Infamous Norman Island

Norman Island has a reputation of intrigue and mystery. It is best known for its caves and buried treasure! The legends run deep and many questions still lie unanswered! Historians know for a fact a Spanish galleon was logged to have sunk by mutineers in the 1700's. A simple local fishing family took refuge in the caves from a storm and talk is that they found treasure. No one could prove this but it was quite strange when some time later the poor family abandoned fishing life and opened a string of shops on St Thomas! Hmmmm, where did they finance that from!

You will have heard of Norman Island under a different name. Robert Louis Stevenson used this island as the base of his book "Treasure Island". The stories of unfound buried treasure remains and everyone snorkelling there keeps a keen eye for anything shiny that the tide may have washed out. I was told by a charter girl (whilst we were deep in a cave) that the cave up out of the water was the one with the treasure. You can't see it from the photo here but it goes deep into the mountain at shoulder height.

The three of us trekked Norman Island for the whole day. It was steep in places, the old road severely overgrown, many of which were stinging nettles; we were wearing bathers with t-shirts due to the searing heat, so our legs got stung and scratched. The only way to relieve such heat is to head for the refreshing clear tropical waters! With many protective harbours, it is easy to see why pirates sought refuge on this large and interesting island!

We hit a strong squall on the way back to Tortola with winds reaching 32knots and rain lashing the boat with her rails almost in the water! Being a tropical storm it didn't last long and the boat received an excellent wash! I am leaving this wonderful boat and Mora for now, she is heading up to the US for a few days and I will spend loving time with my family! We hope to catch up on her return for a few more days of island treasure hunting!

Aaarrrggghh me hearties!