| First, let me describe our entry into Roadtown. What a | | | | had rented a small boat from the northeast shores of |
| beautiful hour or so....the hour we spent coming into | | | | St Thomas. We spent a fantastic day chartering a |
| Roadtown. We came into Tortola late morning so the | | | | course to Norman Island for our first ever snorkeling |
| Holland America Westerdam passengers all got to | | | | adventure. (We don't recommend this for new boaters |
| enjoy the entry rather than sleeping through it like we | | | | like ourselves....we were young and adventurous, |
| often do when on a cruise ship. We passed through a | | | | actually foolish. Stick with a group excursion with an |
| narrow channel between St John, USVI and several | | | | experienced charter operator). Anyway, this was our |
| small, lush green islands, Great Thatch and Little Thatch | | | | first opportunity to return to Norman Island. We were a |
| to name a couple...how beautiful! We were boarded by | | | | bit concerned it might not be as good as we |
| a local ship Captain, all while in motion. He then guided | | | | remembered, especially since this time around we |
| the ship past Roadtown so we could pivot into a | | | | were booked with a group rather than visiting on our |
| channel deep enough for the ship to pass through. | | | | own. After a half hour boat ride past some other small |
| Again, we were struck by the beauty of our | | | | islands, Peter Island and Pelican Island, we arrived at |
| surroundings....many small lush islands all around us with | | | | Norman Island, also known as "Treasure Island" as it |
| a few sail boats thrown in for good measure. It didn't | | | | was the model for Robert Louis Stevenson's epic |
| seem as though our large, 1800 passenger ship should | | | | novel, Treasure Island. This island is also well known for |
| be there. The cruise ship pier was completed in 1999. | | | | its pirate history. It is uninhabited at this time but after |
| The pier at Wickham Cay is right in the city of | | | | the pirates, cattle farmers tried to operate from here. |
| Roadtown so you don't need a taxi to get to the | | | | They found it difficult to operate from the island and |
| shopping areas although they are readily available if | | | | left it deserted many years ago. I can understand as |
| you want to do some sightseeing on your own. | | | | there is not much flat land here. With its marine caves, |
| We had about an hour and a half before our eagerly | | | | it is very popular with snorkelers now. We found it to |
| awaited shore excursion....our snorkeling adventure to | | | | be as wonderful as we had remembered.....brightly |
| Norman Island. In that time, we disembarked and | | | | colored fish, coral, cool caves to snorkel into and |
| decided to walk into the town. Directly outside the | | | | peace. There are no waves, there was one other |
| entrance to the pier, there is a shopping area of tarp | | | | boat when we arrived but we never felt crowded. |
| covered booths. We passed these and were happy | | | | What a treat. I can't wait to go back again one day! |
| to find the shop keepers to be pretty passive (unlike a | | | | Maybe before I go back, I will take a scuba class |
| few ports of call where the shop keepers aggressive | | | | ...although not really necessary as it is no more than 20 |
| style can be intimidating to many even though they are | | | | -30 feet deep around the base of the island and in |
| harmless). We went into the main part of town | | | | most places, only 3-8 feet. It would be nice to study up |
| (Americans be careful crossing streets, they drive on | | | | a little on the marine life I saw so I can identify it by |
| the left side of the road here) and enjoyed a quick visit | | | | name. "Pretty" is the best word I have for everything |
| to the Sunny Caribbee Spice Shop Co & Art | | | | now. |
| Gallery. Around the corner, not far from the ferry dock | | | | We were tired when we got back from our excursion |
| in the Craft Alive Market, we visited a neat little shop | | | | but I managed to get a little more shopping in. Then, |
| called The Coral Studio. They sell some lovely and | | | | back to the ship for a warm shower, a little relaxation |
| affordable handcrafted coral carvings made from | | | | on our balcony and off to dinner for another delicious |
| dead coral harvested from the local shores. This is | | | | meal and inviting company. Guests we dined with that |
| where I found a gift for my mother-in-law who was so | | | | evening had visited The Baths on Virgin Gorda, the |
| nice to take care of the kids while we were enjoying | | | | second most populous island of the BVIs. They said it |
| this cruise vacation! We would have to shop more | | | | was a gorgeous natural stretch of coastline with large |
| later as it was time to head back to the pier to catch | | | | boulders strewn about. The boulders are said to have |
| the open-air bus that would take us to the boat we | | | | come from a prehistoric volcano. They enjoyed a day |
| were going to Norman Island on. On our way back to | | | | of snorkeling and swimming in the pools and grottoes |
| the pier, we noticed a couple local restaurants/bars | | | | formed by the great rocks. Maybe we will have to visit |
| right outside the port entrance. They were crowded | | | | there next time but it will be hard to decide between |
| with cruise passengers enjoying the front decks. | | | | The Baths and anther visit to Norman Island. What a |
| My husband and I had been eager to visit Tortola as | | | | day!!!! If you are ready for a cruise to Tortola, there are |
| we had planned to return to Norman Island where we | | | | many opportunities from Ft Lauderdale, Miami and Port |
| snorkeled together about 16 years ago during a visit to | | | | Canaveral. |
| St Thomas. When we last visited Norman Island, we | | | | |