October 2016
Bermuda is an archipelago situated in the Atlantic Ocean around
650 miles off the coast of North Carolina. The main island which resembles a
fishhook consists of several islands that are connected by bridges and a
causeway for a total of 21 miles from end to end.
The subtropical island which is bathed by the Gulf Stream is
renowned for its beautiful pink sand beaches, turquoise waters, hibiscus blooms
and pastel coloured buildings with white roofs.
I visited the island in October which is a great time of the
year as the tourist season is winding down. The weather is good, the beaches
are relatively deserted and the ocean is still quite warm for swimming.
I spent my days exploring caves, shopping, relaxing on the
beach, sampling the cuisine of the island, visiting museums, small towns and
old heritage sites.
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| Crystal Caves, Bermuda |
Crystal Caves was discovered in the 1900s by two boys
looking for a lost cricket ball which fell down a hole. A series of steps lead
down into a sapphire-bottomed lagoon surrounded by big stalactites and
stalagmites. A floating pontoon bridge allows visitors to explore the cave even
further.
Bermuda’s top views and beaches are located on the spectacular
south shore of the island. Not surprisingly, this is where you will find the
very best and most expensive resorts.
There are more than a dozen beaches, coves and bays which provide for
great swimming and snorkeling.
A beautiful half mile beach trail starts at Horseshoe Bay
and ends at Warwick Long Bay Beach. (Jobson’s Cove,
Stonehole, Chaplin Bay). Horseshoe Bay is
Bermuda’s number one attraction so it can get really crowded. When I visited in
October there were only a few people. Climb the rocks to get a nice bird’s eye
view of the bay.
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| Horseshoe Bay Beach, Bermuda |
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| Warwick Long Bay Beach, Bermuda |
Another favourite among locals is Church Bay. Church Bay offers excellent snorkeling just a short distance off the beach.
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| Church Bay, Bermuda |
A great place to visit on a rainy day is the Bermuda Underwater
Exploration Institute which is located in Hamilton. I spent roughly 2 hours
wandering through my favourite sections, the Jack Lightbourn Shell Collection
and the treasure room. The institute has a nice collection of many artifacts
retrieved from shipwrecks around Bermuda. The Shell Collection has over 1200
shells collected from around the world.
Gibbs Lighthouse is an historic landmark in Southamptom
Parish on the South Shore. It was built as a navigational marker to prevent
shipwrecks because of the island’s dangerous reefs. Beautiful views from atop
the lighthouse over the Great Sound. 185 stairs to the top. High railed balcony
provides 360 views of Royal Naval Dockyard, Great Sound and Hamilton.
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| View from Gibb's Lighthouse, Bermuda |
Bermuda is dotted with nice little towns. St George’s is Bermuda’s oldest town. It was founded in 1612
and was once the capital of Bermuda. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Top attractions are King’s Square, Town Hall, Unfinished Church and St.Peter’s
Church.
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| King’s Square and Town Hall, St.George's, Bermuda |
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| Unfinished Church, St.George's, Bermuda |
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| St Peter's Church is the oldest Anglican Church outside of the British Isles
built in 1612. |
Getting around Bermuda is quite easy. I used a combination
of bus and ferry. I purchased a 7day pass which allowed me access to all the ferry
and bus routes. A bus ride from Hamilton to Horseshoe Bay is 40 minutes while a
ride from Hamilton to St Georges is roughly 1 hour.
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| View of Hamilton from the ferry heading to Nelson's Dockyard |
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| Nelson's Dockyard has a wide variety of shops and restaurants |
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Baily Bay is a nice section of the Railway Trail as it has a
bridge that spans the bay.
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Bermuda was a source of inspiration for many famous people
including Mark Twain, John Lennon, Georgia O’Keefe and Winslow Homer. In fact
Mark Twain once said this of Bermuda, “You go to heaven if you want to- I’d
rather stay in Bermuda.”
