers to a gold and artifact-strewn path extending between two significant sites at the Whydah wreck that are about 700 feet apart -- a cannon pile and a large chunk of wood Clifford thinks is the Whydah's stern.

The trove of coins and other treasure likely poured from the stern as the ship broke up and the stern drifted to its rest 300 years ago, he said.

more

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Holy... How can I get this job? I WANT TO BE A PIRATE

 

Grab an AK, some RPGS. A speedboat and a crew. Head to Somalia. Begin boarding transport ships and murdering the crews to get the cargo, or hold them for ransom. 

 

I find it funny how some of the most violent and bloodthirsty criminals in our history have been so romantisized. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

How many people have died because of the Western World's blood thirsty lust and love of oil? Just one example.

Wow, you were actually making sense before this ridiculous bit right here...  LMAO

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think anyone romanticizes Somalian or any "modern" pirates.

You knew what she meant, and i find it funny how you tried to dramatize it and make it something its not.

 

And old time Pirates, or even the modern ones arent the most "blood thirsty Criminals" in our history.

 

How many people have died because of the Western World's blood thirsty lust and love of oil? Just one example.

 

All want the same thing.

 

 

You took what I said completely the wrong way. I mentioned Somalia because it's the last real area piracy in the modern world. Yes I knew what she meant, hence why I asked my reply at what I said. I assumed people would also know what I meant.

 

I didn't say people romanticised modern pirates. I meant that to refer to old ones. Think about it, they were some of the most ruthless and blood thirsty criminals in history, yet they appear in children's shows, movies aimed at kids, kids books, usually as largely innocent and lovable characters.

 

I wonder if in 200-300 years time there'll be street thugs and gang members helping the kids learn about maths etc in books and movies.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You took what I said completely the wrong way. I mentioned Somalia because it's the last real area piracy in the modern world. Yes I knew what she meant, hence why I asked my reply at what I said. I assumed people would also know what I meant.

 

I didn't say people romanticised modern pirates. I meant that to refer to old ones. Think about it, they were some of the most ruthless and blood thirsty criminals in history, yet they appear in children's shows, movies aimed at kids, kids books, usually as largely innocent and lovable characters.

 

I wonder if in 200-300 years time there'll be street thugs and gang members helping the kids learn about maths etc in books and movies.

Obviously the part of traditional pirate "lore" that's relevant to this story is the "following a treasure map and plundering hidden gold" bit, and that's what I was all excited about :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Obviously the part of traditional pirate "lore" that's relevant to this story is the "following a treasure map and plundering hidden gold" bit, and that's what I was all excited about :p

 

As any female would be. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Scuba diving to bring up coins?

 

Wait for them to recover the treasure, broadside the boat - scream "YARRRRRRRRRRR, avast ye swabs, we be claiming yer hoarde!", kick 'em off the side, - sail away into the sunset.

 

That's being a pirate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Holy... How can I get this job? I WANT TO BE A PIRATE

har har.

Don't make me go don my pirate outfit and cutlass..

We have our very own Elizabeth Swan over here.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a frightful bad luck to have a woman onboard. Even a moderator one.

It would be bad luck on the S.S. Neowin to *not* have me aboard, trust me. Because if I'm not on now, I will be later. And not nearly as friendly! >=)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i am more surprised that there were ever pirates that far north than anything else with this story. I also think it is funny that there are Pirate museums and attractions in Boston and Salem Mass.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.