Bermuda Vacation: Part 2

Our Daily Adventures

From the moment our first full day arrived in Bermuda (Saturday), we attempted to do and see as many things as possible. At the same time, we did our best to enjoy the natural relaxation that the scenery around us brought to the table.

On Saturday we had the luxury of getting a ride on Geoffrey and Mary's beautiful boat. Captain Geoffrey took us out into the Atlantic Ocean to not only enjoy the grand ride, but also find a spot for snorkeling and later some fishing. I could have ridden on that delightful boat for hours, and actually we did just that. We anchored near the coral reefs to snorkel and enjoy lunch out on the seas.

The next day we again enjoyed a leisure morning before taking to the nearby waters. After having some good time of swimming and snorkeling, Captain Geoffrey gave me an opportunity to actually go sailing for the first time in my life. Instead of using the boat's motor as we had the day before, we used the sails on the ship to travel about the waters. I've always wanted to go sailing, it seems so beautiful and relaxing to those that have the luxury of riding rather than working during the sailing process. And man oh man was it worth the wait! I absolutely loved sailing. I loved sitting on the bow and enjoying the rock and rhythm of the ocean, as the strong winds pushed us across the waters. Seeing the sails be pulled from the port (left side) to starboard (right side) in order to change directions as needed by the Captain. It was fabulous and a very much enjoyed Sunday experience.

We took a break from the full Bermudian sun on Monday and instead traveled through the city by bus to visit the Bermuda Aquarium & Zoo and the Crystal Caves. We spent tons of time in the aquarium. My favorite part of the aquarium experience was the massive tank that held every sort of fish imaginable (0f course that's probably a vast exaggeration, but you know what I mean). We watched that tank for probably an hour solid, if not longer, enjoying the classical music that played throughout the halls and seeing the sharks and array of beautiful (and some ugly) fish flow past us. My hubby made a comment how one could sit in the aquarium near this tank for hours reading a book and enjoying the ambiance of the place.

The Crystal Caves were a neat experience too... although a bit expensive. The story goes that two young boys (12 yrs old or so) found the caves many moons ago after their cricket ball fell through a hole. The boys could hear that the ball had fallen a great distance, and therefore grabbed a 120 foot rope and climbed down in the pitch black, undiscovered cave (sounds like a foolish boy thing to do, doesn't it - who knows what COULD have been down there, yikes). Instead, the boys discovered that the caves house some beautiful blue and green pools of oceanic water, as well as many stalactites and stalagmites.

We did our best to pack our fourth and final (planned) full day in Bermuda with as many activities as we could see fit. Tuesday brought about a journey that took us from the house around 10 am and did not return us until about 6:15pm. We started with a ferry ride to the Dockyards. There we visited the Maritime Museum and were able to see the British military fortress that was built so many years ago. The Maritime Museum is set up in the six to ten acre Royal Naval Dockyard of Bermuda, which was set up as a direct result of the English America colonies declaring their independence from Britain 1783. Following the museum, we made our way to the bus route and traveled to the island's Gibb's Hill Lighthouse. Once we arrived at the foot of the lighthouse, we then climbed its many stairs to arrive at the top and enjoy the amazing view of Bermuda. After our lighthouse adventure, we lastly made our way to Horseshoe Bay, where we enjoyed the beach, relaxed, and played in the water until it was time to head home.

After not making our scheduled flight on Wednesday (more details about this in Bermuda Vacation: Part 4), we were given two additional full days in Bermuda. The first extra full day, Wednesday was pretty much wasted by spending over half a day in the airport expecting to head home. The second additional full day was much better utilized. We attempted to see a couple touristy things, but they were closed (more details on that in part 4)... nonetheless, we had a chance to see different parts of the island through our travels. And what ended up being one of our most favorite things of all during the entire trip, we were able to experience on this second extra full day Thursday. Captain Geoffrey took us out in his lovely boat again. This go around we waited until later in the evening to enjoy the water, leaving the house around 6pm or so. The Captain drove us to a lovely cove where we snorkeled, swam, and enjoyed dinner on the boat. Once the sun set, we made our way back in the dark and were able to enjoy the rhythm of the waves, the flourishing of the stars, and the sounds of jumping fish following the boat.


Bermuda Vacation: Part 3 - Our Travel Companions Along the Way coming soon...