When someone posted a question about the origin of Lake Martin’s Pirate Island on the Lake Martin Boaters Facebook page, a friend contacted Rick Stark in Boone, North Carolina, and suggested he finally come clean. 

Pirate Island is a small island on the Tallapoosa River side of the lake near the mouth of Madwin Creek at GPS designated points 32.83305 and -85.85845. The .61-acre island is owned by Alabama Power and is classified as natural and undeveloped project land, which means it will always stay in its natural and undeveloped state.