Come On In – The Water’s Fine!

That’s my wife Alex, snorkeling in the waters of Bermuda…because my “Travel A – Z” series offers up the letter “B” and dives into the gorgeous, “bathtub warm” water of this magical Island…oh, with pink sand beaches!

Bermuda might be one of the most neglected getaways: while only a 2-1/2 hour flight from the east coast of the US, I think it gets forgotten about a bit, since the Bahamas and Caribbean are just a few hours south…

Bermuda is a self-governing British overseas territory in the western North Atlantic Ocean. As you can see from this map, this archipelago consists of 7 main islands and about 170 additional (named) islets and rocks, located about 650 miles east of North Carolina.

Bermuda is about 24 miles long and averages less than 1 mile wide! As the official tourism site says: “the main islands are clustered together in the shape of a fishhook and are connected by bridges.”

Here is how it looked when we flew in – as you can see, lots of islands with inlets and that means lots of beaches as well:

We have been to Bermuda twice, but it’s been over a decade, so my photos are not as good as ones I get now – still, you will get an idea of how quaint, relaxed and unspoiled Bermuda is…here is the main town of Hamilton:

The city center is modern and bustling, but as you can see from my picture below, it’s got a retro vibe as well…islanders have cars but they encourage scooter rentals here, as it’s so easy to get around and is so small as well…

Bermudians are “British…Ish!”

Alright, try to understand this one: Bermudians are “British Overseas Territories Citizens”, so they have British nationality but not full British citizenship rights! They must obtain a visa and a British passport to move to the U.K.

Bermuda still has British ties, including driving on the left side of the road which is an uncommon practice in the Western Hemisphere.

And of course, Bermuda is well known for this as well:

The Bermuda Triangle covers roughly 500,000 square miles of ocean between Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and Miami. The area got the nickname “Devil’s Triangle” due to centuries of unexplained disappearances involving ships and planes.

Modern science attributes these incidents to natural causes. The area has frequent tropical storms, strong Gulf Stream currents and deep ocean trenches, all of which can strew wreckage far afield.

Bermuda is known as the “Shipwreck Capital of the Atlantic” with over 300 documented shipwrecks.

Here’s another really cool thing about the island as well:

You Can Walk The Bermuda Railroad!

Spanning the island from end to end, the Railway Trail follows an abandoned rail bed that winds 18 miles through tranquil landscapes and rocky coastline. As you can see, at any point you can find a trial to lead you back to the ocean.

Bermuda is known for its subtropical climate and pink sand beaches, which get their color from tiny marine organisms crushed and mixed with coral shell fragments.

The government has implemented conservation efforts and reef restoration projects to ensure the island maintains its reefs and endemic species of marine life.

Bermuda’s pink sand beaches need to be seen to be believed…these photos may not capture it perfectly, but they are really something to enjoy – and you can take a scooter easily from beach to beach to beach!

You can take sailboat cruises around the island or you can just grab a slice of sand and enjoy the sun….we chose to have some drinks before snorkeling:

You see, the shipwrecks have since evolved into ocean floor marine habitats that support a variety of marine life and coral species…and we wanted to see a bit of it ourselves:

The water in Bermuda is very warm, so it’s a joy to paddle around and see what’s underneath us:

I put together this video of some of the images of Bermuda…enjoy!

Bermuda is a terrific place to visit: oh, and if you like to golf, it’s full of great courses, but all we did was take a scooter and check out beach after beach after beach!

These bits of trivia were on the terrific website called “Rustic Pathways” so check them out!

And one last terrific aspect of Bermuda life: the food!

I bought this cookbook filled with recipes from Bermuda, including one for a boozy fish chowder!

See the delicious recipe here:

I will be sharing my “Travel A – Z” series all year long: not just places I’ve visited, but places I yearn to see up close as well…I started with a look at one of the most iconic places on earth:

Sydney harbor, with the Opera House and bridge offering many a photo op…I spent a week in Australia visiting Bondi Beach, Melbourne’s Eureka Tower and much more – see it here!

Of course, some of my favorite places to visit won’t make list, because how can I include every magical place I’ve experienced in Italy?

So, perhaps that incredible country will be featured through the images of Florence…or Venice…perhaps Rome – or will I come back to the smoldering Mt. Etna behind me?

Yep, it was active when we hiked it…see that story here!

The other Italian island we visited was Sardinia, where we discovered something really cool:

James Bond stayed here!

We discovered our Hotel was used by 007 – and you can see how and why by clicking on my story here:

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As the sun sets over Bermuda, let me know your favorite “country with a B”, and if you like this story please share on social media!

Categories: Exotic Travel, Food, Memoirs, nature, Real Estate, Travel, Travel Adventures, Travel Memoir

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