Most pirates' careers only lasted about 2 years!

Piracy was a really difficult profession. Even the most famous pirates didn’t really last very long. Think about it: Many were killed or injured in battle, there were fights amongst themselves and don’t even think about going to a doctor. In fact, even Blackbeard, probably the most famous of pirates, was only active for 3 years, from 1719 to 1722.

Other pirate facts:

• The didn’t really do the whole treasure-burying thing. In fact, most of the loot gathered after a raid was split among the crew, and it also included perishables.
• Women pirates were uncommon, but not unheard of.
• It was not uncommon for some merchants to join a pirate ship when they were raided. The ‘honest’ work at sea was even tougher.
• Piracy was not limited to just poor people trying their luck at see. Many were from higher social classes and they just happened to turn to piracy.

(Source)