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The Caves of the Norman Islands are located on the western tip of the Norman Island. Privateer Bay stretches along the cave from the western tip to the southwestern tip of the island. The Bight Bay is located on the east side of the caves just around the Treasure Point. As the Bay area is a part of the National Park, it is forbidden for charter yachts to anchor at this site without permission. If proper permits can be presented then the National Park mooring buoys can be used only during the day. There are overall four mooring buoys located in the Western part of the bay. There is one private mooring ball owned by Mystic Charters. For BVI charter tourists it is very troublesome to anchor in this area as the bay doesn’t have any good holding spot and it might take a few tries for the perfect anchoring.
Also further South of the Privateer Bay anchoring is possible, these could be used for snorkelling in the caves. These caves are renowned among the charter yacht tourists who visit the British Virgin Islands. Tourists snorkel in the caves in order to admire the beauty of the underwater creatures and even in search of treasure chests.
General Information
The Norman Island is privately owned by Henry Jarecki who owns the Guana island. The overall area of the island is 600 acres and it is about 4 km long. The Bight provides a sufficient protection for anchorages although tourists who want to visit the caves with their charter yacht can anchor along the Privateer Bay. The island is well-known for different water-level caves at the base of cliffs in the western tip of the island.
The Caves along the Privateer Bay have interesting story said by the locals. A long time ago, a huge storm had forced a fisherman with his boat to take refuge in the caves of the Norman island. Due to the storms raging wind, His boat had repeatedly bashed onto the walls of the caves. This caused several rocks to dislodge from the cave walls. Along with those rocks, several doubloons fell; at the time a single doubloon was worth a lot of money. These were later picked up by the fisherman with his family assisting him. The issue with this story is it has never been confirmed by the officials. But the tour operators don’t discourage the visitors to search the caves treasures. Amateur treasure hunters and charter yacht tourists flock the caves every year to indulge themselves in the adventure of finding hidden treasure.
What to do in The Caves and Privateer Bay?
Restaurant and Amenities
The only three restaurants present in the whole island and they are located alongside the Bight. These are ‘The Club’, ‘Pirates Bight Restaurant and Bar’ and the floating bar ‘The Willy T’. The Bight Bay is located on the east side of the cave. The tourists can visit these restaurants or bars for refreshment and food. While moving towards the Bight, its good to keep in mind the small shoal towards the north of Treasure Point.
Places of Interest
The Caves
The Privateer Bay provides a great access to the Bight and the caves. The caves are located below the cliffs, there are three caves which are tourist spots. The caves are ideal for snorkelling and if anyone goes deep into them the darkness provides a different experience like a night dive. There are various life forms present on the cave walls. The outside of the caves is good for snorkelling as well. Turtles can be seen while snorkelling in the Privateer Bay away from the caves.
The Caves of the Norman Islands is a must visit place if one visits the British Virgin Islands for snorkelling. In the high seasons, the caves are overrun by charter yacht tourists from 10 in the morning till 4 in the afternoon. The prime time for snorkelling in the caves is during the mid-day, that’s when the sun illuminates the coral-studded walls. It is advised not to feed the wild fishes and also be wary of the jellyfish roaming the caves. Ashore on the pebble beach are obstacles such as the steep slopes of the hell and thick shrubs which prevents from exploring the location further.
Feel the Experience at The Caves and Privateer Bay!
The Caves alongside the Privateer Bay is a must-go place for anyone who visits the British Virgin Islands. It is one of the best places for snorkelling. There’s a rumour that there is a treasure hidden in the caves, who knows you might get lucky.
The Caves and Privateer Bay is located on the island of:
The Caves and Privateer Bay location:
