Robert was born on seas, grew up on the seas, and if unavoidable, most likely will die on the seas as well.
He is the son of a former naval officer who turned to piracy after his nation arrested his family and took his lands. He managed to rescue his wife but not his parents. As Robert was born on the ship of his father he always felt the waters more to be his home than the land, well other than taverns and harbors where he was at ease at.
After his father passed away by the hands of his first mate he fled and joined an other pirate crew, after five years he avenged his father by murdering his killer, and took over the old ship as captain, but it didn't last long. A rival pirate captured the ship but allowed the still young boy to stay as long he cleans up after their mess.
Recently that old ship sunk near a shore because the navigator and most crew was drunk, he didn't die because when Robert got to the barrel the rum was already gone so he had nothing to get drunk off.
Damned rum! Why was all the rum gone? The whole plan to gloriously retake the ship after much planning sunk together with the ship itself. The captain should have watched the barrel better.