Photo: H.G. Christie Ltd.
Long before Billy McFarland was a convicted fraudster, a cheese sandwich went viral on Twitter, and dueling documentaries were released about the event, there was a Fyre Festival promo video that promised “two transformative weekends…on a remote private island in the Exumas…once owned by Pablo Escobar.”
The now infamous video features the likes of Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski, Hailey Baldwin, Alessandra Ambrosio, Chanel Iman and more. The models are seen diving off sailboats, feeding strawberries to wild pigs, exploring abandoned shipwrecks and frolicking in the surf.
Photo: H.G. Christie Ltd.
The island, known as Norman’s Cay, was the intended site of the Fyre Festival, but the owners pulled out after McFarland breached contract by including references to Pablo Escobar in marketing materials. Fyre Festival was moved to Great Exuma and the rest is internet meme history.
Saddleback Cay, which is located on the northern tip of Norman’s Cay, recently hit the market for $11.8 million. The 47-acre property features seven beaches, a primary residence and several “ancillary cottages” (aka guest and servants’ quarters). Also included is a protected deep water harbor where you can achor your superyacht.
Photo: H.G. Christie Ltd.
While the island may look sleepy, it was once inhabited by Carlos Lehder, a co-founder of the Medellín drug cartel and trafficking partner of Pablo Escobar. During the late 70s and early 80s, Lehder turned nearby Norman’s Cay into a transportation hub for cocaine smuggling and a party destination for his cronies. He built a 3,300-foot runway where small airplanes packed with blow would take off for the continental United States.
The new owners of Saddleback Cay will be able to access that very same runway when flying to their island getaway. Lehder, who is currently imprisoned in the United States, is no longer the next-door-neighbor. From Norman’s Cay Airport, it’s just a quick boat ride to the shores of Saddleback or “some of the best bone fishing and deep water fishing spots in all of the Bahamas.”
Photo: H.G. Christie Ltd.
If you’re looking for a private island with a seedy past and white sand beaches, look no further than Saddleback Cay!
