Golden Fleece Samaná Bay

[Tuga]

Hey,

So recently I’ve been reading up on the “Golden Fleece” wreck found by John Chatterton and John Mattera, and I started wondering why there hasn’t been more follow-up research or investigation. From the outside, it seems surprising that after such an exciting and intriguing discovery, no conclusive study was carried out to confirm, or rule out, the identification, especially considering that a 17th-century wreck was definitely located. It still seems possible that the ship could be a trader or another type of vessel from the same period.

Of course, I realize I may not fully understand the legal or administrative complexities involved, so there may be a bunch of reasons. But it did make me curious whether the original claim has lost strength over the years, or whether the matter simply stalled.

So I turn to your wisdom to satisfy my curiosity if any new information on this has appeared over the years which I might have missed.

Cheers!

 

[Physics guy]

2015 book about its discovery:

Pirate Hunters - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Tuga]

2015 book about its discovery:

Pirate Hunters - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Thanks buddy! Yeah that's what peaked my interest

 

[Red_desert]

The “Golden Fleece” was a legendary pirate ship commanded by Captain Joseph Bannister, and its wreck was discovered in 2008 by divers John Chatterton and John Mattera off the Dominican Republic. Their search and discovery are chronicled in Robert Kurson’s book Pirate Hunters.





🌊 Background on the Golden Fleece

• Captain Joseph Bannister: Originally a respected English sea captain, Bannister went rogue in the late 17th century. He stole the Golden Fleece, a ship under his command, and turned pirate, becoming one of the most wanted men of his era.
• Pirate Haven: The Dominican Republic was a hub of piracy during the Golden Age, making it a logical place to search for Bannister’s lost ship.

🔎 The Discovery

• Year of Discovery: 2008.
• Explorers: John Chatterton (famed wreck diver, also known for Shadow Divers) and John Mattera (shipwreck explorer and former police officer).
• Method: They relied on archival research, ancient maps, and oral legends passed down locally. Their work combined historical detective work with deep technical diving.
• Challenges: The wreck was elusive, requiring years of persistence, exhaustive research in libraries, and dangerous dives in Caribbean waters.

📚 Cultural Impact

• Their quest was immortalized in Robert Kurson’s bestseller Pirate Hunters, which tells two intertwined stories:
  • Bannister’s transformation from captain to pirate.
  • Chatterton and Mattera’s modern-day hunt for his ship.
• The book frames Bannister as a real-life rival to the fictional Jack Sparrow, emphasizing the drama and danger of piracy in the 1600s.

⚓ Significance

• The Golden Fleece is one of the few pirate shipwrecks ever positively identified, making it a rare and historically important find.
• It connects modern exploration with the mythos of the Golden Age of Piracy, bridging centuries of legend and reality.

 

[Tuga]

The “Golden Fleece” was a legendary pirate ship commanded by Captain Joseph Bannister, and its wreck was discovered in 2008 by divers John Chatterton and John Mattera off the Dominican Republic. Their search and discovery are chronicled in Robert Kurson’s book Pirate Hunters.





🌊 Background on the Golden Fleece

• Captain Joseph Bannister: Originally a respected English sea captain, Bannister went rogue in the late 17th century. He stole the Golden Fleece, a ship under his command, and turned pirate, becoming one of the most wanted men of his era.
• Pirate Haven: The Dominican Republic was a hub of piracy during the Golden Age, making it a logical place to search for Bannister’s lost ship.

🔎 The Discovery

• Year of Discovery: 2008.
• Explorers: John Chatterton (famed wreck diver, also known for Shadow Divers) and John Mattera (shipwreck explorer and former police officer).
• Method: They relied on archival research, ancient maps, and oral legends passed down locally. Their work combined historical detective work with deep technical diving.
• Challenges: The wreck was elusive, requiring years of persistence, exhaustive research in libraries, and dangerous dives in Caribbean waters.

📚 Cultural Impact

• Their quest was immortalized in Robert Kurson’s bestseller Pirate Hunters, which tells two intertwined stories:
  • Bannister’s transformation from captain to pirate.
  • Chatterton and Mattera’s modern-day hunt for his ship.
• The book frames Bannister as a real-life rival to the fictional Jack Sparrow, emphasizing the drama and danger of piracy in the 1600s.

⚓ Significance

• The Golden Fleece is one of the few pirate shipwrecks ever positively identified, making it a rare and historically important find.
• It connects modern exploration with the mythos of the Golden Age of Piracy, bridging centuries of legend and reality.

Thanks! Yup, and that's why I was curious. it seems since the wreck there hasn't been more study of it. Would be great to know more.

Mattera's and Chatterton's claim is a strong one but still not quite what I would say positively identified. Taylor's account which contains a drawing they mention is according to some Historians second-hand and possibly just illustrative, Cayo Vígia would have Bannister without any way out of the harbour if cut off and counting on unreliable winds to make an escape unlike the original site of Cayo Levantado which was known as a pirate careening site. Also, no uniquely identifying item has been found. So I imagined that in more recent years, interest would have surfaced to get to the bottom of it. But again, I don't make claims of being expert, just my conclusions.

 

[Red_desert]

Thanks! Yup, and that's why I was curious. it seems since the wreck there hasn't been more study of it. Would be great to know more.

Mattera's and Chatterton's claim is a strong one but still not quite what I would say positively identified. Taylor's account which contains a drawing they mention is according to some Historians second-hand and possibly just illustrative, Cayo Vígia would have Bannister without any way out of the harbour if cut off and counting on unreliable winds to make an escape unlike the original site of Cayo Levantado which was known as a pirate careening site. Also, no uniquely identifying item has been found. So I imagined that in more recent years, interest would have surfaced to get to the bottom of it. But again, I don't make claims of being expert, just my conclusions.

Shipwreck identification is more or less what you believe to be true.

 

[THE TRUE SEEKER]

French archaeologist Jean Soulat, who is researching the pirate ship of Captain John Bowen in the Indian Ocean, has discussed a total of eight pirate ships discovered around the world. The Golden Fleece is not included among them. The reason is unknown, but this is for your information.

[Sur les traces des pirates - Épisode 5] Quand l’histoire de la piraterie s’écrit sous les mers

Dans les précédents épisodes, nous avons évoqué les aventures et les désillusions d’Olivier Levasseur, dit La Buse, ainsi que le rôle prépondérant que…

www.lequotidien.re

 

[Red_desert]

French archaeologist Jean Soulat, who is researching the pirate ship of Captain John Bowen in the Indian Ocean, has discussed a total of eight pirate ships discovered around the world. The Golden Fleece is not included among them. The reason is unknown, but this is for your information.

[Sur les traces des pirates - Épisode 5] Quand l’histoire de la piraterie s’écrit sous les mers

Dans les précédents épisodes, nous avons évoqué les aventures et les désillusions d’Olivier Levasseur, dit La Buse, ainsi que le rôle prépondérant que…

www.lequotidien.re

Now that you mention it, about 1-2 years ago, was brought to my attention here at TN, some island pirates used to ambush ships along the Asian trade routes. Will have to go back to look or do a search again. Anyways, might be an island off or near Thailand with a bay one side along the trade route and possible pirate treasure.

 

[Red_desert]

Now that you mention it, about 1-2 years ago, was brought to my attention here at TN, some island pirates used to ambush ships along the Asian trade routes. Will have to go back to look or do a search again. Anyways, might be an island off or near Thailand with a bay one side along the trade route and possible pirate treasure.

According to the OP, the beach he checked out, the only access down was on private land.