Molasses Cove

Though Claus was used to wearing all black, the inky darkness of the cove took him by surprise; Captain Isolde's Skyhawk was rolling in high seas under a brightly lit sun one moment, and then plunged into the dark depths on still water the next. The crew lit the bow lanterns, casting a dim red glow. The cove was small, small enough where a few lanterns fore and aft illuminated exactly how close the rock walls were, and how the Skyhawk only had a small area of water to turn and maneuver.
The Magistrate turned his gaze, only to see Ray gripping the railing tight, her knuckles white. Claus stifled a laugh. "Ray, are you doing alright?"
"Yes, Magistrate." Her voice was unnaturally flat, but her eyes were darting around. "When are we leaving this place?"
"Whenever you want!" Hands clapped both of their shoulders; Captain Isolde of Saumann had come onto the deck. "There's not much to do here other than fish, but I've always wanted to visit Molasses Cove at least once. Successfully navigating in and out is a true test of skill for any Captain."
She pointed at the end of the cavern, a dimly lit stretch of sand and sediment. "Think about how many historical pirates must have used this place! Raiding ships, divvying up the loot, burying sunken treasure, all of the old journal rag standbys. And we're here too, just like they were, in a secret part of the world known only to them."
Claus adjusted his sidecap. "Well, it's certainly no longer secret, Captain. And I assume all the sunken treasure here has been recovered."
"With one exception." Captain Saumann raised a finger. "At least one chest of gold coins was thrown overboard in a dispute between pirates, during the era of the Kafteros Holy Realm, and the rumor is that the chest probably sank into the next cavern, through an underground passage. Whoever finds it will be richer beyond their wildest dreams. They just have to swim through a cramped, pitch black water passage for who knows how long, just to see where it is."
Ray was whale-eyed, her hands so tightly wound Claus was afraid she'd damage the railing. He spoke firmly. "Drowned skeletons have no real use for gold coins, and I have no interest in it myself. Let us depart at once."

Geography

Molasses Cove is one of the few places on Raefel Island not regularly destroyed by wind and storm. The eastern side of the island, opposite the relatively calm lagoon, is in most places a sheer rock cliff facing a rough sea filled with rocky outcroppings, a treacherous hazard for any mariner. Molasses Cove is accessible through a tiny crack in the rock face, barely wide enough to fit a caravel through, and only accessible by a mariner aware of the specific path needed to navigate the hazards safely. 
The cove itself is merely a half-flooded cavern with sand deposits against the far back wall, with neither sunlight or fresh water. What it does offer, is nearly perfect safety against windstorms, as colossal waves crashing against the entrance become mere ripples inside the cove proper. This makes it the perfect hideout for pirates, privateers, and smugglers. The cavern does have an underwater exit towards its rear, but none know what's beyond that passage.

Ecosystem

The calm waters inside the Cove make it a favorite spawning ground of local fish; mackerel and flounder are easily fished directly from the cove water, providing sustenance. The lack of sunlight hinders any plant growth, however, and there is little else growing in the cavern besides the fish.

Climate

Raefel Island is battered by storms strong enough to tear small trees out from the jungle, rending large parts of the island. The inside of Molasses Cove, by contrast, is pretty much entirely pacific, with generally agreeable temperatures year round and no major weather concerns.

History

Raefel Island's proximity to the Great Circular Trade Route made it a natural pirate's haven, were it not for the total lack of safe anchorage and hugely destructive storms. It is unknown when the Molasses Cove was discovered, but it was a secret only known to a few of the best pirate and privateer captains of the era, for the obvious reason that multiple pirate crews would likely be in conflict if they were in the cove simultaneously.
The Cove earned its name during the petty kingdom era, where the existence of the Cove began to become more widely known. The Kafteros Holy Realm, established in the southwestern part of the continent west of the Chouta Range, was a religious theocracy infamous for a total ban on all drug use. Rival states conspired to undermine Kafteros by manufacturing opiates and hiring privateers to smuggle the substances (nicknamed 'Molasses' on the ship's manifest) into the country, for a handsome profit. The cove was discovered when a privateer, captured and tortured by the leader of Kafteros, divulged its existence and location. Kafteros would regularly send ships to inspect the cove going forward, in order to ensure that no pirate was holed up in the cove. News of the reveal spread quickly, and pirates quickly gave up anchoring within the cove.
In the modern era, while the Principality is aware of the cove and visits it on a semi regular basis (leaving some parts behind in case a damaged ship needs to effect repairs), the lack of any significant pirate activity means Molasses Cove is now merely a point of interest on a sailing tourist's itinerary.

Tourism

Navigation charts of Raefel Island indicate Molasses Cove and typically provide a detailed pathway of how to safely traverse the rocky undermounts to enter the cove proper. Sailor captains have occasionally visited the Cove, if only to say that they've visited a former pirate den, but the pitch darkness of the cavern and lack of general things to do make it an unpopular tourist destination. 
One visit by the Principality Navy did have a strange encounter; a man in an outrigger was found fishing in the cove. As the man seemed to be what he appeared and was not committing any sort of crime, the naval captain had no basis to question him. Subsequent visits noted the impossibility of a simple outrigger canoe successfully navigating to the cove through the crashing waves and high winds of the eastern shore, but offered no answers as to who that person was or why they were there.

Type

Cove

Location under

Raefel Island

Owning Organization

Principality of Etoile