TL;DR
A Wired feature examines the famous Pirates of the Caribbean scene where Jack Sparrow and Will Turner walk on the seafloor under an overturned dinghy that traps air. The author, a physics professor, asks whether that cinematic trick could actually work, without asserting a definitive verdict in the provided excerpt.
What happened
The Wired piece revisits a memorable escape sequence from the original Pirates of the Caribbean in which Captain Jack Sparrow and Will Turner leave Port Royal by walking across the seabed beneath an inverted rowboat that appears to keep a pocket of breathable air. Rhett Allain, identified in the article as an associate professor of physics, frames the sequence as both visually striking and scientifically curious, asking whether using an overturned dinghy to hold air underwater is feasible in real life. The story is presented in Wired’s science coverage and tags physics and movies as central topics. The excerpt highlights the cinematic setup and poses the central question about plausibility, but it does not include the detailed analysis or a final conclusion within the text provided here.
Why it matters
- It probes where film spectacle and basic physical principles intersect, helping readers separate cinematic license from real-world mechanics.
- The question invites public interest in applied physics by using a popular movie moment as an entry point.
- Understanding such scenarios can inform thinking about safety and limitations when people attempt to imitate stunts.
- The piece exemplifies how science writers can use culture and entertainment to explain scientific inquiry.
Key facts
- The scene in question appears in the original Pirates of the Caribbean film and features Jack Sparrow and Will Turner walking on the seafloor.
- In the movie sequence, the two characters use an upside-down dinghy to trap air so they can breathe underwater while walking.
- The Wired article that discusses this scene was written by Rhett Allain.
- Rhett Allain is described in the article as an associate professor of physics at Southeastern Louisiana University.
- The article was published on December 26, 2025, at 7:00 AM, on Wired.com.
- The story appears in Wired’s science/physics coverage and is tagged with topics including physics, forces, and movies.
- Photographic credit in the piece is attributed to the Everett Collection.
What to watch next
- Whether the article’s full text contains a step-by-step physics analysis and a clear conclusion about feasibility: not confirmed in the source.
- Any discussion in the full article about limitations such as air supply, pressure effects, or safety concerns: not confirmed in the source.
- If the author models the scenario quantitatively (volumes, pressures, or breathing times): not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- Dinghy: A small boat, often used as a tender for a larger vessel; in the movie scene an upside-down dinghy is used to trap air.
- Air pocket: A volume of air enclosed by a submerged structure that can, in some cases, remain trapped underwater.
- Hydrostatic pressure: The pressure exerted by a fluid at rest, which increases with depth below the surface.
- Buoyancy: An upward force exerted by a fluid that opposes the weight of an object immersed in it.
- CO2 buildup: The accumulation of carbon dioxide in a confined space, which can reduce breathable oxygen and pose a health risk.
Reader FAQ
Who wrote the Wired piece?
Rhett Allain, identified as an associate professor of physics.
When was the article published?
December 26, 2025, at 7:00 AM, according to the article header.
Does the article conclude that the trick in the movie is physically possible?
Not confirmed in the source.
Could an overturned rowboat realistically supply breathable air while walking on the seafloor?
Not confirmed in the source.
RHETT ALLAIN SCIENCE DEC 26, 2025 7:00 AM Could You Use a Rowboat to Walk on the Seafloor Like Jack Sparrow? In Pirates of the Caribbean, Jack and Will use…
Sources
- Could You Use a Rowboat to Walk on the Seafloor Like Jack Sparrow?
- Would going underwater in an upside down boat like Jack …
- Pirates of the Caribbean – Underwater boat logical or not?
- Is it possible to cross the river by “hiding” under the boat?
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