Battle at Whitecap Bay

*"Cowards! Back in the water! There be no refuge on land—on my word!*"

The **Battle at Whitecap Bay** was a skirmish between the crew of the *Queen Anne's Revenge* and the mermaids of Whitecap Bay, a location on the mysterious island that housed the Fountain of Youth. The crew came to the bay in need of capturing a live mermaid so that they could use their tear as part of the profane ritual at the Fountain of Youth. The death toll was large however the crew was ultimately successful and caught a mermaid called Syrena.

## Prelude

##### Previous: Mutiny on the *Queen Anne's Revenge*

Jack spoke with Angelica aboard the *Queen Anne's Revenge* as it set out on it's quest to find the Fountain of Youth, setting sail for Whitecap Bay so that it may collect a mermaid and steal it's tear. Angelica revealed to Jack that the ritual requires two silver chalices, a shimmering tear of a mermaid and a victim, whose years shall be stolen and granted to the other during the ritual. Jack said that his desire for the Fountain had now lessened after learning that his years gained would be the result of someone else's demise. Angelica retorted that while that may be, there was still something on board that he did desire. She took him to the captain's quarters which lay empty while Blackbeard sat in the chart room. She showed him the ships that Blackbeard had collected in bottles as his prize. She promised him his pick of any of the ships if he successfully helped her in her quest. Jack spotted within the collection, the *Black Pearl.*

## Recount

##### Arriving at Whitecap Bay

In order to capture a live mermaid for use in the ritual, the *Queen Anne's Revenge* arrived at Whitecap Bay, an area famed for the myths of mermaid sightings that also sat on the same island that housed the Fountain of Youth. The lighthouse tower sat in pitch black darkness, unused for years. As the ship arrived in the mermaid infested waters, there was no sign of such life. Blackbeard spied the lighthouse, giving the order to board longboats and reach the beach where they could illuminate the area by activating the lighthouse and aiding their search. Jack, Angelica and Blackbeard set out on their own longboat alongside the crew who made their way to the beach. They reached land of the island without any signs of mermaids in the area. While the crew set up nets in the waterfront along the beach, Blackbeard, Angelica and Jack climbed the lighthouse and found a means of turning it on. Once the tower was providing light, longboats pulled out onto the water, where they waited in the area for signs of a mermaid to show, hoping that the light would attract their attention.

The men within the boats grew anxious, telling one another tales of mermaids and their vicious attacks, aware that the men on these boats were the bait. Aware that mermaids were attracted to singing, Gunner ordered the men to begin singing. They sat for a long while on the still water, singing in the light of the lighthouse trying to attract the attention of mermaids. After a long while, Philip Swift saw the first sign of a mermaid, glimmering light under the surface of the water. He and Scrum watched the lights moving, making the rest of the crew aware that the mermaids were beginning to show up. Scrum turned to see a mermaid perched on the end of the longboat. It's appearance startled the crew, Ezekiel trying to warn off the mermaid with a blade. Scrum pushed Ezekiel aside, lured to speak to the enchanting beast. The mermaid began to sing to Scrum, luring other mermaid to the surface, surrounding the boats. Scrum was lured into placing his head under the water, leaning in to kiss a mermaid, however as he did so, the mermaids began their attack, turning their teeth sharp. Scrum retreated in fear and Ezekiel was able to knock one of the mermaids away as she leapt for Scrum.

The men began fighting back, stabbing and kicking at the mermaids as they tried to leap and grab the sailors defending themselves. The mermaids quickly began attacking the longboats themselves, poking them with holes as they sent their arms through the bottom wooden boards. The sailor known as Derrick fell between the loose boards and into the water where he was descended upon and torn apart by mermaids. Philip Swift was also grabbed and was still alive as they began to drag him into the black depths. Sailors on other boats began dropping explosive barrels into the water, where they would explode and push the mermaids to the shore. One blast from a barrel caused the mermaid dragging Philip to be warned away allowing him to swim back to the surface. The mermaids turned their attention to the boats that threw the explosive barrels into the water, turning one over, causing the men on board to fall from the boat, all of them except for Purser, who held on as he and a barrel were turned over into the water. He was caught in the chaos as the barrel exploded and sent the ship flying into the air. Purser's corpse would've been feasted on by the mermaids.

Blackbeard used the Sword of Triton to control the *Queen Anne's Revenge,* releasing the Greek fire and herding the mermaids away from the ships and closer to shore. The men stood ready with their nets as the mermaids approached the beach. The mermaids were wise to the trap however, and stayed far from the nets, instead using ropes made of seaweed to latch onto the sailors and drag them into the deep water. One by one the men were grabbed and yanked into the black water. Jack called for a retreat but Blackbeard ordered his men to stand their ground. He threatened to shoot any man who fled the waters. Jack could see from the small pier that a vast amount of mermaids approached in the distance. Angelica was also grabbed by a rope of seaweed as the pier was brought down into the water, but Jack was able to cut the rope before Angelica was pulled into the water. Jack ran to the tower, with a plan to detonate the top the tower and cause it to detonate, hoping it would scare away the mermaids. He began a sprint across the wooden walkways to the tower, where mermaids leapt up to grab him as he ran.

Philip Swift was able to swim to shore, at a quiet patch of rock away from the battle. He was still spotted by one mermaid who was known as Syrena. She approached Philip, silently. Jack meanwhile reached the top of the tower, breaking the vat of whale oil and causing it to spill on the open flame that worked the lighthouse. It immediately spewed out in large flames and Jack leapt from the top of the tower just as the entire tower exploded, sending flames and debris over the battlefield. Syrena saw a wooden beam falling to hit Philip. She leapt from the water and pulled him to safety. As she tried to escape, she herself became trapped under fallen debris, leading to her capture as crewmen saw her struggling. The rest of the mermaids fled into the waters.

As the fighting dissipated, some of the crew came to shore, claiming to have captured a live mermaid. As they released their catch however they learnt that it was Scrum they had caught. As Philip came to, he saw Syrena caught under the rubble. He immediately leapt to action to try and capture her, moving the rubble and then chasing after her as she attempted to flee. He caught her, putting his sword through her tail. Almost immediately, after seeing Syrena in pain and innocent, Philip removed his blade. Before Syrena could leave, a net was dropped onto her, capturing her for good. Jack appeared back on shore as Blackbeard gave Philip his praise. They tied up Syrena and took her aboard the *Queen Anne's Revenge* as a captive.

## Aftermath

##### Next: Skirmish at Palm Tree Grove

The pirates retreated from Whitecap Bay, leaving behind them the debris and chaos of the battle they had against the mermaids. The *Queen Anne's Revenge* sailed across the island and found a protected cove, from where they could set out on foot once more to find the Fountain, now in possession of a mermaid. The morning after the battle, the British Navy arrived at the beach, the HMS *Providence* arriving. On the beach Lieutenant Groves stared in wonder at the corpses of dead mermaids washed up on the shore. Gibbs demanded that Barbossa leave this quest behind him. As they spoke, the HMS *Providence* came under attack from a swarm of mermaids. Barbossa immediately ruled that they were to continue on foot across the island. The ship was sunken off the coast as Groves watched in horror.

## List of Combatants

(Those who lost their lives in combat are noted with a star)

#### Mermaid Horde

1. Tamara
2. Syrena
3. Marina

#### Crew of the *Queen Anne's Revenge*

1. Blackbeard
2. Angelica
3. Jack Sparrow
4. Gunner
5. Scrum
6. Philip Swift
7. Ezekiel
8. Cabin Boy
9. Derrick\*
10. Purser\*
11. Salaman
12. Garheng

## Appearances

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides