The Maritime Heritage of the Cayman Islands (New Perspectives on Maritime History and Nautical Archaeology)

This first illustrated nautical history of the Cayman Islands describes how an intrepid and independent group of islanders flourished on the frontiers of the sea.The Caymans, three remote landforms in the western Caribbean, for centuries possessed one of the most remarkable marine fisheries in the New World. From the moment of their discovery by Europeans in 1503, they were recognized for their abundance of sea turtles, a resource that supported the colonization of the West Indies and fostered the development of a distinctive group of sea-hardened people whose nautical skills were known throughout the world.Roger C. Smith follows the mysterious tracks of the sea turtles and the mariners who hunted them, from the shores of the Caymans to the coastal lagoons of Cuba and finally to the Miskito Cays of Nicaragua. He also pursues the colonial exploits of privateers and pirates, examines the development of island catboats and schooners, and takes the reader underwater to the sites of unlucky ships that wrecked on poorly charted reefs. As archaeological sites and diving attractions, sunken ships continue to share a central role in today's Caymanian maritime perspective.Blending elements of geography, archaeology, and ethnography, this readable history offers a fascinating portrait of all aspects of Caymanian nautical traditions. The Maritime Heritage of the Cayman Islands 4 Contents 7 Figures 8 Illustrations 8 Foreword 12 Preface 14 Acknowledgments 18 1— The Cayman Islands Project 22 2— Founded Upon the Seas 39 Landforms from the Ocean 39 Naming the Islands 46 Maritime Geography 49 Hurricanes 63 Caymanian Place Names 68 3— Shoal of Sea Turtles 72 Discovery of the Cayman Islands 73 The Sea Turtle 74 The Turtle Hunters 79 English Turtle Fishing 82 Caymanian Turtlers 87 Farming Turtles 102 4— Crocodiles and Pirates 105 "An Abundance of Monstrous Crocodiles" 106 Buccaneers 110 A Corsair Raid on Cayman 112 Evidence From the Past 116 A Pirates' Lair 124 5— Catboats and Schooners 133 Early Caribbean Small Craft 133 Turtling Boats 135 The Turtle Wreck 137 The Caymanian Canoe 141 The Caymanian Catboat 143 The Caymanian Schooner 149 Thatch Rope 153 Lost at Sea 156 Abandoned but not Forgotten 161 Global Mariners 167 6— A Graveyard of Ships 168 Landmarks in the Sea 168 A Trap for Ships 169 A Close Call 170 Dutch Castaways 172 "Pyrate's Wracke" 172 The Wreck of the Ten Sail 173 A Maritime Junkyard 182 Salvors 190 Looters 191 Wreckers 192 Conclusion 198 Appendix 1— The Deposition of Samuel Hutchinson 204 Appendix 2— Lieutenant Alfred Carpenter's Observations 206 Appendix 3— The First Census of Cayman 209 Notes 217 Preface 217 Chapter 1— The Cayman Islands Project 218 Chapter 2— Founded Upon the Seas 218 Chapter 3— Shoal of Sea Turtles 219 Chapter 4— Crocodiles and Pirates 221 Chapter 5— Catboats and Schooners 222 Chapter 6— A Graveyard of Ships 224 Conclusion 226 Appendix 3— The First Census Of Cayman 226 Bibliography 227 Manuscript Sources 227 Jamaica: National Library of Jamaica, Institute of Jamaica, Kingston (NLJ) 227 Great Britain: Ministry of Defence, Hydrography Office, Taunton (MDHO) 227 Great Britain: Public Record Office, Kew (PRO) 227 Spain: Archivo General de Indias, Seville (AGI) 228 Printed Sources 229 Oral Sources 237 Index 238 A 238 B 239 C 239 D 241 E 241 F 241 G 242 H 242 I 243 J 243 K 243 L 243 M 244 N 244 O 245 P 245 Q 245 R 245 S 246 T 247 U 248 V 248 W 248 Y 249 "Roger C. Smith follows the mysterious tracks of the sea turtles and the mariners who hunted them, from the shores of the Caymans to the coastal lagoons of Cuba and finally to the Miskito Cays of Nicaragua. He also pursues the colonial exploits of privateers and pirates, examines the development of island catboats and schooners, and takes the reader underwater to the sites of unlucky ships that wrecked on poorly charted reefs. As archaeological sites and diving attractions, sunken ships continue to share a central role in today's Caymanian maritime perspective." "Blending elements of geography, archaeology, and ethnography, this history offers a portrait of all aspects of Caymanian nautical traditions."--BOOK JACKET.

roger C. Smith Follows The Mysterious Tracks Of The Sea Turtles And The Mariners Who Hunted Them, From The Shores Of The Caymans To The Coastal Lagoons Of Cuba And Finally To The Miskito Cays Of Nicaragua. He Also Pursues The Colonial Exploits Of Privateers And Pirates, Examines The Development Of Island Catboats And Schooners, And Takes The Reader Underwater To The Sites Of Unlucky Ships That Wrecked On Poorly Charted Reefs. As Archaeological Sites And Diving Attractions, Sunken Ships Continue To Share A Central Role In Today's Caymanian Maritime Perspective. Blending Elements Of Geography, Archaeology, And Ethnography, This History Offers A Portrait Of All Aspects Of Caymanian Nautical Traditions.

A nautical history of the Cayman Islands, describing how an intrepid group of islanders flourished on the sea. It follows the tracks of the sea turtles and mariners who hunted them, the exploits of the pirates and the development of schooners, and goes underwater to explore the sites of the wrecks.