Bahamas May 2017

Discovery Science Channel Filming

Bahamas - May 07-13 2017

I occasionally get asked to provide on-camera commentary for TV shows, and one that I appear on regularly is "What On Earth?" for Discovery Science Channel. Usually, these appearances are just done in a studio, or hotel with me talking about interesting things spotted on satellite imagery. For season four of the series, they have decided to do some filming on location at some of the featured sites, and they brought me out to The Bahamas to film a few stories on Norman's Cay and Bimini.

Crashed drug smuggling plane at Norman's Cay, Bahamas. As part of the Medellín Cartel, Carlos Lehder used the island as a transshipment base for smuggling cocaine into the United States. The exact date it crashed, and the cause are still a bit of a mystery. Normans Cay was a strategic point for Colombian drug flights to refuel and rest before proceeding to the United States The plane is turning into an artificial reef with fish, corals and I even spotted a stingray. Carlos Lehder's hideout on Norman's Cay. Nicknamed "The Volcano House", it was his drug smuggling headquarters and is now in ruins. The garage at Carlos Lehder's house The place has been abandoned for years, but really got thrashed by hurricane Matthew in 2016. The island became a location for partying. Carlos Toro remembers, "Norman's Cay was a playground. I have a vivid picture of being picked up in a Land Rover with the top down and naked women driving to come and welcome me from my airplane... And there we partied. And it was a Sodom and Gomorrah... drugs, sex, no police... you made the rules... and it was fun." At the wrecked plane, carrying the flag of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. We also did some filming for another story on the island of Bimini. The "no-see-ums" (biting sand flies) are a real nuisance on South Bimini. I Bimini Sunset.


Crashed drug smuggling plane at Norman's Cay, Bahamas.	As part of the Medellín Cartel, Carlos Lehder used the island as a transshipment base for smuggling cocaine into the United States.


The exact date it crashed, and the cause are still a bit of a mystery.	Normans Cay was a strategic point for Colombian drug flights to refuel and rest before proceeding to the United States


The plane is turning into an artificial reef with fish, corals and I even spotted a stingray.	Carlos Lehder's hideout on Norman's Cay. Nicknamed "The Volcano House", it was his drug smuggling headquarters and is now in ruins.


The garage at Carlos Lehder's house	The place has been abandoned for years, but really got thrashed by hurricane Matthew in 2016.


The island became a location for partying. Carlos Toro remembers, "Norman's Cay was a playground. I have a vivid picture of being picked up in a Land Rover with the top down and naked women driving to come and welcome me from my airplane... And there we partied. And it was a Sodom and Gomorrah... drugs, sex, no police... you made the rules... and it was fun."	At the wrecked plane, carrying the flag of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.


We also did some filming for another story on the island of Bimini.	The "no-see-ums" (biting sand flies) are a real nuisance on South Bimini. I


Bimini Sunset.