Bermuda

 

Bermuda is cool. The first two days we were here I would have told you it was the best place one Earth. Then again I was in love with the weeds growing out of the sidewalk. Anything dry that didn't move was amazing. We wound up docking with our back up to a cement wall and put a 20ft. board across to the marina’s common area. It gets kind of exciting when there are waves and the tide is out and you have to try and balance while walking downhill and bobbing side to side. My survival instinct tells me not to attempt it, but if risking my life is the cost for getting to solid ground and mobility, so be it. The marina has some good people like the Dutch crew we've been hanging with as well as the BEST shower of my life!

We are staying in St. Georges which is the historic district of Bermuda. Hamilton, the biggest city, is across the island and has the only fast food in the country, KFC. According to the locals a law was past that strictly prohibits Wal-Mart, McDonalds, and any other Global giants from the island. This was done to create a more exotic place for tourists, as well as protecting the local businesses. Public transportation here is the cleanest I have ever experienced.

The culture here is a total mix of American and British. They use miles and feet, but then measure liquid in liters. The accents are a range of British and American, but all are very well spoken with amazing diction. The government is a Parliament with a Premier and the island is broken down into parishes. The country is not entirely free from British rule, however. The British government appoints a governor to watch over Bermuda and if something were to happen, like a terrorist attack or hurricane, he is in charge of emergency action. He also holds the power to shut down and replace the government if he deems it unstable. I thought that was pretty cool. Other fun fact, Bermuda is the top of the Bermuda Triangle, other points being Miami, Fl and San Juan, Porto Rico.

We managed to get here on the weekend of Bermuda's 400 birthday and tall ships (recreated ships from the 17 and 1800's that look like pirate ships) from all over the world have an annual race here. Four are docked right next to us and make our boat look like a dingy. The bounty used in “Mutiny on the Bounty” is our neighbor.

We are getting ready for the next 20 days that will be spent sailing to the Azores. One of our crew, left due to his knees being in too much pain. And then there were three. As if a smaller crew didn't provide enough of a challenge, our fridge can not be fixed and our radio antenna is broken... here's to an adventure! I stocked up on motion sickness pills so if anything else I can drug myself into a comma and wake up in Europe. Here's to hoping.

Wish me luck,

Chris