Logs of the Dead Pirates Society

A Schooner Adventure Around Buzzards Bay

By Randall S. Peffer


Latitudes & Attitudes, July 2005:

“At one time Buzzards Bay was the home of the boat building business in America. This is the story of one man's sail around Buzzards Bay, and how it affected his life. It is a tale of exploration and adventure.”


Midwest Book Review, August 2000:

“Buzzards Bay is a pocket of salt water on the southern Massachusetts coastline. Logs of the Dead Pirates Society: A Schooner Adventure Around Buzzards Bay is an absorbing account of a routine cruise on Buzzards Bay that became a rite of passage and a deeply personal quest for Captain Randall Peffer. He ruminates on the bay's history, and presents unusually keen and articulate insights on the bay's islands, coves, towns and townspeople. Part travelogue, part biography, part regional history, Logs of the Dead Pirates Society is the memorable, engaging, highly recommended account of the schooner SARAH ABBOT, her crew of high school students studying marine biology, and Captain Randall S. Peffer.”


From Library Journal, May 2000:

“Peffer (Watermen) is a licensed captain, a regular contributor to SAIL, WoodenBoat, Smithsonian, and National Geographic magazines, and a literature instructor at the Phillips Academy in Andover, MA. Each summer, as part of his school's ‘Oceans’ program, he takes a number of high school students studying marine biology out on Buzzards Bay aboard the 55' wooden research schooner SARAH ABBOT to explore and research the marine environment. Their voyages take them to unspoiled coves as well as busy shipping lanes, where they use seines (large nets) to gather marine specimens to monitor the health of the bay. Peffer delves into the physical and historical background of each area, telling tales of the indigenous Wampanoag Indians and relating fascinating Revolutionary War stories. He also does a fine job of chronicling the rise and fall of the whaling and shipbuilding industries. A good book for armchair sailors and an excellent view of historic Buzzards Bay, Peffer's account is recommended for both school and public libraries.”


Cruising World, March 2000:

“Whether you're a first-time visitor to Buzzards Bay or a veteran cruiser of the area, Peffer's log is both a history book and a cruising guide to the region. Three 11-day cruises with six high-school students take the reader from harbor to harbor with all the excitement of the locale's colorful history.”
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