Black’s Island is unique little resort island off the coast of Florida listed for $50 million.
SUMMARY
- Black’s Island offers a Bahamas-like experience in Florida with crystal clear waters and a marine estuary just 10 minutes from the mainland.
- A luxury resort on Black’s Island boasts 26 bungalows, a beautiful clubhouse, and a pool, offering visitors a unique and upscale experience.
- The island has a unique connection to infamous pirate “Black Sam” Bellamy, adding a historical twist to the luxurious paradise that the island now is.
Many people dream of owning a private island, and one private island that is making headlines is the 7-acre resort island called Black’s Island off Florida’s Gulf Coast. The island, with an 18th-century pirate connection, has just been listed for $50 million.
Alternatively, there are also private islands for rent in Florida (and renting is considerably cheaper than buying them). While there are private islands for sale for the price of a house, Black’s Island isn’t one of them. Here’s what to know about this pirate island, how much it’s going for, and how to visit.
Black’s Island: A Piece Of The Bahamas In Florida
Black’s Island enjoys clear waters and a marine estuary and is only 10 minutes from Florida’s mainland
Black’s Island is about halfway along the Florida panhandle in Port St. Joe’s Bay. The waters around Black’s Island are crystal clear (making it like going to the Bahamas without leaving Florida) and set in the middle of a marine estuary.
| Black’s Island | |
|---|---|
| Size: | 7 acres |
| Getting there: | by boat, seaplane, helicopter |
| Location: | Port St. Joe’s Bay, Florida panhandle |
| Shoreline: | 3,700 feet |
Black’s Island is accessible only by boat, seaplane, or helicopter and is around 10 minutes from the mainland. Florida has many stunning secluded islands worth visiting, including many with hidden gem beaches.
Black’s Island Luxury One-Of-A-Kind Resort
The resort is one-of-a-kind, and the bungalows offer 360-degree views so visitors can see both sunrise and sunset
If one was thinking the island would be a remote, private, undeveloped retreat, think again. Black’s Island is a luxury resort — although it is up to the new owner whether they would like to continue it as a business concern or transform it into a private getaway.
- Minimum Stay: 3 nights
- Cost: From $850
Black’s Island hosts a four-star resort with 26 waterfront barrel-shaped bungalows as well as a clubhouse, a cabana, and a pool. All these facilities are connected by an elevated 1,200-foot cedar boardwalk. The bungalows have recently been remodeled, and the facility is designed to be hurricane resistant.
If the full $50 million is too much, then the seller (developer Scott Seymour), has said he would also be willing to sell the bungalows starting at $1.5 to $1.6 million each. Seymour purchased the property in 2018 and has since remodeled the bungalows and expanded the resort.
He stated the building is one-of-a-kind as current building restrictions mean it can’t be replicated. He has also been renting the bungalows out to vacationers. Seymour is now developing another $20 million hotel on the mainland.
Other small-town Florida Keys islands offer a quieter travel experience — without all the pirate lore.
Black’s Island: The Pirate Connection
“Black Sam” Bellamy was one of the richest and most notorious pirates and used the Florida island for a time
The name of the island, “Black’s Island,” comes from Black Sam Bellamy, a famous 18th-century legendary pirate. According to lore, he was the wealthiest pirate in recorded history. He was dubbed the “Robin Hood of Pirates” and got rich by pillaging the seas between 1715 and 1717. It is said he called the now-named Black’s Island home at that time.
| Black Sam Bellamy | |
|---|---|
| Lived: | circa 23 February 1689 – 26 April 1717 |
| Ships captured: | at least 53 ships |
| Nicknames: | “Black Sam” Bellamy, “Prince of Pirates”, “Black Bellamy”, “Robin Hood of the Sea” |
But the pirate would not live to enjoy his great fortune. In 1717, he went down with his ship (called the Whydah) and an estimated 4 to 5 tons of treasure off the coast of Massachusetts during a storm.
His ship was rediscovered in 1982 along with his horde of treasure: gold, tens of thousands of pounds in sterling, ivory, and indigo. He had captured the ship, Whydah, in early 1717 and had decided to keep it as his own.
Visitors can see some of the 200,000 recovered objects (a genuine pirate collection) at the Whydah Pirate Museum in West Yarmouth, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The museum says of the ship “Due to its size, speed, and armament, the pirates, led by Samuel Bellamy, commander of a growing fleet of pirate ships, decided to keep the vessel and convert it into their flagship.”