Day 66 Burmuda

Day 66 Bermuda

'You go to heaven if you want-I'd rather stay here in Bermuda' Mark Twain.

Due to unexpected strong winds over the past few days, our arrival into Bermuda occurred 2 hours later than scheduled. The Captain put back our departure an hour later to allow sufficient time for tours. It took an hour and half to sail past St George's Island and the capital, Hamilton, through the reefs to the Royal Naval Dockyard at West End.

The ship docked opposite the National and Maritime Museum where we could see from our balcony the moat and 30 foot high defensive ramparts, original ordnance stores and the 2 storey Commissioner's House which dates back to 1823. All these buildings were bathed in bright sunshine and were surrounded by a backdrop of deep blue skies and turquoise blue waters.

12 of us met our prearranged taxi drivers at the dock. It had been arranged that we would spilt in 2, to have 6 in each taxi for the 5 hour tour around the islands of Bermuda. Points of interest included:- Royal naval cemetery, the tiny Somerset Village, St James' Church which stands on a high promontory, a dramatic setting for this lovely old church. This is where our guide indicated her late husband's grave. Next stop was Somerset Bridge, said to be the smallest drawbridge in the world. Gibbs' Hill Lighthouse, the second of the oldest lighthouses in the world made of cast iron, a drive past Horseshoe Bay which is rated one of the best beaches in the world, Church Bay Park, many golf courses i.e. Tuckers Bay, the well preserved British Settlement Town of St George with its crooked streets, replica of the 'Deliverance', the original ship was built to carry shipwrecked survivors to Virginia. We had a quick drive through the capital city, Hamilton, before our return back to the ship.

The houses on this beautiful island are well kept and each are painted a colour chosen by the owner. By the time we returned to the ship I am sure I saw every colour of the rainbow. The houses are uniquely constructed. First of all by having a self-contained, rain water and effluent tank under the house, then the foundations are laid over these. The walls are constructed of coral or cement brick, and then rendered. The roofs are constructed of cement, shaped as steps with a gutter positioned ¾ ways down the roof to collect and direct rain water into a pipe leading to the underground tank. The roofs are then painted in white lime which discourages bacteria in the tank water.

The streets are narrow and winding, giving reason to the 35kph speed limit. I found our driver relaxed whilst she drove us around the island and after a while I started to think she seemed to be taking her time until I asked what the speed limit happened to be on the island, I quickly changed my mind.

 The effects of the warm Gulf Stream Current gives Bermuda a beautiful temperate haven of crystal-clear waters, amazing mild and agreeable weather, and a delightful island in the otherwise landless Central Atlantic.