The sail from Norman Island to Peter Island, stopping for a snorkel at the Indians, is fairly quick, just 1-2 hours depending on how many tacks you need to make.
Peter Island is special. Perhaps it’s because it is owned by one company (the Peter Island Resort was built by Avon as a reward for their highest achievers) that has kept it almost completely unspoiled. Or because sea turtles greet you when you anchor, or because the white sandy beaches are so pristine and unspoiled that you don’t really know how the charter could get any better. No matter what the reason(s), as soon as we arrived at Deadmans Bay we knew we were in Paradise.
A bit of history. Deadmans Bay is the westernmost bay on the north coast of Peter Island. The small, uninhabited island across from this bay is called Dead Chest. They were so named because Blackbeard punished 15 pirates by stranding them on Dead Chest with only a bottle of Rum. They tried to swim the short distance to Deadmans Bay, but didn’t make it – their bodies floated up ashore. Thus came the lyrics “15 men on Dead (mans) Chest, Yo ho ho and a bottle of Rum” and the names of the island and bay.
It’s a shame the pirates didn’t make it to land, because they missed a truly extraordinary beach. It has perfect sand, nice breakers that kids can play in for hours, and an upscale beach bar and restaurant run by Peter Island Resort that welcomes of yachties (you will need a reservation, however, if you want to eat there). It’s more expensive than your typical beach bar, but if you want to taste a bit of luxury along the way, it’s a nice place and there are plenty of Rum Drinks available at the bar.
Deadmans Bay is difficult to anchor in, the bottom is covered with thick sea grass, which makes it difficult to get the anchor to hold. But if you put out a lot of lead and anchor on the eastern end of the bay, near the hotel, you’ll grab eventually. There are smaller swells at this side of the bay as well, making for a nicer night’s sleep.
While we were in the bay, we constantly saw Green Sea Turtles cruising around, many with remora fish attached to them to pick up scraps along the way. You can put on a snorkel and fins and follow these turtles around the bay. The Eastern half of the beach is private for guests of the hotel, but all yachties are welcomed on the Western half, which is equally nice.
If you love beautiful beaches, you’ll love Deadmans Bay!
