Spoilers Below!!!!!!!!!!!

If you hold an early copy of the book, congratulations! You get to play a game of spot the errors. Deserts of Stollen where desserts were supposed to be stolen. These and a couple other errors brought to you by my own haste. These have, mostly been fixed. Any errors which remain are left in to prove that no one is perfect.

Big, huge, gigantic mistake on my part! I could not cram in the fascinating story of the HMS Tyger which shiprecked in the Dry Tortugas. The crew spent months in harrowing and desperate attempts to escape the islands and survive. It’s an awesome story which unfortunately didn’t find a place in the narrative.

Pirate Wrecks in the Dry Tortugas: Were there pirate ships sunk in the waters around Garden Key? Possibly. Is there an identified pirate wreck in the Dry Tortugas? - No

The 1622 Fleet- There are mixed reports on whether the shipwreck discovered on the east side of Loggerhead belonged to one of the vessels from the 1622 fleet. For more information see the Histories Facts page.

Other shipwrecks. There have been more than 275 ‘maritime incidences’ recorded out at the park, from the first shipwreck of the Nuestra Rosario in 1622 to the present. Not every ship sank, and not every sunken ship has been identified.

The Death of Private Winters - I grew up hearing the story of Private Winters, who died outside the turret next to the small powder magazine. (in Private Winters corner.) His was the ghost they spoke about on ghost walks, and whispered of in the ‘Map Room’ however, I have had a hard time tracking down this story. The explanation of what happened the night of his death, the corroboration that a soldier/guard even died on the island—it’s all a little muddy. The only ghost I met out at the park was in the rec room. If I learn more about PVT Winters, I will update and include it on the fact page.

The pirate Caesar:

There may have been a man who called himself Caesar in the 17th century naval history of the west indies. But the pirate captain, with his letter, possible shipwreck, dagger, and treasure as featured in this book—including the decision to use that name—are a product of my imagination. This means:

Wreck 114 and the under wreck

These do not exist and as such cannot be located using Rudy’s map.

Rudy’s Map and other U.R.S.A. Wrecks:

U.R.S.A. is a product of my imagination. There was a real team of archeologists who worked to study the shipwrecks in the Dry Tortugas. These two teams are related only in the awesomeness of their profession, and the location of their research. The Dive Bears are not accurate representations of the real underwater archeologists. The locations of the shipwrecks that they study in my books are entirely made up. Don’t use my book as a navigation guide at the fort. (we don’t need to add to the shipwreck count!)

I haven’t published the book yet. So hopefully a majority of possible mistakes are caught before the book comes out.

Water flow (and subsequent “blood” flow in Mammoth Cave and nearby groundwater:

The route the tracing dye takes, the time it takes to flow through parts of the cave, and the places it ends up is all made up. Don’t go dumping things in Mammoth Cave to try and repeat this story.

The actual length of Mammoth Cave

Is still growing, distances mentioned in the book were accurate only within the heads of fictional characters.

Historical Figures Motivations

There are quite a few real historical figures mentioned in this book. However, their behavior, motivations and actions as depicted in this book are fiction.

Mammoth Cave Ghosts

The author has never seen or had a ghost experience in Mammoth Cave. But he has spoken to people who have.

The Specter Detectors

This team of ghost hunters, and the things they find in the book: All made up. Their Spook Detector: Also made up. Some of the other ghost equipment is accurate to the author’s understanding (which is limited.)

Routes Traveled in the Cave

Expressly: the cave tour through the underground river, and the “Morrison Route” at the end of the book are fictitious routes made up for the Narrative. Don’t use them to find your way through Mammoth Cave. Go with a Park Ranger instead on any of the real tours offered, or volunteer, learn, and work with organizations like the Cave Research Foundation.

Routes out of Mammoth Cave National Park

Most of Mammoth Cave is inside the park boundaries. It does extend beneath some private properties and some properties held by the Cave Research Foundation. But there is no property holder sitting on millions of acres holding a deed to the cave. Even if there were such deed there is little chance it would be recognized.

Do not trespass onto private lands looking for a free tour of Mammoth Cave. (obviously)

Don’t enter a cave without experience, a guide, and a plan.

Now that the book is out, the author is eager to learn what he got wrong, feel free to contact him using the link at the bottom of the page.

(if you are under 18, get your parents permission, or have them contact me with your correction.)

A(?) Pirate(s) named Caesar

An old sign sits on Adam’s Key, noting the legend of Pirate Caesar. His name, sometimes Black Caesar, sometimes just Caesar, is spread across Biscayne Bay. Caesar’s Rock. Caesar Creek. Meigs Key used to be Black Caesar’s Key. (At least, it was referred to as that in one of the first U.S. surveys. So, there is a legacy of a pirate named Caesar. The problem is that the legend of the man (or men) far outweighs the historical evidence for him (them.) Does this mean that they didn’t exist? Does it mean they have been lost to time? Rudy is convinced that they exist! And he is going to prove it!

The Pirate’s Caesar

A mysterious book that might shed the light on the mystery of the Pirates named Caesar. Too bad it’s out of print!

Mammoth Cave Ghosts

The author has never seen or had a ghost experience in Mammoth Cave. But he has spoken to people who have.

Caesar’s Mark

When the Pirate Caesar left Biscayne, supposedly he left a mark, his claim to the islands he’d used as a hideout.

Caesar’s Treasure

Of course a pirate had treasure! Black Caesar was friends with Blackbeard, and was a strong pirate in his own right before teaming up. He must have hidden it somewhere. Maybe in Biscayne Bay!

Henri Caesar Might have buried treasure in Biscayne too.

Black Caesar

The older legend of a pirate named Caesar is that of Black Caesar. From the golden age of pirates, Black Caesar was originally tricked aboard a slave ship in Africa, on the trip across the Atlantic, he befriended a sailor, who rescued him when the ship sank. The two men, instead of returning to their former lives, became pirates. At first they would row their lifeboat out to ships, pretending to need rescue, only to pirate their rescuers instead. As their wealth grew, they recruited others, eventually setting up a base on Elliot Key, and a shipyard on Black Caesar’s Key across Caesar Creek. From there they would watch the Florida Strait, and prey upon any vessels sailing too close. Eventually, Black Caesar was recruited by Blackbeard, and was on the Adventure during it’s final battle, when Blackbeard was killed. Black Caesar’s fate is uncertain, some say he was executed with the captured men. Other’s say he was released. No one knows his fate, or why he gave up his own pirate kingdom to join Blackbeard in the first place.

Henri Caesar

Henri Caesar’s life began as a slave in Haiti, during a time of great unrest. He was only twelve when a local rebellion freed the people working his farm. They fled into the mountains and became part of a growing resistance. Soon the embers of rebellion sparked a full revolution, and the people of Haiti freed themselves, fighting first the land owners, and then soldiers sent by France. Henri Caesar played his part in the fight, but after the war, there was no place for a fighter like him. He took captaincy of a ship, and began a life of piracy in the Caribbean. Legend has it that he eventually set up base in the Florida Keys, where he could hide his smaller vessel in the shallow channels. Attacking rich ships, before fleeing from naval vessels. Eventually he was caught, and executed for his crimes in Key West. At least, that’s one version of the story, however there are discrepancies in that legend and history.