Pirate Shellfish
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Wellfleet is riddled with a rich Pirate Tradition. As fur traders from Europe took advantage of the
American wilderness, Pirates took advantage of the ships headed back, loaded with furs and other
goods worth small fortunes. Cape Cod, acting as a natural port and protective barrier, was a perfect
haven for such Pirates.
Wellfleet's most famous Pirate is Captain Sam Bellamy of the Whydah. Bellamy wrecked the galley off of
Wellfleet April 26th 1717 sending 140 Pirates to their graves. Six more were later convicted of piracy and
hung in Boston. The majority of the treasure aboard the ship is still yet to be found. According to the
Whydah expedition website the ship is the only confirmed pirate wreck ever discovered. A National
Seashore trail leads straight to the foundation of a genuine Pirate tavern on Great Island in Wellfleet.
Recently inspired Pirates in Wellfleet have included, the true pirate Brian Ramsdale, and our good friend
"Yellow Beard" Caleb Potter. These local Pirate enthusiasts have inspired us all to live a pirates life.
Bellow is our Pirate beginnings and the legend of Pirate Shellfish
American wilderness, Pirates took advantage of the ships headed back, loaded with furs and other
goods worth small fortunes. Cape Cod, acting as a natural port and protective barrier, was a perfect
haven for such Pirates.
Wellfleet's most famous Pirate is Captain Sam Bellamy of the Whydah. Bellamy wrecked the galley off of
Wellfleet April 26th 1717 sending 140 Pirates to their graves. Six more were later convicted of piracy and
hung in Boston. The majority of the treasure aboard the ship is still yet to be found. According to the
Whydah expedition website the ship is the only confirmed pirate wreck ever discovered. A National
Seashore trail leads straight to the foundation of a genuine Pirate tavern on Great Island in Wellfleet.
Recently inspired Pirates in Wellfleet have included, the true pirate Brian Ramsdale, and our good friend
"Yellow Beard" Caleb Potter. These local Pirate enthusiasts have inspired us all to live a pirates life.
Bellow is our Pirate beginnings and the legend of Pirate Shellfish
PIRATE & OYSTER TRADITION
When the seas were ruled by the sword and cannon a small village emerged from the sands of Cape
Cod to become a world famous destination. Pirates and gentlemen alike freely mingled, driven to
Wellfleet for the secluded harbors and the promises of rich bounty that would be found below the surface.
Inns and taverns were packed with travelers from around the world, and there was always a plentiful
supply of fresh shellfish to go around.
Today a lot of people know about the storied pirate Sam Bellamy and his treasure ship the Whydah
sinking within sight of the bluffs off Marconi. But few know the twisted fate of The Irate Hellfish….
Yaaarrrrr! As legend has it The Irate Hellfish was captained by the one eyed pirate Ronny Shuckwell. It
was his coastal exploration north of the Caribbean that brought him to Wellfleet. It was there that Capt.
Shuckwell was introduced to his first “Wellfleet Oyster.”
For Capt. Shuckwell his first Wellfleet Oyster would not be his last. This mouthwatering sensation
became a passion for the once compulsively disciplined pirate. You see Capt. Shuckwell did not reach
his fill of raw oysters when it became time to return to the seas of the Caribbean. As the ship was about
to set sail the captain’s lust for oysters drove him to pack his hull to the brim with his tasty shellfish. Within
minutes of departure the crew became panicked when they noticed that the hull was weighed down. As a
result The Irate Hellfish began to list suddenly to one side. Quickly realizing the stock of shellfish was too
much for The Irate Hellfish to handle the crew made the decision to throw the shellfish overboard. Seeing
his precious booty being hurled over the side Capt. Shuckwell became angered and ordered his men to
stop...but they would not. So the pirate did what he had to do under such circumstances….he threw all
the remaining crewmen overboard. Breathing a sigh of relief Capt. Shuckwell quickly shot down a
delicious Wellfleet Oyster. He felt calm yet energized. He was going to be able to keep his shellfish and
return to the Caribbean…or was he? Suddenly the ship began to fill with water. Even without the
crewmen the weight of the shellfish was too great. Alas the shellfish pirate lay beneath the sea with his
precious treasure.
Today we pay tribute to Capt. Shuckwell and his passion for Wellfleet shellfish by naming our company
Pirate Shellfish.
When the seas were ruled by the sword and cannon a small village emerged from the sands of Cape
Cod to become a world famous destination. Pirates and gentlemen alike freely mingled, driven to
Wellfleet for the secluded harbors and the promises of rich bounty that would be found below the surface.
Inns and taverns were packed with travelers from around the world, and there was always a plentiful
supply of fresh shellfish to go around.
Today a lot of people know about the storied pirate Sam Bellamy and his treasure ship the Whydah
sinking within sight of the bluffs off Marconi. But few know the twisted fate of The Irate Hellfish….
Yaaarrrrr! As legend has it The Irate Hellfish was captained by the one eyed pirate Ronny Shuckwell. It
was his coastal exploration north of the Caribbean that brought him to Wellfleet. It was there that Capt.
Shuckwell was introduced to his first “Wellfleet Oyster.”
For Capt. Shuckwell his first Wellfleet Oyster would not be his last. This mouthwatering sensation
became a passion for the once compulsively disciplined pirate. You see Capt. Shuckwell did not reach
his fill of raw oysters when it became time to return to the seas of the Caribbean. As the ship was about
to set sail the captain’s lust for oysters drove him to pack his hull to the brim with his tasty shellfish. Within
minutes of departure the crew became panicked when they noticed that the hull was weighed down. As a
result The Irate Hellfish began to list suddenly to one side. Quickly realizing the stock of shellfish was too
much for The Irate Hellfish to handle the crew made the decision to throw the shellfish overboard. Seeing
his precious booty being hurled over the side Capt. Shuckwell became angered and ordered his men to
stop...but they would not. So the pirate did what he had to do under such circumstances….he threw all
the remaining crewmen overboard. Breathing a sigh of relief Capt. Shuckwell quickly shot down a
delicious Wellfleet Oyster. He felt calm yet energized. He was going to be able to keep his shellfish and
return to the Caribbean…or was he? Suddenly the ship began to fill with water. Even without the
crewmen the weight of the shellfish was too great. Alas the shellfish pirate lay beneath the sea with his
precious treasure.
Today we pay tribute to Capt. Shuckwell and his passion for Wellfleet shellfish by naming our company
Pirate Shellfish.
| All rights reserved. Pirate Shellfish 2010 |
"I am A Free Prince, and I have as much authority to make war on the whole world, as he who has a
hundred sail of ships at sea, and an army of 100,000 men in the field. This my conscience tells me."
1717 Capt. Sam Bellamy
hundred sail of ships at sea, and an army of 100,000 men in the field. This my conscience tells me."
1717 Capt. Sam Bellamy
Pirate links