Norman Island travel guide

The island is reputed to be the ‘Treasure Island’ of Robert Louis Stevenson fame. The floating bar/restaurant William Thornton II (T4968603, VHF Ch 16 or 74, http://www.williamthornton.com), is anchored in the Bight of Norman to the north of the island. The first William Thornton, a converted 1910 Baltic Trader sank in 1995. There is also the Billy Bones beach bar, open for lunch and dinner, but otherwise the island is uninhabited. A launch service, the Wet Willy, operates from Nanny Cay Marina (daily at 1700, returning 2200 or later, free, T4966416 for reservations on Wet Willy). On its rocky west coast are caves where treasure is said to have been discovered many years ago. These can be reached by small boats and there are several day trips on offer. There is excellent snorkelling around the caves and the reef in front slopes downward to a depth of 40 ft. The Indians off the northwest of Norman Island are pinnacles of rock sticking out of the sea with their neighbour, the gently rounded Pelican Island. Together they offer the diver and snorkeller a labyrinth of underwater reefs and caves. There are moorings, US$20, and tie-up for dinghies.