Pioneer Caribbean and Sargasso Seas, as well as the Bahamas and the Antilles is the Spanish admiral Christopher Columbus. His first expedition (1492 -1493) came from Palos August 3, 1492 from the Canary Islands, she turned west, crossed the Atlantic Ocean, revealing the Sargasso Sea, and reached (October 12, 1492) Islands in the Bahamas archipelago, named by Columbus San Salvador. Visiting a number of islands, Columbus, October 28 – December 5, went to the north-east coast Cuba. December 6, he reached the island of Haiti and moved along its northern shore. On the night of December 25, the flagship "Santa Maria" sat on the reef, but the crew escaped.
During his second voyage (1493-1496) Columbus discovered the Lesser Antilles, as well as the island of Puerto Rico and Jamaica. Soon after Columbus European powers began to fight for supremacy in the Caribbean. They gave permission to the sailors to plunder ships of other countries. The dangers of travel led to a rapid Development of insurance. Thus, in the navigation types of voluntary insurance soon became quite numerous. These adventurers are called Buccaneer or filibusters, terrified by the merchants and travelers.
These adventurers often drew strength against all vessels, without considering their origin. A team of pirates often consisted of sailors, who were not like the heavy naval work and strict discipline, were among them and the prisoners from the captured ships. Part of the production team captain and left himself and the rest of the right to receive the king. "Romantic exploits" of pirates becoming some story of adventure novels. Of the many thousands of pirate fame is not everything: the terrifying Edward Teach (Blackbeard), William Kidd loser, the famous Sir Francis Drake – English admiral. He has led many pirate raids, made around the world journey. In 1588, led by Drake defeated the Spanish fleet was the "Invincible Armada" which threatened England. The most famous of all the Caribbean pirates is considered to Henry Morgan, who later became governor of Jamaica. He devoted special chapters of the monograph and in all historical studies of Caribbean piracy, writer, Rafael Sabatini, largely relied on the story of his life when creating the image of Captain Blood. Legends of treasures hidden by pirates off until better times, still attract the Caribbean adventure.