Did You Know? One Ship From ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Met a Fitting Fate

 There’s a lot of talk about Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean today. Some want to know whether Johnny Depp will ever reprise his role as the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow, while others are hopping off of the ride at Disney World. Pirates dominate the news! It’s easy to understand why. Pirates have been painted as a fantastical culture full of high-seas adventure. Pirates offer a break from our everyday mundane responsibilities and allow us to tap into a childlike remembrance of all things youthful. This is why Peter Pan’s story revolves heavily around Pirates. It’s also why Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise was so successful and why everyone is waiting for any shred of information suggesting Johnny Depp will return.

‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Sets Sail

As we wait with you for that promising, glorious day that Disney tells us Depp will return to the big screen as Jack Sparrow, we find ourselves thinking back to the original films. I remember 2003 seeing Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl for the first time, and then again, and then again. I think I saw the film four times in its opening week. The world was in love with Depp’s portrayal of the seafaring pirate captain.

Growing up in a Gulf State, pirates were always a big deal, and Pirates of the Caribbean was an instant smash for our tourism. It didn’t take long to find Jack Sparrow characters running around our local beachfront. Everyone loved it. What was even more incredible was learning that the Black Pearl, Sparrow’s (or Barbossa’s) ship, which was “crewed by the damned” and had “black sails,” was built in my home state. The Black Pearl was built at Steiner Shipyard in Bayou La Batre, Alabama. You may also recognize that name as the popular shrimping destination from Forrest Gump (1994).

News: ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Ship Sinks

The huge and elaborate ships from Pirates of the Caribbean were my favorite part of the film. I love the ocean, so imagining a life of fishing, swashbuckling, and sailing wasn’t unusual. Being curious, I wondered what happened to all of those ships that were constructed for the movies. Information was scarce, although coverage regarding abandoned movie sets exists. Yet, while researching, I came across an interesting bit of information you may or may not know. One particular ship from the movie franchise met an ending worthy of such a monumental vessel.

Credit: David Firth/ Flickr

The Brig Unicorn, a ship used to portray the Henrietta in Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, was sunk! The ship featured in the first film and participated in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End as the Terrasaw. Sadly, the ship was lost while sailing from St Lucia to St Vincent for repairs. Although retired and used as a tourist restaurant, the ship was a famous landmark and destination for Guests and locals at Rodney Bay Marina. St Lucia’s locals were quoted as “proud of the ship.”

The Brig Unicorn was not only famous due to its involvement in the Pirates of the Caribbean films, but the giant ship was also used in the Roots (1970) television series that highlighted the detestable conditions of enslaved people being transported through the Caribbean to America. It was sad to learn of the sinking of the Brig Unicorn, but also comforting to know that she went down in the same waters where she was made famous. Captain and crew of the Brig Unicorn were all rescued safely after the sinking.