Port Royal is an interesting town that I have visited three times in my childhood. Its history has intrigued me over the years even to this day. Many of the stories I first heard about Port Royal came from my parents and subsequently history class, media and books. There were the stories of pirates, buccaneers, earthquakes, tsunami, wealth and moral decay.
Many would believe that tsunami is a modern day phenomenon but it has been doing its damage for a long time.
Port Royal is located on the southern coast of Jamaica on the Palisadoes. It was once colonized by the Spanish but in 1655 it was captured and taken over by the English through the likes of admiral Penn and Venables.
After the captured the town they began construction of a fort on its natural harbour on its shores. A town first known as point Cagway sprang up near the fort and later in 1660 it was renamed Port Royal.
There was a fear that the Spanish could retake Jamaica so pirates and Buccaneers were invited to set up shops, thus assuring there were enough manpower to defend the town in case of an attack.
Businesses done by the pirates and buccaneers began to boom, the town was thriving and became very busy. It became a hotspot for pirates and buccaneers with all its taverns, drinking halls and brothels. There were willing and brave merchants who did business with the pirates soon themselves set up shop. Gradually, Port Royal became the busiest port in the Americas, largely operated and run my pirates and Buccaneers.
On June 7, 1692, a massive earthquake shook Port Royal and changed the whole feature of that place. Most of it were dumped in the harbour and it was estimated that over 5000 lives were lost in the earthquake or shortly after of disease and injuries. The city was lying in ruin and many believed it was punished by God for its wickedness, because it was know as the wickedest city in the western hemisphere. In 1703 it was dealt another blow when a major fire devastated the city after efforts were made to rebuild it. It became a quiet village up until today because of the many hits it got from hurricanes and even more earthquakes.
Today it is a small quiet fishing village boasting a great deal of history. It is not as glorious and wicked in times past but rich in history.
We need to take heed from its history and mend our ways, because if all that happened to them was God's punishment, then we are a nation ripe for judgement.
