Norman's Cay, Bahamas

Norman's Cay is a small Bahamian island (a few hundred acres) in the Exumas, a chain of islands south and east of Nassau, that served as the headquarters for Carlos Lehder's drug-smuggling operation from 1978 to around 1982.

As part of the Medellan Cartel, Lehder used the island as a transshipment base for smuggling cocaine into the United States. Lehder, before with his partner George Jung and later through Norman's Cay, is often credited with revolutionizing drug smuggling. The typical method of transporting small shipments often carried by human drug mules, either through digestion or in their luggage, onto commercial airlines, was surpassed by the use of small aircraft shipping entire loads of cocaine.

The Exuma Cays are a collection of 365 tiny islands surrounded by the shallow turquoise waters of the Caribbean. These pristine waters and shores are world-renown as a yachting paradise and have become a playground for the rich and famous.

Normans Cay is located in the northern part of the Exuma chain 55 miles southeast of Nassau and 220 miles southeast of Miami. The location offers easy access to both offshore fishing in Exuma Sound to the east and breathtaking adventures inside the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park to the south.

The island has a rich history. Pirates have exploited her hidden anchorages, farmers from America have grown crops on her thin soil, and blockade runners have used her as a transit point to America during the Civil War, Prohibition, and the War on Drugs.

Today the island is impeccably managed, spotless, and largely unspoiled. With only a handful of private residences it is home to an impressive variety of vegetation and birdlife native to the region. The development is set on 300 waterfront acres that will be directly accessible through the newly expanded runway and marina with Bahamian Customs and Immigration services. The island is approximately 6 miles long and less than a half-mile wide, creating a thin strip of land with stunning views from both hilltops and white sandy beaches often described as the kept secret and undiscovered beauty. The collection of boutique luxury resorts and private residences are being developed without compromising the natural beauty of the island and will create the ultimate luxury private island experience.

Cruises go to the Bahamas year round and depart from Port Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and New York.

The trade winds that blow almost continually throughout The Islands of The Bahamas give the islands a warm, agreeable climate which varies little year round. The most refreshing time is between September through May, when the temperature averages 70-75F degrees. The rest of the year is a bit warmer with temperatures between 80-85F degrees. Sea surface temperatures vary between 74 degrees in February and 84 degrees in August.

Language: English
Currency: US Dollar
Time zone: EST (Eastern Standard Time) UTC/GMT -5 hours
Dial code: +1