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As we prepare to depart Allen's Cay on Monday morning, we
worry that our two anchor chains are hopelessly twisted together.
Luck is with us, however, and the chains are only crossed
once. Soon we are on our way to Norman's Cay just a short
distance south. Norman's was once a base for drug dealers
in the Bahamas but has since become respectable.
We anchor on the west side of Norman's Cay just off a pristine
sandy beach that stretches for a mile in front of us. After
lunch, we prepare the dinghy, load up Dakota, and take off
to explore. According to the cruising guide, the popular restaurant
MacDuff's is under new ownership. We hope the new owners have
retained the bar's character. As we walk down the beach, we
see a faded sign. Barely discernible, it reads: "MacDuff's
under new ownership. Opening in November." This is not
a good sign.
Sure enough, the restaurant is under construction and not
yet open. Despite the presence of several cars, no one is
in sight. It's a bit spooky. Still optimistic that a cold
beer can be found on this island, we hike across the airstrip
and down a dirt road to the other side of the island.
We arrive at the beautiful inside anchorage where a sunken
airplane is the famous landmark. A number of boats bob on
their anchors. On shore, all the buildings are abandoned and
falling down, as is the wooden pier. A number of rusty construction
trailers tilt awkwardly on blocks. There's no evidence that
any construction was ever done here. As we wander around dismayed
at the downfall of this beautiful place, we meet another cruising
couple. They are the only sign of life we see on this island.
They tell us that a rich person bought the property and ran
off MacDuff's and the others. Apparently the drug dealers
were replaced with something much worse: rich people. As at
Royal Island, those with money are ruining some of the best
cruising spots. Disappointed, we hike back across the island
and have a cold beer on the boat.
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We anchor off this beach on the west side of Norman's Cay
East side of Norman's Cay
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