The complete guide to find all sea shanty locations in Assassin’s creed Black Flag Resynced. All song locations organised by area on the map, island and city. Get them all and sail the Caribbean listening to all classic sea shanties.
Keep reading as we will reveal how to unlock one extra secret sea shanty, The Wellerman.
How to catch a Sea Shanty in AC Black Flag Rescynd
Sea Shanties appear in Black Flag as floating sheet music. Some are perched on top of trees, ropes or buildings. As soon as you approach them, they’ll fly away, moving away from your position. You’ll have to run after the sheet music until you manage to catch it. However, the sheet music won’t run away for long, and if you don’t manage to catch it, it’ll rise up and disappear. To try again, you’ll need to wait a few minutes before returning to the same spot.
Songs can drift in either direction. Just because you’re ‘behind’ the song doesn’t mean it’ll drift towards you. But this means that every shanty has two paths it can take, and you can always try whichever one seems easiest to you.
🏆As soon as you catch the first Sea Shanty, you’ll receive the Yo Ho… achievement.
All Sea Shanty Locations In AC Black Flag Resynced
Cape Bona Vista
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So Early in the Morning
The only sea shanty in Cape bona vista is located on a tree branch. Approach if from the north, through the remains of the old settlement and enter the tunnel leading into the cave.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
This sea shanty originated in the early 19th century from african-american and West Indian shore work songs. It was later adopted by Transatlantic merchant sailors as a functional halyard and pump shanty.
Havana
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Derby Ram
You’ll find the first sea shanty in Havana in the dock area. Jump from boat to boat and you’ll find it on one of the boats.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
This sea shanty is actually a traditional tall tale English folk song that it is believed to have developed from ancient pagan rituals involving the worship of rams.
Bully in the Alley
This song is located on a rope between two buildings, near the tavern.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
Written evidence of this song appears in 1870 in the Hartford Courant. Cecil Sharp also collected further versions of this song in 1914. Stan Hugill considers it to be a sailors’ song originating in the West Indies, but others attribute it to Black dockworkers in the southern United States as a sailors’ song about spinning cotton.
Billy Riley
Appears floating between two buildings, in the alley behind the Flint’s End mission.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
Billy Riley is considered to be one of the first shanties, probably emerged as a cotton hoosier chant, and is African-American in origin.
The Dead Horse
You’ll find it on a rooftop in the southern part of Havana. The best way to catch it is to approach from the north.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
Also known as “Poor Old Man” or “Poor Old Horse” has its origins in a 19th-century maritime ritual that marked the end of a sailor’s first month at sea, when he had finally paid off the debt he had incurred by receiving his wages in advance.
Running Down To Cuba
On a clothesline between two buildings in the western section of Havana. The easiest way to catch it is to approach it from the east.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
The first known reference to this sea shanty appears in a 1924 book entitled A Gipsy of the Horn, in which the author, Rex Clements, describes his career as a sailor some 20 years earlier. In describing the different types of sea shanties and the tasks they accompanied, he refers to this one as a “sea shanty for doing absolutely nothing”.
The Coasts of High Barbary
Located on the northwest part of the city. The song sheet floats above a rope between two buildings. The easiest way to catch it is approaching it from the south.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
Popular among British and American sailors, “Coast of High Barbaree” is most frequently sung as a ballad. An earlier version of the song is found in the Stationers’ Register of January 14, 1595.
Spanish Ladies
On a rooftop near the Castillo San Salvador de la Punta, on the northeastern part of Havana. Approach it from the south for a quick and easy catch.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
Spanish Ladies is a traditional British naval song, typically describing a voyage from Spain to the downs from the viewpoint of ratings of the Royal Navy.
Salt Key Bank
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Fish in the Sea
The song appears floating above a clothesline between two houses in the southern part of the village. For an easy catch, approach it from the south.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
Early versions of the song are referred to as “Fishes Lamentation” or “Winde Old Weather”. Collector W.B.Hall dates the song to the 1860s, performed by a variety of folk singers. Almost impossible to identify a definitive set of lyrics.
Nassau
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Paddy Doyle’s Boots
The song sheet floats on top of a rooftop in the northeastern section of the village. To catch it stay on the rooftops and elevated paths whenever possible.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
The earliest known publication of this shanty was in 1909 with a single line given in National Magazine’s song collection, Heart Song Dear to the American People.
Randy Dandy-O
The sea shanty is located on a rooftop near the local officer and the pirate captain mission. Stay on the rooftops and avoid dropping to ground level.
Drunken Sailor
Near the centre of the village and opposite to a viewpoint. The sea shanty floats on a rooftop and it will follow a route across the village.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
Drunken Sailor is a traditional 19th century work song. The modern version of the sea shanty is actually part of the album Written in salt, published in 2016.
Stormalong John
Opposite to the Other Brother mission, the song sheet floats between tents on the western side of the settlement.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
Close to “Stormalong, Lads, Stormy” was passed down by Harding, a Bardadian shantyman known for his powerful singing style and distinctive vocal “hitches”.
Leave Her, Johnny
The song appears floating between two tree trunks, near the swamp on the western side. Outside the Village of Nassau.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
The earliest known evidence of this song appears in W.B. Whall’s autobiography School and Sea Days (1901) which paces it in the 1860’s. Folklore holds that this was a shanty saved for the last duty of a voyage, after which all hands would disembark.
Cat Island
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The Río Grande
Located on the southeastern part of the island. It floats above a tree stump. Approach the song sheet from the northeast and stay on the main path, as the song slows down and stops near ground.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
A 19th-century sea shanty, traditionally popular amongst American and British crews. Some believe that the title refers to the Rio Grande, but the song is actually about the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul and its main port, which bears the same name.
Great Inagua
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Whiskey Johnny O’
This sea shanty is floating between two branches near the western courtyard on Du Casse’s manor.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
Also known as “whisky Johnny”, is a traditional halyard shanty originating from 19th century British and American sailing ships. Used by sailors while hauling on ropes to hoist heavy sails.
The Wild Goose
You’ll find this song sheet on the southeast side of the island, near the first Mayan Stela. The shanty floats between the trees in the clearing with the Mayan puzzle.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
Also known as “Well Ranzo Way” or “Ranzo Way” originated on 19th century sailing ships. Used as a versatile work song for tasks like hauling halyards.
Grand Cayman
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Captain Kidd
On top of a tree, between two branches, on the Northern part of Grand Cayman, southwest from Cruz.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
“The ballad of Captain Kidd” originated as a 1700 broadside ballad lamenting the crimes and impending execution of Captain William Kidd. Though it was widely sung at sea, it began as a tavern song.
Kingston
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Roll and Go
It is floating on a wooden ledge on the southeastern part of Kingston, near the shoreline. Approach it from the west and chase it across the rooftops.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
The sea shanty evolved during the 19th century golden age of sail from a mix of African- American shore and work songs.
Cheerly Man
It is floating on a rooftop, on top of a wood house, southeast of the central church. North of the Southeastern viewpoint.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
“Cheeirly Man” is probably one of the oldest of all. With most of the verses camouflaged, due to its obscene language. The shanty was later reconstructed as the halyard long haul shanty.
Hi-Ho Come Roll Me Over
Opposite the Beat the Chest Local Event. It foals on a rooftop southwest of the central church. Approach it from the north for an easy catch.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
It is a traditional working sea song documented by folklorist Stan Hugil, with early printed roots appearing in a January 1906 article by John Massefield.
Good Morning Ladies All
Floating on top of a rooftop that connects with another house with a clothesline, west of a viewpoint.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
“Good Mornin Ladies All-A” is a capstan chanty. Cecil Sharp believes it to have an affinity with “Heave Away, Me Johnnies”. The song was later reconstructed as a capstan chanty.
The Sailboat Malarkey
Floating on a rooftop next to the Imagine My Surprise mission of the main quest. Approach it from the north for an easy catch.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
This sea shanty is a West Indian work song that originated from the Bahamas. It was traditionally used for launching boats and later adapted for capstan work on chips.
Handy Me Boys
On the northwest part of Kingston, floating on top of a rooftop. North from the Church, across the street.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
“Handy, Me Boys” is a 19th century hauling sea shanty featuring improvised verses built from floating lyrics clichés common on sailing ships. It is the version based on Captain Richard Maitland’s rendition, which appears in the book Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman, 1972, that has become the standard version within the folk revival movement.
Principe
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Blow the Man Down
You’ll find it floating on a clothesline between two buildings. This area becomes available during and after sequence 9.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
Blow the Man Down is a traditional English-language sea shanty that originated in the mid-19th century aboard Western Ocean packet ships sailing between Liverpool and New York.
Extra: Sea Shanties Unlocked after Missions
Restore the Map and Unlock “The Wellerman”
“The Wellerman” is a Sea Shanty that does not appear simply floating in the air, as the other songs do. To collect this song, you’ll need to restore 10 yellowed map pieces. These map pieces will give you the final coordinates to the Sea Shanty.
The first requirement to start your journey into unlocking “The Welleman” is that you must reach sequence 4 and rebuild the Treasure Dealer at Great Inagua Docks on the western side of the dock. At the merchants shop you can restore treasure maps. The most difficult one to restore requires 10 yellowed map fragments.
To obtain these yellowed map fragments you’ll need to complete Schooners trade missions. These are also the most profitable ones with rewards between 1250-4600 Reales. Once you collect and restore the 10 yellowed pieces, these will reveal the coordinates to travel to Black Island at the coordinates 915,617. Once at these coordinates, dig for treasure.
❗It is important to note that this treasure chest won’t appear on the map, unless you complete and restore the 10 yellowed map fragments before.
🦜❓HISTORICAL FACT
The “ Soon May the Wellerman Come” sea shanty, also known as “the Wellerman” was first published in New Zealand in the 1970’s. However its origin is unknown. It was first documented in 1966 by Neil Colquhoun from a man in his 80’s who said he had been taught it by his uncle.
Set Sails and Sing Along
Get all the sea shanties in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced and sing while you sail aboard the jackdaw into adventure. With all the song sheets found, raise the sails and enjoy your crew’s favourite tunes as you explore the Caribbean.
Join us and find other gamers that are also sailing the Caribbean. Check out or blog for more news, guides and curiosity.
