Sunday, October 13, 2019, Hamilton, Bermuda, UK
BERMUDA (HAMILTON), UK
Bermuda (locals call it a fish hock) was discovered in 1505 by Spanish explorer Juan de Bermudez. Bermuda had no indigenous population at the time of its discovery, nor at the time of the initial British settlement a century later. It was mentioned in Legatio Babylonica, published in 1511 by historian Pedro Mártir de Anglería, and was also included on Spanish charts of that year. Both Spanish and Portuguese ships used the islands as a replenishment spot to take on fresh meat and water; for example, shipwrecked Portuguese mariners are now thought to have been responsible for the 1543 inscription on Portuguese Rock (previously called Spanish Rock). Legends arose of spirits and devils, now thought to have stemmed from the calls of raucous birds (most likely the Bermuda petrel, or cahow) and the loud noise heard at night from wild hogs. Combined with the frequent storm-wracked conditions and the dangerous reefs, the archipelago became known as the 'Isle of Devils'. Neither Spain nor Portugal attempted to settle it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bermuda
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bermuda
The cultural center of the British Territory of Bermuda,
Hamilton is graced with a distinct English flavor and pastel-hued streets. Though its streets are lined with stately
government buildings and the massive Bermuda Cathedral, it is one of the world’s
tiniest capitals. Along Front Street,
which closes to traffic each evening, charming buildings and inviting shops
make for delightful strolls. At Queen
Street, constables donning Bermuda shorts direct traffic from inside the “Birdcage.” Nearby, pink sands and cerulean waters lure
beach lovers and the historic town of St. George is the longest continuously
inhabited English settlement in the New World and a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. The island is also home to many
golf courses.
A tiny, charming capital city, Hamilton is set amid the
beauty and biodiversity of subtropical Bermuda’s coast. Verdant nature reserves, lush gardens, and
parks invite leisurely strolls and relaxation amid the island foliage. Bermuda’s scenic shores, lined with a mix of
craggy rock and beautiful bays fringed with pristine pink sand beaches, offer
picturesque walking, sunning, and cruising opportunities. On a ferry cruise, visitors can take in the entire island’s
shores, passing its lighthouses and old colonial British fortresses, before
returning to the main terminal in Hamilton.
The city’s Bermuda Underwater Explorations Institute boasts the world’s
largest seashell collection, and beneath the island’s turquoise-blue waters,
the world’s northernmost coral reef nurtures a diversity of marine life.
We "sailed in" from the north-east end of the island chain; the following pictures were taken from our cruise ship's port side as we sailed the north-west side.
Old Fort St. Catherine.
Pastel colors really are attractive on homes.
Small inlet to a few apartments and homes.
Homes in the distance to rear of cruise ship.
Almost to Hamilton Harbor where we will dock overnight.
Now docked; our starboard cabins had a great view of a 3-day celebration ending today, Sunday.
Bermuda On Your Own
Today (Monday, October 14) Diane and I explored beautiful Bermuda independently with our one-day Bermuda Transportation Pass. We choose our bus route and enjoyed a scenic ride as we visited some of Bermuda’s
many attractions. We admired the architecture of its numerous churches, from early
16th-century Gothic to simple wooden structures and modern marvels. There are several parks, nature reserves, and gardens to enjoy
a leisurely stroll. All over the island we found historic buildings,
monuments, and various museums that showcase its 400-year-old history. We boarded a ferry and took a picturesque, leisurely tour around the
island to witness its sweeping pink-sand beaches, saw old lighthouses once
used to navigate ships and admired the colonial fortresses built by the British. The island’s transport system is simple to navigate: All ferries depart from
and return to the main ferry terminal, and each of the 11 bus routes covers
approximately 2 miles and regularly departs from and returns to Hamilton.
Hamilton City Hall & Art Center, just 3 or 4 blocks from our docked cruise ship.
St. George Town Hall (UNESCO World Heritage Site).
Interior of Town Hall; table (rear/center) is for Mayor. Three chairs on left and four chairs on right) are for council men and women. Table and chair in foreground is for recorder.
Ordnance Island is located within the limits of St. George's town, Bermuda. It lies close to the shore opposite the town square (King's Square), in St. George's Harbor. The only island in the town, it covers just 1.75 acres and was created by reclaiming the land between several small islands which were once situated here. The original islands of Ducking Stool, Frazer's and Gallows were used, in the early days of the colony, for executions.
Joined together to form Ordnance Island, they became a Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC) depot in the 19th Century, supplying ordnance to forts and batteries around St. George's. Prior to this, munitions had been kept within the town (as at the time of the 'Gunpowder Plot', when 100 barrels of gunpowder were stolen at the request of George Washington, and sent to the rebellious Americans during the American War of Independence), and on Hen Island, further out in St. George's Harbor. An accidental detonation on Hen Island resulting from a lightning strike once smashed windows throughout St. George's on 1 November 1812. Ordnance Island is far closer to the town, and a similar explosion here would have been catastrophic. The RAOC operated a second, smaller depot, from a wharf on East Broadway on the outskirts of Hamilton. By the Second World War, the depot had fallen into disuse with the Army and was loaned to the US Navy for use as a submarine base from 1942 to 1945.
Sir George Somers statue.
Admiral Sir George Somers (1554–1610) was an English naval hero, knighted for his achievements and the Admiral of the Virginia Company. He achieved renown as part of an expedition led by Sir Amyas Preston that plundered Caracas and Coro in 1595 during the undeclared Anglo-Spanish War. He is remembered today as the founder of the English colony of Bermuda, also known as the Somers Isles.
Their Majesties Chappell, St. Peter's Church, in St. George's, Bermuda, is the oldest surviving Anglican church in continuous use outside the British Isles. It is also reportedly the oldest continuously used Protestant church in the New World. A UNESCO World Heritage Site (together with related fortifications), St. George's Town is the oldest surviving English settlement in the New World, having been settled by the Virginia Company in 1612 (in the aftermath of the wrecking of its flagship, the Sea Venture, in Bermuda in 1609).
Views of St. George as our ferry boat left the harbor for half-hour ride to the Royal Naval Dockyard.
Approach of our ferry from St. George to Royal Naval Dockyard. Casemate Barracks strategically located on hill top.
Casemates is one of the oldest buildings in the dockyard located at its southern side. It was built during the period 1839 to 1843 by large number of British convicts who were brought in from England. The convicts lived in extremely poor conditions in old and abandoned warships that were crudely modified for bare living. Casemates served as the barrack for the men of Marine Infantry who defended the dockyard area against possible enemy invasion and lived here for years.
This two storied building housed 120 men from the marine defense complete with officers rooms, a mess, canteen and offices. The roof of the building was made of bricks and concrete so that it could withstand enemy bombings and cannon shots. It is some 8-foot thick. The walls of the building is also several feet thick and made of hard limestone rocks.
Subsequently in 1951 when the dockyard lost its significance as the Royal Naval base and the British navy left the island, the Casemates became the main prison for Bermuda's convicts. A prison's visitors center was also built later. 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 and vacant.
Casemates Bermuda
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 even during the excavation work that took place while building the visitors center, no one noticed this 60-foot tunnel. The tunnel was used for transit during the days the British Navy occupied the grounds.
Clock Tower Shopping Mall.
The 2017 America's Cup was the 35th staging of the America's Cup yacht race. The challenger, Emirates Team New Zealand, won by a score of 7 to 1 over the defender, Oracle Team USA. It was held on the Great Sound in Bermuda from June 17 to June 26. The races were conducted using hydrofoiling AC50 America's Cup Class yachts, which are slightly larger than the AC45F yachts used in the 2015–16 America's Cup World Series.
It was Oracle's second defense of the America's Cup, four years after its first successful defense. Emirates Team New Zealand will now hope to defend the cup in the 36th America's Cup.
Cemetery out the bus window as we rode back to Hamilton.
Notice the rain water channel includes and connects several sides of the roof.
The only house we saw without a white roof ($??)
The Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity (often referred to as the Bermuda Cathedral) is an Anglican cathedral located on Church Street in Hamilton, in the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda.
The original building was designed in the Early English style by James Cranston of Oxford in 1844 and was completed in 1869. Named Trinity Church, it was designated a chapel of ease as St. John's Church was already the parish church for Pemboke Parish. That building was destroyed by arson in 1884. Scottish architect William Hay, who had been consulted on the construction of the first building in 1848-1849 and again in 1862, was hired to design the current structure in 1885 in the Gothic Revival style. While Hay designed most of the structure, his partner George Henderson designed the eastern portion of the cathedral. Built between 1886-1905, to serve the state church (the Church of England; since 1978, the Anglican Church of Bermuda, an extra-provincial diocese under the Archbishop of Canterbury), the structure was primarily built from Bermuda limestone with the exception of several decorative features made from carved Caen stone that were brought in from France.
It is one of two cathedrals in Bermuda, the other being the Roman Catholic St. Theresa's, also in Hamilton. Composer S. Drummond Wolff was organist at the cathedral from 1959-1962.
Organ pipes on back wall of choir area.
High ceilings with huge arches.
Large marble columns.
In the rear, left hand corner is a baptistery area with its own organ.
We will be sailing at 5 PM today for two-sea-days to St. John's, Antigua. We will need rest up for seven consecutive days of port calls ending in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Evening pictures as we were clear of Bermuda and sailing south.
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