05/01/2025
We had several stops on Tuesday so I’m so glad I have the pictures because otherwise it’s hard to keep what was unique about each one. But Norman Island definitely has a story or two.
Once again the three guys (minus Craig) wanted to do some snuba diving since the depths here were quite good. Norman Island is also known for its caves and they wanted to go exploring in those as well.
Cindy and Alissa planned to do some snorkeling. I was content just to don my noodle and exercise my way albeit very slowly. I’m grateful to the gals who stayed with me to offer support. When I think back to the fact that we were in waters about 30 feet deep, it is crazy now to think that I did this. It doesn’t look too far in the picture, but trust me, the distance between Escapade and the shoreline was a bit far and the current was against me. I will definitely consider this outing a personal triumph. 
I should also mention that I can now say I swam with sharks; well one shark, a nurse shark. It was a bit unnerving for a moment but I actually felt peaceful.
Grateful that the current was with us getting back to Escapade; otherwise I was thinking they might have to send the dinghy out for me! 
“Norman Island is an island at the southern tip of the British Virgin Islands archipelago. It is one of a number of islands reputed to be the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's pirate novel Treasure Island.
It is said that the island was named after a pirate who bought it or leased it at some point during the early 18th century, although supporting evidence for this contention is difficult to find. However, Norman Island also has a documented history of pirate b***y being stowed upon the island. In August 1750, a Spanish treasure galleon named Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe sought shelter from a storm on the North Carolina coast. The crew mutinied and the treasure, said to consist of (amongst other things) 55 chests of silver coins, was loaded into two bilanders, one of which was carrying Owen Lloyd. The first vessel was lost, but Lloyd escaped to St. Croix. After disposing of some of the money, he proceeded to Norman Island where the treasure was buried. Lloyd and his crew were later arrested in St. Eustatius, but word of the treasure spread, and residents of Tortola went to Norman Island and dug it up for themselves. Part of the b***y was later recovered by Gilbert Fleming, Lieutenant-General of the Leeward Islands at the time, who travelled to Tortola with two companies of soldiers. Fleming persuaded Abraham Chalwill, the acting Lieutenant Governor of the British Virgin Islands (who had coincidentally led the search for the treasure on Norman Island) to issue a proclamation whereby the treasure would be returned and the people who had dug it up would receive a one-third share as a reward.
There the historical record ends, but local rumours abound that a member of a well-known local family had been fishing near Norman Island and took shelter in one of the caves on the Western coast of Norman Island during a storm. The surge repeatedly banged his small boat against the walls of the cave, whilst the storm surge caused the water level to rise several feet. When the fortunate fisherman woke the next morning, a large number of rocks had broken off into his small craft, as had a small chest, supposedly filled with gold doubloons. The story cannot be verified as no legal application for treasure trove was ever made, but it is known that members of the family ceased being fisherman and left Tortola at about the time to open some shops in Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas.
Rumours persist of more pirate gold to be found on Norman Island, although to date no applications have ever been made for treasure trove.”
