SVJoli: Wonderful, Lovely Bermuda 11/3/21

From our first contact with Bermuda Radio as we approached Bermuda, to our exit from St. George’s Harbor through the Town Cut Channel, Bermuda was WONDERFUL! We arrived at St. George’s around 5 pm on Wednesday, November 3 and were directed by Bermuda Radio to the Customs Dock. Check in was very quick and efficient and we took advantage of the dock to put our dinghy in the water and get the anchor back on the bow. The Health Department was on the dock Thursday afternoon to test us for Covid and again, it was organized and efficient. We remained quarantined to the boat until negative Covid test results were received by all on Friday around noon. Time to go ashore!

Pia had talked with a sailor from Antigua on the VHF radio earlier this summer, during an impromptu match race off of Virginia Beach. John asked her to contact him if she ever happened to be in Bermuda, so Pia emailed him as we approached Bermuda. He and his wife Judy were kind enough to take some photos as Joli approached the Customs Dock. He also picked up our MT propane tanks (yes, big mistake in the passage preps - forgot to get the tanks filled even though it was on the list) and got them filled for us. They hosted us all for dinner at their house on Friday night. They have a 200+ year old home and they have recently completed an addition and update. John is an architect and Judy is an artist and the house and yard were fabulous, dinner was delicious and our hosts were so lovely. It really made our Bermuda visit extra special.

We did some hiking with friends and fellow Salty Dawgers Dan and Lori from BeBe and with Bill from Suki. Suki participated in the NARC from Newport and had arrived in St. George’s the day after we had. Bill had sailed with Pia and John on Jack, a Hanse 57, in the 2019 Salty Dawg Rally to the Caribbean so it was a nice reunion for them. We hiked up Mount Hill to Fort George, where Bermuda Radio, part of the Maritime Operations Center, is housed. Fort George was built in 1612 and although not a large fort, it has an impressive dry moat surrounding the tall building. We happened to meet one of the pilots on his way into the building, Mario Thompson, as we were admiring the views from the fort. Mario invited us up the stairs and spent about half an hour with us, explaining the history and culture of Bermuda. What a delightful happenstance!

Other highlights in Bermuda were a visit to Hamilton, a bus ride from one end of the island to the opposite end to see the National Museum of Bermuda, and the pink sand beaches. Hamilton, the capital of Bermuda, has a population of only 1800 people but about 13,500 people work in the city; Bermuda’s total population is about 71,000. The city is very neat, clean and orderly with fresh paint on most of the buildings. Fort Hamilton was so cool and has a 30-foot wide, 40-foot deep moat encircling it. The moat is now a botanical garden and is spectacular. There is also a tunnel on three sides where ammunitions were replenished. We all especially enjoyed this fort. The weather was not the greatest while we were in Bermuda, so the bus ride and visit to the National Museum was a good rainy day activity. The museum is on the grounds of The Keep in The Royal Naval Dockyard and there are many interesting displays in the Commissioners House. The lawn and ramparts offer great views of the big, blue ocean and the Dockyard.

And, YES, the sand really is pink!