Normans cay is a small bahamian island in the exumas, a chain of islands south. Even though we couldnt relate to his highly moral, hot tempered determination, the. Johnny depp made a movie, blow, about lehder and normans cay in 2001. Normans cay is a tiny, hookshaped bahamian island located in the exumas about 210 miles off the florida coast. The only remnants from those days is a sunken plane in the middle of the harbor. Jan 30, 2010 lookout boat on norman s cay duration. There are all kinds of relics of lehders reign throughout the island, probably one of the most apparent is a plane wreck in the shallows of. Turning the tide one deadly summer, one man against the. Phase one is complete and established the new runway for the island with further improvements being planned, including a new terminal building, to establish the runway as a us port of. On normans cay, the colombian rambo met his match in a professor and diving enthusiast named richard novak, who stop at nothing to shield his heaven. Novak, a marine biologist studying the sea life around normans cay, refused to be intimidated by lehders reign of terror on the. Normans cay was once a haven for a notorious drug smuggler, wanted by the bahamian government, the dea, the fbi and the coast guard.
Not until 1982, under pressure from us law enforcement, and despite years of turning a blind eye, the bahamian government began to crack down on the island drug smuggling operations. Normans cay is a multiphased remote island mixed use resort development in the bahamas comprising the following key project components and phases. On normans cay, the colombian rambo meets his match in a professor and diving enthusiast named richard novak who will stop at nothing to. Not until 1982, under pressure from us law enforcement, and despite years of turning a blind eye, did the bahamian government begin to crack down on the islands drugsmuggling operations.
For soon the two men were locked in a titanic clash of willsa psychopath with a multimilliondollar empire and a renegade army, versus a lone. Looking for drug runners in normans cay, bahamas turf. It tells the story of richard novak, a diver who wanted to make normans his new home, and of carlos enrique lehder rivas leader of the medellin cartel who wanted to make normans his own personal nation. After all, we were in a heavenly little spot just south of normans cay, the island made famous by drugrunner carlos lehder aka diego delgado in the movie blow with johnny depp. Novak, the islands former dive master, fought back, waging a heroic but ultimately futile oneman war to liberate. Dive on a shallow plane wreck, normans cay, bahamas normans cay is a. Homes listings include vacation homes, apartments, penthouses, luxury retreats, lake homes, ski chalets. Lehder was a young, fanatically ambitious columbian national with a german surname who took the four mile island of normans cay in the bahamas by storm, using it as his base of operations for his once thriving cocaine business. Turning the tide one deadly summer, one man against. Medelln cartel member and selfproclaimed nazi carlos lehder revolutionized the cocaine company by taking over an island in the bahamas and utilizing it as a way station between colombia and america. An american professor who loved the sea, richard novak undertook to study hammerhead sharks off norman s cay in the bahamas. His arrival there in 1978 coincided with the advent of carlos lehder, a representative of colombias medellin drug cartel, who planned to take over the island and make it a transshipment point for cocaine, perhaps with. There actually isnt much to keep you busy on normans cay, which is exactly the way locals and tourists like it.
His arrival there in 1978 coincided with the advent of carlos lehder, a representative of colombia s medellin drug cartel, who planned to take over the island and make it a transshipment point for cocaine, perhaps with. Macduffs is a beautiful resort on a three mile stretch of white, sandy beach and crystal clear blue water. Richard novak, an american professor, was invited by carlos lehder to normans cay to study the hammerhead shark population. This is due in part to the low population and only small amount of tourism that keeps the island running. We both read a book recommended by eric on makai called turning the tide which focuses on a civilian, richard novak, who loved normans cay, couldnt turn a blind eye to what he figured out was going on and got deeply involved in taking down the operation. Novak is the one man against the medellin cartel that the book title refers to. Before lehder, normans cay was a popular anchorage for visiting yachts. Normans cay, about 200 miles from miami, became a major smuggling hub in the late 1970s. At that time it was difficult to convey clear title to nonbahamians which curtailed sales. Lehder was a young, fanatically ambitious columbian national with a german surname who took the four mile island of norman s cay in the bahamas by storm, using it as his base of operations for his once thriving cocaine business.
Lehder took advantage of the location of normans cay, which is between columbia and florida, to set up a large scale cocaine smuggling. Normans pond cay is located just south of bock cay where an ultra exclusive private resort with golf course is being built. But in 1978 a bahamian company called international dutch resources began buying up land there. See more ideas about norman s cay, nassau and norman. Richard novak, father of five and lover of the sea, came to normans cay to study the hammerhead shark up close. Normans cay resort development, exuma, bahamas dhp associates. For four years it was a drug smuggling hub and tropical hideaway for medellin cartel kingpin carlos lehder and. This private island has miles of beaches, dramatic waterfront vistas, great elevations, deep protected channels running just off the island, as well as an incredible setting in the stunning waters of the exuma cays. Novak also reported that great white sharks like the ne lagoon as a mating area in the spring. As part of the medellin cartel, he used it as a base for smuggling cocaine into the united states. Ultimate bariatrics 2501 parkview drive suite 560 fort worth, tx 76102 8177834395.
Reading this book, i was absolutely captivated and riveted at the exploits of one carlos lehderrivas and a certain professor novack. Novak, the island s former dive master, fought back, waging a heroic but ultimately futile oneman war to liberate norman s cay. Surrounded by tranquil seas and private island living, macduffs cottages will forever change the way you vacation in the caribbean. Normans cay is a small bahamian island a few hundred hectares in the exumas, a chain of. It was developed in the early 1970s as a small residential community with a clubhouse and marina. Carlos lehder, came to use an island called normans cay as a bridge for the entry of his lethal merchandise into the united states, to the point that the cay in question was a kind of caribbean enclave that would complement the possessions of his country and under the nicaragua of the san andres islands and providencia.
Google maps they used to smuggle drugs through nassau, bahamas, by using corrupt officials that would. Sep 01, 20 to get a feeling for this place, we visited normans cay last winter while sailing the bahamas. Feb 5, 2016 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 drugsmuggling operation from 1978 to around 1982. Novak was quickly immersed in the medellin cartels successful drug running operation at the time. Normans cay accomodation options one of the things that appeals most to tourists looking to stay on normans cay is the sloweddown pace of life. Novak, the islands former dive master, fought back, waging a heroic but ultimately futile oneman war to liberate normans cay. Lehder took advantage of the location of norman s cay, which is between columbia and florida, to set up a large scale cocaine smuggling. For the past couple of days, we have been at anchored at normans cay. The bahamian islands have a rich history as a key location for smuggling.
Feb 5, 2016 normans 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 lehders drugsmuggling operation from 1978 to around 1982. The exumas are a chain of small islands located southeast of nassau. The operation was headed by carlos lehder of the medellin cartel. Normans cay is a small island in the bahamas210 miles off the florida coast. Read about richard novak and how he helped rid the cay of this curse.
For four years it was a drug smuggling hub and tropical hideaway for medellin. Nestled in the northern part of the exuma chain, located just 55 miles southeast of nassau and 220 miles southeast of miami is normans cay, home to macduffs cottages, which lie on the western shore of the. Normans cay and carlos lehder part 2 the velvet rocket. Normans cay had become a nerve center of the medellin cartel, the worlds largest drug operation. This episode features carlos lehder, medellin cartel member and selfproclaimed nazi. Norman s cay is a small island in the bahamas210 miles off the florida coast. Richard novak a biblereading college professor and marine researcher whose love for the pristine nature of normans cay put him at odds with its drug lord. See more ideas about normans cay, nassau and norman. Not until 1982, under pressure from us law enforcement, and despite years of turning a blind eye, did the bahamian government begin to crack down on the island s drugsmuggling operations. Eventually run off the isle, lehder resorted to terrorizing authorities in his birthplace in a attempt to stay from jail. But it turned out all there was to see was a partially overgrown runway, where carlos lehders planes used to come and go with their cargo as the u. Norman s cay, about 200 miles from miami, became a major smuggling hub in the late 1970s.
His arrival there in 1978 coincided with the advent of carlos lehder, a. His arrival there in 1978 coincided with the advent of carlos lehder, a rep. Jan 27, 2010 norman s cay had become a nerve center of the medellin cartel, the world s largest drug operation. Normans cay, island paradise of the bahamas, that, thanks to carlos lehder, became the nerve center of the medellin cartel, complete with gun towers and a dc3 landing strip. The next to last day of our voyage we explored the ruins of carlos lehders home and cocaine smuggling compound that was bustling in the late 70s early to m. An american professor who loved the sea, richard novak undertook to study hammerhead sharks off normans cay in the bahamas. Lehder revolutionized the cocaine business by taking over an island in the bahamas and using it as a way station between colombia and the u. Normans cay was used as a stopping point for drug transportation between colombia and the us in the late 70s and early 80s. Carlos lehder pablo escobar and the history of the medellin. We have 3 luxury homes for sale in normans cay, and 10 homes in all of exuma cays. On normans cay, the colombian rambo met his match in a professor and diving enthusiast named richard novak, who stop at nothing to shield. Circumstance, maybe even karmic fate, placed richard novak, a former marine and college professor on normans cay in 1978, the same year lehder arrived. Homes listings include vacation homes, apartments, penthouses, luxury retreats, lake homes, ski chalets, villas, and many more lifestyle options.
Carlos lehder pablo escobar and the history of the. Norman s cay, island paradise of the bahamas, that, thanks to carlos lehder, became the nerve center of the medellin cartel, complete with gun towers and a dc3 landing strip. Turning the tide one deadly summer, one man against carlos. Dive on a shallow plane wreck, normans cay, bahamas norman s cay is a. Jan 26, 2015 we both read a book recommended by eric on makai called turning the tide which focuses on a civilian, richard novak, who loved norman s cay, couldnt turn a blind eye to what he figured out was going on and got deeply involved in taking down the operation. Aug 09, 2014 normans cay, island paradise of the bahamas, that, thanks to carlos lehder, became the nerve center of the medellin cartel, complete with gun towers and a dc3 landing strip. Professor richard novak was in the bahamas studying hammerhead sharks when. Boston george working w pablo escobar, prison visit from johnny depp, and more. Here is the amazing true story of how richard novak helped bring lehder to his downfallarmed only with a. Normans cay is a bahamian island that served as the headquarters for carlos lehder drugsmuggling operation from 1978 to around 1982.