Piracy in the Caribbean in the New World were violated with greater frequency by the merchants of other nations. The Spanish port on the island of Trinidad off the northern coast of South America, permanently settled only in 1592, became a major point of contact between all the nations with a presence in the Caribbean. In the early 17th century, expensive fortifications and the size of the colonial garrisons at the major Spanish ports increased to deal with the enlarged presence of Spain's competitors in the Caribbean, but the treasure fleet's silver shipments and the number of Spanish-owned merchant ships operating in the region
Bedarra Island and after extensive refurbishment over several years sold to Voyages Hotels & Resorts in August 2004. An affiliate of the McCall MacBain Foundation took over portions of Bedarra and neighbouring Dunk Island in September 2009. In 2011 Bedarra Island Resort was purchased by the Charlton Hotel group. The group repaired damage to the resort caused by Cyclone Yasi and re-opened the resort to guests in July 2013. Bedarra Island Bedarra Island (also known as Richards Island) in the Cassowary Coast Region off the Queensland coast in Australia. Bedarra Island is approximately seven kilometres off the tropical North Queensland coast, midway