Did Pirates hide their treasure in Lamu, Kenya?
Whispers of pirate activity have echoed throughout the ages
Could it be a legend that has faded with time, or is there a glimmer of truth to it?
A 1946 East African Standard newspaper cutting I stumbled upon hints at the possibility of pirates concealing their treasures in the sands of Shela Beach, Lamu, adding a layer of mystery to this coastal town.
The story goes that treasure hunters made spirited efforts some years back to find these hidden treasures, mainly gold. There are no tales of any luck.
Lamu should invite treasure hunters to try their luck as other pirate havens have done over the years.
For instance, The Caribbean Islands, a notorious hotspot for piracy during the 17th and 18th centuries, has always attracted treasure hunters with mixed luck. Pirate treasures have been discovered on islands such as Jamaica, the Bahamas, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. One famous example is the discovery of the wreck of the pirate ship Whydah Gally off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, which yielded a treasure trove of artefacts.
Hidden gold artefacts have been found on islands and shipwrecks in Florida.
Whispers of pirate activity have echoed throughout the ages in the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean. The island of Madagascar, a rumoured haven for these seafaring outlaws, has seen its shores scoured by treasure hunters and archaeologists in search of these elusive pirate treasures.
That might be how pirate treasures ended up in Lamu’s Shela beach (if at all there is). Over to you, treasure hunters. Go and dig up Shela Beach!