“An epic history of piracy . . . Goodall explores the role of these legendary rebels and describes the fine line between piracy and privateering.” —WYPR The story of Chesapeake pirates and patriots begins with a land dispute and ends with the untimely death of an oyster dredger at the hands of the Maryland Oyster Navy. From the golden age of piracy to Confederate privateers and oyster pirates, the maritime communities of the Chesapeake Bay are intimately tied to a fascinating history of intrigue, plunder and illicit commerce raiding. Author Jamie L.H. Goodall introduces infamous men like Edward “Blackbeard” Teach and “Black Sam” Bellamy, as well as lesser-known local figures like Gus Price and Berkeley Muse, whose tales of piracy are legendary from the harbor of Baltimore to the shores of Cape Charles. “Rather than an unchanging monolith, Goodall creates a narrative filled with dynamic movement and exchange between the characters, setting, conflict, and resolution of her story. Goodall positioned this narrative to be successful on different levels.” —International Social Science Review

A dazzling array of swashbuckling pirates, picaroons, and sea rovers are pitted against the often feckless representatives of an outpost government authority in the Chesapeake Bay region. It is an exciting and dramatic two hundred-year history that begins grimly with the "starving time" in the Virginia colony in 1609, and ends with the peaceful resolution of the Othello affair with the French in 1807. In between lies a full panoply of violent and bizarre buccaneering incidents that one is hard pressed to imagine from the vantage point of the twenty-first century. Documented by impressive research in articles of the Netherlands, England, and the United States, Shomette skillfully reconstructs these episodes and many others, including the intensive anti-pirate cruise to capture--dead or alive--the notorious Blackbeard. The anti-pirate cruises led to the roundup of dozens of pirates and some showy executions but did little to curb the continued terrorist activities of bandits like Roger Makeele, Stede Bonnet, and Joseph Wheland.

High adventure, dastardly deeds, and newly uncovered lore.

In the decades after the Civil War, Chesapeake Bay became the scene of a life and death struggle to harvest the oyster.

In the Golden Age of Piracy, none was more dreaded than Blackbeard. Sam, Derek, and Caitlin head for a week's vacation at Virginia Beach, where three hundred years ago, pirates sailed the waters off the Atlantic Coast. As the kids explore the beach, they find suspicious activity from the neighboring military base that points to the discovery of a historic shipwreck-maybe even lost pirate treasure! When they meet a mysterious stranger named One-Eyed Jack, they're captivated by the tale of Edward Teach, better known as the notorious pirate Blackbeard. Legend says he may have left valuable plunder buried in the nearby dunes before his final battle and violent death. Could the treasure still be out there, waiting to be discovered? When the clues lead them on a perilous trip across the Chesapeake Bay, danger lurks at every turn. Will they find a hidden bounty, or will competing treasure seekers, or even Blackbeard's ghost, send them to a watery grave at the bottom of the sea? Pirates on the Bay is the tenth book in The Virginia Mysteries series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. The story is the perfect complement to social studies units, field trips, and family vacations related to Virginia Beach, First Landing State Park, Cape Henry Lighthouse, Colonial America, and piracy of the early 1700s. If you enjoy mystery and adventure like the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Magic Tree House, or National Treasure, you'll love author Steven K. Smith's exciting middle-grade series. The stories are modern-day fictional mysteries with twists of real locations and events from history. These fast-paced books are popular with both boys and girls ages 7-12, appealing to even reluctant readers! The Virginia Mysteries Series Book 1 - Summer of the Woods Book 2 - Mystery on Church Hill Book 3 - Ghosts of Belle Isle Book 4 - Secret of the Staircase Book 5 - Midnight at the Mansion Book 6 - Shadows at Jamestown Book 7 - Spies at Mount Vernon Book 8 - Escape from Monticello Book 9 - Pictures at the Protest Book 10 - Pirates on the Bay Brother Wars Cabin Eleven The Big Apple The Missing The Recruit The Bridge

High adventure, dastardly deeds, and newly uncovered lore.

North America's largest estuary, the Chesapeake Bay, is fed by more than 150 major rivers and streams from parts of six states and the District of Columbia. Two hundred miles long, with a shoreline that includes more than 11,500 miles of tributaries, the bay has been a major economic lifeline since pre-Columbian times. As such, it is not surprising that the bay has seen its share of shipwrecks over the centuries-from small and large vessels foundering in storms, like the Levin J. Marvel, to naval and merchant ships of all sizes lost to collisions, fires, and wars, such as the US Coast Guard cutter Cuyahoga. The actual number of shipwrecks will never be known, but at least 3,000 in the bay and its tributaries have been documented-either in archives or newspapers or through underwater archaeology. While some wrecks saw great loss of life, others fortunately did not.

In this classic novel, James A. Michener brings his grand epic tradition to bear on the four-hundred-year saga of America’s Eastern Shore, from its Native American roots to the modern age. In the early 1600s, young Edmund Steed is desperate to escape religious persecution in England. After joining Captain John Smith on a harrowing journey across the Atlantic, Steed makes a life for himself in the New World, establishing a remarkable dynasty that parallels the emergence of America. Through the extraordinary tale of one man’s dream, Michener tells intertwining stories of family and national heritage, introducing us along the way to Quakers, pirates, planters, slaves, abolitionists, and notorious politicians, all making their way through American history in the common pursuit of freedom. BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from James A. Michener's Hawaii. Praise for Chesapeake “Another of James Michener’s great mines of narrative, character and lore.”—The Wall Street Journal “[A] marvelous panorama of history seen in the lives of symbolic people of the ages . . . An emotionally and intellectually appealing book.”—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution “Michener’s most ambitious work of fiction in theme and scope.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer “Magnificently written . . . one of those rare novels that is enthusiastically passed from friend to friend.”—Associated Press

This book has become the definitive field guide to the Chesapeake. Flora and fauna descriptions are arranged according to the bay's nine major habitats--from freshwater wetlands to saltwater marshes. The most important field marks of more than 500 species are shown in 350 superb pen-and-ink drawings, which make this benchmark work as beautiful as it is useful. The book is designed as a user-friendly introduction to the natural history of the Chesapeake Bay. Scientific jargon is kept to a minimum. Illustrations and text are paired to present an easy-to-use primer on the estuarine system. The book takes an ecological approach to life above and below the Chesapeake's surface. Wetland and aquatic communities are emphasized.

GARY GENTILE'S POPULAR DIVE GUIDE SERIES Over 100 GPS and loran numbers included As suggested by the title and series name, this volume covers the most well-known wrecks sunk in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay. For each of the wrecks covered, a statistical sidebar provides basic information such as the dates of construction and loss, previous names (if any), tonnage and dimensions, builder and owner (at time of loss), port of registry, type of vessel and how propelled, cause of sinking, location (GPS and/or loran coordinates if known), and depth. In most cases, an historical photograph or illustration of the ship leads the text. Throughout the book is scattered a selection of additional photographs. Each volume is full of fascinating narratives of triumph and tragedy, of heroism and disgrace, of human nature at its best and its basest. These books are not about wood and steel, but about flesh and blood, for every shipwreck saga is a human story. Ships may founder, run aground, burn, collide with other vessels, or be torpedoed by a German U-boat. In every case, however, what is emphatically important is what happened to the people who became victims of casualty: how they survived, how they died. Also included are descriptions of the wrecks as they appear on the bottom. At the end of each volume is a bibliography of suggested reading, and a list of GPS and loran numbers of wrecks in and adjacent to the area covered. Wrecks covered in Shipwrecks of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland Waters are: Alum Chine, American Mariner (target ship), Benjamin O. Colonna, Columbia, Columbus, Dragonet (American submarine), Express, Favorite, General J.A. Dumont, Hannibal, Herbert D. Maxwell, Levin J. Marvel, Mary A. DeKnight, Medora, Nelly White, New Jersey, S-49 (American submarine), Three Rivers, Tulip (Civil War gunboat), U-1105 (German U-boat), Wawaset, and Wilson Small. Also included is a special section about shipwrecks in Curtis Bay and Mallows Bay.