A new publication about historic activities of pirates in Maine includes a number of locations in the Boothbay region.

“Pirates and Lost Treasure of Coastal Maine,” written by Greg Latimer of Waldoboro and published by the History Press/Arcadia Publishing, describes a number of Boothbay region locales associated with pirates, from Captain Kidd to Bartholomew Roberts, and more.

 Boothbay legends involving Captain Kidd in Ovens Mouth in Boothbay and Davis Island in Edgecomb are mentioned. In an effort throughout the book for accuracy, Latimer points out certain inconsistencies in these tales, and includes some very well researched material from Phil Di Vece of Wiscasset regarding the Davis Island tale of hidden treasure that in 2015 was published in the Wiscasset Newspaper and more recently in Di Vece’s 2020 book, “The Town Crier.”

Boothbay is also mentioned as the hideout for pirate Richard Kennedy while seeking a spot to bury his ill-gotten gains from several years of piracy throughout the Atlantic.

Damariscove Island is described as a location that was a popular stopover for seafarers, including pirates, during the late 1600s and early 1700s. In particular, a ship from Black Sam Bellamy’s buccaneer flotilla was active around this island in 1717.

The book covers historic pirate activity throughout Maine, from Isles of Shoals in the south, and north to Machias. Issues like pirate politics, weapons and tactics, as well as modern day re-enactment events, are also covered.

“In this book, I endeavor to establish a new level of understanding for piracy of times past, as well as a focus on pirates who cruised Maine waters and treasure they may have left behind, all based on as much historical fact as we can establish,” Latimer writes in the Introduction. “We’ll follow some of these pirates on their journeys before and after they visited Maine to gain perspective on their stories.”

Latimer also emphasizes a separation throughout the book between pirate fact and fiction. “This book tries to separate the two and still tell a good yarn, because factual pirate history is even more interesting than all the fantastic tales told and told again over the last several hundred years,” Latimer wrote.

The book is presently being distributed to Maine bookstores and other retail venues. It is also sold online through www.redcloaktours the online resource from which a personalized inscription by the author may be obtained. A donation of $1 from each copy of the book sold from this online source will be made to the Good Shepherd Food Bank.

For more information, or to order an inscribed copy of the book directly, Latimer may be contacted by telephone at 380-9912 or greglatimercontact@gmail.com.