Pantano River

General information
Location	Cuba
Points of interest	Cypress Forest Tia Dalma's shack
Notable inhabitants	Tia Dalma
Societal
Population	Natives
Behind the scenes
First appearance	Dead Man's Chest
Latest appearance	Pirates of the Caribbean Online

"Set sail for the Pantano River."

―Jack Sparrow to his crew

The Pantano River was a river running through Cuba. It ran through the island's dark and mysterious swamps, inhabited by alligators and monstrously large fly traps. Farther into the thick swampland lies a Bayou, where fireflies flickered in the heavy air and all manner of critters and swamp people live, every inch a Caribbean swampland river, lined with stark, overhanging trees and brush and rickety lean-tos. Reptiles scuttle nimbly along the branches of the trees of the cypress forest. At the mouth of the Pantano River was the shack belonging to the voodoo mystic Tia Dalma, perched in a treetop in a distant part of the swamp.

History

Early history

Entrance to the Pantano River.

Along this river was a village inhabited by natives of the swamp, commonly seen by visitors hiding in the shadows of the trees. Various creatures, such as Venus Flytraps and swamp alligators, also made their residence along the mud banks of this river as well. The bayou was every inch a Caribbean swampland river, lined with stark, overhanging trees and brush and rickety lean-tos. Strangely colored reptiles that scuttle nimbly along the branches of the trees of the spooky cypress forest.

Through most of his adventures, Captain Jack Sparrow went through the Pantano River many times to visit Tia Dalma for help. The journey to the tumbledown shack where she lived was not an easy one, as adventurers had to find their way through the bayou's cypress forest. As they venture farther into the forest a sense of unease descends as the tall trees block out the sunlight, alligators stir on mud banks, and the curious swamp people watch them silently from the riverbanks. As boats would row into the still water of a steamy bayou, fireflies flickered in the heavy air. Tia Dalma's sprawling shack clings to the branches of a tree in a distant part of the swamp.

Search for the Dead Man's Chest

"We have a need to travel upriver."
"By need, do you mean a trifling need? Fleeting? As in, say, a passing fancy?"
"No, a resolute and unyielding need."

―Jack Sparrow and Joshamee Gibbs

Jack Sparrow's crew sailing through the Pantano River.

During the search for the Dead Man's Chest, Jack and his crew had to navigate through the Pantano River to reach Tia Dalma's shack, so that the mysterious priestess could help Jack find Davy Jones. The Black Pearl moored off shore while two longboats move up river through a heavy mist, rowing past thick tangles of twisted roots and bark to the mouth of the Pantano River. Though Jack seemed to know where he was going, he kept a tight grip on the rope, and glanced around himself nervously the whole time, as he didn't like the journey through the forest at all. His traveling companions were just as frightened, but were also worried about Jack because of his stranger-than-usual behavior.

When the meeting with Tia Dalma was over, Jack's crew followed him down the shack's ladder and clambers gratefully into their longboats. They had an uncanny feeling that this wouldn't be their last visit to the cypress forest, which was later evidenced by their return to Tia's shack after losing Jack Sparrow and the Black Pearl to the Kraken. To lament the fall of Jack Sparrow, the swamp people held candlelight while leading a spooky procession as Jack's crew arrived in the bayou.

Locations

Cypress Forest

The Pantano River bayou.

Those who journey to the shack where Tia Dalma lived had to find their way through a spooky cypress forest located in a bayou. Usually, these adventurers would launch longboats and cautiously paddle up to the mouth of the thick swampland of the Pantano River. Farther into the forest, home to a variety of reptiles, including alligators stirring on mud banks, a sense of unease descends as the tall trees block out the sunlight and the curious swamp people watch any adventurers silently from the riverbanks.

Though the people of the swamp do them no harm, visitors like Jack Sparrow's crew get nervous just from being watched so closely; a pair of eyes seems to peer at them from every shadow. They were not so worried by the figures they can see clearly, like this old man sitting in a rocking chair on his porch, with a dog at his feet. It's what they couldn't see clearly that they fear most, such as the figures half-hidden in the leaves.

Tia Dalma's Shack

Tia Dalma's shack in the cypress forest.

"We are no longer in possession of the eye. It is with the great mystic Tia Dalma, in her shack on the Pantano River. To retrieve it, you must go there."

―Morveren

Perched in a treetop by the mouth of the Pantano River is a shack belonging to the voodoo priestess, Tia Dalma. A damp and gloomy world where nothing is quite what it seems to be, Tia Dalma's shack clings to the branches of a tree in a distant part of the swamp. Though it glows brightly, the hut seems to suck the light out of the spooky cypress forest in the bayou.

Behind the scenes

The Pantano River bayou set.

• For filming Dead Man's Chest, the Pantano River was portrayed by the Indian River, a gorgeous stretch of shallow water flowing into the ocean at Portsmouth on the northeast part of Dominica. The Indian River—which was actually explored by Christopher Columbus in the 15th century—is lined with beautifully gnarled terra carpus officinalis (bloodwood) trees, whose roots sometimes spread up to 20 feet. This real-life location was re-created on the Pantano River bayou set constructed on Stage 2 at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. Filling up almost every inch of the 240 foot long, 130 wide stage, this set was a truly magical evocation of a Caribbean swampland river. The set was also the most deliberate tip of the hat to the original Disneyland Pirates of the Caribbean attraction.
• The Pantano River set at Disney Studios in Burbank drew a visit from the legendary Francis Xavier "X" Atencio, the Disney Legend who wrote the script for the original theme-park attraction as well as the lyrics to Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me). The Dead Man's Chest company rolled out a red carpet for X, honoring him with his own director's chair and with Jerry Bruckheimer, Gore Verbinski, Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley and a long parade of cast and crew paying due homage.
• The river leading up to Tia Dalma's shack was also referred to be "The Bayou," as the area was mostly based on the Blue Bayou from Walt Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean.
• In Pirates of the Caribbean Online, Pantano River is full of Venus Flytraps, swamp alligators, pirates, bandits, and finally Tia Dalma herself. Tia Dalma will give player weapons such as the voodoo doll and other types of equipment.

Appearances

• Jack Sparrow: The Sword of Cortés
• Jack Sparrow: Silver (Mentioned only)
• The Price of Freedom (Mentioned only)
• Legends of the Brethren Court: The Caribbean (Mentioned only)
• The Compass of Destiny!
• Pirates of the Caribbean Online
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (First appearance)
  • Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (comic)
• LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game (Non-canonical appearance)

Sources

• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Visual Guide
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide
• Pirates of the Caribbean Online