During the Prohibition era in the United States (1920-1933), the production, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages were banned. This law led to the rise of a black market for illicit liquor, with rum being one of the most popular drinks. To evade law enforcement agencies, smugglers used several common routes, including waterways, political borders, and isolated regions. However, some rum runners had to be more creative and daring, using remote islands and hidden coves as their secret ports of call. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the forbidden islands where rum was smuggled during the Prohibition era.
1. Long Island – Bahamas
Long Island in the Bahamas was a popular stop for rum runners because it was strategically located between the Caribbean and the United States. The island’s long coastline and many cays provided sheltered anchorages, and smugglers could hide their boats in shallow waters or mangrove swamps. The island’s proximity to the United States made it an ideal spot for transferring liquor to smaller vessels that would take the whiskey to the mainland. Part of Long Island’s attraction was due to its subtropical climate, which made it ideal for growing sugar cane, the raw ingredient for rum production.
2. Jersey Shore – New Jersey
The Jersey shore was a popular spot for rum runners in the United States during the Prohibition era. The area had vast stretches of beach and dozens of bays and inlets with hidden coves that smugglers could use as landing spots. One of the most popular spots for rum running was Sandy Hook, a peninsula that juts out at the northern end of the shore. Here, smugglers offloaded their liquors from larger ships to smaller boats, which would transport the alcohol to less conspicuous locations. Other popular spots for rum smuggling in the area were Manasquan Inlet, Barnegat Bay, and Raritan Bay.
3. Bermuda Triangle
The Bermuda Triangle is one of the most notorious regions in the world, with several unexplained disappearances of ships and planes. During the Prohibition era, rum runners took advantage of this vast expanse of ocean to smuggle their goods. The area acted as a sort of maritime no-man’s land where smugglers could hide their ships in plain sight, as even if they were noticed, law enforcement vessels would be reluctant to follow them into the Triangle. Besides, the Triangle’s strong currents and unpredictable weather made it challenging for the authorities to search and seize smugglers’ ships.
4. Magdalen Islands – Canada
The Magdalen Islands, a remote archipelago off the coast of Quebec in Canada, was another popular spot for rum running during the prohibition era. With the closure of Canadian distilleries, the archipelago became a convenient stopover for smugglers on their way to the United States. From the Magdalen islands, smugglers would transport whiskey and rum to cities on the US East coast, such as Boston, Philadelphia, and New York. One of the islands’ attractions was its location, which was far from the mainland and the watchful eyes of the law enforcement agencies.
5. Tybee Island – Georgia
Tybee Island is a small barrier island off the coast of Georgia. The island’s secluded beaches, marshlands, and shallow inlets made it an attractive spot for rum runners during the Prohibition era. The island’s ideal location between Florida and South Carolina made it a popular stopover for rum runners en route to other destinations. Tybee Island’s most famous rum-running boat was called the Blackbeard, a vessel that carried up to 4,000 gallons of illegal liquor per trip.
6. Dry Tortugas – Florida
The Dry Tortugas is a group of seven islands located in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 70 miles west of Key West, Florida. This remote and isolated area was far from the reach of US authorities and became a haven for rum runners during the Prohibition era. Many smugglers used the Dry Tortugas as a staging area, where they could hide their shipments before moving them to the mainland. Besides, the area’s pristine waters were ideal for boating, fishing, and diving, which made it an attractive spot for rum runners looking for an escape from the law.
Conclusion
During the Prohibition era, rum runners had to be innovative and resourceful to smuggle their products into the United States. Some of the most daring and skillful smugglers used remote islands and hidden coves as their secret ports of call. In this blog post, we explored six of the forbidden islands where rum was smuggled during the Prohibition era. These included Long Island in the Bahamas, the Jersey shore in New Jersey, the Bermuda Triangle, Magdalen Islands in Canada, Tybee Island in Georgia, and Dry Tortugas in Florida. While the era of Prohibition is long gone, the history of rum smuggling remains a fascinating and compelling topic.
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