Times of the Islands Fall 2021

Launching a journey of rediscovery
Now, 223 years later on a summer afternoon in 2021,
local Captain Ernesto Von Der Esch, Agile LeVin, Lynn
Pelowski and I set out to find the spot of the long-ago
battle. We admit to a juvenile thrill, once again imagining
ourselves as pirates back in the day. Didn’t we all want to
hoist the Jolly Roger and raid ships with cutlass in hand
while living free on the high seas? Reality is somewhat
different, we know. But on this day, we recaptured a bit
of our childhood on our way to rediscovering the baddest
pirate attack in Turks & Caicos history.
But Brown’s encounter with pirates was no ordinary
swashbuckling adventure. The showdown off West Caicos
brought to the fore a confluence of slavery, trust, bravado,
foolhardiness and courage under fire, all against
a backdrop of French and British forces clashing on the
edge of empire for dominance of the Caribbean and the
world.
Some 15 years before us, Providenciales veterinarian
Mark Woodring came across a cannon and the remnants
of a wreck off the eastern shore of West Caicos. He contacted
a historian friend who recognized the spot as
the possible scene of Brown and crew’s encounter with
pirates. After reading my article, “Hidden Legacy: Slavery
and Loyalists in ‘Grand Caicos’” (Times of the Islands,
Spring 2020), which included Brown’s skirmish with
pirates, Mark contacted me and generously provided the
coordinates for follow-up.
The COVID-19 pandemic put a damper on plans for
an expedition in 2020. Even after restrictions eased, we
waited for the normally choppy seas on the windward
eastern shore of West Caicos to abate to have the best
shot of finding the cannon. Then we could place the battle
with some confidence and game out the story of what
probably happened. The summer winds blowing from the
southeast didn’t let up, however, so on July 31, 2021 we
decided to just go for it.
Heading to West Caicos
At Little Water Cay, the sloops cut through the Leeward
Channel that led to the Caicos Banks while the tide was still
high enough for the keels to clear the shallow bottom. The
boats continued sailing downwind along Providenciales’
south coast past Long Bay, Gussy Cove, (now South Dock)
and Five Cays Bay. From here they took a straight shot to
Southwest Reef just off the south end of West Caicos and
the wreck they hoped to find. The enslaved crew relished
the chance to be on the water and away from field work
on the plantations. But they also knew that pirates lurked
off the coast and so steeled themselves to the prospect of
an attack.
Just before noon, Brown and the crew ate pieces of
johnnycake and knocked back a slug of rum, as was the
custom then. Just ahead, they caught their first glimpse
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