Tortola and Norman Island.
Moonshine
Wed 11 Apr 2007 23:21
We had a choice with the flights. We could either fly American Airlines et - on the day we wanted - via San Juan, or we could fly the day earlier on a small propellor plane via St.Martin, St. Barts, St.Kits, and Antigua, and then stay at Bay Gardens Hotel, St Lucia for the night - at the same price!
I chose the little propellor plane, and lots of landings. Sandra chose the Hotel, and went to get her hair done. A result!
Jobs done, we left for Norman Island.
Norman Island is an uninhabited island with good snorkeling, and no facilities. There are a few National Park mooring buoys close to the reefs which are about 15 ft. depth. The are put there to tempt people not to anchor on the reef. To help further, smaller dinghy moorings are put even closer to the reefs. It is against the law to anchor, or use outboard motors inside the dinghy moorings, or over the reef. Swimming and snorkeling is encouraged
We picked up a National park buoy, only one other boat was in the bay. We snorkeled over fish of every type, although the seabed had clearly been damaged. In the evening, a turtle surfaced a few feet from the boat looking like a little bald old man sticking his head up and peering around. Then we became aware that the other boat had slipped away leaving us the bay to ourselves. It was idyllic.
When we woke in the morning, it was to the sound of waterskiers over the coral! At least six boats had anchored directly on the coral reef ignoring all the bouys put there for their use. Still - they were having a good time , so thats all that matters.
We watched huge shoals of little silver fish leaping in unison, looking like breaking waves as they were being chased by bigger fish. - It was happening all over the bay. It must be a bugger being low down in the food chain!
We left Norman Island in the morning to go back to Jost van Dyke.
Rod, Sandra and the mouse.
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