Leg 5 - Norman's Cay, The Exumas, Bahamas

4/6/24

22 Miles

A beautiful day to travel from the Land and Sea Park to Norman's Cay, light wind and calm seas. Norman's Cay was once known as a cocaine capital, it's now home to a gorgeous resort, yacht club and marina, Strategically located between Columbia and the US, the Columbian cartel identified Norman's Cay as a perfect place to build an airstrip and set up drug smuggling operations in the late 1970s. Stories tell of partying, abundant drugs and lots of money moving through Norman's Cay, often referred as "a completely lawless community, we don't know what to do about".

For 5 - 10 years, the Bahamian government turned a blind eye to the drug smuggling and cartel dealings until the US and the Bahamian government worked together to arrest the cartel leaders and confiscate Norman's Cay in the mid 1980s. Most notably left behind is a plane wreck in the harbor, some accounts tell of a drug run gone bad, others tell of an innocent appliance delivery pilot simply missing the runway. Regardless of the cause, the wreck is a terrific snorkeling spot. A popular tourist visit, we enjoyed a quiet snorkel until a seaplane dropped in just as we were getting ready to leave! Norman's Cay is definitely a splurge destination with the highest dockage fees we found in the Exumas, but it is well worth it for a couple of days.

Norman's Cay Yacht Club outdoor patio

Norman's Cay Yacht Club open air dining room

Norman's Cay Marina General Store

Adorable, well stocked general store! We timed our arrival perfectly, the boat with fresh produce had just arrived. We were able to pick up fresh romaine lettuce and tomatoes. Sadly it is very difficult to get fresh vegetables in the Bahamas. The arable land and limited fresh water make it challenging for them to grown their own produce so everything comes by boat.