[C320-list] Abacos and Norman's Cay

[Peter Clancy]

Gil:

How did you choose Norman's Cay as a destination? It's an infamous and fascinating island in the Exuma chain. In the early 1970's Norman's was being developed as an exclusive resort by a Bahamian company of which I was then CFO. As a result, I got to spend lots of time there and befriended several locals who lived on Norman's or nearby cays. A few intriguing notes ...... on the NE end of the cay there are hidden caves hollowed into the limestone cliffs. There are rooms inside one cave with a window carved thru the rock wall. You could walk right by it and never know. Locals claimed it was used by pirates. They also told me treasure was believed to be buried on the cay and that it was found (never reported) by an American who lived there and roamed the cay with a metal detector for years. Annually, thousands of sharks migrate to the interior lagoon to mate. I saw this happen once. They are docile and I saw a local walk right up to a pair in shallow water. Carlos Lehder, the Colombian drug kingpin, bought the entire island in 1976  and ran a busy drug trafficking operation there for five years before being captured. Someone wrote a fascinating book about Lehder and Norman's Cay but I don't recall the title. During this period there were several plane crashes and remnants can still be found on land and in the water. There used to be a partially-submerged DC-3 fuselage in front of the old clubhouse and docks. Just a few fond remembrances!

Pete Clancy


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Niedobre at aol.com<mailto:Niedobre at aol.com> 
  To: C320-List at catalina320.com<mailto:C320-List at catalina320.com> 
  Sent: Friday, May 12, 2006 10:04 PM
  Subject: Re: [C320-list] Abacos


  Russ,
  In the Abacos we have crossed the Gulf Stream from Hillsborough Inlet to  
  West End 62 miles then head north to Memory Rock East to Double Breasted, South  
  to Allens Pensacola, and to Foxtown, on to Green Turtle, (attend the Stranded  
  Naked Party), went outside at Whale Cay on to Great Igauna.  Last year  
  Hurrincane Dennis messed up our trip a little.
  This year we are crossing from Miami to Bimini 42 mles, to Chub Cay on to  
  Nassua then to Normans Cay.  We will be over 200 miles from home port once  we 
  are at Normans Cay.  Attached is a picture from anchorage Great  Iguana.
  Best Regards,
  Gil
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