Barry Clifford and Madagascar

[Jib]

I attended a lecture last night at the Minnesota Science Museum (currently hosting the Wydah exhibit) presented by Barry Clifford. Simply amazing to hear him spin his tales! Also incredible to think that he still has huge blocks of concretions that still have artifacts yet to be uncovered!! Who knows what secrets will be revealed in the future (Barry mentioned that his goal is to open some of these concretions before an audience)? Barry also brought the Teja Ba ring to join the collection on display!

What I found most intriguing about the lecture was the work that Barry Clifford and his team are doing in Madagascar. They have discovered 3 shipwrecks near twin islands known as the Isle of women and the Isle of pirates along with a series of tunnels. One of the shipwrecks is believed to be Captain Kidd’s Adventure Galley. I imagine we will see some amazing artifacts brought into the light of day from that location! The Madagascar site was also the location for a recent TV special (I have no idea what channel). Me mentioned something about a 13^th century crucifix from Paris as one of the items discovered!

If you ever get the chance to hear Barry Clifford speak I highly recommend you do so. You will be both educated and entertained!

[Tar Bucket Bill]

The "Pirate Island" documentary was very fun to watch.

If Mr. Clifford positively identifies "The Adventure Galley", it will be very interesting to see what kind of artifacts are brought up from her. However, it sounds like Kidd had his crew salvage all kinds of stuff from "Adventure Galley" to help fit out and supply the "Quedagh Merchant" / "Adventure Prize" before leaving the island of Isle Ste. Marie for the Caribbean.

Plus, Kidd burned the "Adventure Galley" to salvage its scrap metal and iron. So says Richard Zacks in "The Pirate Hunter".

Hopefully Mr. Clifford will find some interesting bits of it.

-Tar Bucket Bill

[Jib]

Barry mentioned three ships scuttled near the pirate island. He said that it was done to block access to the small habor. Two I believe he mentioned were Middle Eastern in design (and one he mentioned was buried deep in the mud had some kind of cabin still intact).

[Tar Bucket Bill]

Yes.

There are accounts of Dirk Shivers' "Fiery Dragon" and Robert Culliford's "Mocha Frigate" being set side-by-side in the narrows of the approach and set afire and sunk to restrict access to the harbor by the English Navy, and the ploy seemed to have worked. And Mr. Clifford's team did find evidence of 2 ships in the narrow portion of harbor side-by-side.

Then there is evidence of a third ship at the spot on a small island at the opening of the harbor where is was popular to careen ships. I am hoping that it's a strong possibility of being Kidd's "Adventure Galley".

Anyway, it sounds like the harbor is an artifact rich site.

-Tar Bucket Bill