Just northwest off the coast of Colombia's mainland sits an island that was one of England's first colonies, and it goes by the name of Providencia. This small island is the least-visited by travelers and even tougher to get to than any of the other islands within its vicinity but despite that, this small land territory is home to a lengthy history... including some that go back to the days of the infamous Captain Henry Morgan, a pirate well known by the rum of the same name.
The island of Providencia is beautiful, that much is obvious, but its history hasn't always been a happy one. In fact, with so many celebrities in its past and multiple occupations, this island's journey through time has been anything but smooth. The island was first noted to come into existence - at least, as far as sea maps were concerned - during the 16th century. It's said that Christopher Columbus himself came to the island between the years of 1492 and 1500 when he was exploring San Andrés. However, it wasn't until the late 16th century when the island's true history began - as well as the fight for who would occupy it.
Life On Providencia
Life on an island such as this is simple, with its small population working either in tourism, the fishing industry, or in agriculture. Visitors are few and far between even though the island is stunning, also referred to as the island with a 'sea of seven colors' due to its natural flora, fauna, and marine life. On this island, according to BBC, residents refer to themselves as 'islanders' before claiming 'Colombians,' as this island is run in its own sufficient, sustainable way. With many tourists choosing the neighboring island of San Andrés over Providencia (partly due to the inaccessibility), there aren't many outsiders who make their way to its stunning shores. The island is home to many coves and the surrounding waters are tranquil and peaceful, even, and many would be surprised to know that the soil is so fertile that any number of tropical fruits and plants can be grown there.
This is likely part of what drew the earliest-known Puritan settlers to the island in 1631. However, what they didn't realize is that the island's location would eventually lead to the downfall of British colonial life on Providencia. While the island had the natural markings of a luxurious settlement, it would suffer attacks from the Spanish Empire, a rival of Britain at the time of the 1631 settlement. Along with this, droughts, shortages of labor, and ineffective harvests were all part of the list of things that plagued the Puritans, not unlike life in early America. The settlers would then enlist the help of indentured servants, which led to hundreds of African people being brought to the island. This later led to the first historic slave rebellion of any against a British colony, and all it took was one final Spanish raid - which occurred in 1641 - before the colony was reduced to nothing.
An Unexpected Takeover By Captain Morgan
This wouldn't be the end of it, though. After that final raid, others would come to attack the island, including the Dutch, English, and French pirates. It was no longer a battle for colonies, it was a battle for land and shelter while pirates planned other attacks. This every-man-for-himself ideology is what fueled the likes of pirates such as the infamous Blackbeard and others who followed in his footsteps, but Captain Morgan was by far the most notorious around San Andrés.
Providencia proved to be a worthy island to conquer for Captain Morgan as it became a hub from which he was able to attack both English and Spanish ships that were traveling with gold and other loot. It became one of his main bases for attack and, supposedly, there's a legend that claims the infamous pirate even buried one of his treasures on the island... Obviously, that has yet to be proven or found. If it were true, however, the treasure would most likely have been buried in a location that's now well-known as Morgan's Cave, which is accessible to visitors by boat during a day trip. With pirates running ramped in the Caribbean, it was a dangerous place to be for merchants and others who were responsible for sailing inventory ships. Captain Morgan wasn't the only pirate to scan these waters for loot and those who have been to Providencia likely know how easy it would have been to stage an attack from any one of its coves or hidden locations.