Avast, Mateys! Hope Puzzles is announcing something new: a puzzle mystery! Can you identify the location of buried treasure using nothing more than a map, a few clues, and your own wits?
The Golden Age of Piracy (from 1650 to 1730) is an era you might not associate with New England. However, did you know that one of the most notorious Golden Age pirates was prowling the waters of Southeast New England when his ship sank off the coast of Massachusetts?
The Whydah Gally is a ship full of stories. It became Captain Sam Bellamy’s ship after he captured it from the ship’s original captain. He earned the nickname “Black Sam” because he rejected the fashion of the time—white powdered wigs—and preferred to tie his long black hair back with a black satin bow. He was also called the “Prince of Pirates” but preferred to think of himself as “Robin Hood of the Sea” – and called his men “Robin Hood’s men.” He was the richest pirate in recorded history, amassing 130 million dollars by today’s standards.
On April 26th, 1717, a nor’easter hit off the coast of Massachusetts. The Whydah, on its way to Maine, capsized and sank – losing 143 men, including Black Sam. For more than 260 years the location of the Whydah Gally remained a mystery until an underwater archaeological explorer named Barry Clifford discovered it in 1984.
What else might remain buried under ocean and sand from the Golden Age of Piracy? Was all of Captain Jack Bellamy’s treasure on the ship? A prudent pirate might have buried some of it along his route for safe keeping...
The challenge is yours, if you are courageous enough to accept it: Can you identify the location of Sam Bellamy’s buried treasure?
We’ll give you a map. The puzzle image is a map of Southeast Rhode Island and part of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. It was made in the early 20th century to promote tourism in maritime New England. This map contains the location of the buried treasure.
We’ll give you clues. The puzzle is full of whimseys – some are clues, and some are engineered to seem like clues, but are dead ends. You will need the cunning of a pirate to put the clues together and find the location of the treasure.
Join us in this race to the finish – be the first to identify where Captain Jack Bellamy buried his treasure before his unfortunate demise and win a $100 gift card! The winner will also be featured on our website and social media! The whimseys can clue you in and point you in the right direction.
Email your guess to info@hopepuzzles.com
Happy Hunting!