WHAT IS PINDER’S ISLAND? Pinder’s Island, to the east of Pelotes, was owned in 1945 by the Pinder family. He moved away after his wife’s death in 1965. Although the property changed hands several times, it was not used for residential purposes again. The house and shed they built are still there, (mostly destroyed) and have been used over the years for a variety of illegal, immoral, or illicit activities. These included bootlegging, cock-fighting, dog-fighting, drug dealing, whisky distilling, and high-stakes card gambling. Today Pinder’s Island, with its large midden sites, is a protected part of the preserve. The eagles’ nest, located on this island, is clearly visible from the preserve’s Timucua Walking Trail.