Carolina Stories

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Pirates of the Carolinas

The pirates who once wreaked havoc on our shores are returning to ETV's airwaves, and they are coming for you. "Carolina Stories: Pirates of the Carolinas," digs up the true tales of treachery and villainy that occurred off the coasts of North and South Carolina during the Golden Age of Piracy. The hour-long documentary originally aired on the 289th anniversary of the death of the most infamous marauder of them all, Blackbeard.

To order a copy of the DVD, shop the ETV Store or call 1-800-553-7752.

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The program features the exploits of real sea bandits who roamed the streets of Charleston in the 18th century, including Blackbeard, Stede Bonnet, "Calico" Jack Rackham, and even female pirates such as Mary Read and Charleston's own Anne Bonny.

Of course, Blackbeard looms large in this production just as he did some 300 years ago, when he made the coastal harbors along the Carolinas his personal playground. Many of his exploits are uncovered in "Carolina Stories: Pirates of the Carolinas," including:

•  A weeklong blockade of Charleston, enforced by four ships and over 400 men--but it wasn't money Blackbeard was after (hint: it was another type of metal he and his crew found precious)
•  The purposeful sinking of his flagship, Queen Anne's Revenge, in the spring of 1718 in what is now Beaufort Inlet, NC. In 1996, a shipwreck believed to be the QAR was discovered in the Inlet, but what evidence is there to support the claim? To find out, Mayer interviewed David Moore with the NC Maritime Museum, who has made numerous dives to the wreck
•  Beaufort Inlet would also be the site of Blackbeard's last stand.  Legend has it that he withstood a barrage of bullet and stab wounds before his head was finally lopped off. For the next four years, the head hung from a pole in Hampton Bay, VA as a warning to other pirates
• Then there's the Unholy Grail, the mythical wine goblet fashioned from Blackbeard's skull, plated in silver and inscribed with the words "Deth to Spotswoode." Modern-day treasure hunter John Walker uncovers the cup's origins and chronicles his quest for it. Still on the trail, Walker began his search in Charleston in 1990

Produced, directed and written by Bruce Mayer.

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