Documenting the search for a Caribbean pirate

Documenting the search for a Caribbean pirate

The Golden Age of Piracy lasted from about 1650 to 1720, but the legends continue to stir imaginations to this day. Stories of Blackbeard and Captain Kidd are the foundation for many a Hollywood movie, but few have heard of Joseph Bannister, a respected English merchant captain turned pirate. His exploits included an epic battle with two English warships and a daring prison escape, but his story somehow faded from history. Pirate Hunters (Random House, 2015, $28) by Robert Kurson tells the thrilling story of the search for Bannister’s ship, the Golden Fleece.

For John Chatterton, treasure hunting has always been more about the hunt than the treasure. He became a commercial diver five years after leaving the Army, developing a reputation as a hard worker, pushing himself to be the best. Soon he explored his first shipwreck―and he was hooked. The chance to see what no human had seen for decades, or even centuries, was addictive. When he received a call in 2008 offering an opportunity to find the Golden Fleece, he could not resist.

The lifestyle of a pirate requires stealth and secrecy, so there are few records available to researchers. Chatterton and his friend John Mattera traveled to the Dominican Republic, the last known location of Bannister and the Golden Fleece, and researched local pirate legends. Mattera scoured libraries in England and Spain, making note of the scarce references to the elusive pirate. Secrecy was critical, since only one other pirate ship had ever been found, and other treasure hunters would gladly take it from them.

Treasure hunting is a difficult and dangerous occupation and only the most committed can possibly succeed. Robert Kurson makes this true story feel like a fine adventure novel, skillfully blending past and present into a thrilling read.