Adventure Guide to Bermuda (Hunter Travel Guides)

227 Pages·1995·2.94 MB·English

by  Blair Howard

TM
Bermuda
2nd Edition
Blair Howard
Hunter Publishing, Inc.
130 Campus Drive
Edison, NJ 08818-7816
% 732-225-1900 / 800-255-0343 / Fax [phone]
Web site: www.hunterpublishing.com
E-mail:
Contents
Introduction 1
The Land 1
The Attractions 3
The People 4
About Bermuda 7
History & Government 7
Economy 9
People 10
Holidays 11
Travel Information 13
When To Go 13
Peak Season 13
Off-Season 13
Getting There 15
By Air 16
Commercial Airlines 16
Private Aircraft 16
By Sea 17
Cruise Ships 17
Private Yacht 20
Package Vacations 22
Package Operators 23
Delta Vacations 25
Travel Impressions 29
Insight All-Inclusive Packages 31
American Airlines FlyAAway Vacations 32
Friendly Holidays 35
Honeymoon Packages 36
Passports & Visas 39
Customs & Duties 39
Trip Insurance 39
Traveling with Children 40
Disabled Travelers 40
Currency 41
Costs 41
Hotel & Restaurant Prices 42
Tipping 43
Golf & Tennis 43
The Niceties 43
Clothing & Dress 44
Medical Services 45
Telephones 45
International Calls 46
iv n Contents
Cellular Service 46
Postal Service 47
Photography 47
Photo Opportunities 48
Getting Around 50
Bicycles & Mopeds 52
Buses 53
Ferries 54
Store Hours 54
Sightseeing 55
The Beaches 55
Sandy’s Parish 57
Southampton Parish 57
Warwick Parish 59
Paget Parish 60
Pembroke Parish 61
Smith’s Parish 62
Hamilton Parish 62
St. George’s Parish 63
Touring Pembroke Parish 64
Hamilton 64
Touring Sandy’s Parish & the West End 72
The Royal Naval Dockyard 79
Touring St. George’s Parish 83
A Walking Tour of St. George 83
Touring the Other Parishes 95
Touring Southampton Parish 97
Touring Warwick Parish 102
Touring Paget Parish 103
Touring Devonshire Parish 105
Touring Smith’s Parish 106
Touring Hamilton Parish 111
Adventures 117
Fishing 117
The Catches 118
Licenses & Regulations 119
Tournaments 120
Qualifications for Awards 120
Awards 120
Where to Find the Fish 121
Reef & Deep-Sea Fishing 121
Rental Equipment for Shore Fishing 122
Charter Boats for Deep-Sea & Reef Fishing 122
Rates & Hours 123
Charter Companies 123
Outfitters 124
Diving 126
Dangerous Denizens of the Deep 126
Contents n v
Where & When 128
Helmet Diving 129
Shipwrecks 130
Dive Operators 145
Swimming & Snorkeling 150
Snorkeling Cruises 151
Rental Equipment 155
Golf 156
The Courses 159
Golf Weeks 161
Golf Packages 163
Sailing 165
Yacht Charters 165
Allegro Charters 165
Sail Bermuda Yacht Charters 165
Shopping 166
Horseback Riding 171
Stables 171
Hiking 173
The Bermuda Railway Trail 173
Where to Eat 177
Where to Stay 183
Accommodations Options 184
Accommodation Plans 185
Resort Hotels 186
Small Hotels 188
Cottage Colonies 192
Private Clubs 193
Housekeeping Cottages & Apartments 194
Guest Houses 195
Addenda 199
Ferry Information 199
Bus Information 201
Index 219
Maps
Bermuda’s Parishes 56
Hamilton 65
Sandy’s Parish 73
Royal Naval Dockyard 78
St. George 84
Sights & Attractions 96
Shipwrecks 131
Golf Courses 157
The Railway Trail - Access Points 174
Introduction
ome, Bermuda is one of the most beautiful places on Earth,
Tand I’ve been around. I don’t know whether it’s the combina-
tion of the English culture and its quasi-tropical setting, or some-
thing else I can’t quite put my finger on. There’s just something
very special about this little group of islands in the middle of the
Atlantic that, once experienced, is never forgotten. Perhaps it’s
because I’m English and feel very much at home among the little
English-style shops, streets and churches. The cathedral, the
bright red British pillar boxes, the food and especially the after-
noon tea that’s almost a religious experience all help tomakeBer-
muda even more English than England itself. Add pink sandy
beaches, with some of the most beautiful island terrain to be
found anywhere, and you have something very special indeed.
Therewas a timewaswhen only the very rich could afford to vaca-
tion in Bermuda; not so today. Almost every budget can be accom-
modated here. From the small cottage colonies to the expensive
luxury resort hotels, from the private yacht to the giant cruise
ship, and from cook-for-yourself vacations to the all-inclusive
package deals offered by any one of a growing number of opera-
tors, you’ll find something to suit your taste and your wallet. You
can do six nights, seven days on the islands for as little as $1,250
per person, or you can pay as much as that per night. Whatever
your budget, you’re sure of a grand time.
The Land
Bermuda, a tiny collection of rocks in the Atlantic
Ocean some 580 miles due east of Cape Hatteras, is
isolated.Even so, this group ofBritish islands is one of
themost popular tourist resorts in theWesternHemi-
sphere. On most maps, if it shows at all, it’s no more than a tiny
dot. Close up, Bermuda looks somewhat like a fishhook, with the
curve at the southwest end and the stem extending to the north-
east.
Introduction
2 n The Land
The flight in over the island is incredible. The view is never quite
what you expect. The sparkling blue waters seen around any
tropical island are mixed with eye-catching colors. Homes and
shops painted pastel shades of pink, blue, green, yellow and other
colors of the rainbow sit anchored under snowy white roofs. The
effect is a patchwork quilt, thrown down on a field of green in the
middle of the blue ocean.
Bermuda rests on the peaks of a volcanic mountain that rises
steeply from the ocean floor fromabout 200 feet below the surface.
Above this level, the islands consist mainly of limestone formed
by seashells and corals. Along the shores rise huge rocks, sculpted
by the action of the wind and water into improbable pinnacles,
pillars and grottoes. The reefs surrounding the islands are made
of coral, and the Bermudian archipelago is the northernmost
point on the planet that supports its growth.
Coral stone, one of its great natural resources, provides Bermuda
with an excellent source of road-building and construction mate-
rial. The stone is so soft that it can be cut with handsaws, but it
hardens with exposure to air. Bermuda’s attractive white roads
are nothingmore than coral bedrock, which have been stripped of
its surface soil, smoothed and been allowed to harden. Even the
roofs of houses, which are unique to Bermuda, are built of coral
stone. Some say they are designed to resemble upturned life-
boats,whichwere probably the first shelters of the earlymariners
shipwrecked here. Today, the roofs serve a second and extremely
important purpose: they are used to catch rainwater and are the
islands’ chief source of drinking water. Because Bermuda has no
rivers or fresh-water lakes, most of the island’s fresh water falls
from the skies and is stored in underground cisterns.
There are about 180 islands in the Bermudian archipelago, but
they comprise a total landmass of less than 22 squaremiles. Only
20 of the islands are inhabited. Of those, the seven largest are
joined by a series of bridges and scenic causeways. At its widest
point, Bermuda measures just two miles. The sea is never far
away and can be seen fromalmost anywhere.GreatBermuda, the
Main Island, is larger than all the other islands combined. Its
highest point, Town Hill, rises 260 feet above sea level.
The Attractions n 3
The Bermudian community is divided into nine parishes, each
managed by advisory councils. These include Sandy’s,
Southampton, Warwick, Paget, Devonshire, Pembroke, Smiths,
Hamilton, and St. George’s.
The delightful climate and great natural beauty of Bermuda at-
tract thousands of visitors each year. The average temperature is
70°F. Thewinter seldom sees temperatures below 55°; in summer
it rarely climbs above 87°.
Rainfall on the islands is often heavy, with almost 60 inches fall-
ing annually. That, accompanied by eight hours of brilliant sun-
shine 315 days on average each year, ensures an abundance of
lush vegetation. Palms, casuarinas and swamp mangroves are
among the common trees. Hibiscus, oleander, poinsettia, and
many other flowering plants and trees bloom profusely. Easter
lilies are cultivated for export and are also used to make per-
fumes. Two hundred species of birds have been catalogued here
(althoughmost of themaremigratory birds blown off course). The
waters off Bermuda literally teemwith fish,many ofwhich are re-
markable for their striking colors andmarkings. Clear waters of-
fer good visibility up to 200 feet and beyond.
Most of the island is residential, a fact that becomes readily
apparent as you travel through town after town of neat, pastel-
colored homes with white roofs and beautifully maintained
English gardens full of hibiscus, oleander and Bermudiana.
Beyond these areas, tiny farms create a magic quilt of tomatoes,
sweet potatoes, onions and other vegetables. Bananas hang
heavily from trees in great green and yellow bunches.
Magnificent pink beaches, green golf courses and the eye-popping
turquoise ocean combine to create a tropical utopia. And with 12
nature reserves on the Main Island alone, Bermuda is also a
haven for naturalists.
The Attractions
Tiny though it is, Bermuda hasmuch to offer. For the
modern adventurer there are diversions aplenty: div-
ing, snorkeling, sportfishing, hiking, exploring, sail-
ing, windsurfing, golfing, shopping, tennis, island
Introduction