All language subtitles for Expedition.X.S11E03.Blackbeards.Ghost.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DDP2.0.H.264-RAWR_track4_[eng]

If you're here with us now,
ring these bells or

show up on this XLS.

[gasps]

- The bell dropped.
- What?

Ooh, right there,
right there in the tree!

On this episode of
"Expedition X"...

Lando!

...Heather and Phil set sail
to North Carolina on the trail

of America's most notorious
pirate, Blackbeard.

[gunshot blast]

His hostile spirit has been
reported all around the place

he died 300 years ago,
Ocracoke Island.

I noticed this really creepy
green glow.

I just started popping
photograph after photograph,

and I saw what
looked like a pirate.

Is this phantom guarding
his long lost pirate treasure?

Oh, that is Robo Dog alerting
me of a find.

Or seeking bloody revenge from
beyond the grave?

I feel like someone's here.

Phil and Heather must weather
the storm to learn the truth of

Blackbeard's ghost.

Who do you want revenge on?

[theme music playing]

- Ahoy, me mateys.
- You OK?

- I'm a pirate, you landlubbers.
- Sure you are, Josh.

- I'm very concerned.
- All right, you joy kills.

I was just trying to get us in
the spirit here-- maybe this
will help.

This is a photo that was taken
recently on Ocracoke Island on

North Carolina's Outer Banks,
and this guy said that he saw

a strange green light,
and then he snapped this photo.

What do you think?

- Oh.
- Hmm.

[Phil] That almost looks like
a figure in a tricorn hat.

[Heather] Hold on now.
Am I looking at a pirate ghost?

Maybe?
That's what the eyewitness
thinks.

And not just any old
pirate ghost-- no, no.

The notorious 18th century
pirate who died off of

Ocracoke, Blackbeard.

Oh, I remember from childhood
ghost stories.

- He was beheaded, right?
- Yep.

And then his body supposedly
swam around the ship.

That's the legend.

And look, what we know for sure
is that the life and death of

Blackbeard was a gruesome one.

He terrorized the American
coast before eventually

being [guttural click] executed.

And it is said that he hasn't
stayed dead.

Sightings of him continue on
Ocracoke to this day,

and many theorize that
it's tied to

his long-lost treasure.

I love this stuff!

Edward Teach, aka Blackbeard,

is perhaps the most
notorious pirate to sail

the Atlantic during
the golden age of piracy.

[men clamoring]

[Josh] His legend lives on
more than 300 years later.

But, surprisingly, his entire
reign of terror

lasted less than two years.

Ah!

[Josh]
In early 1717, Teach acquires
his own sloop and begins

raiding merchant vessels
up and down the coast of

the American colonies.

In November that year,
he captures a French slave ship,

freeing hundreds of
African men and women,

recruiting many to
join his crew.

He renames the ship
Queen Anne's Revenge

and outfits it with 40 guns.

With a small fleet and nearly
300 men under his command,

he builds a reputation for
savagery and showmanship.

Braiding fuses into his long,
wild beard, Blackbeard lights

them as he boards other
vessels, giving his victims

the impression they're being
attacked by the devil himself.

- [dramatic music swells]
- [gunshot blast]

[bell tolls]

In June of 1718,
the Queen Anne's Revenge runs

aground off the coast of
North Carolina, and Blackbeard

is forced to abandon
his flagship.

He and his crew settle down on
Ocracoke Island

in the Outer Banks.

Life is smooth sailing there.

That is until Blackbeard's
second-in-command and trusted

friend, William Howard,
gets arrested in Virginia.

To escape the noose,
he betrays Blackbeard,

revealing his location
to the governor.

In the bloody battle that
follows, Blackbeard is wounded
20 times

before being decapitated.

Edward Blackbeard Teach is dead,
but according to legend,

his headless body swims around
the boat three times before

sinking to the bottom
of the bay.

In the centuries since
his brutal death, residents of

Ocracoke regularly report
seeing the ghost of Blackbeard.

Some claim he seeks revenge for
being betrayed, while others

speculate his ghost guards
his lost treasure, which people

have been looking for
for 300 years.

Witnesses have also claimed to
see a mysterious light moving

across the water where
Blackbeard was killed,

a phenomenon reported so often

it's even named after him,
Teach's Light.

One man says he even had
a violent encounter with

a poltergeist in the woods of
Springer's Point, where some

say Blackbeard's treasure is
still hidden.

And now, with this
extraordinary photograph,

residents are more convinced
than ever that the man once

known as Blackbeard still
menaces Ocracoke Island.

All right, Heather,
what do you think?

A pirate's life for you?

Yo ho!

Blackbeard had such a violent
life and a violent death,

and it was all centered around
Ocracoke Island.

It makes all the sense in
the world that he would still

be there haunting it today.

All right, get this
lady an eyepatch.

Phil, what about you?

Listen, I love this legend,

but I think it is just that,
a legend.

Plus, think about
the atmosphere of Ocracoke.

It is part of an island chain.

It is surrounded by warm
and cold waters,

perfect conditions for
creating mist that could look

like a shadow figure.

I'm gonna make
you walk the plank!

That's the pirate
spirit, Heather.

All right, so, the two of you,
get ye to Ocracoke and find out

what's really going on here.

Is the ghost of Blackbeard
seeking revenge?

Is he protecting
his buried riches?

Or is there some other,
much more boring,

natural explanation?
All right.

Oh, and before you go,
very important,

what's a pirate's
favorite legend?

- Uh, gotta be R.
- No, Phil, that's wrong.

It's not, because pirates
love the "C" ["sea"]!

Huh?
Get it?

It's like an ocean,
but it's the C?

No, I got it.
I got it.

- We're leaving.
- Yep.

Thanks.
Good luck.

The flight from New York to
Norfolk, Virginia, is just two

hours, but it's another
three-hour drive

to the Outer Banks
to get to Hatteras.

From there, the only way to
reach Ocracoke Island is

the same way Blackbeard did,
by boat.

[slow sea shanty playing]

[Phil] All right, sails up!
Feel that wind?

[music speeds up]

- There's Ocracoke Island.
- There it is.

[Phil] Lando!

Let's get this thing docked,

go find our witness.

[music ends]

Once we're on the island,
Heather and I meet up with

Charlie Jenkins,
the man who took the photo that

he believes shows Blackbeard.

Walk us through what happened
that night.

So I was here on the island
helping a friend of mine.

It was about
11, 11:30 at night.

I'd noticed there was this
really creepy green glow coming

from this cemetery.
The whole cemetery was lit up.

I've never seen that
green glow before.

I'm trying to see, are there
any street lights that could

have lit this up?
- I did not see any that night.

I'm telling y'all, brother,

I put my hand on the Bible,
and I swear to God.

The place was glowing
damn green.

I took my phone out,

and I just started popping
photograph after photograph.

Which was, like, right over
here by those trees.

After I took my photographs,
I started zooming in, and I saw

what looked like a pirate.
- And that's the image we saw?

[Charlie] Yes, ma'am.

- That looks like a face to me.
- Yes, ma'am.

So what did you do when
you saw that on your phone?

I actually got
scared to death.

I felt like I had...

captured something that was
looking at me

that I couldn't see.

Call me crazy, but I thought
I may have smelled gunpowder

in there.
It's like sulfur.

- You smelled gunpowder?
- Yes, ma'am.

So tell me, where else on this
island have you heard stories?

There are a lot of creepy
places on this island,

one of them being the marsh.

Have you ever heard of
Teach's Light?

- Yeah.
- Yeah, it's been around for
hundreds of years.

There's one lady that--
Teach's Light actually
chased her down one night.

She was in the marsh and saw
a bright orange glowing light

floating across the marsh.

Went to see what it was
and the light turns

and start chasing her.

She fell down
and the light disappeared.

- OK.
- That's aggressive.

And somewhere else you might
want to check out,

the lighthouse of
Ocracoke Island.

That lighthouse is the oldest
lighthouse in North Carolina.

I've heard stories of dark
shadowy apparitions.

I've heard stories of whispers,
the feeling that somebody might

be watching you,
especially late at night.

During Blackbeard's time,
that was actually the early

settlement area for
the Ocracoke Islanders.

There is documentation out
there that the Spaniards came

here and absolutely massacred

everyone in the fishing village.
- Oh, goodness.

[Phil] Wow.

We've heard stories about
Blackbeard's treasure still

being on the island.
- Why wouldn't it be?

If he died here, why wouldn't
his treasure be here?

And if his treasure's here,
it makes perfect sense that

his spirit would still be here
trying to protect it.

I agree with you 100%.

[Heather] As night falls,
Phil and I return
to the cemetery,

hoping to witness the same
green light Charlie saw,

and perhaps communicate with

whatever he captured
in his photograph.

[gunshot blast]

[Phil] Getting some photos.

[camera shutter clicking]

See if any pirate spirit
shows up.

In addition to the photos,
we'll analyze later,

I'm setting up a handycam to
run all night to see if we can

capture the same green glow
that Charlie described

right before he allegedly
encountered the pirate.

First things first...

[bells ring]

...spirit bells.

I wanted to use an object that
the spirits of Blackbeard's time

would've recognized, a bell.
And if they ring...

That means the cemetery might
be a little bit more alive than

we give it credit for.
- Exactly.

String them up.

Bells like these were commonly
used in the 1700s

to prevent premature burial.

A bell above ground would be
connected by string to

the finger of a dead person,
just in case they were

mistakenly buried alive.

Tonight, we'll be using them in
a call and response session.

Will they trigger a response
from the dead?

Is there anyone here with us?

If you're here with us now,
ring these bells or show up on

this XLS.

We saw this incredible image of
what looked like the spirit

of a pirate.

Blackbeard, are you here
with us?

Is there anyone else here
with us?

Did you serve under Blackbeard?

- [bells ring]
- [gasps]

[Heather] The bell dropped!

It's right here,
hanging off this.

- Look at that.
- Well, hang it back up.

Something wanted
our attention, and it takes

a lot of energy to pull
something down.

Maybe it needs to ring
them again.

OK.

[Heather] Ooh, right there,
right there in the tree.

It's right there.

Something's sitting on the limb
right there,

looking right at you, Phil.

- In the tree next to me?
- It's on this limb right here.

Oh, it's gone.
It's gone.

- Getting anything else?
- No.

It's so strange.
It was like

when you weren't
paying attention,

that's when it showed up.

Well, if that is your theory,
let's put it to the test.

What if I stand over there
and close my eyes,

see who shows up?
- Go be bait.

OK.

All right,

Blackbeard...

if that was you in that photo,
if you caused that green glow,

show yourself.

You could be the one to prove
to me that ghosts are real.

[Heather] You feeling anything?

I mean, I'm standing in
a cemetery

with my eyes closed,
so a little on edge.

- [bells ring]
- [Heather gasps]

Oh, this one!

What?
Look, it's still swinging.

That one is completely still.

[Heather]
Did you just ring that bell?

Look at this, Heather.

It takes a lot to make these
things ring.

[bell rings]

Look, we have confirmation
of activity.

We just have to get some
answers now.

Let's see if we can give
them a voice.

- I'm gonna go grab my Tempest.
- OK.

[Heather] OK.

We know you were here.

You wanted our attention.
You've got it.

I'm gonna give you a voice.

Use this tool to communicate
with us.

Why are you here?

What do you wanna tell us?

- Navigate.
- Navigate.

If we wanna know more about
Blackbeard, where should we go?

- Light.
- Light?

That could be lighthouse.

Or it could be the light
in the marsh.

- I think we gotta split up.
- OK.

There is a lot more of this
island to discover,

so let's chase those lights.

I head to the marshy southern
tip of Ocracoke Island,

where the Teach's Light
phenomenon has been seen by

several witnesses.

I'll be kayaking along the very
inlet where Blackbeard was

murdered 300 years ago.

Because this is a visual
phenomena, I want to make sure

that if we do see it,
we document it.

So, I've got this GoPro up here
facing forward.

I have another GoPro in
the back facing to my rear.

All that's left to do is paddle
out there and see what we find.

Let's go.

So a woman claims that she saw
a bright orange glowing light

that headed straight towards
her, scared her enough that

she went running and tripped.

Now, the big question is,
what is that orange light?

And I'm trying to keep an open
mind to all options that are

grounded in reality.

But for now, my mission
tonight, gather intel,

keep my eyes on the skies.

[Heather]
I arrive at the lighthouse,
the site of the earliest

village on the island.

It was once the stomping grounds
for Blackbeard and his crew,

and later, the location of
a terrible tragedy.

This is where people have seen

full apparitions,
shadow figures.

They've heard
whispering voices.

And this land itself is
the oldest settlement
of the island.

But there is a lot more history
to this place.

Shortly after Blackbeard died,
the settlers during the 1700s

were massacred by Spanish
pirates on this very ground.

That will leave an imprint.
So who's gonna show up tonight?

I guess we'll find out.

[suspenseful music playing]

I just saw something.

I saw a shadow over there.

Is that my shadow?
No, I just saw something.

There's nothing there.

I just saw a shadow.
It was very quick.

It was low to the ground,

but it popped up against
the white of this fence.

It was definitely a shadow.

I need to keep an eye

on both angles here because it
feels like something is

definitely watching us
right now.

And we need to try
and figure out who it is.

OK.

This is Heather.

I'm recording
at the lighthouse.

Let's see if they want
to communicate.

Is there anyone here with us?

[water lapping]

Wow!

The tide and the wind is
pushing me

right through this marsh,
right out to sea.

OK.

Light! Light!

There was a light!
Come on.

Right there, right there.

What is that?

Where'd it go?
Where'd it go?

It was right here,
right in this area.

Light, light!

Right there, right there.

[sighs]

I lost it.

[Heather]
I'm here to communicate
with you.

I have the Spirit Box.

I'm trying to understand
the activity on this island.

Are you the shadow figure that
I just saw?

Yes!

Can you tell me your name?

Were you massacred by
the Spanish pirates?

[static crackling]

Oh, that was very quiet.

Did you die in the settlement
that was founded here?

Blackbeard, are you here?

Blood?

You want revenge?

Yes, yes.

[wind whipping]

What was that?
Good Lord.

Did you hear that?

That sounded like...

like a wail of pain.

[wind whipping]

What was that?
Good Lord.

[uneasy music playing]

[Phil]
Unable to find a source for
the light I saw, I have a new

piece of tech to help
track it down again.

I just need some solid ground
to set it up.

This is our most light
sensitive camera.

And we have it on the most
amped-up nighttime
setting possible.

And it's connected to this
tablet, which is running

a custom program that filters
out all other colors except for

the color orange.

You will see the orange color
in my hand is showing up.

And no other colors are.

If there is anything orange
flying around out here,

we will get it on camera
and maybe get some answers.

OK.
We are rolling.

[low, suspenseful music playing]

Meanwhile, when we have
the FLIR, look for anything

with a heat signature
flying around in the sky.

Gotta be something out there.

[beeping]

Oh, look at that.
Look, look, look.

Oh, what...

is that?

[dramatic chord strike]

[Phil] That is orange.
That is not reflection.

And we have it on a low shutter
speed, so it's causing it to

look like a streak moving
across, but it's definitely

a focused point of light,
and I did not hear any planes

in the sky.

Swamp gas with this kind of
moving water, I doubt that.

And it's not a species of
lightning bug.

Typically, they have
a blinking pattern,

not a solid light
like that.

So that is something
I cannot figure out.

Heather, you there?

Yeah, what's going on?

I've seen the orange light
twice, and we got

it documented.
- No way!

- That's incredible!
- It is really unusual.

I can't wait to
show you the evidence.

How's it going
at the lighthouse?

The Spirit Box has been
really active.

I've been hearing things,
and I swear I saw a shadow

figure, so I want to keep
looking around here.

I'm getting some great
evidence out here, too,

so let's just keep pursuing
our leads, see where the night

takes us.
- Copy that.

- Stay on walkie.
- You got it.

After the responses I got when
asking about revenge, I want to

dig deeper into the life of
Edward Teach,

the man who became Blackbeard.

So I'm meeting with local
historian Chester Lynn.

His family goes back
generations on Ocracoke.

- Lovely to meet you.
- Good to meet you.

[Heather] He claims to have
insider knowledge about

Blackbeard's life and death
on the island.

You're born and raised here.

Your family's been here
since the 1600s?

Now, I hear you have a theory
about what happened to

Blackbeard's body,
after he was betrayed by

William Howard and killed.

Hmm.

Where do you think
they buried him?

So Blackbeard is buried
somewhere on Springer's Point.

So essentially,
Springer's Point was his home.

Yes, yes.

- [Heather] So that oak was there
when Blackbeard lived and died.
- Yes.

[Heather] Wow!

Find a giant tree, and we know
we're on the right track of

the area of where
Blackbeard was.

What about
Blackbeard's treasure?

You think it's on this island?

OK.

[Heather] Oh, my.

[Heather] Wow.

Essentially, that's evidence
of Blackbeard being there.

[Phil] While Heather talks to
the historian, I'm heading to

Springer's Point to speak with
another eyewitness.

Wade McVey is a longtime
local who had a frightening

experience in the nearby woods
that he cannot explain.

[Wade]
What brings you to Ocracoke?

I've heard too many stories
about this place,

and I understand you've got
some yourself.

Yes, sir.
I've got a few stories.

One particular time, I was out
here with a buddy of mine

catching sunset.

But before the sun had even
finished setting,

he got real antsy.

And he demanded that we leave
the beach right then,

being like, "We need to go."

And I'd never seen him
act like that.

And as we started up the path,

he had a glass bottle
in his hand.

And as we're walking,
something smacked

that bottle out of his hand,

hit the tree next to it with
a fair amount of force.

- [glass shattering]
- Shattered.

- He didn't just slip
and let it go flying?
- Nope.

Nope.
He didn't slip.

He didn't fall.
I saw the whole thing.

And I don't have an answer
for that.

He goes, "We need to get out of
here now."

We ran down the trail.

Once we were out of
Springer's Point, he told me,

"Man, when we were watching that
sunset, I just started getting

these creepy vibes."
- Hmm.

Like something was watching him.

All right, let's suppose that
there was some force that

knocked this bottle out of
his hand and smashed it.

Why?

Could have been the ghost
of the pirates.

See, Blackbeard had
a camp here.

Being that pirates are known to
be pretty territorial,

they're going to guard
this area.

Not to mention,

nobody really knows where
Blackbeard's treasure's at.

Could be here.

He doesn't want
one of us to find it.

And you think you've seen
enough to convince you that

the legends are real?

Knowing the history here
and everything that's happened,

it's easy to put
the dots together.

It seems like Springer's Point
is the place to be.

Oh, definitely.

A lot of really creepy stuff
happens here at night,

and you might just run into it.

[Heather]
As the sun sets, I meet with
Phil at Springer's Point on

the southern end of Ocracoke,
where Blackbeard and his crew

once had their camp,
and where my expert Chester

believes Blackbeard, and maybe
even his treasure, is buried.

It's crazy to think we're on
Blackbeard's turf right now.

Not just his turf.

This could be where Blackbeard
is actually buried.

And my historian did say that
some artifacts from

Blackbeard's time have been
found out here.

Great.
I brought a metal detector.

I want to look for any remnants
of the past and where

Blackbeard's treasure might be.

And while you're doing that,

I want to find Blackbeard's oak.

This tree is a living
connection to the past.

If Blackbeard's ghost is here,
being close to that tree

is my best shot
at communicating with him.

Well, I'll look for a shiny
treasure, and you look for

your tree.
- OK.

Well, good luck finding
anything in this terrain.

Don't worry.
I brought backup.

I got Robo Dog.
All right.

- Stay walkie.
- All right.

So, we have rigged Spot with
a mobile metal detector.

I'm going to set one up
on my own,

so while Spot takes on the south
side of Springer's Point,

I can take on the north,
and if he finds something good,

I'll get an alert.

All right.
Here we go.

I'm going to use his laser
radar, or his LiDAR, to perform

a grid search of the area.

People have been seeing
Blackbeard's ghost at

Springer's Point
for over 200 years.

And I gotta say,
it is very creepy.

Is there anyone here with me?

Blackbeard...

do you want me to
find Blackbeard's oak?

Am I going the right direction?

[footsteps crunching]

Blackbeard...

is your treasure
buried on Springer's Point?

Ooh, big spike.

[whispering] OK.

I'm going in the right
direction, I think.

[normally] What was that?

Is there anyone there?

Ooh.

OK.

Somebody's there.

Is this where Blackbeard
used to camp?

- [dramatic chord strike]
- Oop.

Oop.
That-- did y'all see that?

OK.

Am I going in
the right direction?

[footsteps crunching]

Ooh, big spike, big spike.

[suspenseful music playing]

[metal detector buzzing]

OK, we got something.

Come on.

He brings a robot,
but forgets a shovel.

Get some of this dirt aside.
Let's see if...

whatever I'm detecting is
inside this pile.

What's that?

What is that?

There's something in here.

[exhales]

What is that?

[blows air]
Look.

Look at that.

This must be part of a chain.

We got one loop right here,
another loop right there.

This could easily be
from the 1700s.

A remnant of Blackbeard's life.

OK, let's keep searching.

There it is.

Look at that.

I found Blackbeard's oak.

Wow!

The stories say Blackbeard
and his men camped next to this

very tree, which has been
standing here ever since.

It's like a witness tree.

I think it's my best chance to
actually communicate with

Blackbeard himself.
- [dramatic chord strike]

[beep]

Oh!

Hear that?

That is Robo Dog alerting me
of a find.

OK, let's go.

I see it.

All right.

I can back it off.

So...

So it was right over here,

right under that poison ivy

that I will brush aside
into the sand.

This is the good part.

Oh.

Oh.
Wait, wait!

Oh my god!

We got a coin!

This could be a coin that was
used by Blackbeard's pirates.

Even used by
Blackbeard himself.

You can see how
it's oxidized a little bit,

but it has enough features
that if I get some photos,

send it to Josh, I guarantee

he will be able to give
us a date.

And if only I could
take the credit

for actually finding it.
Good job, Spot.

- Phil, do you copy?
- Yeah, what's going on?

- I found Blackbeard's Oak.
- Amazing!

Send me the coordinates.
I'll be over there.

- Copy that, Hustle.
- Good boy, Spot.

I leave Robo Dog to keep
patrolling Springer's Point

and head off to meet up
with Heather.

Whoa, so this is
Blackbeard's Oak?

- I know, isn't it incredible?
- Absolutely amazing!

Well, I found a few things
it might recognize.

- What'd you find?
- Take a look at that.

That is a chain.
Could have been used on a ship.

Could have been used to lock up
your treasure.

- That's incredible.
- And this isn't all we found.

Spot had to one-up me
and found this.

No way!
Oh my gosh!

[Phil] This, to me, looks 1700s.

These artifacts could be from
Blackbeard himself.

And we know this tree is
from his time.

This is a golden opportunity to
do a really powerful

call-and-response session.

- Let's get set up.
- OK.

All right, this is
Blackbeard's flag.

This would have been like
his coat of arms, so you got to

hang it up.
- OK.

So, we have objects that are
most likely from

Blackbeard's time and rum.

[bottle pops]

I'm gonna start
the audio recorder.

This is Heather and Phil.

Blackbeard, if you're here,

we've come to communicate
with you using this flame.

If the flame goes higher,
I'll take that as a yes.

If it goes lower,
I'll take it as a no.

Blackbeard, if you're here...

give us a sign.

[Phil] Ooh.

[whispering] Seems like a yes.

[dramatic chord strike]

The pirate Blackbeard
lost his head.

Literally, his actual head
is missing.

After killing the pirate in
1718, Lieutenant Robert Maynard

gifts Blackbeard's head to
Virginia's governor,

Alexander Spotswood.

The skull is then mounted on
a pole at the mouth of

the Hampton River as a warning
to any would-be pirates.

But then, one day, it vanishes.

In the 1800s, it's alleged that
the skull is plated with silver

and used as a punch bowl.

Then, in the 1980s,
this disturbing drinking vessel

is seemingly rediscovered.

The estate of historian
Edward Snow

hands over what they say

is Blackbeard's silver-plated
noggin

to Salem's Peabody
Essex Museum.

The museum is unconvinced,
but it certainly seems like

a fitting end to me.
Your skull filled with alcohol?

Sounds like every
pirate's dream.

Cheers, Blackbeard.

Is this where your camp was?

- The flame just went up.
- Did it?

Yeah.

OK, keep talking.

[Heather] Blackbeard, are you
still on this island because

you're guarding your treasure?

- [Phil] It's dying down.
- [Heather] It is.

- [Phil] That's a no.
- [Heather] That's a no.

Are you looking for revenge?

Ooh!

- That got high.
- Right when you said revenge?

Yeah.
I mean, did you see that?

I felt like I needed to
scoot back a little bit.

And it's raining.

We asked for a sign.

[Phil]
So we have a sign of revenge.

- Yeah, OK.
- Stay on that.

Are you still here on this
island because William Howard

betrayed you?
Your own crew member.

- Ooh!
- Wind picked up.

Your own crew member.
Ooh!

That seems like a yes.

I'd say, I would be very angry
if it was my own close

crew member that
I'd worked with forever.

[thunder rumbling]

- Wow, it's really
starting to pick up.
- Yeah.

Are you here looking
for revenge?

- Who do you want revenge on?
- William Howard?

[thunder rumbling]

Flame just went out.
That still recording?

- Yeah.
- All right, flame's out.

Storm's coming in.
Just get out of here.

- Yes.
- All right, let's move.

Let's move.

Oh, god.

[Josh] Phil and Heather escaped
a storm worthy of

the high seas.

Once they dried off
and reviewed their shipload of

evidence, Heather believes
they not only found the man,

but also his motivation.

She is convinced they were
communicating with the ghost of

Blackbeard and even thinks
she's worked out why.

But we begin with what on
the surface is the most

valuable find of all,

the coin Phil and Robo Dog
discovered.

[Phil] Wait!

We got a coin!

[Josh] It's a colonial
Spanish 8 maravedís,

dated 1659.

Given that Blackbeard pillaged
the seas just 58 years later,

it's possible this coin really
could be one small part

of the pirate's lost
treasure hoard.

So perhaps there was evidence
of the treasure, but what about

the evidence of the man
who might have owned it,

Blackbeard himself,
Edward Teach?

Light!
Light!

What is that?

[Josh] Phil analyzed footage
he captured of the so-called

Teach's Light phenomenon.

Its uniform movement
and consistent light signature

has Phil convinced that,
far from being an echo of

something from 300 years ago,
it's something entirely modern,

a local resident
flying a drone.

The photos Phil took in
the cemetery also failed to

capture the same eerie green
glow, or, more importantly,

pirate-shaped shadow figure
that those of our witness did.

And while there wasn't visual
evidence of Blackbeard's
phantom presence,

Heather feels there was
a disturbing amount
that was audible.

[Heather] You want revenge?

Yes, yes.

- [wind whipping]
- What was that?

[Josh]
Throughout the team's time on
Ocracoke, whenever Heather

brought up the topic
of betrayal or revenge,

not only did the paranormal
activity pick up,

but so, curiously,
did the weather.

Are you here looking
for revenge?

- Who do you want revenge on?
- William Howard?

[Josh]
Heather points to the theory
that spirits can influence

wind and rain.

If that's really true,
then the ghost pirate's presence

was most certainly felt.

[thunder rumbling]

And there's more.

[Heather] Ooh, right there,
right there in the tree!

In the tree!
In the tree!

[Josh]
A cannonball-sized revelation.

The cemetery where
Blackbeard's supposed ghost
was seen

is the Howard Family Cemetery,
named after a William Howard,

who purchased Ocracoke Island
in 1759.

For decades,
historians believed this was

a descendant of
the William Howard who was

Blackbeard's quartermaster
before betraying him.

But now recently discovered
documents suggest this was no

descendant of William Howard.

Stunningly, it was
William Howard himself.

Yes, the same man who betrayed
Blackbeard went on to purchase

the entire island of Ocracoke
and is most likely buried in

the very same cemetery,
the pirate seemingly haunts.

If Blackbeard's ghost really is
looking for revenge, it seems

we can now prove something
seriously shocking.

He's looking in exactly
the right place.