What is wreck of the ten sails real?

The Wreck of the Ten Sails is a historic maritime event that occurred in February 1794 off the coast of Grand Cayman Island in the Caribbean Sea. The ships were a convoy of ten vessels consisting of nine merchant ships and one naval vessel, the HMS Convert, under the command of Captain John Lawford. The convoy was heading from Jamaica to Great Britain when they encountered a strong storm that forced their ships to near the reef near Grand Cayman Island.

As the ships approached the shoals, the sailors realized that the rocky reef was not marked on their charts. The convoy attempted to avoid the dangerous reef but nine out of the ten ships were wrecked, as they hit the coral reef and were smashed to pieces by the strong waves. Only one ship, the Witby, was able to sail safely.

The incident was marked by a heroic act of rescue by the local inhabitants of the island, who risked their own lives to save the sailors. The rescue mission was led by a local man named William Eden, who became known as the hero of the Wreck of the Ten Sails. The governor of the island, Thomas Lawrie, also played a significant role in organizing rescue efforts. Thanks to their efforts, only five lives were lost out of over 500 sailors who were stranded on the reef.

The Wreck of the Ten Sails has since become an important part of the Caymanian cultural heritage, celebrated annually as part of the island’s national parade, Pirates Week. In 2017, the Cayman Islands Government erected a memorial at the site of the wreck, to commemorate the event and honor those who were involved in the rescue mission.