The Perils of Careening: Black Sails' Portrayal of Pirate Life

The Intriguing World of Black Sails

The television series Black Sails vividly depicts pirate life, shedding light on its perilous aspects, including the risks entailed in practices like careening. Released in 2014, Black Sails serves as the prequel to Treasure Island and chronicles the life story of Captain James Flint. It takes viewers through his journey from a British Naval officer to a notorious pirate. The compelling characters coupled with all of the action and adventure make for a thrilling watch that holds up years after the show's conclusion. Black Sails' unique and historically rich backdrop also serves the show well. The series manages to find a strong blend between real historical events and figures with fictional ones.

Ned Low in Black Sails

What also sets the show apart is the way in which it doesn't shy away from the real-life challenges that pirates faced. Rather than only creating a show that glamorizes all of the adventures that come along with the role, Black Sails chooses to dive deep into the dangerous ones as well. For example, the show exemplifies the accidents that can happen as a result of careening.

Calico Jack in Black Sails

The Process of Careening in Black Sails Explained

The nautical term, careening, refers to tilting or leaning a ship on its side. This allows the hull to be exposed for inspection, repair, and maintenance. Careening is also done to remove marine growth such as barnacles, which can accumulate and ultimately impact the sailing qualities of the ship. Sailors are then able to work on the bottom of the ship without having to dry-dock it. This process is typically done by grounding ships in shallow water or bringing them to special facilities.

Careening can be dangerous because it disrupts the ship's normal balance. If this is not done properly, this can cause instability, and the entire vessel can capsize or tip over. Careening can also lead to the ship's structure being under stress, risking damage or structural failure. Both of these prove dangerous to sailors, making it a risky process to undertake.

Black Sails Season 1 Proves Why Careening A Ship Is So Dangerous

These dangers are exhibited within season 1 of Black Sails. The crew works quickly to get one of their ships careened and because some of them had other priorities, they ignored certain steps. Crisp and Froom don't follow Billy's instructions to tie their rope to a tree further on the beach. When the winds started picking up, the ships ended up becoming increasingly unstable and tipping over. This leads to Randall getting caught underneath, and Flint and Morley amputate his leg in order to free him. While the two are able to rescue Randall, Marley ends up getting crushed as the ship rolls over. This exemplifies how dangerous careening can really be if proper precautions are not taken.