We can see why Admiral Sir George Somers fell in love with the Bermuda islands after being stuck here back in 1609, after deliberately runing his sinking ship aground on the reefs following a storm. Using local cedar and spars and rigging from the wrecked Sea Venture, his shipwrights managed to build 2 small vessels, the Deliverance and Patience (which were completed within a year). They then headed for Jamestown, their original destination, to take supplies to the settlers there. During their year in Bermuda, they also built a church and some houses, so forming the beginning of the colony that has remained British ever since. Now most of the larger islands are connected by bridges and causeways so it feels much more like one main island with multiple natural harbours throughout its 22 mile length. It truly is a sailor’s paradise, as long as you keep well clear of the jagged reefs that surround much of it.
What have we been up to? Well, we explored some more of this NE end of the island by scooter, when we toured around St Davids and found some lovely secluded beaches off the beaten track, we have walked around much of the coast of St Georges, taking in just a few of the many significant fortifications along the south shore. We also had a most enjoyable afternoon on Steve and Sheila’s motor launch touring around Hamilton harbour and The Great Sound. Sadly the Americas Cup boats were not on the water that day but maybe we will yet manage to see them before we leave.
We were very glad we did not set off on our passage to the Chesapeake earlier this week. The weather has been quite unsettled, some days being beautifully sunny with little wind and others with more than we would like to encounter out in open water… The picture above was taken on Friday when the wind picked up from very little overnight to over 42 knots, i.e. a strong gale (Force 9), in a matter of a couple of hours. There was also a significant wind shift, almost 180 degrees at the peak of the wind when our anchor, like many others, did not reset and we started dragging. We came rather too close to the boat in the picture but fortunately never touched. The aforementioned boat, bought in Vancover, BC, is on passage to Falmouth, UK for refurbishment; quite a task. The wind subsided in the early afternoon so we were able to safely reset the anchor in a better location.
Thankfully there seems to be a break from the unsettled weather coming early this week. Chris Parker, as well as ARC boats that are heading to the US east coast, think that Tuesday May 16th looks like a good departure date. If anything, we may not have enough wind for much of the way….. but I would rather that than too much. It looks like it will just be the two of us again, which is fine given the expected conditions.
2 Comments
E.T.
Hmm. . . It is Monday morning, and I’m sitting reading this, thinking, “I wish I could observe and write like this”….. Guys, I enjoy it so much. OK, I have come to expect, but have not lost appreciation, for your travels and tellings. It as well makes me more hopeful for our own future travels, when I see that you will be doing yet another solo/double trip. I thank you for sharing, and wish you a safe departure with fair winds and calm seas, for the remainder of your inbound passage. See you in a few weeks.
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Thanks, E.T.! Looking forward to meeting up soon.