LOCALadk Magazine
Issue link: https://localadkmagazine.uberflip.com/i/434744
on the beach and an open-air kitchen with a window into paradise. You first notice the endless view, the sound of water gently hitting the coral and rocks, and the wild feel of untouched vegetation. It will appear as if you have this piece of paradise to yourself until food appears and with it a small army of hungry hermit crabs, who happily join the party. Enjoy your first paddle, then end the day with a meal of fresh tuna cooked over an open fire and a sky absolutely filled with stars. Treasure Island is a story of buried treasure, pirates, and adventure. It is said to have taken place on Norman island, which is just a few miles from our campsite. After a hearty breakfast of fruit-filled pancakes and coffee, the adventures of the day begin. We kayak to Pelican Island, don our snorkeling gear, and slip into the crystal clear water to experience a world of brightly colored angel fish and parrot fish darting among purple sea fans and pipe organ coral. Then it's off to find treasure - or maybe just a delicious lunch at the Pirates Bight on Norman Island. Time for a new view and a totally different island vibe. The Sir Francis Drake Channel leads you to the island of Tortola, specifically the west end and Soper's Hole. Once here you can stretch your legs and also sample a famous Dark and Stormy or Painkiller while you have lunch at the boat harbor. Here you also re-provision, obtain fresh water, and get a peek at the many sailboats that cruise the islands. Back in the kayaks you head out of the harbor and straight for the island of Jost Van Dyke. White Bay is simply paradise. As the first kayak hits the soft white sand beach, you know it was worth every paddle stroke. You are warmly greeted by soft sand, clear blue water, and a beach bar claiming to offer a "stress free" environment. Ivan's Stress Free Bar, run by soft-spoken Ivan, who is always glad to welcome the kayakers to his island Shangri-La for a few days, is a beach bar which in the past was based entirely on an honor system. It used to be that LOCALadk