Finding that it wasn’t worth the trouble to hold against repeated Spanish and French attacks, the British abandoned the present-day Bahamian port of Nassau in 1704.

And the pirates moved in.

An overview of the areas covered by Explorer Charts.

The fine harbor on the north side of New Providence Island was ideally situated, and it still is today, only not for pirates; for bareboat and crewed charters that convey sailors and powerboaters to the remote islands a short distance away. Nassau is in the heart of the Bahamas, with Eleuthera to the east, the Exumas to the south, Andros Island to the west, and Grand Bahama Island and the Abacos to the north. The Abacos in particular are a major charter destination, popular because of the beauty and laid-back, off-the-beaten track feel of the place. Isolated cays fringed with coral reefs, quaint little towns, white-sand beaches, and some of the best fishing in the Bahamas make the Abacos a charter adventure far removed from the glitz and glitter of present-day Nassau.

A beach cabana on Compass Cay, Exumas

Three centuries ago, the central location of Nassau was key to the pirates. Spanish galleons laden with South American gold and silver typically passed through the Bahamas and the Florida Straits. Although heavily armed and often traveling in fleets, the galleons were slow and prime targets. The pirates roamed the sea, hiding behind cays until a hapless vessel happened by. It’s easy to imagine the swashbucklers, the Jolly Roger flying, when chartering in the Bahamas.
Although the Spanish ships were a favorite, any merchant vessel sailing near or in the Bahamas was easy pickings for the most infamous pirates of the Caribbean, most of them based in Nassau – Edward Teach (Blackbeard), Charles Vane, Samuel (Black Sam) Bellamy, and Calico Jack Rackham, who is said to have invented the flag bearing the image of the feared skull and crossbones. Anne Bonny and Mary Read both served with Calico Jack, earning them the dubious honor of being considered among history’s most bloodthirsty female buccaneers. (Anne Bonny was actually Calico Jack’s lover, but she fought along with him and his crew too.)

Nassau had other advantages as a pirate haven besides its proximity to trade routes. The harbor was relatively shallow. British, French, and Spanish warships couldn’t enter, and the entrances were fortified. Blackbeard established a “Privateering Republic” and took up residence in Fort Nassau, lording over his less influential pirate brethren. Tent cities made from old sails lined the shores. The debauchery and violence of the harbor was legendary, and by 1715 about 2,000 pirates called Nassau home.

The Golden Age of Piracy in the Caribbean lasted for roughly 30 years, starting in earnest at about 1690 as pirates, many of them British, preyed upon any vessel with loot. The Spanish were hit hard, but so were British merchants, and the hue and cry in London became intense as losses mounted and trade declined. In 1718, Britain appointed a former privateer captain, Woodes Rogers, as the first royal governor of New Providence. His mandate was to turn chaos at Nassau into order.

C-Class sloops race in turquoise Bahamian waters.

Rogers came armed with the authority of King George to grant pardons to any pirate who surrendered and promised to stop pillaging. Many took him up on his offer. Some of these former swashbucklers were hired as pirate hunters, and they were good at their jobs, running to ground many of the most famous pirates who tried to escape. British warships, soldiers, sailors, and marines participated. By 1720, Nassau was once again a peaceful British port and the Caribbean Sea was much safer for trade. Rogers had a favorite slogan, which he evidently used often after his victory over the pirates of Nassau: “Piracy expelled, commerce restored.”

The history of the Bahamian-based pirates is kept alive today at the Pirates of Nassau Museum located in downtown Nassau, New Providence (www.pirates-of-nassau.com). Exhibits include a replica pirate ship and interactive displays. Docents dressed as pirates offer tours and brief educational presentations.

Editor’s Note: David W. Shaw is the author of seven nonfiction books, including a historical account of Flying Cloud, America’s most famous clipper ship.  For charter boats, view the Bahamas listings.  Photos and chart courtesy of Explorer Charts.