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17th-Century Pirate Ship Unearthed Off Nassau, Defying Hollywood Myths

6/3/2026

Center

Kingsley Uncovers Pirate

The wreck shows stripped armaments and burning to the waterline, a pirate tactic to erase evidence.
Archaeologist Sean Kingsley’s team reported a possible 17th-century pirate ship, Avery’s Fancy, wrecked off Nassau’s east coast.
Artifacts recovered include an iron cannon, musket balls and a swivel gun.
Co-leader Sean Kingsley said project seeks to counter Hollywood’s cartoon pirate image with archaeological evidence.

Left

Expedition Secures Dive

The expedition secured the first official permission to dive in Nassau’s closed harbour zone, opening a previously off-limits historic site.
Researchers from New Providence Pirates Expedition documented six wrecks—including five vessels, three from the Golden Age of Piracy—in Nassau harbour.
The team partnered with Wreckwatch TV to promote science education, sustainable tourism, and shark-population protection.
Recovered wine bottles and 143 pipes illustrate Nassau’s transition from pirate haven to trading port.

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Kingsley Uncovers Pirate

The wreck shows stripped armaments and burning to the waterline, a pirate tactic to erase evidence.
Archaeologist Sean Kingsley’s team reported a possible 17th-century pirate ship, Avery’s Fancy, wrecked off Nassau’s east coast.
Artifacts recovered include an iron cannon, musket balls and a swivel gun.
Co-leader Sean Kingsley said project seeks to counter Hollywood’s cartoon pirate image with archaeological evidence.

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