Lt. Beamish, just named Governor of New Providence, prepares to welcome the commander of a Spanish galleon. His inexperience and trusting nature make him a good mark for the wily Spaniard, whose visit is not a friendly one.

A raiding party of pirates led by Blackbeard is looting the storehouse of New Providence. They leave behind one teenage lad to cover their retreat. Tempest is frustrated that raids like this can happen and wants Beamish to supply him with weapons to arm his sloop so he can go to sea and take the fight to them. Beamish sees to it and the captured boy is pressed into service as Tempest's cabin boy and they head out to sea to search for Blackbeard.

A crew are at sea in search of Ambergris, better known as whale gold. A substance worth 5 times its weight in gold. When a number of the crew find a deposit on an island things get difficult when they try to hide their find from the rest of the crew.

A pirate ship is seen in the waters around New Providence, with a Spanish blockade already in place, Tempest concocts an audacious plan to not only stop the pirate but destroy his ship.