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INSIDE
Shipwreck Island: 500 Years of History
Sunken clues to Bermuda’s past
The Hall of History mural in Commissioner’s House is not to be missed
By Elena Strong, Curator of National Museum of Bermuda
See page 4
Historic Dockyard: A Jewel in Bermuda’s Crown by Elizabeth Jones
Get Wet & Wild! Dockyard is the gateway to all the best watersports on the island. See page 14
Bermuda: A Diver’s Dream Being the unofficial shipwreck captial of the Atlantic, Bermuda is a dream location. See page 26
PLUS Eat, Drink & Be Merry pG 10 Go & Do pG 12 Shop pG 16 Experience It pG 19 Beyond Dockyard pG 22
Officially, Bermuda has just two towns, the City of Hamilton and the Town of St. George. But arguably the Royal Naval Dockyard, locally known as Dockyard and situated on the western tip of the island, has so many amenities it could be seen as the island’s third town. Boasting Bermuda’s largest museum, a marina, a shopping mall, restaurants and an authentic British pub, as well as a number of arts related centres, Dockyard is one of Bermuda’s key attractions. In fact for many of our visitors arriving on
the island by ship, Dockyard is their first destination since it is currently the only port suitable for mega cruise ships. It can easily be explored on foot and during the cruise ship season by Segway and or by train. Scenically, Dockyard is always engaging for its views of yachts, tugs, and pilot boats, for its cruise ships and ferries. When berthed at Dockyard, the Spirit of Bermuda, a schooner designed by the Bermuda Sloop Foundation to train Bermuda’s youth in maritime arts, recalls the days when Grassy Bay was filled with sailing ships. Casemates, a forbidding stone edifice dominating
the skyline, was built by convicts as a military barracks. Subsequently, it served as a prison whose thick, impregnable walls are reminiscent of the Bastille. Now in the process of being renovated as part of the National Museum of Bermuda, it closed as a prison in 1995. The Royal Naval Dockyard’s name and the names of its roads and lanes—Freeport Road, Maritime Lane, Camber Road, for example—give the clue to its naval history. Once Britain lost its American ports after it lost the American War of Independence in 1783, it needed a Continued on page 2
The House on the Hill
Fascinating and Historic Commissioner’s House By W. C. Stevenson From 1919 until the closing of the Dockyard in 1951, the Commissioner’s House was actually a ship called the HMS Malabar. It did not sail, or motor, or even float, but it was a ship nonetheless. The British, with infinite patience for tradition, have a habit of commissioning such houses as ships, and the HMS Malabar was one of them. Unsurprising, considering that the building served as
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allied HQ for North Atlantic radio interceptions during WWII. But that is only a sliver of the story. Edward Holl, Chief
Architect of the Royal Navy, designed the extraordinary building in 1822. Construction began in 1823 and was complete by 1827. Commis-
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sioner’s House was designed with cast iron replacing all structural wood, and was the first residential building Continued on page 2
The National Museum’s newest permanent exhibit is officially open to the public and is housed where the Museum first began—inside the Queen’s Exhibition Hall in the Lower Grounds of the Keep Fort, Royal Naval Dockyard. Shipwreck Island: Sunken Clues to Bermuda’s Past tells the story of Bermuda’s discovery, early settlement and history (from 1505 to 1684) through the lens of a collection of 16th- and 17th-century shipwreck artifacts recovered from Bermuda waters. It features Bermuda’s earliest wrecks, with more than 1,500 shipwreck artifacts on display that are of international and local significance. The collection includes large cannon, rare New World indigenous weapons, intact olive jars, silver coins, colonial pottery, medical, navigation and ship tools and exotic trade goods from the New World and Asia. The exhibit also explores life aboard ship, the people who discovered Bermuda’s earliest shipwrecks, underwater archaeology and the importance of protecting our underwater cultural heritage for future generations. For five centuries, hundreds of vessels have come to grief on Bermuda’s encircling reefs due to reasons such as pilot error, raging storms, inaccurate charts and the historical inability to accurately determine one’s position at sea. These wrecks are more than a collection of fascinating and precious objects. They are material records of Bermuda’s interaction with Continued on page 5
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Historic Dockyard:
A Jewel in Bermuda’s Crown Continued from page 1 mid-Atlantic port in case of war with America and France and to protect its interests in the Caribbean. Bermuda’s geographical position made it the ideal location. So the story of Dockyard began in 1809 when work began to carve out Bermuda’s largest fortifications from local stone. At first slave labour was used, but after Emancipation in 1834 convicts sentenced to transportation from Britain and housed in hulks off Bermuda’s shores were used instead. Eventually, Dockyard became a bustling naval centre where until 1951 when the Royal Navy pulled out, many Bermudians trained as apprenticed masons, electricians and engineers. In those days Dockyard was known as “Little England.” After the pull out the area went through a period of neglect until the 1970s and ’80s saw its transformation into an important island destination. In 1975 the fortress became the Bermuda Maritime Museum which in turn was recently renamed the National Museum of Bermuda. Tickets also include entrance to the Commissioner’s House, restored in the year 2000 as an additional
heritage museum and a must see for history buffs since its numerous exhibitions focus on different stages of Bermudian history. One room is devoted to a magnificent mural by Graham Foster depicting the whole of Bermuda’s history. Atop a steep hill, it has panoramic views of the North and South Shores. But Dockyard has plenty to offer visitors not so interested in history. The Clocktower overlooking the water and the King’s Wharf beyond was once a vast storehouse. Now its ground floor houses the Clocktower Shopping Mall although its ambience is more bazaar than mall. Visitors in search of gifts have a wide choice—jewellery, linens, candles, ladies’ fashions, prints, crafts, as well as all kinds of Bermuda souvenirs, are just a few of the items to be found here. An ice cream bar within the mall is popular as well as a restaurant. Dockyard is also a centre for artists and artisans. For example Bermuda Clayworks on Camber Road is where local potters drawing on Bermuda colours and scenery for inspiration create a whole range of ceramics. Nearby is Bermuda
Glassworks where visitors can watch glass blowers create beautiful pieces inspired by Bermuda’s flora and fauna in an array of colours. Both places, as well as the Bermuda Craft Market and Bermuda Arts Centre on Maritime Lane opposite the Museum’s entrance, are well worth a visit for those in search of an authentic Bermuda made souvenir or gift. For visitors in search of water recreation there are plenty of opportunities. They can swim with the dolphins thanks to Dolphin Quest located within the grounds of the Museum and they can snorkel and swim at Snorkel Park, next to the Dockyard Playground on Maritime Lane. The beach is ideal for kids while parents can relax at the beach bar on the water’s edge. Watersports and water vehicle rentals can be easily booked and include scuba diving, snorkelling, water skiing, jet skiing, sailing, helmet diving, kayaking and parasailing. Fishing trips can also be arranged. Visitors staying elsewhere in Bermuda can easily access Dockyard from the City of Hamilton by bus or by ferry.
The House on the Hill Continued from page 1
in the Western Hemisphere to utilise cast-iron framing. The floor framing, truss-work and verandah pillars are iron castings fabricated in England that were transported to Bermuda aboard sailing ships for assembly according to Holl’s plan. Like many other Dockyard buildings, the walls of Commissioner’s House are hard Bermuda limestone, which was quarried and shaped into blocks by convicts from Britain, and lesser numbers of local workers and slaves. In its early years of operation, the Commissioner’s House was Bermuda’s equivalent of the White House in Washington DC. While its primary purpose was to serve as the ceremonial residence of the respective civilian commissioner in overall charge of the Dockyard, it also housed administrative offices and quarters for visiting state officials. The House was occupied by Dockyard Commissioners from 1827 to 1837 and was then turned over to the Army, which retained control of it until 1862. The
House served as the Royal Marine Barracks from 1862 to 1914, and as married quarters and barracks for naval ratings during the First World War. When the British left the Dockyard in 1951, the tenacre Keep and Commissioner’s House were left to decay until 1974 when the Bermuda Maritime Museum took responsibility for the historic buildings and grounds. Early on, the Museum committed to the restoration of Commissioner’s House. After 25 years and the efforts of many private and corporate donors and volunteers, the restoration of the building was achieved in 2000, adding elegant new
Publisher & Editor | Tina Stevenson tina@thebermudian.com Art Director | Laura Ann Bell laura@thebermudian.com Published By | The Bermudian Publishing Company Limited, April 2014
exhibition and special events space to the Museum. Now seen as a major new asset for the cultural heritage of the Island, Commissioner’s House was the largest restoration project ever undertaken in Bermuda. And gaze upon it now from far out at sea, on a hazy, salty day, the westernmost landmark in Bermuda may appear to rise from the ocean, seeming to float… just like a ship. A variety of new exhibitions on Bermuda’s social and military history, and special collections are now on show inside. The Commissioner’s House is also available for events rental.
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Royal Naval Dockyard: A Brief History The Royal Naval Dockyard was constructed as a direct result of the independence of the English American colonies in 1783, when the British were left without a base between Halifax and the West Indies. The British soon identified Bermuda as a strategic mid-Atlantic location where a secure anchorage for
the Navy’s fleet and a dockyard, victualling yard and ordnance depot to maintain the ships could be developed. In 1795 a base was commissioned in the island’s east end at St. George’s, but it soon proved inadequate and the area known as Ireland Island in the west end was purchased by
the Navy for the major naval base. Construction of the North America and West Indies Station, as the base eventually became known, began in 1809 and continued into the early 20th Century. Construction of the Dockyard–including its breakwaters, fortifications, storehouses, workshops, and barracks–was a
monumental effort that involved large land reclamations and the labour of thousands of convicts from Britain. In the early 1950s, the Royal Navy left the main Dockyard and most of the area was transferred to the Bermuda Government, though the naval base was not officially closed
until 1995. After 1953 the Dockyard was used very little and left to various degrading forces. Yet as early as the 1960s the idea of a museum at Dockyard was ripening in some minds, and in 1975 Bermuda Maritime Museum was officially opened to the public in the fortress known as the Keep. By the early
1980s, the government began to restore the Dockyard as a cultural tourism destination, based in part on the success of the Maritime Museum. Today Dockyard is the most visited site in Bermuda, underscoring the value of architectural heritage to the tourism industry. Source: www.bmm.bm
NMB to Unveil New Playground By Laura Bell Forget the typical monkey bars and swings, a brand new playground and Museum Playhouse at the National Museum of Bermuda will offer children a much more colourful and exciting experience this summer. With its wooden 21-foot lighthouse encircled by a vibrant green moray eel weaving its way through sea grass poles, this playground is as visually stunning as it is thrilling for visiting children to explore and play. This interactive playground was designed by award-winning Danish firm Monstrum which has become famous for their unique and spectacular playground design. Founded in 2003 by theatre set designers Ole B. Nielsen and Christian Jensen, the company focuses on creative playgrounds including wobbly-looking buildings, giant spiders, shipwrecks, snakes and even a dragon or two. “We believe that playground design should be a reflection of the world surrounding us,” the team states on their website. “We see the world as a place full of colour. We meet boys that like pink
and girls that likes climbing trees. Why only play on a monkey frame and in a sandbox, when you can play in a moon crater or a submarine or a giant spider or an enormous snail or a Trojan horse or a rocket or an ant or a princess castle? The fantasy is infinite. As artists and designers and through our experience building theatrical set-design at numerous theaters in Copenhagen, we have the knowledge to combine elements where not only physical activities and play evolve, but also with a visual story that creates a space where fantasy thrives.” Bermuda National Museum curator Elena Strong is excited
Monstrum’s rendition of the playground features a giant eel surrounding a lighthouse modelled after the St. David’s Lighthouse.
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about the new playground. “The playground includes a 21ft lighthouse with slide painted to look like St. David’s lighthouse with a 70ft green moray eel wrapping around it where the kids can climb through its mouth and body. There is also a sand pit in the shape of the Keep Fort and other climbing elements. It is super cool and I can’t wait to play on it… I mean, I can’t wait for the children to play on it!” Adjacent to the playground and due to open this fall will be a new Museum Playhouse.
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Designed by Bermudian artists Russell DeMoura and James Cooper of Fungus Collective in conjunction with the museum, the playhouse will feature a multitude of interactive exhibits relating to Dockyard and Bermuda’s maritime history. “Much like a Pixar film, the Playhouse will have lots of hidden secrets and adult jokes to make it fun for the whole family,” said Strong. “The emphasis is on learning through play and developing creativity and a sense of adventure and fits with our education mandate.” Situated next to Dolphin Quest where visitors can swim with the dolphins or just sit and watch them swimming and interacting with the facilitators, the new playground and playhouse will be a big draw for families looking for something different to do during their visit. The new playground and Museum Playhouse were generously sponsored by the ACE Foundation. The playground can be accessed through the National Museum of Bermuda which is open daily from 9:30am to 5:00pm (last admission at 4:00pm). Adults are $12, seniors $10 and children under 13 FREE.
Bermuda’s Spirit A training vessel for the island’s youth By W. C. Stevenson The Spirit of Bermuda is not some ephemeral platitude about culture, or society, or island life in general… it is a ship, a Bermuda Sloop, to be exact. Spirit is a literal manifestation of Bermudian sailing. In the 1800’s, the Bermuda rig was the fastest in the world, and is today the basis for nearly every modern yacht on the ocean. Spirit was built in the, well… spirit of the now-archetypical Bermuda rig seen across the world. But unlike the sloops-of-war built in Dockyard for the Royal Navy, The Spirit of Bermuda is devoted to a more genteel mission. She is a sail training vessel, purpose-built as a 21st century youth development and education programme for young Bermudians, and won Sail Training Vessel of the Year after just 12 months in operation. Tied up to the pier in Dockyard, she is a beautiful yet unassuming vessel, but in full sail there are few that can match her speed. Sailing her is a serious job, requiring a deck full of hands, usually all under the age of 18, all heaving and ho-ing on the manual brass winches to keep her tight against the wind. The Captain can usually be found astern with an eye cast wearily over his charges, watching for any horseplay that might arise on deck. He has no tolerance for such behaviour. That is the first lesson the children learn. Discipline is paramount in sailing as in life, and that does not change onboard the Spirit.
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‘The Hall of History’ is a magnificent, larger than life mural by Bermudian artist, Graham Foster, to be found in the towering halls of Commissioner’s House at the National Museum of Bermuda in Dockyard. The two storey, 1,000-square-foot interior mural depicts, in Foster’s illustrative style with incredible detail, five centuries of Bermuda’s history, and took approximately 7,000 hours—over three years—to complete. Born in 1970, Graham is the son of physician Elizabeth Foster and Alec Foster. A professional artist since 1995, he was educated at The Bermuda College and The Museum School of Fine Arts in Boston. His paintings tend to follow one of two directions—one inspired by Bermuda’s fish, flora, fauna, and people, captured in a characteristically surreal style, the other is looser and more expressionistic, often inspired by dreams and the subconscious. Foster is a sculptor—primarily in welded steel—as well as a painter. In 2002, he became the first Bermudian artist to have a work purchased for the permanent collection of The Bermuda National Gallery, a welded steel triptych entitled ’21st Century Fetish Family’. Many of his sculptures are strongly influenced by Tribal Art.
Photo by Scott Tucker
500 Years of History in One Magnificent Mural
The mural: Fast Facts Artist Graham Foster pictured with his mural in Commissioner’s House On November 25th 2009, Her Majesty The Queen, officially opened ‘The Hall of History’ mural and was presented with a painting by the artist, ‘The Wreck of the Sea Venture’.
An impressive coffee table book, Hall of History: Bermuda’s Story in Art was released by The National Museum of Bermuda in the winter of 2011 and not only depicts the great
mural in detail, but gives an in depth exploration of Foster’s creative process and research for the three and a half years before he began painting the mural.
• Painting started late 2005 • Completed March 2009 • 7,000 hours to complete • Panels painted in studio then transferred to the museum • Venue was in ruins when work began
the Curator: The Good Doctor: Ed Harris Meet Elena Strong By Elizabeth Jones
Ever since 1980 the man behind the National Museum of Bermuda has been Bermuda’s own Dr. Edward Harris, author, historian and archaeologist. It has been under his directorship the former Bermuda Maritime Museum has expanded to include the restored Commissioner’s House, as well as Casemate Barracks. The Commissioner’s House, built in the 1820s as the grandiose home of an extravagant civilian head of Dockyard, could have become a crumbling ruin. Instead, thanks to Dr Harris’s fundraising campaign and commitment to its restoration, it reopened in the year 2000 as a beautiful museum. Now it’s a key attraction within the National Museum and home to many exhibits about Bermuda’s culture and history. But how did Dr. Harris’s passion for Dockyard and for the Museum begin? “I love old buildings,” he says, “and the Dockyard is one of the major heritage places in Bermuda because of its setting, buildings and fortifications.”
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His interest in history goes back to his school days. Born and brought up in Bermuda, he attended Mount St. Agnes Academy where his history teacher, Sister Jean de Chantal Kennedy, herself the author of several Bermuda histories, including Isle of Devils and Biography of a Colonial Town, inspired in him his first interest in archaeology. As he explains later when he was 20, “I started digging
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at Winchester, the original capital of England, and found I had an aptitude for excavation and loved the work.” Dr. Harris studied at Columbia University in New York City for his BA in anthropology and then went to University College London where he received a PhD in archaeology. In 1973 he became internationally famous in the archaeological world for his invention of the “Harris
The famous British engineer and architect, Francis Fowke, who designed the world-renowned Royal Albert Hall and parts of the Victoria & Albert Museum, also designed the National Museum of Bermuda’s Queen’s Elizabeth Hall, which was built in 1850.
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Matrix” which has revolutionised how archaeologists excavate, record and interpret archaeological sites. “It will be 40 years old next year and is still going strong,” he explains. Indeed, free copies of his text book can be downloaded at www.harrismatrix.com. In his role as executive director, he is also responsible for the Museum’s publications which include scholarly books about Bermuda’s history as well as the annual Bermuda Journal of Archaeology and Maritime History. For many years he wrote a “Heritage Matters” column for the MidOcean News. In 2007 and 2008 these articles on Bermuda’s history have been republished into books entitled Heritage Matters Volumes 1 and 2. The column continues in The Royal Gazette. He sees the Museum’s publications as being very important. “After exhibitions they are a major way to get the message of history and heritage out to the public.” They are also invaluable to lovers of Bermuda’s history. Now that he has overseen the Bermuda Maritime Museum’s transition into the National Museum of Bermuda, what plans for the future? Casemates, once a grim prison and before that a military barracks, is now in the process of being restored and will offer additional exhibition and education space. In the meantime Dr. Harris says, “We will continue to increase our range of collections, exhibitions, research and publications.”
Elena Strong, Curator at the National Museum of Bermuda, is required to take on many roles in her position. Caring and preserving the Museum collections, although vastly important, is only the beginning of what it takes to keep the Museum at Dockyard ever-evolving and interesting. Education, public outreach, exhibits and putting together the Museum magazine, Maritimes are also a large part of her job. Hired in 2007 as a consultant to develop an exhibit, Elena respected the work carried out by the Museum and after completing her Bsc. in Anthropology and her Masters in Museum Studies, she took a chance and applied for a job at the Museum, which was then known as the Bermuda Maritime Museum. At only 35-years-old, Elena plays an important role at the National Museum in part because she is charged with recovering and preserving Bermuda’s culture and heritage. “I’m constantly learning about all facets of Bermuda’s heritage and history and am privileged to interact regularly with experts in the fields of archaeology and history as well as the general public and local students,” she says. One of her favourite aspects of her job is taking care of Museum artifacts. “Artifacts I work with range from 5-yearsold to 500-years-old,” says Elena. “I have many favourite artifacts but one that stands out is war club recovered
from a Spanish ship wrecked in Bermuda in 1595. It is made from black palm wood with intricate diamond and curl ornamental designs. It was thought to be a Columbian ceremonial club but recent research uncovered it was a real combat indigenous weapon from Guyana. One blow was able to cause massive head trauma. Only a few exist in the world and amazingly it survived 350 years underwater!” As Elena and the rest of the team at the National Museum of Bermuda look towards the future, they predict the Museum will only get bigger. With the acquisition of Casemate Barracks, future exhibits and collecting will be much more representative of Bermuda as a whole, rather than its maritime history, as it was in the past. Says Elena, “The Museum wants to stay relevant to the people of Bermuda and continue to protect and preserve Bermuda’s heritage for future generations.”
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Shipwreck Island Continued from page 1 the Atlantic World, offering insight into life on board ship and the technology, activities, craftsmanship and cultures of the past. According to marine archaeologist Dr. Gordon Watts, shipwrecks are one of Bermuda’s most significant cultural resources and the waters of Bermuda are like a museum offering a unique opportunity to investigate the remains of vessels that made our Western Hemisphere what it is today. However, not everyone has the opportunity to explore Bermuda’s shipwrecks in their watery habitat, so the new exhibit brings Bermuda’s earliest shipwrecks, as well as their artifacts, stories and histories to land. Shipwreck Island takes you back to the dawn of the Atlantic World when European ships crossed the ocean in search of new lands and riches. Advances in science and geometry generated during the Renaissance greatly improved ship design, creating vessels that could endure long ocean voyages. These new ships represented the most advanced technology of the age—equivalent to our own space shuttle—and led the way for European expansion and conquest of the New World. There were four main types of ship—caravels, carracks, naos and galleons— crossing the Atlantic during this period. They varied in size, armament, rigging, sail configuration and function but all reflected advanced design and technology. In 1505, pioneering Spanish navigator Juan Bermudez discovered the inhabited island of Bermuda on one of 11 ocean crossings made during his career at sea. The island became a navigational landmark for ships returning from the New World. Once safely north of the Island’s reefs, vessels caught westerly winds that propelled them east for home. For more than a century, Bermuda had a fearsome reputation as a place of monsters, ghouls and spirits,
Bold new exhibit traces Bermuda’s earliest human history where castaways would be devoured and their souls stolen. It was only in 1603 that Spanish captain Diego Ramirez took a closer look and found a fertile archipelago with gentle bays and teeming with wildlife. What sailors took to be evil spirits were thousands of cahow seabirds. Nevertheless, Spain remained preoccupied with gold and silver in the New World, and left Bermuda unsettled—ripe for the taking by the English. In 1609, the Sea Venture, an English merchantman carrying colonists and much needed supplies to the floundering colony of Jamestown, Virginia, wrecked at Bermuda. Everyone survived the wreck and 10 months later set sail to Jamestown on two vessels they built using Bermuda cedar and salvaged timbers of the Sea Venture. Soon reports reached England that Bermuda was not the cursed island of myth but a strategically located island with abundance of fresh produce that could help with the survival of the English American Colonies. With the interest of the English captured, Bermuda was settled in 1612. The exhibit continues with the story of the first 70 years of Bermuda settlement, during which Bermuda developed its own unique Atlantic culture divergent of English ways. During this time, Bermuda became a densely settled island with compact family farms, home to English, Welsh and Dutch settlers, Africans, Hispanic Americans of African descent and Native Americans from the Caribbean and the Chesapeake. A parent company (The Virginia Company, later called the Somers Isle Company) in London made up of wealthy and influential investors called the Adventurers, ruled the Island from 3,000 miles away. They appointed a governor and kept a tight rein on local
life, infusing religion, politics and culture with Puritan ideals and monopolising the Island’s economy and trade. For decades Bermudians struggled with the Company’s exclusive control over maritime activity and monopoly over trade. The first 70 years of Bermuda settlement witnessed the rise and demise of tobacco as a cash crop; the development of the Island as a way station for English colonial ships and privateers to re-provision, discharge cargo and passengers and load local products bound for England and the West Indian and American colonies; the stripping of blacks’ and non-white’s freedoms so that by 1648, servitude for blacks ballooned from a few years to ‘life’ creating race-specific chattel slavery; and the shipwrecking of a handful of vessels. During early settlement, shipwrecks and their cargoes were a source of materials, goods and equipment otherwise too expensive or difficult to obtain on an isolated island. Salvors would strip timber and gear above the water line and free-dive or use dive bells to recover submerged items. There was however, a fine line between plunder and salvage. When the Spanish ship San Antonio wrecked in 1621, Governor Nathaniel Butler claimed her gold, sliver and ordnance for the Company, while Bermudians salvaged what was left. Spain cried foul but demands for compensation were never met. By 1680, Bermudian salvors and their dive bells were well known throughout the Caribbean. The Island’s small size created strong community bonds but land scarcity and the demise of tobacco as a lucrative cash crop pushed 1,000 islanders to seek opportunities elsewhere in the Americas. Social troubles such as religious conflict between Anglicans
and Puritans, political coups centrates on the discovery of and corruption, and a wave the early shipwrecks and the of witchcraft hunts in Berwork that has been carried out muda also helped to increase on them for the past 60 years. emigration. But emigration After the Second World War, forged networks that imBermuda’s economy recovered mediately benefited Bermuda’s slowly and scrap metal was provisions trade and later its salvaged from modern shipmaritime trade. wrecks and abandoned buildIn 1650, Bermuda was well ings to help boost foreign exconnected—albeit indichange and feed Britain’s steel rectly—to distant markets industry. Local scrap salvors and other English colonies soon became aware of older through Company and other wrecks while salvaging and ships. To broaden their inworking modern shipwrecks. volvement, Bermudians built While investigating one such oceangoing vessels to enter site in 1955, commercial diver into maritime commerce. A Edward B. (Teddy) Tucker few Bermuda-built ships regu- recovered artifacts including larly traded with Barbados, Spanish gold and jewellery. shuttling provisions, livestock, The story sparked internationand emigrants, and bringing al interest and created a wave home rum, sugar, cash and a of Bermudians keen to dive few African slaves. This was, and search for shipwrecks. however, met with Company The key people who discovdisapproval and the restricered and worked on the earlition of Bermuda shipbuilding est wrecks are featured in the and trade with other colonies. exhibit and a few have loaned The running battle between and donated items from their Bermudians wanting to profit private collection for display. from their maritime location Bermuda’s shipwrecks and the Company’s desire to have attracted archaeologists control ended when the Com- since the late 1950s, when pany dissolved in 1684. Freed underwater archaeology was from the strangling effects of a burgeoning discipline and Company regulation, Bermuwrecks began to be seen as dians were able to turn to the time capsules reflecting trade, sea and embrace seafaring as culture and technology. The an economic way of life. Museum has actively worked Dockyard Times 1/8_Layout 1 4/10/12 9:50 AM Page 1 The new exhibit also conwith underwater archaeolo-
gists and universities over the past 30 years to survey and record many local shipwrecks and sites. Today, Bermuda shipwrecks are considered a tangible archive of Atlantic history and the interaction of African, American and European cultures. They are non-renewable cultural resources that are protected by the Bermuda Historic Shipwrecks Act, 2001. It is illegal to disturb shipwreck sites and remove artifacts unless you have a license issued by the Bermuda Government. If you dive or snorkel shipwrecks, do so responsibly. Take only pictures and leave only bubbles. The exhibition is part of a larger initiative to re-develop the Lower Grounds of the Museum. Come for a visit and find out why Bermuda can be called Shipwreck Island. The National Museum of Bermuda is open seven days a week. Summer hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with last admission at 4:00 p.m. Winter hours (Nov-Apr) are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with last admission at 3:00 p.m. Admission si $12 for adults, seniors $10 and children under 13 are free.
National Treasure Visit the spectacular 16 acres of the NATIONAL MUSEUM OF BERMUDA, home to 500 years of Island culture and history. Explore exciting exhibits in our historic military buildings— and watch for many more as we grow!
Royal Naval Dockyard, Sandys Parish Tel. 441-234-1418 • www.bmm.bm Open every day 9:30am–5pm (last admission 4pm)
NATIONALMUSEUM BERMUDA OF
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Preserving Bermuda’s Craft Heritage By Elizabeth Jones Situated opposite the entrance to the National Museum of Bermuda, the Bermuda Craft Market, home to Bermuda’s artisan co-operative, is appropriately on the site of the old Cooperage where workers at the Royal Naval Dockyard used to make barrels, essential
for storing foods preserved in salt. They also crafted kegs for storing liquids, particularly rum since it was part of the soldiers’ daily rations. So it is appropriate the Frog and Onion Pub is also on this site. In this age of the digital and synthetic, it is easy to forget how once Bermudians depended on craft for household
and fishing equipment, for clothes, hats and decoration and for light. The Bermuda Craft Market, a registered charity, is Dockyard’s way of preserving Bermuda’s craft heritage and it is here that visitors can see Bermuda’s largest collection of handmade items and find an authentically Bermudian gift. Often visitors can watch artisans at work so they can have a better understanding the processes involved. One artisan, Jeanine Smith, for example, demonstrates the making of paper roses. Gifts range from handmade candles to china and sea glass hand-painted in Bermudian designs and colours. Ronnie Chameau’s traditional Bermudian dolls and angels crafted
out of dried banana leaves and palmetto are reminders that once hats made out of palmetto plait were a significant export and were fashionable in London. Bermuda cedar is an important part of the island’s history since it was essential for shipbuilding and for creating fine furniture. Today wood turner Llewellyn Emery can often be seen making on his lathe lamps, candlesticks, bowls and boxes out of this fragrant wood. Christmas tree ornaments are particularly popular
since they are a permanent reminder of a Bermuda visit. Some pay homage to Bermuda’s unique drumming and dancing troupe, the Gombeys, while others are crafted out of shells and glass. Small ceramic Bermudian cottages evoke the island’s traditional architecture. Jewellery is an important part of the Market’s wares. Lynn Morrell is known for her exquisite silver jewellery, often Bermuda-inspired. Bermuda longtail birds, oleander blossoms, sand dollars and shells are just a few of the flora and fauna she celebrates through her designs. She is also renowned for her hand-stitched quilts that are more art than craft. During the cruise ship season visitors can taste Bermuda-made rum, beer and preserves in the atrium.
In addition to crafts, the Market also has a book and print corner where book lovers can find second-hand and often out-of-print publications about Bermuda. Prints and original antique maps of the island are also available.
Original Art and Working Artists at BACD By Elizabeth Jones Bermuda may be tiny but its interest in the Arts is extensive as the Bermuda Arts Centre at Dockyard (BACD) opposite the National Museum of Bermuda proves. Opened in 1984, the centre regularly shows exhibits of original artwork in different media created by local artists and based on a variety of themes. Artwork can range from experimental textile hangings, ceramics and sculptures to traditional Bermuda scenes in watercolour and oils. All can be packaged and shipped abroad. Locals love to attend exhibition openings which can happen as often as every six weeks. The Centre currently has five resident artists whose studios are open to the public. Jonah Jones is best known for his use of vibrant colours and light. His oils can depict both lively scenes of community—a regatta, for example—and unpeopled landscapes he has observed while travelling the island by bike. Bermudian Christopher Marson paints primarily in watercolour, and in his land and seascapes uses light to evoke Bermuda in all its moods. Chesley Trott is Bermuda’s most famous carver—his beautiful Bermuda cedar sculptures have huge sensory appeal but he also works in bronze and concrete. Summer Wood has a particular fascination for ocean related subjects and likes to experiment with mixed media. Christopher Grimes is also known for his ‘Dockyard Slipway’ by Christopher Marson
Bermuda-themed oil paintings but in addition is also a portrait and historical painter. Many of his paintings of places and ships capture Bermuda’s rural and maritime past. All the artists are happy to show their work and discuss their techniques and artistic approach to passing visitors. The Centre also has a retail store where prints by famous Bermudian artists such as Sharon Wilson, Graham Foster and Diana Amos, ceramics, Bermuda-themed photography, and a whole variety of souvenirs are sold. Of particular note are Lynn Morrell’s jewellery items designed and hand-made out of silver and Helle Pukk’s ceramics inspired by Bermuda. Note cards and calendars featuring the work of local artists are also very popular. Throughout the year the Centre also arranges workshops on a diverse range of subjects. For reasonable fees, participants can learn about watercolour painting, silkscreen printing, gilding and recycling materials to create pieces of art and drawing. The Centre is also the contact point for the Plein Aire group who welcome visitors to accompany them on painting expeditions all over the island. The group includes highly experienced artists who are willing to encourage and advise new members with little or no painting experience. The Plein Aire Group allows people the opportunity to appreciate Bermuda’s scenery through the medium of art.
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Casemates: A Harsh HIstory By W. C. Stevenson Casemates, the second oldest stone building in Dockyard after the Commissioner’s House, was originally built as barracks for the Royal Marines Light Infantry that were stationed at the Royal Naval Base for fear of retribution by the United States after the War of 1812. It was built during the late 1830s by large number of British convicts brought in from England. The convicts lived in extremely poor conditions in old and abandoned warships that were crudely modified for bare living, ironically unaware that the building would eventually be used as a prison. They were, essentially, constructing a keep for their own criminal descendants. The two storied building was designed to house 13 officers and 307 men from the marine defense complete with officers rooms, a mess, canteen and offices. The roof of the building with vaulted ceiling (called a casemated roof, hence the name Casemate Barracks) is eight feet thick, made of bricks and concrete so that it could withstand enemy bombings and cannon shots. The walls of the building are bomb proofed, using several feet thick of hard limestone rocks. In 1951 when the dockyard lost its significance as the Royal Naval base and the British navy left the island, the Building was left vacant until it was developed into Bermuda’s maximum security prison in 1961. It remained as the main prison for decades until 1995 when a new prison Westgate was built on Pender Road just outside the Dockyard. Since then the Casemates facility has been lying idle
Location and Contacts: National Museum, 1 The Keep, Royal Naval Dockyard, Sandys. T: 441-234-1333
and vacant. In the recent times, an underground tunnel has been discovered right under the place where the prison’s visitor center used to be. It is strange that at the time of excavation work taking place during the building of the visitor’s center, no one noticed this 60-foot tunnel. The tunnel was used for transit during the days the
British Navy occupied the grounds. The entire dockyard area including the Casemates is under the administration of the West End Development Corporation of Bermuda (WEDCO). In 2009 the Bermuda Government transferred Casemates and its adjacent fortifications to the Bermuda Maritime Museum, creating the National Museum of Bermuda.
The building is currently under going restoration by the National Museum of Bermuda and teams of dedicated volunteers and should be open to the public in several years time. However, visitors can get a closer look by visiting the National Museum of Bermuda and walking over the North West Rampart. Special tours can be arranged through the Museum.
Building the Barracks By W. C. Stevenson
Photo courtesy of the National Museum of Bermuda
The Casemate Barracks draws its name from its vaulting, eight-feet thick cannon-proof walls and roofs, designed to protect the Royal Marine Light Infantry should the Americans, still prickly after the War of 1812, launch a siege on Bermuda. As it turned out, fears of an American attack on Bermuda—the reason why the Dockyard was fortified in the first place—were misplaced, and no attack was ever launched. In 1848, the Barracks became the home of the 42nd Highlanders, a famous Scottish unit known as the “Black Watch.” They were stationed in the barracks to guard the convicts building the Dockyard. Its yard is a flat, white wasteland created by the blasting away of its hard limestone, giving slaves, free men and jailbirds from England the raw material from which they labouriously shaped each and every rock that
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An experienced painter, Jo Birdsey Linberg continues the family tradition by producing and showing her work at the renowned Birdsey Studio in its garden setting. Her subject matter ranges from landscapes and seascapes of Bermuda to figurative painting and whimsical animals, all sought by overseas and local collectors for many years. Italian Marie Claire Magazine (May 2001) deemed her paintings “a rhythm of colour”. Birdsey cards are available at the Studio and at the Arts Centre in Dockyard, as are Jo Birdsey Linberg watercolours.
made up the fortifications. The walls are several feet thick and made of specially-treated local limestone and needed no plastering to make them waterproof. All the buildings at the Casemates complex have the brickwork of the ‘eye brow’ roofing arches apparent on the facades, but at the barracks, it is hidden behind a course of hard Bermuda limestone, where false windows also mask the construction form of the roof. There was a veranda—that now needs restoration—on three sides of the building on the ground floor. The well that forms the roof built for musket fire has unparalleled views of the Dockyard to the northeast and the building, given its construction, was capable of being used as a fort. On either side of the Barracks was an ordnance yard, still with gunpowder storage buildings, or magazines.
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Gosling’s Limited:
The Oldest Business in Bermuda
T
he history of Gosling’s Black Seal Rum and the Gosling family began long ago. In the spring of 1806 James Gosling, the oldest son of William Gosling, a London wine and spirits merchant, set out from England on the ship, Mercury, with £10,000 of merchandise, bound for America. After 91 desperate days on a becalmed sea their charter ran out, and they put in at the nearest port, St. George’s, Bermuda. Rather than pressing on, James opened a shop on the King’s Parade, St. George’s in December 1806. James returned to England to be eventually replaced by his brother Ambrose who rented a shop on Front Street in the new capitol of Hamilton for £25 a year. The Gosling’s maintained a store at this location for the next 127 years. In 1857 the firm was renamed Gosling Brothers by Ambrose’s sons. Three years later the first oak barrels of rum distillate arrived in Bermuda. Several years later, after much trial and error, the distinctive Bermuda black rum destined to be Black Seal was formulated and offered for sale. They didn’t call it Black Seal at first. In fact, up until the First World War it was only sold from the barrel, and most folks brought in their own bottles for a “fill up”. Eventually the black rum was sold in champagne bottles, reclaimed from the British Army Officer’s Mess, and the corks sealed with black sealing wax. Pretty soon people began to ask for the “Black Seal”. Many years later the idea of the little, barrel juggling “Black Seal” was born. Over the years Black Seal has become synonymous with Bermuda. It is the essential additive to Bermuda fish chowder, adds the island touch to Bermuda Rum Swizzle, and is the tempest in Bermuda’s favourite cocktail — the Dark ‘n Stormy. A family business for over 200 years, Gosling’s is today the only company that blends and bottles in Bermuda, and is the largest exporter of a Bermuda-made product.
The Dark ’n Stormy The Dark ‘n Stormy had its origins in the Ginger Beer Factory run as a fundraiser for the Royal Naval Non-Commissioned Officer’s Club in the Dockyard. They soon discovered that a splash of local black rum was just what ginger beer was missing. The name originated when an old salt, holding aloft the thunderhead in a glass, observed that the drink was the “colour of a cloud only a fool or dead man would sail
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under.” Probably followed by: “Barman I’ll have another—Dark ‘n Stormy.” This magical blend of Gosling’s Black Seal Rum and Ginger Beer is the National Drink of Bermuda and an internationally trademarked drink.
Bermuda Rum Swizzle The un-official national drink of Bermuda is the Rum Swizzle. Every Bermudian has their own secret ingredients, however Gosling’s Bermuda Rums make the sizzle in each Island Rum Swizzle. A Swizzle is loosely defined as a tall drink, usually rum with crushed ice in which a Swizzle Stick is rotated to aerate and chill the drink forming a layer of ice on the outside of the glass. Common secondary ingredients include lime juice, Angostura Bitters and Falernum. Falernum is a sweet syrup containing flavours of almond, ginger, cloves, allspice, vanilla and lime. Many modern swizzles use Grenadine, although Bermuda’s infamous Swizzle Inn Rum Swizzle still makes it according to their original recipe with Gosling’s Rum and Falernum. The Swizzle Inn Bermuda’s 18th Century Landmark Pub served its first Swizzle in 1932, and the rest they say is history.
Rum Ritual & Lore Rum has long been an integral part of social and religious rituals from voodoo to weddings. In Bermuda it is most often used for ship christenings and roof wettings. This ceremony involves very few elements: the roof of a new building, the owner and builder who created it and a bottle of Black Seal Rum. For a time Bermuda built the fastest ships on the water made of native cedar. Back in those ship-building days it was rum, not champagne, that was used to christen Bermuda’s finely crafted vessels. Builders of early homes in Bermuda were shipwrights first and foremost as evidenced in the use of many ship building techniques they employed. So why not treat a home like a sailing vessel? Christen a ship; christen a home. Why the roof? The roof is really the most important of a home in Bermuda. Besides being the “crown” of the structure, it is often the primary source of fresh water. Rain water is collected on the roof, and stored in a cistern under the house. In Bermuda, when a new building’s roof is declared watertight, from a small cottage to a big office building, a celebration is held. The
owners, developers, and contractor scramble up onto the roof and a liberal dousing of Black Seal Rum is followed by many toastings, smiles and congratulations all round.
Bermuda Gold Liqueur Bermuda Gold is a liqueur in the old tradition of Bermuda. Originally produced by Somers Distillers in the Cooperage of the Royal Navel Dockyard, Bermuda Gold is now crafted by the Gosling family and just available locally. The liqueur is made from loquats, a common tree having its origins in Southeast China and its yellow fruit often referred to as the Chinese Plum. It did not take long for the locals to make liqueur from the fruit; loquat jam, chutney and pie are also local favourites. Bermuda Gold liqueur can be enjoyed on the rocks, as a sweetener in coffee, with a splash of orange juice, or drizzled over ice cream and fresh fruit. Some locals even add it to Rum Swizzle.
Bermuda Rum Swizzle Recipe Serves 6
Into a pitcher 1/3 full of crushed ice add: • 4 oz of Gosling’s BLACK SEAL Rum • 4 oz of Gosling’s GOLD Rum • Juice of two limes and two lemons, or 1 oz of concentrated Juice • 5 oz of pineapple juice • 5 oz of orange juice • 1/2 oz of Grenadine or 2 oz Falernum • 6 dashes of Angostura Bitters Churn vigorously with Swizzle Stick until froth appears and strain into Cordial glasses.
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Eat, Drink & Be Merry
Delicious meals, tasty treats and traditional Bermudian dishes can be found at the Royal Naval Dockyard. When hunger strikes you won’t be hard up to find a great restaurant or café with dishes to tickle your taste buds. And when 5 o’clock rolls around, be sure to head to Hammerheads at Snorkel Park for a glass of “Shark Oil”, their specialty cocktail which has been known to be as dangerous as the reef fish itself. Bonefish Dockyard’s newest dining experience is at Bonefish Bar & Grill. With an exquisite view of Bermuda’s breezy Great Sound, an awardwinning, top-rated chef at the helm, plenty of fresh fish and top-grade meats, how can you go wrong? Bonefish offers locals and tourists alike a reasonably priced menu with seafood, homemade pastas, a great wine list, draft beer and desserts to die for. Open seven days a week, come to enjoy our daily entertainment or to have a magical cocktail at our new boner bar! All are welcome at the newest, happening place to eat in Dockyard! T: 441-234-5151, E: info@ bonefish.bm, W: www.bonefish.bm
Cafe Amici Located in the West End, Café Amici is an Italian family style restaurant in the heart of historic Dockyard. It is a place for friends and family to gather and enjoy the spirit of Italian culture and cuisine— enjoying laughter, exceptional
Gosling’s Black Seal Rum is used to make the delicious rum cakes available at the Bermuda Rum Cake Company.
food and each other. Executive Chef and owner, Livio Ferigo, has created a menu with many of his favourite childhood dishes that he enjoyed while growing up in Italy. Café Amici offers a friendly intimate atmosphere with its casual attire and simple, uncomplicated and affordable Italian cuisine. Visit them for full Italian fare and don’t forget about their Bermuda codfish and potato breakfast every Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Located on the corner of the Clocktower Mall. Open seven days a week. Serving breakfast 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and lunch to 5:30 p.m. Open for dinner 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. T: 441-234-5009, E: info@ amici.bm, W: www.amici.bm
Hammerheads Bar and Grill Located just inside Snorkel Park Beach, Hammerheads Bar and Grill is well-known to its locals, for its delicious homemade, island cuisine. This sea-side dining facility
is coveted for its fresh local seafood, quality meats, and locally farmed produce. Upon entry through their beautiful limestone tunnel, the aroma of outdoor, slow cooked BBQ will tantalize your senses. Enjoy quality meals, cooked to order over their outdoor, open-flame grill. Have your lunch served to you, while you lounge on the beach, or join them for dinner with live nightly entertainment. Or join them for a scrumptious frozen cocktail. Hammerheads Bar and Grill is THE most recognized bar in Dockyard, serving thousands of guests daily from 9am, throughout the day, evening, and into the late night with their open air nightclub, Club Aqua, until 3am. Combine quality food, with a beautiful setting, and you have a truly unique dining experience. Open seven days a week. T: 441-234-3100, E: info@ snorkelparkbeach.com, W: www.snorkelparkbeach.com
The Frog and Onion Pub The Frog & Onion is a unique and one of a kind authentic restaurant housed in the mid 1800 “Cooperage” building in the Royal Naval Dockyard, a five-minute leisurely walk from King’s & Heritage Wharfs and the Ferry Dock. The menu features a selection of traditional style pub food, along with some great local dishes, cooked expertly by extraordinary chefs. The Frog is also home to the Dockyard Brewing Company, Bermuda’s only brewery. Visit the Beer Sample Shack where you can sample their five brews and then have a “Proper English Pint”. While there visit the Ballast Logo Gift Shop. There’s lots
Limbo Dancers at Snorkel Park
Snorkel Park Snorkel Park Beach offers regular evening entertainment that is not to be missed. Try their family friendly Island Beach Party every Monday and Thursday. This is an energetic show that is sure to get you out of your seat. Be amazed by the thrilling Fire Limbo Show, check out the authentic Bermuda Gombey dancers and learn soca and calypso dances from our island dance team. Compete in fun games and contests all hosted by a world famous MC. Sing, dance, laugh and have a great carefree time! This evening is fun for the whole family which kicks off at 8:00 p.m. and now includes all you can drink Rum Swizzle (and virgin fruit punch for kids). You can also join Snorkel Park Beach
for one of their live reggae nights featuring some of Bermuda’s top reggae artists, or enjoy live music on the beach during the day at Sundays Live from 2:00 p.m., where the islands top bands get the crowd dancing and having fun with conga lines and limbo contests. After hours listen to the island’s top DJ’s and video DJ’s tunes from the beautiful beachside setting. Snorkel Park Beach turns into Club Aqua, Bermuda’s hottest nightclub from 10:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. Arrive early for the entertainment and enjoy a meal beach side in their beautiful oceanfront setting. T: 441-234-3100, E: info@snorkelparkbeach.com, W: www.snorkelparkbeach.com
to see so leave plenty of time for your visit. The shop is also open for your late night shopping. All their local Island entertainers are back for another great season. So drop by and hang out at Happy Hour and enjoy all the great island sounds. T: 441-234-2900, E: frog@ irg.bm, W: www.frogandonion.bm
fresh seafood, pizza, pasta, steaks, curry dishes, pizza, burgers, steaks and Bermuda fish chowder. Other specialties include frozen fruity drinks and Cuban cigars which you can enjoy while using the internet on the premises. Open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. T: 441 234 1692, E: freeport@northrock.bm, W: www. freeportseafood.com
Freeport Seafood Restaurant
NANNINI’S ICE CREAM PARLOUR
Located just inside the Dockyard gates, Freeport Seafood offers local cuisine,
I scream, you scream! Treat yourself to a variety of delights including Häagen-Dazs
ice cream, sorbets and frozen yogurt in a cone, sundae or a milkshake at Nannini’s Ice Cream Parlour. They also serve fresh-brewed cappuccino and espresso, biscotti and other Italian specialties. Located in the Clocktower Mall. Open seven days a week. T: 441-234-2474
The Dockyard Pastry Shop With everything freshly baked and brewed, The Dockyard Pastry Shop is way beyond “coffee and a doughnut.” Located just yards from the cruise-ship terminal, The
The Dockyard Times
dockyardtimes.com Dockyard Pastry Shop has become a favourite among tourists and locals alike. Choose a sandwich from their lunch menu, snack on their popular almond cookies or sip an iced coffee in the heat of the summer—each item on their menu is delicious and most are made to order. As an added bonus, The Dockyard Pastry Shop serve fresh gluten
free cakes each day!
Pier 41 Marina and Dockshop Whether you are visiting by land or sea, The Dockshop is the one stop shop for all your cravings! Pick up a bottle of world famous Goslings Rum, chill out in their huge hammock with a Cuban cigar, log on to their complimentary
WiFi and enjoy an al fresco beverage. They carry a variety of snacks, hot food, drinks, cold beer, liquor, sundries, marine items, fishing gear, ice, international calling cards and so much more. You need it? They have it! Open 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. Pier 41 Freeport Drive, T: 441 238-4141, E: Dockshop@pier41.bm, W: www.
pier41.bm
Club Aqua The beautiful beach side setting of Hammerheads at Snorkel Park Beach transforms into Bermuda’s hottest nightclub open from 10:00 p.m. until 3:00 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. With Bermuda’s hottest DJ’s and video DJ’s this club is not to be missed. Enjoy a full menu of specialty cocktails, take a break from dancing and dip your feet in the ocean, or energise with food from the late night menu. Snorkel Park Beach is the place to be and
11 be seen. Try to join Club Aqua for one of their famous Full Moon, Wet-n-wild or Foam parties. You will always enjoy a great time. Check their website for event dates. T: 441 234-3100, E: Info@snorkelparkbeach.com, W: www. snorkelparkbeach.com
Bermuda Rum Cake Company The Bermuda Rum Cake Company is a mini bakery which makes six standard flavours of traditional Bermudian rum cakes. They only use Gosling’s Black Seal Rum which is drawn up with a bilge pump from a 210 litre
barrel. Three gourmet rum cakes are offered: Black Rum Fruitcake, Loquat Gold Rum Cake (seasonal February through July) and Christmas Cake which is sold as tea cake the rest of the year. For those wanting a bit of a biscuit with their afternoon tea, there are Orange Tea Biscuits and a Ship’s Biscuit, without alcohol for those who do not wish it. Free samples daily. Dutyfree always. Free delivery Island wide to ships, hotels, guest houses, offices and homes. Open until 9:00 p.m. when ships are in port.
BermyBerry Come and have your taste buds tantalized by Bermuda’s delicious taste experience, BermyBerry frozen yogurt. BermyBerry offers freshly made, healthy and delicious frozen yogurt with all your favorite toppings. Their motto is, “Live Light” and this philosophy is part of the BermyBerry experience—from fresh wholesome ingredients locally sourced wherever possible, to their biodegradable cups and spoons! Their frozen yogurt is made from fresh skim milk and fresh 0% fat Greek yogurt and yogurt culture for a guilt free, low calorie, refreshing treat. Four flavours of frozen yogurt are served up daily and include their mouth-watering signature “BermyBerry” blend. Other flavours include mango, kiwi, strawberry and blueberry and sinful flavours such as choco-
late, Nutella, peanut butter and key lime pie. The flavours change weekly so you can try a new taste sensation with every visit. BermyBerry frozen yogurt is delicious on its own and unbeatable when paired with the variety of fresh toppings on offer. From fresh fruit and a variety of nuts to wholesome granola, sprinkles, gummy bears and M&M’s in our BermyBerry signature colours, the taste combinations are virtually endless. Look for their distinctive flagship location in Dockyard overlooking the water opposite the entrance to The Keep or visit their new location in Hamilton on Burnaby Street (corner of Reid Street). They also brew fairtrade, organic coffee, hot, or on ice. Enjoy a cup whist you access their free Wifi. Whether in Dockyard or in Hamilton, BermyBerry is the place to be!
Mangrove Bay, Somerset Tel: 441-234-2484 Open daily 8am-6pm Wed. until 8pm, Sat. until 5pm Sun. 12-2pm
A Guide to the Local Brews The Dockyard Brewing Company at the Frog & Onion Pub brews up Bermuda’s very own beer and is the only on-site brewing company on the island. Visitors are welcome to experience the frosty taste of the five different homemade brews:
A Whale of a Wheat This is a light and refreshing ale and prepared using wheat and barley malt. It’s brewed using German hops and served with lemon slice.
St David’s Light
This light straw-coloured beer goes well with light meals. It’s brewed with European hops and has a dry finish.
Trunk Island Pale Ale
This beer is also known as IPA and has a sharp bitter finish.
Somer’s Amber Ale
This is one of our favourites from the Dockyard Brewery. This copper-coloured beer is named after Bermuda’s founder Sir George Somers. It tastes like a traditional English Bitter. Goes well with meat and other pub food.
Black Anchor Porter
This is a rich dark ale and a classic London Porter. It’s a full bodied and medium hopped beer, and goes well with meats and other pub fares.
Dine on the Green
441 232 0100 | Port Royal Golf Course, Southampton
A Taste of Land & Sea
441 234 5151 | Royal Naval Dockyard \ bonefish.bm
Italian Culture & Cuisine 441 234 5009 | Royal Naval Dockyard \ amici.bm
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Photographs by Gavin Howarth
Go & Do
Watch the glassblowers in action at the Dockyard Glassworks studio.
Dockyard is bursting at the seams with interesting things to do. The numerous historical sites, art galleries, and fun beach-side activities are enough to make a trip to Dockyard worthwhile and unforgettable. Historical Re-enactment & Walking Tour Royal Naval Dockyard’s FREE Historical Re-enactment
& Walking Tour is Making History Happen! Come and watch this hysterical and educational Re-enactment, depicting life in the Royal
Naval Dockyard around the year 1809. Our actors (fully dressed in period costume) will transport you to another time, as you take in this
enlightening Re-enactment suitable for all ages. Learn about historical aspects of breakwaters, fortifications, storehouses, workshops, barracks and much more as you stand in the historic and beautiful Victualing Yard! After taking in the Reenactment continue the experience with a Walking Tour, lead by a super knowledgeable guide—also dressed in period costume. During this tour you will visit some of the most interesting places described in the Re-enactment— putting an image to the story! As you walk amid the historic walls of the Dockyard, you will be able to truly experience what life must have been like for those who walked those same paths so long ago, while seeing what modern Dockyard has to offer. This Historical Re-enactment & Walking Tour is offered four times a week from May 5th–October 3rd, every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Re-enactment starts in the Victualing Yard at 9:30am and finishes at 9:50am directly followed by the Walking Tour from 9:50am–10:30am.
Bermuda Clayworks Bermuda Clayworks is one of the primary cultural attractions at the Royal Naval Dockyard, with its onsite working studios and year round Ceramics Gallery. There are three full time independent studio artists and with the addition of work by other local ceramicists, the gallery offers a broad and diverse selection of professional level Bermuda made collectables. Bermuda Clayworks is best known for its popular hand-made custom-
ized house plaques but carries on its tradition of functional tableware in vivid colours with new designs introduced annually. The selection of pottery available ranges from Bermuda themed tableware in The Loft Gallery to the exquisite contemporary salt-glazed ceramics in The Jon Faulkner Gallery, while the Main Gallery features the Bermuda Clayworks’ designs along with studio pottery, ceramic jewellery and wall hangings by the various artists. International shipping is available. Open year round except Good Friday and Christmas Day. T: 441 234 5116, E: clayworks@ibl.bm, W: www. bermudaclayworks.com
Snorkel Park Beach Snorkel Park Beach is conveniently located in the Royal Naval Dockyard, just a few minutes’ walk from the cruise ship ports. This hidden cove is nestled under the historic walls of the Bermuda Maritime Museum, now the National Museum of Bermuda, and provides easy access to a beautiful beach with excellent snorkelling and full amenities. You will find on offer a full array of amenities and watersports, including snorkel gear, kayaks, pedal boats, jet skis, snuba tours, power snorkelling, volleyball, chaise lounges, cabanas and day beds, not to mention the Hammerheads Bar and Grill, for that scenic beachside lunch or dinner, or for just relaxing on the beach with a specialty cocktail. Snorkel Park Beach is also well known for its regular live entertainment both day and night. Catch one of their live local acts, in particular their family friendly Island Beach
Party featuring Dancers and Fire Limbo on Mondays and Thursdays from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m., or on Sunday afternoon they will normally feature local bands on the beach, offering fun filled afternoons with dancing, and fun games. Snorkel Park Beach also plays home to Club Aqua, Bermuda’s biggest night club, when the sun goes down the beach heats up! Club Aqua features the islands top DJ’s Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. and special event and parties on Saturdays (visit website for details). There is a small charge of $5 weekdays, $10 weekends to enter. The fees are used to maintain the facility, with a part of the proceeds going to local marine conservation. T: 441-234-6989, E: Info@ snorkelparkbeach.com, W: www.snorkelparkbeach.com
The Neptune Cinema Catch a movie at The Neptune Cinema, located in the historic Cooperage building opposite the National Museum of Bermuda, next to the Bermuda Craft Market. Check their website at www. dockyardtimes.com for current showings. T: 441-292-7296, W: www. libertytheatre.bm
DOCKYARD GLASSWORKS Feel the heat and admire the artistry at Dockyard Glassworks where you can watch artisans create exquisite handmade glass sculptures and functional art. The studio employs experienced glass artists from Bermuda and from around the world who produce hot furnace glass,
The Dockyard Times Play volleyball at Snorkel Park Beach
flameworked glass, fused glass jewellery and glass beads. They will introduce you to the large black furnace holding 550 lbs. of clear liquid glass, hot and molten at 2074 degrees Fahrenheit, the furnace stays on for a 24/7 operation. Glass is batched from a European Cullet Batch at 2156 degrees F, which is then pulled from the furnace as needed on four-foot-long hollow tube blowing irons or a solid “punty” rod. Dockyard Glassworks offers comfy chairs, coffee and English tea for visitors to relax and watch free demonstrations of Italian-styled Hot Pulled Sculptural Glass and Classic Blown Glass. The team of lamp artists in the flameworking department sit patiently creating with gemstone small rods, small collectible replicas of things you find in Bermuda, such as whistling tree frogs, little lizards, honeymoon hogs and Bermuda Longtail birds. Afterwards you can enjoy a taste of the Islands at The Cakery next door. Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily; 8:00 a.m. to 10:00
p.m. when cruise ships are in port. T: 441-234-4216, E: mail@dockglass.com, W: www.dockglass.com
The National Museum of Bermuda Explore 500 years of local history and culture at the National Museum of Bermuda housed in the 19th century military buildings of the expansive Keep citadel, including the award winning restored Commissioner’s House. Find out about Bermuda’s cultural ties to the Azores and the West Indies, local shipwrecks and their artefacts, slavery in Bermuda and Bermuda’s defence history. Don’t miss gazing at the impressive 1,000 square foot mural, spanning two stories and depicting five centuries of Bermuda history by local artist Graham Foster. Bastions, cannon, resident sheep, maritime art, locally built watercrafts, spectacular sea views and dolphin encounters are also all found in Bermuda’s largest fort! Open daily 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (last admission 4:00
Explore 500 years of local history and culture at the National Museum of Bermuda.
p.m.). Adults $12, seniors $10 and children under 13 FREE. Located at the Royal Navy Dockyard. T: 441-234-1418, E: info@ bmm.bm, W: www.bmm.bm
The Bermuda Arts Centre at Dockyard The Bermuda Arts Centre at Dockyard is a working art gallery with five resident artists who enjoy working on their art and interacting with visitors. The Gallery hosts group shows every four weeks so there is always new material and new art to peruse. As well as offering the largest selection of Bermuda prints available for purchase, the gallery also sells Bermuda-made jewellery, textiles, painted glass, ceramics, ornaments, cedar crafts and much more. The Arts Centre prides itself on carrying only items made in Bermuda! Open every day from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wheel Chair Accessible. T: 441-234-2809, E: artcentre@logic.bm, W: www.artbermuda.bm
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Get Wet & Wild!
Dockyard is the gateway to all the best watersports available on the island! Located at the Western tip of the island, Dockyard is at the centre of the Bermuda platform—an area of almost 300 square miles of shallow water filled with vibrant coral reefs, shipwrecks, out islands and beaches which makes it the ideal jumping off point for exploring Bermuda by water. Pier 41 Marina’s Dockyard Watersports Centre is located adjacent to the bus and ferry stop and within walking distance of the cruise terminals. Here you will find the widest variety of tours, watersports and charter options from the island’s top tour operators. Choose from relaxing sunset cruises, thrilling jet-ski and high-speed boat tours, exciting snorkeling and scuba diving adventures, boat rentals and yacht charters and so much more!
FANTASEA DIVING & WATERSPORTS Dockyard’s only PADI diving centre. T: 441236-DIVE (3483), E: info@fantasea.bm, W: www.fantasea.bm
SCUBA DIVING For certified divers Fantasea Diving offers a Daily 2 Tank Wreck and Reef Dive. Their 40’ custom dive boat will get you to some of Bermuda’s most renowned sites quickly and comfortably. Site depths range from 30’ to 60’ on average allowing for extended bottom times and plenty of time to explore our famous wrecks and pristine coral reef. You will be thoroughly briefed by PADI professionals and given a fully guided tour of each site so you can dive in safety and comfort.
ECO-TOURS & CRUISES Fantasea is your premier source for snorkel trips, eco tours, boat charters and equipment rentals. Learn about the island’s unique ecosystem and history on a guided kayak, hike or bike tour, or unwind on the island’s only legendary Goslings Sunset Rum Cruise, where you will explore local history and culture while sampling Bermuda’s largest and most famous export, Goslings Rum.
BOAT RENTAL & CHARTERS For the ultimate Bermuda experience why not charter your own boat? Fantasea’s self-drive pontoon boats are the perfect way to explore the nearby secluded islands and beaches. These new, top-of the line, 23’ Beachcat pontoon boats fit up to 10 passengers and are fully equipped with everything you need for a safe and fun day out on the water—including a marine head, stereo system with iPod connection, cooler with ice, a full tank of gas and safety and emergency equipment. They can even provide you with a knowledgeable guide and captain! Delivery is available and maps are provided. Need more space? Their fully-crewed 40’ and 60’ party catamarans are ideal for private group excursions. Your charter can also be customized with great food and beverage options, or a watersports package for some extra fun in the sun.
KS WaterSports KS Watersports’s Jet Ski, Parasailing and WildCat Adventures offer unique and fun experiences suitable for persons of all ages and skill levels. Dockyard Watersports Centre and 8 King’s Square, St. George’s (located at the White Horse Pub & Restaurant). T: 441238-4155 (Dockyard), T: 441-297-4155 (St.
Georges), E: info@watersportsbermuda.com, W: www.kswatersports.com
land without getting wet, unless of course you request a ‘dip’.
JET SKI TOURS
WILDCAT
This exciting Jet Ski adventure and scenic ride will take you skimming across Bermuda’s glistening turquoise waters and weaving through coral formations and the sea gardens. You will explore several coves and inlets located around the western and eastern sides of Bermuda and you’ll be able to feed fish at the wreck of the H.M.S Vixen or explore the oldest Forts in Bermuda. The tour will stop at a secluded pink sandy beach area for a swim. Inquire for packages and prices.
This high-speed sightseeing adventure takes place aboard the WildCat. Departing from Dockyard, the WildCat is the only tour boat offering a complete tour around the entire island. As you explore the island you’ll get a view of Bermuda’s scenic coastline complete with an entertaining narrated tour of the island’s historical sites and other points of interest.
PARASAILING Experience the high-flying thrill, panoramic views and pure excitement of parasailing. This adventure will take you over some of Bermuda’s beautiful pink sandy beaches, secluded reefs, historic forts or the Great Sound area. Step aboard the Thrill Seeker, a powerful winch-boat which allows you to take off and
CAPTAIN KIRK’S CORAL REEF ADVENTURES Whether you want to catch the fish yourself or just peer at them from a glass bottom boat, Captain Kirk has the adventure for you! T: 441-236-1300, E: info@islandtourcentre.com, W: www.islandtourcentre.com
FISHING Join their friendly captain for fishing and fun
The Dockyard Times aboard the Jolly Roger where in-shore trips provide approximately three hours fishing time. Light spinning tackle and bait are included.
where you can spend 1 1/2 hours independently or with a crew member who will guide you through the attractions.
GLASS BOTTOM BOAT & SIGHTSEEING CRUISE
MINI FAMOUS HOMES & SWIM TOUR
Cruise the harbour, view coral reefs and other assorted marine life, and marvel at the wreck of the HMS Vixen through the large glass bottom panels.
After a beautiful sightseeing tour of Hamilton Harbour you will be transported to Paradise Lakes where you can swim and enjoy this gorgeous, well-kept secret of the locals.
BERMUDA TRIANGLE NIGHT GLASS BOTTOM BOAT CRUISE
PRIVATE CHARTERS
Grab a complimentary Rum Swizzle cocktail as you board this night time cruise and head into the notorious Bermuda Triangle. With the stars shining brightly overhead, watch coral and fish appear when the ocean floor is flooded with brilliant beams of light!
CATAMARAN SAIL & SNORKEL, SUNSET SAIL Take a catamaran sail and enjoy snorkeling in the blue oasis of Bermuda’s ocean.
SIGHTSEEING & SNORKEL TOURs Learn why Bermuda has been voted the ‘Shipwreck Capital of the Atlantic’. Snorkel over Bermuda’s most valuable treasure, our vibrant coral reef, as you see some of our most historic shipwrecks. Or wade ashore when the boat anchors in just 3ft of water, and you may snorkel the shoreline, and play in the shallow protected waters.
WINSOME TOURS Touring Bermuda from the water is a must during your visit. See the homes of the rich and famous, tour the Bermuda Aquarium and Zoo with a guide and swim at a secret local swimming spot. T: 441-236-1300, E: info@ islandtourcentre.com, W: www.islandtourcentre.com
FAMOUS HOMES & HIDEAWAYS CRUISE Knowledgeable tour guides will point out the homes of the rich and famous while you discover tranquil island hideaways only accessible by boat. This sightseeing cruise will give you historical facts and humourous personal stories about the island.
AQUARIUM SIGHTSEEING CRUISE This fun boat tour for the whole family will take you to Bermuda’s most visited attraction— the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo
If you are looking for the ultimate experience try a half-day boat rental or yacht charter. There are smaller self-drive and captained boats perfect for more intimate settings and a great way for families or couples to enjoy a day on the water. Larger boats that offer full catering and are equipped with a full bars, stereo systems, lights and dance floor can also be booked. For groups of eight or less, Under the Sea is a 31’ Tiara that offers an intimate experience taking you around the island to shipwreck sites, to snorkel or just relax on a noodle at secluded beaches only accessible by boat. Larger groups up to 40 can book the Excellence for private parties and events where their local captain and crew can take you to the best snorkeling sites and most private beaches on the island.
Rising Son II Catamaran T: 441-236-1300, E: info@islandtourcentre. com, W: www.islandtourcentre.com
SAIL & BEACH SNORKEL Jump aboard Bermuda’s largest sailing catamaran the Rising Son II, for a fun and relaxing sailing experience. Cool out in the roomy shaded cockpit, lounge on one of the huge trampolines, or soak up the rays on the upper level. On the award-winning half-day sail and beach snorkel excursion, you will cruise and sail throughout the Great Sound for an hour before anchoring at a beautiful and secluded swim site to kayak, try a SUP (paddle board) or snorkel on a nearby reef. After playtime, you’ll be welcomed back aboard for a complimentary Rum Swizzle.
SAIL INTO THE SUNSET The friendly crew will welcome you aboard with a complimentary glass of Champagne or Rum Cocktail for an evening sail. And as the sun sinks into the bay, music will play and you can enjoy the twilight views with that special somebody.
BOOK IT ALL with Island Tour centre! T: 441-236-1300, E: info@islandtourcentre.com, W: www.islandtourcentre.com
Reservations for all activities at the Dockyard Watersports Centre and more are available through central booking agency Island Tour Centre, Bermuda’s No. 1 provider of recreational sightseeing tours, activities, and charters offering countless options, easy online reservations and conveniently located booking offices. Island Tour Centre is owned and operated by experienced local tour professionals, ensuring up to date knowledge on all of the best places to go as well as things to see and do in Bermuda. Choose from unbeatable diving and snorkeling opportunities, award winning eco and adventure tours, leisurely sightseeing excursions, heart racing thrill rides, and boat cruises to suit every taste imaginable. If you would prefer to explore on your own, their knowledgeable and friendly staff can assist you with boat, bike, and water sport rentals, as well as golf and spa packages. If you have a group or are looking for a more exclusive experience, they offer the largest range of charter options available—everything from luxury yacht charters to party bus pub crawls, they have it all! For more information visit the website, call, or drop by the booking offices located at both the Dockyard Watersports Centre and the Hamilton Ferry Stop.
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Shop
Shopping at the Royal Naval Dockyard has become a cultural experience in recent years. Emerging from basic souvenir shops, stores selling a variety of items from around the world have become popular in the Clocktower Mall. But if tokens of Bermuda are what you’re really after, fear not, they’re never far from reach—in fact, most stores sell their own version of a Bermuda souvenir!
S
tep into the Clocktower Mall and you feel as if you’re stepping back in time. It’s easy to appreciate the vast limestone walls and lofted ceilings of this Great Eastern Storehouse, stacked and chiselled by convicts many years ago. Outside, enormous panelled windows overlook the wharf and the Great Sound beyond. The building also features two 100-foot towers, one of which displays the time of day while the other marks the
The Bermuda Shop by Carole Holding Shopping for Bermuda made souvenirs has never been so easy, thanks to Carole Holding’s The Bermuda Shop, a gift store offering unique
changing of the tides. Originally built in 1856 as a depository for the British Royal Navy, the modern day Clocktower Mall offers a unique selection of Bermudian gift shops and boutiques. This one-of-akind, 24,000-square-foot shopping plaza is best known for its eclectic variety of wares, from perfume and jewellery to island clothing and handcrafted cedar boxes. Enjoy a relaxed browsing experience with friendly vendors and welcoming staff. Peruse at
and affordable Bermudian treasures. Whether you’re looking for Bermuda honey, embroidered linens, notecards, or jewellery, one visit to The Bermuda Shop is all you need to pick up gifts for your loved ones at home.
your leisure and discover something new or find that perfect souvenir to take back home. If you’re worn out from shopping and looking for a place to eat, Cafe Amici on the corner of the Clocktower Mall offers a casual dining experience at an affordable price. Outside seating provides the perfect opportunity to appreciate a family style Italian meal with a view of historic Dockyard. Or if you’re looking for a quick snack, the Nannini Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream Parlour
inside the Mall is the best place for a cool treat to beat the heat. Whatever your vacation plans include, don’t forget to stop by the Clocktower Mall as you tour the island on your moped. The whole family is sure to enjoy an exciting shopping experience in this beautiful Bermudian historic building. The Clocktower Mall is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For more information and a complete mall directory visit www.thewestend.bm/category/shopping/clocktower-mall/.
The Bermuda Shop has additional locations at Fairmont Southampton and Hamilton Princess hotels and Heritage Wharf in Dockyard. Editor’s picks: Carole Holding’s beautifully packaged Bermuda flower soaps including Oleander, Jasmine and Passion Flower.
Island Outfitters Bemruda-made souveniers at The Bermuda Shop
Island Outfitters is a fun-packed store offering everything you need for the best Bermuda vacation ever. Conveniently located across the road from the Dockyard Ferry stop, in one of Dockyard’s oldest buildings, Island Outfitters is a shopping adventure like no other. Find the best selection and prices on Bermuda products, handmade jewellery, unique t-shirt and hat designs, beachware and accessories, sightseeing tours, gear rentals, WIFI services and so much more.
Unique Bermuda t-shirts and hats can be found at Island Outfitters
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This exclusive shop is the one location where you can shop, snack, surf the web, book island activities, and order your DUTY-FREE rum for the trip home. The friendly staff is on hand to assist you with local knowledge on where to go and what to do. So, grab a towel and bathing suit, fill up your cooler, and pick up a snorkel and boogie board—Island Outfitters is your one-stop-shop for island adventure. Editor’s pick: Colourful canvas totes in various sizes and shapes.
Calypso With an impressive 65-year legacy the Calypso group of stores has long been iconic or fashion-forward Bermudian women. The shop offers brands such as Longchamp, Trina Turk, and many European labels. The Dockyard branch of this popular boutique is one of four island wide and is where the most fashion-savvy shop. T: 441295-2112 ext.416, W: www. calypso.bm.
Handmade Bermuda Hand Made (Bermuda) Ltd is the arts and crafts store for Bermuda made goods. They carry the work of more than 50 Bermuda artists with beautiful and unique creations unavailable anywhere else in the world. With a wide range including clothing, sea glass and other jewellery, natural cosmetic goods, art work, music, books, ornaments, Bermuda cedar and much more, it’s the ideal place to find truly genuine Bermudian treasures. They also stock a wide range of beads and craft supplies. Find them in the Clocktower Mall, tel 441-232-0862, e-mail handmadebermuda@ icloud.com or like them on Facebook www.facebook.com/ handmadebermudaltd.
The Bermuda Triangle Shop For an eclectic mix of souvenirs and Bermuda-inspired treasures, The Bermuda Triangle Shop is the best. Overflowing with colour-
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ful ornaments, attractive souvenir T-shirts and summer garments, it’s obvious why this little store is so popular, making it a must stop on your list of places to visit. T: 441-234-0837.
Crisson Jewellers Bursting at the seams with Old-World charm and sophistication is Crisson Jewellers, a Bermudian jewellery company with a 90-year history. As a favourite place among visitors to purchase a piece of Bermuda-inspired jewellery, Crisson’s offers a wide range of necklaces, rings, earrings, charms and cufflinks, all with unique styles and designs that can only be found in Bermuda. T: 441-295-2351, W: www.crisson.com.
Orchid Step out of the ordinary and into something elegant, colourful and East Indianinspired with the help of Orchid, a women’s clothing store in the Clocktower Mall. Beautiful beaded slippers, ornate hair accessories and dresses made from 100 per cent silk are available at affordable prices. T: 441-234-0285.
Davison’s of Bermuda Davison’s of Bermuda is without a doubt the best place to shop for souvenir T-shirts. Quality design, hilarious logos and affordable prices have made the family-run business a popular pit stop for tourists of all ages at prices starting as low as $7.95. And if you’re looking for something a little classier than a T-shirt, they offer classic polos, jackets and pull-overs, as well. T: 441234-0959.
Enchanted Grand Bazaar Elegant Bermuda motif home décor and accessories such as fashionable cushion covers and fabric totes and beautiful hanging lanterns in an assortment of bold colours are in abundance, as are silk shawls, rugs and ceramic items, all at respectable prices. T: 441-234-4646, W: www. grandbazaarbda.com.
Photographic art images of Bermuda by Roland Skinner are available at AS Cooper & Sons.
Nannini HaagenDazs Ice Cream Parlour Delicious Haagen-Dazs ice cream awaits you at Nannini’s Ice Cream Parlour in the Clocktower Mall. Whatever your fancy—sorbets, frozen yogurt, cones, sundaes and milkshakes are available, as well as freshly-brewed cappuccino and espresso and other scrumptious Italian treats. T: 441-234-2474.
a gift for your mother-in-law or grandmother. Practical and affordable, whatever you decide on at Dockyard Linen & Gifts is sure to make you both happy. T: 441-234-0341.
The Littlest Drawbridge Bermuda cedar is the theme at The Littlest Drawbridge Gift Shop. Bowls, boxes, pens and sachets are all available at
affordable prices, in addition to local foods, tote bags and Cuban cigars. For truly Bermudian souvenirs, The Littlest Drawbridge Gift Shop is the ultimate one-stop shop.
Lisa-Anne Rego Gallery Bermudian artist Lisa-Anne Rego is an expert at painting Bermudian scenes. School children at play, architectural scenes and calm water landscapes are her speciality and she invites you into her gallery in the Clocktower Mall. View her artwork and perhaps purchase a piece to take home. T: 441-238-1407, W: www. lisarego.bm.
Dockyard Linen & Gifts With an abundance of elegant tea towels, table runners, place mats and a wide assortment of souvenir gift items, Dockyard Linen & Gifts is the perfect place to pick up
AS Cooper & Sons Over a century old, A.S. Cooper & Sons, Ltd. has been the place to go for housewares, clothing and accessories for generations. In addition to the finest crystal, china, fashion and fragrances, A.S. Cooper’s has a broadrange of Bermuda-made gifts at duty-free prices. Books, cutting boards with matching tea towels, ornaments and delicious treats—
you’ll find the perfect piece of the rock to take home with you at the Dockyard branch of A.S. Cooper’s. T: 441-234-4156, W: www. ascooper.bm. Editor’s pick: Picturesque photographic art images of Bermuda by Roland Skinner including books, postcards and posters.
Take home the beauty of Bermuda
Take home the beauty of Bermuda with prints, books or gifts featuring the iconic Bermuda images of veteran photographer Roland Skinner. Archival quality prints in various sizes can be purchased at the Picturesque Bermuda Mini Gallery, A.S. Cooper Dockyard, Clocktower Mall. Picturesque Gallery T: 441.292.1452 E: picturesque@ascooper.bm
facebook.com/picturesquebermuda
twitter.com/picturesquebda www.picturesquebermuda.com
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Souvenirs We Love! Dockyard abounds with terrific Bermuda souvenirs. Here are some favourites!
Fine Cuban cigars can be found at Dockyard Pharmacy T: 441-234-6214.
Glass-blown ornament from Dockyard Glassworks
Ceramic mugs featuring Bermuda scenes from The Bermuda Shop
Bermuda Pink Sand from Bermuda Craft Market
Pink sand jewellery from Bermuda Craft Market
Perfume Shop Smell your sweetest with fragrances from The Perfume Shop in the Clocktower Mall. Exclusive world-renowned fragrances and Bermudian scents coexist in the little shop, resulting in the best selection of perfume the world over. T: 441-295-0022, W: www.gibbons.bm.
Fair Trade Bermuda Shopping for unique art, clothing and accessories is easy and enjoyable at Fair Trade Bermuda. With unbeatable prices and interesting finds, you’ll find something for everyone on your shopping list without breaking the bank. T: 441-232-7781.
ER Aubrey In business since 1954, E.R. Aubrey has long been the go-to place for Bermudians on the hunt for affordable prices. With a large selection of coloured stones and fine jewellery, it has become a popular place for visitors to pick up a piece of the rock, too. On the top of everyone’s wish-list is the Bermuda Lucky Stone, a fusion of vibrant oranges, greens, yellows and purples, available in a variety of styles and settings. T: 441-234-4577.
Rum Swizzle mix from Bermuda Craft Market
Banana-leaf doll ornament from Bermuda Craft Market
are all available in the team colours of your choosing, including the Bermuda National Team! T: 441-232-7433.
Dockyard Pharmacy You’ll find everything under the sun at Dockyard Pharmacy, including medications, health and beauty supplies, reading material, souvenirs, sun care products, and more! Open from early morning to evening, seven days a week, Dockyard Pharmacy is the place for last-minute items. T: 441-279-5410. Editor’s pick: Bermuda food products, including Frog Bites, Longtail Eggs, Dolphin Droppings.
Makin’ Waves Surf’s up, dude! When planning to splash around in Bermuda waters, a trip to Makin Waves is a must! Swimsuits and shirts, sunglasses, boards, towels and snorkel gear are available from this popular Bermudian shop. Brands such as Quiksilver, Roxy, Billabong, Hurley,
and Oakley make shopping at Makin Waves not only practical but fashionable, too. T: 441234-5319, W: www. makinwaves.bm.
Bermuda Craft Market The ultimate Bermudian souvenirs come from the Bermuda Crafts Market. Local artists and crafters lend their talents to the Dockyard attraction, producing and selling their Bermuda-made products. Available for purchase is everything including jewellery, books, knitwear, glassware, picture frames, Bermuda Cedar work, watercolour prints, and so much more! Browse the Craft Market and take home a locally-made product. T: 441-234-3208.
Rosebuds When you’re looking for stylish beachwear, head to Rosebuds in the Clocktower mall. Their wide variety of imported fashionable clothing and accessories, including jewellery and sarongs, are available at affordable prices.
Fun Bermuda-inspired food items at Dockyard Pharmacy
Sidekicks
Picturesque Bermuda pack of 20 postcards from A.S. Cooper & Sons
Ceramic ornament from Bermuda Art Centre at Dockyard
Whether you are a football player or simply an enthusiast, Sidekicks is the place to get everything you need to support your favourite team! Authentic jerseys, bags, flags, SWharfhats, DockTimes2012_Layout 1 4/9/12 10:37 AM Page 1 scarves, balls and more,
SOMERS WHARF Shopping & Dining Complex Water Street, St. George’s www.somerswharf.com
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Experience It!
Take a ride on the wild side with a exciting tour of Bermuda on KS Watersports’ high-speed boat the Wildcat
There are various ways to experience the Royal Naval Dockyard and all it has to offer. Jump on a boat for a tour of the reefs and wrecks surrounding Dockyard, hop on a Segway for a slow-paced tour of the historic buildings that make Dockyard such an interesting heritage site, or get up-close-and-personal to the friendly dolphins at Dolphin Quest—whether you choose to do just one, or all the tours in Dockyard, we promise you won’t be disappointed. DOLPHIN QUEST Get happily lost in a Bermuda Triangle of fun, swimming with our beautiful dolphins in their ocean water safe haven within the old stone fortress, now home to the extraordinary National Museum of Bermuda. Create a magical multi-sensory connection when you touch a dolphin that will touch your heart. Enjoy an hour-long Ultimate Adventure, a 45-minute Encounter, a 20-minute Discover Dolphin programme or even a Trainer for a Day or Trainer for a Week experience. Dolphin Quest Bermuda is located at the Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda’s premier
shopping, dining and entertainment destination, and just a short, scenic ferry ride or taxi ride from anywhere on the island. You’ll share and remember your dolphin moments and your biggest and best smiles ever with our fantastic keepsake photos. Visit the Dolphin Deck Gift Shop onsite for the coolest dolphin shirts, hats, toys, books and souvenirs. A portion of the proceeds from Dolphin Quest supports vital marine education conservation and research. Make a reservation online at dolphinquest.com or contact the reservations office at 441-234-4464. E: dqbermuda@dolphinquest.org, W:
www.dolphinquest.org
Island Tour Centre Your vacation starts now at Island Tour Centre, Bermuda’s No. 1 provider of recreational sightseeing tours, activities, and charters. With over 25 years of local tour experience, countless options, easy online reservations, and conveniently located booking offices, they are the first stop for your best Bermuda vacation experience ever. Island Tour Centre is owned and operated by experienced local tour professionals, ensuring up to date knowledge on all of the best places to go as well as things to see and do in Ber-
Explore Bermuda’s beautiful underwater wonderland with Fantasea Diving & Watersports.
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Travel off the beaten path on an exclusive tour with Bermuda Hidden Gems. Pictured: Southlands park and Gibb’s Hill Lighthouse. muda. Their partner service providers are committed to excellence, and to operating to the highest industry standards, so that they can offer you the very best value for your vacation dollar. No matter what your interests, Island Tour Centre provides the best selection of tours and activities from Bermuda’s top tour operators that are sure to be the highlight of your vacation. Choose from unbeatable diving and snorkeling opportunities, award winning eco and adventure tours, leisurely sightseeing excursions, heart racing thrill rides, and boat cruises to suit every taste imaginable. If you would prefer to explore on your own, their knowledgeable and friendly staff can assist you with boat, bike and water sport rentals, as well as golf and spa packages. If you have a group or are looking for a more exclusive experience, they offer the largest range of charter options available—everything from luxury yacht charters to party bus pub crawls, they have it all! For more information visit their website, call, or drop by thier booking offices conveniently located at both
the Dockyard and Hamilton Ferry Stops. T: 441-2361300, E: info@islandtourcentre.com, W: www.islandtourcentre.com
Bermuda Train Company Be transported back into history by travelling the roads of Bermuda the old fashioned way—by train. On this tour of Dockyard, the Bermuda Train Company highlights such areas as the Royal Naval Cemetery, the Yellow Fever Burial Ground and the Lagoon Park, home to yellowcrowned night herons that roost in the mangroves. You’ll learn all about the Clocktower building, which was built in 1875 and initially contained the naval store offices, and hear all about the Old Naval Hospital and its epidemic of yellow fever. Learn how in Bermuda we catch and preserve our water, build our roofs and find out why we keep them white. Watch out for our beautiful flowers, banana patches and Bermuda’s own cedars and palmetto. Book your tour today! T: 441-236-3130, E: bermudatrain@logic.bm, W: www.oleandercycles.bm
Bermuda Segway Experience the Segway Human Transporter, Bermuda’s coolest mode of transportation with an easy glide tour of Dockyard. This revolutionary machine is environmentally friendly, self-balancing, fun and easy to ride. The adventure begins with your safety in mind and includes a thorough training session. Before you know it, you will be gliding effortlessly through the Royal Naval Dockyard, enjoying unbeatable ocean views and exploring historical sites along the way—including the Clocktower Mall, historic Casemates Prison, Victualling Yard, the Glassblowing and Rum Cake Factory, Historic Sail Loft and much, much, more. This tour allows you ample opportunity for photos and is a unique way to see and experience Bermuda. T: 441-504-2581, E: bookitnow@segway.bm, W: www. segway.bm
K.S. WATERSPORTS Get ready to have the time of your life with K.S. WaterSports, Bermuda’s No. 1 Water Sports Company for fun and adventure. They specialise in
thrill adventures and tours that are fun, safe and perfect for the solo rider, couples and families who seek adventure and excitement on their vacation. Experience the thrill of a lifetime on one of their amazing Jet Ski Adventures. Splash and dash throughout Bermuda’s aqua-blue waters, passing many beaches, shipwrecks, forts, the sea gardens and much more. Some of their Jet Ski Adventures even stop off at a shipwreck to feed fish, or stop at a pink sandy beach area for a short swim, or explore hidden coves to spot sea turtles. They offer many types of Jet Ski Adventures that depart from The Royal Naval Dockyard (Kings Wharf) and the Town of St. George’s daily. Regular Jet Ski Adventures are 75 minutes and 2 hours long and they now offer the lowest rates in Bermuda for Jet Skiing. Just two minutes’ walking distance from the Dockyard cruise ship terminals, and instructions will be provided to all participants. Their Jet Ski Adventures come highly recommended and are rated one of the best on the island amongst visitors and locals alike, so don’t miss
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out on these amazing Jet Ski Adventures that are sure to provide a whole lot of fun for everyone! Fancy something a little more daring and exciting? Then experience the highflying thrill, panoramic views and pure excitement of parasailing in Bermuda. This adventure will take you over some of Bermuda’s beautiful pink sandy beaches, secluded reefs, historic landmarks or the glistening waters of the Great Sound Harbour, not to mention giving you a breathtaking view of the entire island as well. Step aboard the Thrill Seeker, their powerful winch-boat which allows you to take off and land without getting wet, unless of course you request a ‘dip’. Their professional crew assures you of a safe, fun and memorable experience. You must be five years or older to participate. Looking for the ultimate thrill ride or sightseeing adventure? Then step aboard the WildCat, for the only high-speed, fully narrated, action packed sightseeing tour of its kind that will take you around the entire island of Bermuda. You will enjoy unique views of the island’s historic sites and other points
of interest while experiencing the fun and thrills of riding on this high performance vessel. Sit back and relax as WildCat smoothly cuts through the rolling swells and soars over the islands crystal clear waters. There are several WildCat Adventures to choose from, which take you around the island’s gorgeous coastline, passing many luxurious resorts, private islands, forts, beaches and million dollar homes, to name just a few. You will see more of the island in just two hours than some locals see in an entire lifetime, plus we even have an adventure that stops right in the town of St. George’s, where everyone will have 90 minutes to get off and explore the many sights that this “UNESCO World Heritage Site” has to offer. The “WildCat is perfect for those looking for the ultimate sightseeing adventure and who like to vacation in the fast lane. No trip to Bermuda would be complete without a thrilling WildCat Ride! You must be five years or older to participate. Whether by air or by sea, K.S. WaterSports has an adventure for everyone that is sure to excite and make
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ALL-INCLUSIVE INTERACTIVE ISLAND ECO-TOURS TEL: 441-704-0999 bermyreefexplorer@gmail.com
RESERVATIONS ONLINE: www.bermudahiddengems.com
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Oleander Cycles. Visit our Dockyard location or any of our other four other locations around the island. We are open seven days a week. Visit our friendly staff today. T: 441-236-2453, W: www. oleandercycles.bm
Fantasea Diving & Watersports
Swim with the dolphins at Dolphin Quest located in the National Museum of Bermuda. your Bermuda vacation fun and memorable. For Dockyard reservations please call 441-238-4155 or visit the “Dockyard Watersports Centre” located across from the Bonefish Bar & Grill, and next to the Ferry terminal in Dockyard. For St. George’s reservations please call 441297-4155. E: info@watersportsbermuda.com, W: www. kswatersports.com
Byways Tours Experience a more intimate, personal and local tour of Bermuda with Heidi Cowen’s Byways Tours. Heidi is a fifth generation Bermudian who comes from a line
of lighthouse keepers from Gibbs Hill Lighthouse in Southampton. She grew up with her grandfather in the small house attached to the Lighthouse. Her tours revolve around her historical knowledge and love for the beauty of her island. Tours are generally between five and six hours and include a lunch stop at the tiny Grannie’s Kitchen on North Shore, where Grannie prides herself on her homemade, fresh local food. After a peaceful lunch in a nearby park, the tour continues to the other end of this island while Heidi regales her charges (only about six per
tour) with her historical knowledge and quirky local stories. If you like off the beaten path and want a more local experience, Heidi’s Byways Tour is a fun, imaginative and beautiful way to explore the island. Call for bookings. Tel: 441-535-9169, E: bermudafootsteps@logic.bm, W: www.bywaysbermuda.bm
Oleander Cycles Why not explore the island at your own pace? Have the freedom to criss cross the island and visit our wonderful beaches, shopping and historical sights on a rented scooter or pedal bike from
Fantasea Diving and Watersports is the only location in Dockyard for self-drive boat rentals, and PADI SCUBA diving. At the Westernmost tip of the island, Royal Naval Dockyard is the ideal jumping off point for unbeatable diving, snorkelling and watersports opportunities. Their 40-foot custom dive boat and professional staff will transport you to some of Bermuda’s most renowned wreck and reef sites quickly and comfortably. Visit their shore location at Snorkel Park for SNUBA or SCUBA lessons and the only water scooter rental location on the island; learn about Bermuda’s unique ecosystem and history on a guided kayak, standup paddleboard, hike or bike tour; or kick up your heels on the legendary Goslings Sunset Rum Cruise. All tours depart within walking distance of the bus, ferry and cruise ship terminals. Their brand-new 23’ self-drive pontoon boats are the perfect way to explore the nearby secluded islands and beaches,
and their fully crewed 40-60 foot catamarans are ideal for private group excursions, charters and parties. With over 20 years of experience, top of the line equipment, and friendly and knowledgeable staff, Fantasea has the experience you are looking for! Royal Naval Dockyard, Sandys.Tel: 441-236-1300 or 236-DIVE (3483), E: info@fantasea.bm, W: www. fantasea.bm
Bermuda Fun Golf Situated on an acre of ocean side property in Dockyard, Bermuda Fun Golf
features 18 challenging and exciting holes that represent six of the most famous golf course holes in U.S.A., Bermuda and Scotland. Come and enjoy the panoramic 180 degree vista of ocean and sunsets while putting in style! The course features a waterfall flowing into multiple salt water ponds displaying beautiful examples of Bermuda’s fish species. After your game, relax and enjoy refreshments at the ‘caddy shack’ bar and concession. T: 441-400-7888, E: office@fungolf.bm, W: www. fungolf.bm
Picture Perfect Tours provides unique experiences for photographers, picture takers and photo lovers – we take you off the beaten path, share Bermuda’s culture and show you the island through the eyes of a Bermudian. You will travel through neighborhoods many tourists will never see and experience the incredible beauty of the island. Take a two-hour tour, a five-hour tour or join us for sunrise and sunset tours. Specialty tours available upon request.
For tour dates and times:
Visit: www.pictureperfecttours.net Email: info@pictureperfecttours.net Phone: 1 441 333 0200
The Original
Sculptural Pink Sand Jewellery inspired by Bermuda’s beauty
Beyond Dockyard The Old Rectory
Tucker House Museum
Step Back in History in St. George’s By Elizabeth Jones
I
n the year 2000 St. George’s, together with its related fortifications, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its “outstanding universal value.” But ever since the beginning of Bermuda’s tourism in the 19th century, the island’s former capital, founded in 1612 and officially the Town of St. George, has been a magnet for visitors interested in Bermuda’s history. Situated on the eastern end of the island, it’s the island’s first and oldest town and the oldest English speaking colonial town still in existence. Easily accessible by bus and in the cruise ship season by ferry, the old Town is perfect for exploring on foot. The town square, harbour and quaint, narrow streets take visitors back to a time when churches and houses were made out of hand quarried stone and boats crafted out of Bermuda cedar. Even the place names in St. George’s tantalise the imagination, echoing as they do stories of a colourful past. Blockade Alley, for example, recalls the time blockade
runners during the American Civil War transformed St. George’s into a prosperous, bustling town. The focal point in the town is King’s Square, named after King George III, where replica stocks, pillories and ducking stool recall public punishments for thieves and gossips. On the square is the Town Hall where ever since 1805 the Town Corporation has met once a month. Across a small bridge is Ordnance Island, once a gallows site and munitions storage place, and now the setting for Desmond Fountain’s bronze statue of Bermuda’s founder Sir George Somers. A replica of the Deliverance reminds visitors of the ship Somers and his crew built to take them to Virginia. Overlooking the square is the State House, arguably Bermuda’s first stone building and once Bermuda’s seat of Parliament. St Peter’s Church, the oldest continually used Anglican Church in the western hemisphere, towers over the main thoroughfare, the Duke of York Street. The church, given “Their Majesties Chappell” status in 2012 as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, is well
worth a visit for its open timber beams, impressive chandeliers and marble memorial stones, as well as a cedar altar table dating back to the 17th century. The churchyard contains several headstones dating back nearly 300 years to when the church was built in 1713, and a separate burial ground for the black population of St. George’s, including slaves. Behind the church is Church Lane leading to a quaint crisscross of picturesque streets and alley ways. Visitors can enjoy views of charming walled gardens filled with flowers and herbs, and traditional Bermudian architecture on their way to the Bermuda Perfumery on Queen Street and the St. George’s Historical Society on Featherbed Alley. They can then continue up to the Duke of Kent Street passing the Somers Garden for a view of the Unfinished Church. Running parallel to the Duke of York Street, is Water Street, recalling the time when it had an uninterrupted vista of the harbour. Today it is known for the Tucker House Museum, a fine example of 18th century architecture, and for its shops and waterside eateries.
Must Sees!
Bermuda Heritage Museum: It focuses on black Bermudian history before and after Emancipation. Bermuda National Trust Museum and Gift Shop: Formerly the Globe Hotel, it features the Rogues and Runners Exhibit, showing Bermuda’s role in the U.S. Civil War. Somers Garden: Named after Sir George Somers whose heart is buried there. St. George’s Historical Society, Museum, Printery & Garden: This is well worth a visit for its traditional garden, welcoming arms staircase, and for its replica Gutenberg Printing Press. It was here Joseph Stockdale printed Bermuda’s first newspaper. St. Peter’s Church: The oldest Anglican church in the western hemisphere. Stewart Hall: Now the Bermuda Perfumery, where luxury fragrances are created, bottled and packaged. The Old Rectory: A picture perfect Bermuda stone cottage dating back to 1699. The State House: Bermuda’s oldest stone building and first seat of Government. Tucker House Museum: An 18th century merchant’s house. Unfinished Church: Once planned as a replacement to St. Peter’s, the church was never completed and has the appearance of a Gothic ruin. World Heritage Centre: Introducing the Town of St. George and its related fortifications to the public as a World Heritage Site.
Pay a Visit to These Old Town Landmarks
Visit St. Peter’s Church
See the Unfinished Church
Visit Fort St. Catherine
Bermuda’s oldest building, St. Peter’s Church, was built in 1612 by Bermuda’s first settlers looking for a place to worship. Then it was a simple wooden building with a thatched roof, which proved too insubstantial, and the building was rebuilt in stone in 1713. Everything in and around this church dates back centuries; the church’s chalice dates from 1625 and the church’s furniture is among the oldest in Bermuda. Of course, with old churches come old graveyards, and St. Peter’s provides a resting place for many of Bermuda’s most famous individuals, including Pilot James Darrell, the first black Bermudian to own a home, and Midshipman Dale, the last American to die in the War of 1812.
The story of the Unfinished Church begins in 1874, when parishioners of St. Peter’s contemplated replacing their church, which had been severely damaged in a storm. But the churchgoers couldn’t reach a consensus about whether to replace or rebuild. From there, controversy and ill-fate plagued the grand church that could have been. In the end, they decided that St. Peter’s Church would remain the place of worship for the Church of England in St. George’s, thus leaving the Unfinished Church, well…simply unfinished. Today, the Bermuda National Trust owns and maintains the controversial cathedral; it was officially named a World Heritage Site, insuring that the ruin remains unfinished forever.
Located on the most northern tip of Bermuda, Fort St. Catherine stands along the shore overlooking the spot where the Sea Venture crashed upon Bermuda’s reefs in 1609. Built in 1614 by Bermuda’s first governor, Sir Richard Moore, the fort has been renovated numerous times; it was converted into a museum in 1950. Recently updated, the exhibits at Fort St. Catherine include the history of Bermuda and the fort itself; there’s even a replica of the crown jewels. Beware, though; sightings of the fort’s ghost, George, are neither rare nor uneventful.
See Where Sir George Somers’s Heart Is Buried
Lock up your loved ones and take a picture!
After the famed Sea Venture wrecked off Bermuda’s shores in 1609, its captain, Sir George, petitioned England that Bermuda would make an excellent colony, and he volunteered to stay instead of following the rest of the survivors to Jamestown, Virginia. Sadly, Sir George died only a year later. After his unexpected death, his body was taken back to England and buried, but his heart remained in Bermuda. People still visit the official resting place of Sir George’s heart in Somers Gardens, St. George’s, although few know that the heart’s actual resting place—thanks to the vicissitudes of time and changing road patterns—is somewhere in the middle of York Street.
Hear ye, hear ye! If your loved one has wandered off the straight and narrow path, lock him (or her) in the wooden stocks in St. George’s Square. Though we joke about it now, that was the purpose of the stocks and pillory in long-ago Bermuda. Anyone committing a petty crime stood with his head, wrists and ankles between hinged planks of wood as a form of embarrassment and discouragement.
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23 Sessions House
Anglican Cathedral
Front Street
Dine, Shop and Explore in Hamilton By Elizabeth Jones
U
nlike St. George’s, throughout its history the City of Hamilton has adapted its architecture to suit its changing needs. Four years after the city became Bermuda’s capital and seat of Government in 1815, the Sessions House was erected with its distinctive terracotta edged clock tower and arches being added in 1887 to honour Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. The building contains Bermuda’s House of Assembly upstairs, and the Supreme Court downstairs. The Cabinet Building on Front Street, overlooking Hamilton Harbour was completed in 1841. Originally known as the Public Building and in 1938 as the Colonial Secretariat, it now houses the Premier’s office and the Senate’s meeting place. In the grounds stands a statue of Sally Basset, a slave who was burned at the stake in 1730. In 1884 arsonists burnt the city’s Trinity Church on Church Street. Shortly afterwards work began on rebuilding it and by 1911 it became the official bishopric seat of Bermu-
da’s Anglican Church. Since then its 143-foot tower has become a much loved landmark on the city’s skyline. It’s also an attraction for tourists willing to climb the 155 steps to the top for a spectacular panoramic view of the Harbour, the City and much of the Island. As tourism began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, so shops increased along Front, Queen and Reid Streets, selling to mostly North American visitors luxury goods, including British fine china and glassware, cashmere sweaters, perfumes and cosmetics at duty free prices. Restaurants, offering catering diverse cuisine, bars and clubs began to flourish there, as well as on Bermudiana Road, west of the city. But the biggest architectural changes happened as the city became an international business centre during the 20th and 21st centuries. Now multi-storey office buildings to the west and east of the city, as well as apartment blocks to the north, compete with the cathedral for dominance over the skyline. The older, more traditional architecture is still in the mix, particularly at the back
of town where some of the buildings resemble those in the French Quarter of New Orleans. On Queen Street the Bermuda National Library and Bermuda Historical Society Museum built in 1815 were once the home of Postmaster William Perot who planted the extensive gardens that now make up the beautiful Par-la-Ville Park. Later he built an annex for his post office, the Perot Post Office, which is still operating. Hamilton’s City Hall and Arts Centre opened as late as 1960 but thanks to its local architect Will Onions, its design is quintessentially Bermudian. Downstairs are the Corporation offices and the theatre. Visitors are welcome to visit the upstairs Bermuda National Gallery and the Bermuda Society of Arts Gallery. Easy to explore on foot, the City has park spaces in addition to Parla-Ville. Behind City Hall is Victoria Park with its bandstand an ideal setting for summer concerts. Albuoy’s Point near the ferry terminal and Barr’s Bay Park offer great views of the Harbour and an opportunity to watch seabirds swoop in and out of the water.
Flannagan’s on Front Street is a favourite local pub and restaurant.
Must Sees!
City Hall and Arts Centre: Well worth a visit for its appealing white washed design and for the cedar work and portraits in the lobby. In the grounds are bronze statues by Desmond Fountain. The Bermuda National Gallery: On the second floor of City Hall, the National Gallery exhibits permanent collections of African and European art as well hosting temporary exhibits by international and local artists. The Bermuda National Library and Bermuda Historical Society Museum: Established in 1895, the museum celebrates Bermuda’s 400-year history through its Bermudian silver, cedar furniture and portraits. Par-la-Ville Park: Once William Perot’s private garden, in honour of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, it has been renamed the Queen Elizabeth II Park.
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The Dockyard Times
24 The view from Gibb’s Hill Lighthouse
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Horseshoe Bay
Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo
Your “Must Do” List!
Hit the beach, explore the reefs and take in some of Bermuda’s best local attractions with our top picks of the best things outside Dockyard that every visitor must do! Explore BUEI The mission of the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI) is to advance the knowledge and understanding of the ocean, from the surface to the deepocean floor, especially as it relates to underwater research. Located on Crow Lane in Pembroke, their exciting exhibits are designed to leave you with a new understanding and appreciation of the world’s oceans, their beauty and power, their diversity in plant and animal life and their importance to the very
survival of our planet. Those who visit BUEI learn through the exhibits that the ocean is a living, ever-evolving entity that needs to be explored, studied, cared-for and protected. BUEI remains uniquely qualified to enhance the public’s understanding, appreciation and knowledge of the ocean because it is the only public institution that focuses directly on the deep ocean and on all the disciplines of marine science, exploration and research. Designed for explorers of all ages, BUEI is not to be
missed! T: 441-292-7219, W: www.buei.org.
Tour Crystal Caves Two Bermudian boys in the early 1900s were playing cricket when their ball fell down a hole. When the boys went to retrieve the ball, they discovered it had fallen into a deep cavernous space underground. It was only when they descended into the hole that they understood the significance of their find, which we know today as Crystal Caves. Crystal Caves has attracted famous visitors for over a
Express Yourself with Original Bermuda Beads
century, including American poet Mark Twain and music superstar Beyoncé. And the stunning caves are not all for show, either; they provide an interesting lesson in Bermuda geology and a fascinating look at the change in sea level over the years. If you aren’t persuaded to visit Crystal Caves for their beauty or history, go for the cave “kisses”; they really are something special. T: 441-293-0640, E: info@caves. bm, W: www.caves.bm
Climb to the Top of the Lighthouse Standing 362 feet above sea level, Gibb’s Hill Lighthouse is not tall by lighthouse standards, but the view from the top is unrivaled! Shining light over the ocean in a 100-mile radius, the historic Southampton lighthouse has protected Bermuda’s coral reefs from shipwrecks for more than 165 years. Although no longer a key navigational tool to guide seafarers through Bermuda’s challenging network of reefs, Gibb’s Hill Lighthouse is a popular attraction and a well-maintained historical site. Each year, around 25,000 pairs of feet climb their way to the top and look out at Bermuda in all her glory.
Hit the beach
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Stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke. You’re swimming hard and fast as a perfect, turquoise-coloured wave rolls toward you. You’re just in time, you push off, throw one arm over the other and close your
9 Front Street, Hamilton, Telephone: (441) 295-1466 • Fax: (441) 292-6656 Web: www.walkerchristopher.com Email: walkerchris@link.bm BUEI
Crystal Caves eyes as you feel the wave pull you toward shore. Bermuda is known for our beautiful beaches and pick any one… we’re sure you’ll have the time of your life!
Enjoy Spittal Pond Covering 64 acres, Spittal Pond is a place of natural splendour. As Bermuda’s largest nature reserve, it is without doubt one of the best places to observe Bermuda’s array of plants and animals in their natural habitats. From the rocky coastline to the eight-acre brackish pond, it’s no wonder why Bermudians love it so much. Another group of people who appreciated Spittal Pond? Shipwrecked Portuguese sailors, who in 1543 (the earliest evidence of human life in Bermuda) carved the initials RP along with the date into the limestone rock.
Visit the Aquarium “To inspire appreciation and care of island environments” is the mission of the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo (BAMZ), which opened in 1926 when the Bermuda Government recognized an opportunity to boost the island’s rising tourism industry. The original exhibits were basic, and local fish were the most exotic creatures on display. Fast forward to present day and BAMZ is a leader in environmental education and conservation, presenting visitors with opportunities to learn more about Bermuda’s natural history and ways to preserve our island for future generations. BAMZ is on par with the best aquariums and zoos in the world, boasting, among other things, a 140,000-gallon North Rock tank, the new Madagascar exhibit and a state-of-the-art natural-history museum.
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Bermuda Fun Facts • Bermuda is an archipelago consisting • Bermuda became an English Colony in of seven main islands and over 180 islands 1684. Bermuda is the oldest British Colony and and islets. It lies about 650 miles east of North has the second oldest parliamentary democracy Carolina. in the world. • Bermuda was discovered in 1503 by a Span• Queen Elizabeth II is head of state and is ish explorer, Juan de Bermudez, who made no represented in Bermuda by a governor, whom she attempt to land because of the treacherous reef appoints. Internally, Bermuda has a parliamentary surrounding the uninhabited islands. system of government. • In 1609, after being shipwrecked in the Sea • The premier is head of government and Venture on reefs off the shores of Bermuda, Admi- leader of the majority party in the House of Asral Sir George Somers established an English claim sembly. The cabinet is composed of ministers to the islands. selected by the premier from among members of • The Sea Venture sat atop the reefs off the House of Assembly and the Senate. Gate’s Bay long enough to be stripped of all • Bermuda has no rivers or freshwater lakes. useful parts and materials; what was left of her As a result drinking water is collected on the eventually disappeared beneath the ocean. Two roofs of all buildings and in special catchment of her guns were salvaged in 1612 and used in the areas, and stored in tanks under the ground for initial fortification of Bermuda (one was placed on each home or property. Governor’s Island, opposite Paget’s Fort, the other • The Bermuda Triangle, a triangular area in on Castle Island). the Atlantic, is said to be responsible for mysteri• The play The Tempest by William Shakeous shipwrecks, disappearances and air crashes. speare is believed to have been inspired by the The apexes of the triangle are Bermuda, Miami, wreck of the Sea Venture. Florida and San Juan, Puerto Rico. • The area of Bermuda is 22.7 sq. miles. • Bermuda’s national bird is The Bermuda • The population is 69,080 (July 2012 est.) Petrel, Pterodroma cahow, Commonly known in • Bermuda is divided into nine parishes. Bermuda as the Cahow. The name is derived • There are 2 political parties: One Bermuda Alli- from its eerie cries, this nocturnal ground-nesting ance (OBA) and Progressive Labour Party (PLP). seabird is a symbol of hope for nature conserva• The currency is the Bermuda dollar (BMD) tion because It was thought extinct for 330 years. which is on par with U.S. dollar. Initially superabundant throughout Bermuda, • The capital of Bermuda is the City of Hamthe Cahow is a slow breeder, but excellent flier, ilton. and spends its adult life on the open seas. At five • Bermuda is a British Overseas Dependant years old it returns to its former nesting place and Territory with significant autonomy. The oldest begins breeding, laying only one egg per season. self-governing overseas territory in the British Cahows mate for life. Commonwealth, its 1968 constitution provides • The Bermudiana is a native endemic and is the island with formal responsibility for internal the unofficial national flower. The plant is a perenself-government, while the British Government nial with long green leaves and a small blue flower retains responsibility for external affairs, defense, or six petals andPMa yellow centre. It often 571_1 - Dockyard Times - 3 colx8 - P1.pdfwith1five4/10/12 2:42 and security. grows wild around the Island.
Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art
So Much to See & Do at Botanical Gardens Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art A trip to Bermuda would not be complete without a visit to the island’s most spectacular attraction; The Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art. Opened in March 2008, it is the first purpose built museum in the history of Bermuda and has been named Best Museum/Gallery every year since it’s opening. The museum is the culmination of over 20 years of hard work, commitment and fundraising. The new museum houses an impressive collection of 1,400 pieces of art, all of these works were created with the notion of Bermuda as a source of inspiration. The collection is comprised of watercolours, oil paintings, lithographs and sculptures as well as a constantly evolving showcase of local artists. The Museum’s permanent collection boasts such names as Georgia O’Keeffe, Winslow Homer, Henry Moore, Marsden Hartley, Ogden Pleissner and many more. Housed in the beautiful Botanical Gardens in Paget, five minutes from Hamilton the new museum is itself a work of art. With three exhibition areas, Homer’s Café, a gift shop and state-of-the-art storage and conservation facilities, this is a world-class museum and complete cultural centre of Bermuda.
Botanical Gardens Bermuda Botanical Gardens was named. The Botanical Gardens is a quiet place of plants, butterflies, flowers, trees and fields and it is Bermuda’s most popular national park and a welcoming destination for residents and tourists looking for rest and relaxation. There is a palm garden featuring native palmetto trees, a flowering hibiscus garden, a rose garden, a frangipani collection, banyan trees and an enormous ficus
tree. The Garden for the Sightless is a sensory garden designed primarily for the benefit of the blind. If cooling out under a tree isn’t what you’re after, join a free 90-minute walking tour of the expansive gardens, visit the popular aviary for a glimpse of the peacocks, or stop in to Homer’s Café at Masterworks Museum for a relaxing lunch or something refreshing.
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A must-see attraction!
THAT’S OVER
30
MILLION YEARS OLD
AND STILL GROWING Visit www.caves.bm for more details.
The Botanical Gardens Opened in 1898 the Bermuda Botanical Gardens originally covered 10 acres and over the years has grown to its present 36 acres. The name changed from the Public Garden to the Agricultural Experiment Station in 1921 in keeping with its role at the time. By 1958, due to a growth in tourism and ornamental horticulture, the
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SHELLS • SHIPWRECKS • TREASURE • VIRTUAL DIVE
The Crystal Caves are a world of delicate splendour with magnificent crystal stalactites and stalagmites, each surrounding a clear lake. Come see the Crystal & Fantasy Caves, an exquisite world that Mother Nature began over 30 million years ago. HOW TO FIND US: BUS ROUTES 1/3/10/11 | JUST OFF WILKINSON AVE 8 Crystal Cave Road, Hamilton Parish CR 04, Bermuda | 441-293-0640 | info@caves.bm
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BERMUDA UNDERWATER EXPLORATION INSTITUTE Open 7 days a week from 10am - 5pm (last admission at 4pm) 15 minute walk from Hamilton Ferry Terminal | www.buei.org | 292.7219
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Bermuda: A Diver’s Dream Being the unofficial shipwreck capital of the Atlantic, Bermuda is a dream location for divers. By Kate Retallack
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t used to be that the passage into Bermuda by sea was a treacherous and daring one. Vast stretches of shallow coral reef, dysfunctional navigational lights, and pirates were just a few of the obstacles captains would face on their course to her shores. From the time of Bermuda’s colonization in 1609, shipwrecks have shaped the history of the island and the character of its people. With 500 square miles of coral reef surrounding 21 square miles of land, it is not hard to imagine why there are over 350 wrecks scattered around the island. The wrecks range from 10 to 500 years old and the styles span the spectrum of ship types used in the history of Atlantic seafaring. Fortunately, today the passage into Bermuda is far more serene—more peaceful, panoramic views and less privateering. As you approach Bermuda’s shores you are swept away by the array of colours the sea presents, by the stunning coral reef and by the clarity of the pristine water. The quaint and colourful houses are cheerful and welcoming. The landscape in Bermuda is actually more striking for what it lacks—no high rises, no flashing neon signs, no billboards, no multilane highways and no smog-churning factories—a true paradise. But the best of Bermuda lies beneath the sparkling waters—just a few miles offshore by boat or just a short swim from her infamous pink sand beaches
and about 35 feet down. With the mix of fascinating and historic shallow-water shipwrecks and vibrant coral reefs , Bermuda is a diver’s dream, and Dockyard is the perfect jumping off point to explore it. A multitude of wrecks to the north, south, and west of the island are accessible from Dockyard (the westernmost tip of Bermuda), each with its own unique and intriguing story. Just five miles off the West End of Bermuda lies what might be our most infamous sites—the wrecks of the Constellation and the Montana/ Nola side by side. The Nola (commonly, but mistakenly, referred to as the Montana) went down in 1893 and was the first of two civil war blockade runners to wreck on Bermuda’s reefs. Once a 236 foot paddle steamer, the Nola was heading into Bermuda to load coal when the captain misjudged the channel and put the ship onto the reef. All cargo and crew were spared, but a massive gash in the hull made it impossible to refloat her. Divers today can still make out the forward stack, boilers and huge paddle wheels. Laying only 50 feet to her west is the Constellation. The four-masted schooner was en route to Venezuela in 1943 carrying a general cargo of building materials, medicine and 700 cases of scotch whiskey and is thought to have wrecked by catching the bow section of the Nola and then smashing into the reef. Her remains include 80,000 lbs worth of 50 lb concrete bags and masses of fragmented glassware and ceramics. Peter Benchley (of Jaws fame)
With the mix of fascinating and historic shallow-water shipwrecks and vibrant coral reefs, Bermuda is a diver’s dream, and Dockyard is the perfect jumping off point to explore it.
based his movie The Deep on this very wreck and the hunt for the valuable drug ampules she was carrying. Unfortunately, the morphine ampules and scotch are all but gone today, although there is still the odd, exciting discovery. The beauty of this site is that the wrecks lay in only 35 feet of water and are within swimming distance of one another. Two wrecks, surrounded by reef and an hour long bottom-time to
explore it all, simply cannot be beaten. Other popular sites reachable from Dockyard to the South include the stunning sea gardens of Southwest Breaker and the upright and the still-intact wreck of the Hermes. To the North we have the splendid reef at North Rock as well as the wreck of the Caraquet, an old British mail steamer with boilers still intact and a giant anchor to be found. These are to name
just a few, and dive operators are usually very receptive to requests if divers have their heart set on a particular location. For shore diving, Snorkel Park presents an interesting option with several wrecks within swimming distance of the beach. The site is commonly called the Dry Docks, but is referred to by legendary Bermudian underwater explorer, Teddy Tucker, as “The Junk Yard”. It consists of a gnarled mass of marine trash and treasure and is definitely worth a look on a calm day. The purpose-sunk Dry Docks lay here, with the wreck of the Canadian skiff, Ramona, nestled partly inside them. Equipment rentals and guided shore dives are available at Snorkel Park Beach seven days per week during peak season. In addition to the wellknown and commonly dived wrecks, there are a handful of missing wrecks still waiting to be found, and this is where it gets exciting! With much buzz surrounding the discovery of precious cargo on the civil war era Marie Celeste in 2011, and with the anniversary of the end of the civil war approaching, The Bermuda Dive Association is inviting civilian divers to join us on a week of diving and wreck hunting this October in an attempt to locate the Marie Celeste’s
contemporary, The Roanoke. History buffs and wreck hunting enthusiasts ought not to miss this! If it is underwater adventure you are seeking on your visit, Bermuda’s diving will satisfy novices to seasoned professionals alike. Average depths range from 25-65 feet, and visibility ranges from 60-200 feet with conditions and season. With no strong currents, very few dangerous marine animals and stringent government licensing requirements, Bermuda presents endless opportunity for safe and exciting SCUBA diving. Most dive shops offer a range of activities and excursions including the popular Discover SCUBA Lesson and Dive for non-certified divers, 2 Tank boat trips for the certified and seasoned and PADI certifications from beginner to professional. We hope you enjoy Bermuda’s waters as much as we do. Happy diving and stay safe!
Kate Retallack is a PADI Open Water SCUBA Instructor and Supervisor at Fantasea Diving and Watersports in Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda. For more information on diving in Bermuda, please contact: watersports@ fantaseabermuda.com or 441-236-DIVE (3483).
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The buildings: 1 Main Gate 2 North Breakwater 3 Machine Shop 4 Great Eastern Storehouse 5 Sail Loft 6 Great Western Storehouse 7 Shipwright’s Smithery 8 Mast Stores 9 Boat Slip 10 Dockyard Terrace 11 Victualling Yard 12 Moat to Keepyard 13 Gun Mounting Store 14 The Keep Other points of interest: A King’s Wharf B Heritage Wharf C Tour Bus & Taxi Stop D Fast Ferry & Bus Stops E Bonefish Restaurant F National Museum of Bermuda G Commissioner’s House H Craft Market I Neptune Cinema J Frog & Onion Pub and The Dockyard Brewing Co. K Bermuda Arts Centre at Dockyard L Snorkel Park M Dockyard Pharmacy N Casemates
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The Historic Buildings of Dockyard MAIN GATE Completed during the reign of Queen Victoria in 1842, this gate was originally the innermost of three gates protecting the land approach to the Dockyard. The gate was constructed of hard Bermuda stone and was carved to allow the iron gate to fit neatly into the stone work. Above the pedestrian gate is a plaque displaying the Royal Coat-of-Arms. The stone carving on the inner side says, in Latin, that the gate was completed in 1842 during the reign of Queen Victoria. The two cannons set into the ground to protect the gate have been in place prior to the 1890’s.
SAIL LOFT Built in 1860, the main floor of this building sits atop a 537,600 Imperial gallon water tank. The water tank and the building were constructed of hard Bermuda limestone quarried in the Dockyard by convict labour, as were almost all the buildings in the Dockyard before 1863. For over 100 years, this building was the largest clearspan building on the islands, measuring some 50 ft. in width by 155 ft. in length.
GREAT EASTERN STOREHOUSE The Great Eastern Storehouse, now known as the Clocktower Building, contained the naval store offices, secretary cashier offices and the office of the Captain-in-Charge of the
Dockyard. Built in 1857, the walls are three feet thick and the towers are 100 feet tall. The southern tower originally contained a clock made in 1856 by John Moore & Sons, Clerkenwell, London. A clock face on the eastern side of the north tower had a single hand which was set daily for the time of high tide to within the nearest quarter hour. A position marker on the building states the position of the Bermuda Dockyard as measured in 1898.
able to accommodate two 46-gun frigates. In 1869 a floating dock was built in England for the Dockyard and served until the turn of the century when it was replaced with a new one able to accommodate the larger ships then in service. The old dry dock was sold to German shipbreakers but ended up aground across the Sound at Spanish Point where the remains may still be seen today.
GREAT WESTERN STOREHOUSE
Victualling Yard
This storehouse, circa 1857, contained the offices of the Chief Engineer. The roof catchment, like those of the East, South and North storehouses, empties into the large tank below the Sail Loft. Keeping the fleet supplied with drinking water was always a concern of the Royal Navy, particularly in Bermuda where there are no natural fresh water springs or rivers. In order to overcome the lack of local water supplies, the Royal Navy built extensive water catches at the Dockyard. The top of the Dockyard’s Western rampart is covered with whitewashed cement and is one of the largest water catches in Bermuda.
Opposite one another in the parade ground of the Victualling Yard stand the two great warehouses for the storage of ‘victuals’, or foodstuffs. On the northern side of the Yard was the Cooperage, where the barrels of all sizes would have been made for the storage of the victuals. A small railway once ran throughout the dockyard and terminated in the western storehouse. The latter building was unfortunately destroyed by fire in the early 1980s, but it is hoped that new uses will be found for both these magnificent structures will be found in the near future. The buildings were in effect the supermarket of the Dockyard and would have contained all the supplies necessary to ‘victual’ a warship before it departed Bermuda, with several hundred men, gunners and marines on board.
BOAT SLIP The Boat Slip was constructed at the same time as the Great Wharf between 1827 and 1837. The size of the slip was based on a decision in 1829 that the new facility must be
GUN MOUNTING STORE All weapons and munitions from the ships were stored in the Keep which was controlled
by the Army until 1930 when it was turned over to the Royal Navy. There were several types of gun mounting used by the Royal Forces in Bermuda: some of the cannons were on field artillery mounts, some on rails allowing them to swivel and hay wooden mounts for use abroad ships. There were many guns in Bermuda by 1842: 159 artillery pieces protected the North Shore alone. At one time Bermuda was believed so well defended that it was known as the ‘Gibraltar of the West.’
The Keep Separated from Dockyard proper by its massive bastions, the six-acre Keep is an enclave within an enclave. This enormous fortress is the home of Bermuda Maritime Museum. Once the citadel of the Royal Naval Dockyard, the Keep was a proud symbol of British naval might, built to guard the entire naval base against attack, whether by land or sea, and to be an arsenal. The Keep’s seven irregular bastions and ramparts were designed by the Royal Engineers to offer sweeping views of Bermuda and the Atlantic. The lower grounds of the Keep contain a level area carved out of the hillside ranged around by long stone Georgian magazines and workshops. In 1857 the Keep’s sea service stores comprised two bombproof magazines for 6,540 barrels of powder, a shell store, a filling room and a shifting house.
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