Modern Pirates of the Caribbean
by
Guy Matthews

The Caribbean island chain, with its share of rogues, has seen few mainlanders migrating to the islands with a practical plan to legally and ethically make the big casino.  The island beauty, weather and relaxed social convention play a part in attracting the individual who becomes the modern pirate of the Caribbean.  There have been the idealists and the naïve who, entranced by island time and brimming with good intentions, waste a lifetime in pursuit of their fortune. Only a very few have the wisdom to not be deceived by the island beauty and easy life and have the perseverance to succeed in legal commerce.

The pirates and raiders of previous centuries have been replaced by a modern variety every bit as evil as the buccaneers and freebooters of earlier times.  Their sins today run the gamut from pilferage to murder.

The Caribbean cruiser’s exposure to piracy comes from many sources.  The most prevalent and well known arises from the petty thieves, pilferers and the occasional dockside thug.  These bottom feeders of the pirate economy prey on the Caribbean cruiser by creating traffic in stolen gear such as dinghies, outboard motors, and VHF radios.

Less apparent, but every bit as dangerous as the bottom feeders, is the devious marine contractor, disreputable salvor and greedy professional technician who takes unconscionable advantage of a troubled and sometimes naïve cruiser.  The tools of the trade for this batch of buccaneers include the printed work order, yacht insurance policy, open salvage agreement, and price lists that would choke an elephant.

The least obvious and most evil of the current pirate class is the suave drug dealer, who perpetuates the drug trade from a perch in the lush watering holes of the island chain.  While this most evil of the pirates poses the least immediate risk to the daily affairs of the Caribbean cruiser, this modern pirate can be deadly to the cruiser on the rare occasions that their paths happen to cross. 

The huge profits from the illegal drug trade coupled with lax law enforcement and pliable public officials has made the island chain desirable to this worst breed of the modern day pirate --- the drug trafficker whose nautical skill and knowledge of the Caribbean is valuable to the trafficker and who preys on all strata of society. The drug dealing sociopath of the new millennium has replaced the buccaneer sociopath of the 18th century. The olden dreams of capturing the royal ship laden with gold has been replaced by the trafficker’s dream of transporting a boat load of drugs to the USA without detection. 

Today’s pirate comes in a variety of disguises virtually indistinguishable from the good island citizen . . . Patagonia shorts, Sebago deck shoes and Veruchia sunglasses have replaced the pirate’s broadcloth baggy trousers and pocketless shirts. The old buccaneer’s cutlass has been replaced by the cell phone and laptop computer.  The experienced cruiser learns to take precautions against thefts and criminality that would amaze any resident of the Bronx.  Every type of boat equipment is subject to theft, and there are threats to personal safety unheard of on the mainland.  These risks are taken in stride and are managed with aplomb by the aristocratic of the Caribbean cruiser class.

The life of many modern island pirates often starts with worthy intentions, but lax morals or greed somehow corrupt and divert the life course.  There is a universal hope in the cruiser community that this breed will not come to dominate island affairs in the future.