Ross is the largest and southernmost of a string of small islands that lie south of the Florida Power complex and east of Weedon's Island in Tampa Bay. It's about a mile long from north to south and a little over 1/2 mile wide from east to west at its widest point. It is crisscrossed by drainage canals dug many years ago in an effort to control mosquito's. A large worn down Indian mound lies on the southern part of the island. While digging the drainage canals some years ago, the drag line operator uncovered several old iron ships cannon and a heavy anchor. These were so heavy that they nearly overturned the light drag line rig before the operator finally got them up on the bank, and It was there that they were covered over with sand and muck being dug from the ditch. Research shows that Ross Island was the headquarters for a pirate gang who kept their shallow-craft schooner in a lagoon on the east side of the island, using a channel which led directly to a deeper ship channel out in Tampa Bay. This particular gang of buccaneer's maintained a lookout in a crow's nest atop a nearby tall pine tree, when a likely looking ship was seen sailing up or down Tampa Bay, a pirate in the crow's nest would blow a horn made from a large conch shell. The crew would then assemble and sally out in pursuit of their victim, usually running them down near Egmont Key.
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