Norman Island
Just 7 miles south of Road Town, Tortola, lies the craggy and nearly uninhabited Norman Island. Reputed to be the Robert Louis Stevenson's inspiration for Treasure Island, the island offers caves, remote anchorages and great Caribbean scenery.
Charters make the passage to Norman Island for two main reasons, a fantastic anchorage called "the Bight" and "the Caves" one of the best snorkeling areas in the BVI.
The Island is approximately 2 ½ miles long with a central ridge extending along the length of the island creating gently rolling hills. The natural vegetation is virtually untouched, giving a very quite and calm feeling to the island. Norman Hill is the highest point on the island at 427 feet above sea level. Along the coast you will find several excellent bays and numerous offshore reefs with excellent snorkeling and diving. The best anchorages are The Bight, Soldier Bay, Benures Bay and Money Bay.
The Bight is a large anchorage that is well protected in nearly all weather conditions. Plenty of moorings can be found there, as well as the famous floating bar and restaurant called Willy T's. The other eating, drinking and dancing establishment at the Bight is The Pirates Bight, a nice beach bar that shoots off a cannon daily at 4pm when happy hour starts. They have a dinghy dock, nice beach with beach chairs and raft for children to play on. The menu offers standard beach food, including island specialties such as Conch Fritters and Fried Plantains.
The Caves are found at Treasure Point, at the southern entrance to The Bight. There are a series of caves, some that go quite far into the cliffs, that are excellent for snorkeling and exploring with a flashlight. Some say Pirates stored their treasure in these caves. You can reach the Caves by dinghy from the Bight, and there are mooring balls to keep your boat while you explore.
Norman Island is the perfect day 1 destination for any BVI charter itinerary, or for the final night for a last party at Willy-T's before the short morning sail to Road Town.