The Pirate History of Florida: How Boca Grande, Sanibel Island and Pine Island Became Famous Florida Pirate Bases The Story of Jose Gaspar, Brewster Baker and Black Caesar.

In 1500 Spanish sailing ships began hauling gold from South America to Spain. Trade winds caused them to sail near the western coast of Florida, where pirates learned to gather to prey upon them. Thus it was that for 300 years the western coast of Florida became infamous as a pirate lair. We explore this, finding a unique cultural enigma. To have lived in the periods between 1500 and 1800 was not easy. Life was often unjust, hard, brutal, and short. Especially if you were poor. Yet in the midst of this period of injustice and cruelty, the unique practice of piracy created opportunities for a few brave men and women to carve out a life of decency and justice. More honest that the European countries from which they had escaped, and destined to perish early and violently, these “pirates” were in essence more honest and decent than the cultures that loathed them and hunted them down. Thus we focus on the lives of Jose Gaspar and his 200 pirates that lived on the coastal islands where Sanibel Island and Boca Grande are now located. Theirs is an interesting story that should be remembered. The pirates of Florida lived (from 1500 to 1800) isolated lives along the wild untamed coasts of western Florida. Following the codes of conduct established by the original pirate culture of the Templar knights, they followed standards of conduct that were in some ways superior to the cultures from which they had escaped. They epitomize mankind’s eternal struggle for decency and honor. Once they realized that they had found it, they heartily embraced their perilous lives as pirates. They knew that their lives would probably be short, but they also knew that it was worth it. Hey, you have to admire those guys!