‘Real Story Behind ‘Black…’ Sinking

History and Histrionics: A ‘Black Sails’ Tale

Sure, history. It’s sexy. Right? Then toss in some drama and fiction, and we’ve got ourselves a barn burner. Enter ‘Black Sails,’ a 2014 Starz outing, keeping fact-fans and fun-seekers alike on the edge of their couches. This scrappy series anthologizes 18th-century pirate lore. It also serves as a mayhem-packed prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, all through the spyglass of ‘Black Sails’. And those ‘sail—or should we say—tale twists? They’re all inspired by the real deal.

Dances with Pirates: The Story of the Urca de Lima in ‘Black Sails’

Let’s talk about the Urca de Lima. The series ropes in this real-life ship, giving it a glamorous glow-up. Supposedly built before 1715, the Urca in ‘Black Sails’ served as a beefed-up galleon for Spain’s brawny royalty. Protecting a massive cash cow—about five million Spanish dollars worth of gold—the plot of season one revolves around Captain James Flint’s (Toby Stephens) dogged hunt for the golden goose.

However, season two delivers the gold. Literally, the treasure ship gets stranded on Florida’s picturesque beaches. It gets even better when bad boy pirate Jack Rackham (Toby Schmitz) loots the bejeweled boat, leaving Spain in the dust.

All That Glitters: The True Legacy of the Urca de Lima

Now, let’s set the ‘Black Sails’ record straight. The real Urca, you ask? Her hull was wooden, and she was one of many Spanish boats sailing off toward the colonies. Plot twist: the ship bore not gold or silver but—wait for it—chocolate, vanilla, and incense.

However, a disastrous hurricane derailed the fleet’s plans, leading the Lemur—excuse us, “Urca”—to hit a sandbank and flip in Fort Pierce. Miraculously, the ship survived, with its chests of private silver intact. Enter pirates Henry Jennings and Charles Vane who, in 1715, seized the stranded Spanish salvage camp. The cargo’s fate? Lost to history until a fella named William J. Beach rediscovered the sunken ship in 1928. After heavy salvage work over the next five decades, the state of Florida wised up, put the brakes on issuing permits, and presented the Urca as a public treasure—in a manner of speaking.

A Tale of Two Urcas

So, the truth may hurt. The real Urca de Lima might not have been the glittering starlet of Golden Age piracy ‘Black Sails’ paints her to be. However, her place in history is guaranteed. Besides, who needs five million gold doubloons when you’ve got a bunch of vanilla and chocolate?

Black Sails is streaming on Netflix, ready for your own treasure hunting. Just remember to steer clear of any hurricanes.