Rudy Scheer stood on the edge of the Florida Coast, looking east towards open seas and the northernmost islands of the Florida Keys, declaring:
"We're going on a Pirate Hunt!"
What, exactly, is a pirate hunt? Justin Case is not certain. However, he and Rudy have heard rumors of a remarkable clue hiding in Biscayne Bay. Supposedly, there is a mark which will lead them to evidence left behind by two of the most notorious pirates every to have sailed the waters now known as Biscayne National Park. Many say these legendary men never really existed. To prove that legends are real they enlist their friends Bethany, Amelia, and Lucy.
Thus, the Junior Rangers Investigative Club embarks on a voyage through the mangrove islands and coral reefs of southern Florida. When they notice a suspicious ship trailing them and discover an ancient map tied to pirate tales, their adventure quickly becomes a perilous race to uncover the Treasure of Biscayne Bay.
This third book in the Junior Rangers Investigative Club Novels, is a standalone swashbuckling adventure in Biscayne National Park.
Rudy Scheer stood on the edge of the Florida Coast, looking east towards open seas and the northernmost islands of the Florida Keys, declaring:
"We're going on a Pirate Hunt!"
What, exactly, is a pirate hunt? Justin Case is not certain. However, he and Rudy have heard rumors of a remarkable clue hiding in Biscayne Bay. Supposedly, there is a mark which will lead them to evidence left behind by two of the most notorious pirates every to have sailed the waters now known as Biscayne National Park. Many say these legendary men never really existed. To prove that legends are real they enlist their friends Bethany, Amelia, and Lucy.
Thus, the Junior Rangers Investigative Club embarks on a voyage through the mangrove islands and coral reefs of southern Florida. When they notice a suspicious ship trailing them and discover an ancient map tied to pirate tales, their adventure quickly becomes a perilous race to uncover the Treasure of Biscayne Bay.
This third book in the Junior Rangers Investigative Club Novels, is a standalone swashbuckling adventure in Biscayne National Park.
“Two pirates are rumored to have terrorized the waters of Biscayne Bay: Black Caesar and Henri Caesar. Although they both carry the name Caesar, and their tales are remarkably similar, they are not related. In fact, these two legends are separated by over a century.
Despite this separation in time, they both used cunning tactics to ambush ships off the Florida Coast. They both used knowledge of the waters surrounding the Florida Keys to shelter from armed pirate hunters. They both amassed hordes of wealth, lots of fame, and legendary status. Yet another fact unites these two unrelated Pirates named Caesar: at the height of their infamy, they vanished!
Yet stories of these two brazen swashbucklers live on, and rumors hold that one of them left their mark, here in Biscayne National Park!” Rudy launched into his first story. “Here’s how I think it happened:
Henri Caesar: Early 1800s
Wind whipped across the ocean spraying seawater over the pirates as they climbed down onto their rowboats. Crossing the narrow channel, the men leapt out beside a small rocky island, splashing in ankle-deep water beside the rock. “Grab the lines,” their captain ordered. “Pull!”
His crew had carried heavy lines which were attached to their ship’s mainmast. They wrapped these ropes around a heavy metal hook embedded in rock and began to pull. The lines grew taut, and their anchored ship began to list. “Heave ho, heave ho!” Captain Caesar watched his ship keel over.
His men grunted and struggled. Their ship tipped further and further, until her mast tilted below the tallest trees on the surrounding islands. Now she was hidden from the pirate hunters who cruised the Florida Straits. “Stop!” Captain Caesar called before the ship canted further. “Tie her off.”
His men worked to secure her. She would float, secured, hidden, and ready to ambush any trade ships which sailed too close to Biscayne Bay. “Back to base. Time to divvy our spoils,” the pirate captain brashly declared. His crew cheered.
One voice spoke up. “Captain Henri, are we leaving our ship here?” their newest crewmate, a young cabin boy, asked. “What if someone steals her?”
“Relax. That rock—” Captain Henri Caesar pointed to the small island with the metal hook “—is my rock. This creek is my creek. I’ve marked these islands, and no one dares cross Caesar’s Mark.”
That wouldn’t be true forever. Florida had been sold to the United States. They were building a lighthouse on an island to the north and had dispatched a fleet to hunt pirates. Captain Caesar’s Mark would not keep them away forever, but for now it was time to celebrate another pirate haul.”
Rudy waited for his small audience to react. When they didn’t, he cleared his throat. “Or perhaps it happened like this:
Black Caesar: About 1715.
A hundred years earlier, a longboat drifted through the same channel. The rowing men were part of the most notorious pirate crew ever to sail the seven seas. Their captain cast a terrifying figure. He had fuses tied into his beard. He lit them in battle to intimidate his victims. Today they were unlit. Blackbeard had come to recruit.
Blackbeard’s ship was anchored in the depths offshore. The local reefs were treacherous, but there were rumors of a powerful pirate who used the Florida shallows to hide from navies and attack merchants. Blackbeard’s men rowed deeper into Biscayne Bay. Another pirate ship, smaller than the Adventure, appeared.
As Blackbeard’s boat neared, a rope ladder spilled down from the main deck. Stepping aboard, Blackbeard scanned the deck for gold, silks, fine China, or prisoners. “Looking for my treasure?” the other pirate captain asked. “It’s hidden.” The captain was a tall Black man with his own long beard. He twirled it as he spoke. “So, you’ve come to propose an alliance?”
Blackbeard laid out his plans, and he must have been convincing, because at the end of their conversation, Black Caesar leaned forward. “Why not? A partnership with Blackbeard will provide many opportunities. I’ll join you. However, I’m leaving my treasure here.” He wasn’t naïve. He didn’t trust Blackbeard entirely.
“We will be gone for some time. Are you certain it will be here when you return?” Blackbeard asked.
“I’ve marked it with my seal,” Black Caesar answered. He pointed to the black flag flying overhead. “No one will cross Caesar’s Mark.”
The two pirate captains joined forces, prepared for marvelous adventures. Adventures which were cut short when Blackbeard and his pirate allies were ambushed off the coast of Carolina. Caught in that ambush aboard the Adventure, Black Caesar never returned to collect his treasure. Yet his mark still exists somewhere within the bounds of Biscayne National Park.”
“What do you think?” Rudy asked Ranger Tamara. He was standing, while Justin and the ranger were sitting on her front porch overlooking Caesar Creek. Justin could make out the shadow of Caesar’s Rock in the darkening channel over his friend’s shoulder. He tried to picture the pirate ship from Rudy’s story anchored nearby, teetering over as it was held down by a metal hook.
Ranger Tamara laughed boisterously. “Those are great stories.”
“Thanks.” Rudy took the compliment. “Justin and Cassidy helped.” Cassidy had done most of the writing. Justin had edited out some of her crazier ideas. “They also helped me with a big pirate hunting speech! Want to hear that, too?”
“Maybe later.” Ranger Tamara shook her head. “First, I have some notes. Caesar Creek was dredged in the 1920s so rich tourists could dock their yachts out here. The stories say Pirate Caesar anchored his ship next to Caesar’s Rock, but I’m not certain big pirate ships could fit in Caesar Creek two hundred years ago. Besides, there is absolutely no evidence of a giant metal hook on Caesar’s Rock.”
Justin chuckled. “We know. We’ve already checked.”
Ranger Tamara nodded. “As for your second story. The legend is that Black Caesar teamed up with Blackbeard. But why would a pirate who was already rich and powerful agree to join Blackbeard’s crew?”
“I know, you hate pirate stories.” Rudy nodded reluctantly. “I was just trying to explain Caesar’s Mark.”
“I’ve never seen Caesar’s Mark in Biscayne,” Ranger Tamara countered. “So, according to your theory, there’s a pirate mark out here, and it was either used to locate buried treasure or as some sort of territorial marker?” Rudy nodded. “Those are good stories, but that’s all they are. Black Caesar, Henri Caesar, and Caesar’s Mark: they are just legends. People have done a great deal of harm to parks looking for legends. Can’t you find another way to entertain your friends?”
“Pirates are cool,” Rudy answered. “When our friends get here, we’re going to find Caesar’s Mark and prove that Black Caesar and Henri Caesar aren’t just legends.” His tone changed, and he smiled. “I’ll even show you where we’re going to look.”
Ranger Tamara breathed in deeply. “Alright.” Rudy eagerly presented his doctored park brochure. “That’s a lot of places. How did you come up with all of them?”
“I guessed,” Rudy answered.
Justin tried not to laugh. “I’m going for a walk.” He’d already heard Rudy make his pitch to every ranger, volunteer, and archeologist in the park. He didn’t need to hear it again.
The wooden steps creaked as Justin left the screened porch. The other two houses on the island were dark. That was for the best. His friends would be calling soon, and Justin didn’t want to mention the Big Mystery with his parents around. Pulling the heavy metal compass from his pocket, his fingers traced the letters etched into its case: W.A.R. Hopefully, he would learn what those letters stood for soon.
A loud rumble cut into his thoughts. Bright running lights suddenly illuminated a large boat near Caesar’s Rock. That was suspicious. Boats were supposed to keep a light shining all night, even if anchored. Justin watched the boat pull into Caesar Creek.
As it drew nearer, Justin could read the name emblazoned across the stern. His pulse surged! All of his plans for Rudy’s Pirate Hunt and the Big Mystery, left his mind. He had just stumbled upon a bigger mystery. Why was that boat here, now?
He retreated to Ranger Tamara’s porch. “Rudy, it’s time to call our friends.”
Rudy leapt up. “Thanks for your help! If you can think of anything else, let us know.” He quickly folded his map. “Just you wait, the Junior Rangers Investigative Club will prove that the pirates named Caesar were real!”
“Doubtful,” Ranger Tamara called after him. “But have fun trying.”