Christopher Colombus is credited with "discovering" St. Thomas and naming the Virgin Islands during his second voyage to the New World in 1493. St. Thomas was home to pirates long before European powers ever decided to form colonies in the area. The deep natural harbor was a favorite among pirates who were intent on plundering Spanish ships laden with gold coins and other valuable items. Romanticized stories of piracy on St. Thomas are common; stories of pirates Blackbeard and Bluebeard are probably the most well known.