Newport Bermuda 2014 by Bermuda Sun Ltd

JUNE 2014

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Inside this supplement Sailors face Gulf Stream and shifty winds Pages 2-3 The six divisions of the Newport Bermuda Race Page 3 Prestigious race has rich history back to 1906 Page 4 Facts about one of the oldest open ocean races Page 5 Reading the Gulf Stream is key to race success Page 6 Restored Sinn Fein will be at the starting line Pages 8-9 Mansions and marinas make Newport special Pages 10-11

Crossfire debuts with experienced crew Pages 12-13 Centre’s focus on safety of race participants Pages 14-15 Relax and enjoy what Bermuda has to offer Page 16

The Bermuda Sun publishes twice weekly and is a subsidiary of MediaHouse Limited. We are members of the Inland Press Association, International Newspaper Marketing Association and the Newspaper Association of America. We are located at: 19 Elliott Street, Hamilton HM 10; P.O. Box HM 1241, Hamilton HM FX Tel: 295-3902 Fax: 292-5597. Visit our website: www.bermudasun.bm

Bermuda Sun 19 Elliott Street, Hamilton, Bermuda HM 10 Tel 295-3902 Fax 292-5597 E-mail feedback@bermudasun.bm This special supplement is produced and published by Bermuda Sun Limited and printed in Bermuda by Island Press Limited.

Publisher Randy French President Lisa Beauchamp Editorial Robyn Bardgett, Jordan Faries, Danny McDonald, Carla Zuill Editorial Layout Jack Garstang Advertising Sales Carlita Burgess (Deputy Advertising Manager), Diane Gilbert, Claire James, Larissa French, Trikeita Outerbridge Creative Services Christina White, Colby Medeiros, Calae Steede Circulation & Distribution Michelle Furbert

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Sailors face tricky Gulf Stream and shifty winds BY ROBYN BARDGETT rbardgett@bermudasun.bm

There’s an allure to racing to Bermuda that many sailors dream of doing. It’s a test that encompasses a challenging ocean crossing but with the draw of crossing the finish line to find yourself in one of the world’s most beautiful islands. The spectacle of white sails gliding out of Newport Harbour on the third Friday of June is a sight to behold and many spectators flock to Castle Hill in Newport to watch as the boats make their way out into the open ocean. It can take up to two hours for the entire fleet to make their way past, but it’s not long before they are at the mercy of the deep blue sea and, for the majority of the race, will see nothing but ocean and a few dolphins, who enjoy diving alongside the boats. “By the first evening the boats are out of sight of land,” says John Rousmaniere, media contact for the Newport Bermuda Race organizing committee. “For most of the race, you are out of sight of land and you don’t usually see any other boats. You might see a passing ship, but for the most part you are on your own.” The concept of being out in the middle of the ocean is thrilling for these bluewater sailors.

All alone “You’re offshore and entirely on your own,” explains Mr Rousmaniere, who has sailed the race nine times starting in 1966, and who has done another 12 passages between the island and the US, as well as Europe. This year he will not be taking part in the race but is preparing to take the boat Selkie back to the US following the race. “Bermuda is so low that the first thing you see is the light of Gibb’s Hill and then you’re only about 30 to 40 miles out. So you are entirely out in the ocean. This is real ocean sailing.”

n PHOTO COURTESY D. FORSTER, PPL MEDIA

MAJESTIC SIGHT: White sails glide out of Newport Harbour into open ocean at the start the 2010 Newport Bermuda race. But while the race is challenging, it’s not meant to be dangerous, says Mr Rousmaniere. However, the strong ocean currents of the

Gulf Stream and the shifty nature of the winds mean that good seamanship and knowledge of sailing are a must. There are safety semi-

nars and boat inspections organized by the Bermuda Race committee in the months and weeks leading up to the race, and crews

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must be qualified. The preparations for the race are not taken lightly, he said. And, as any salty sailor worth their sailing stripes will tell you, that while technology has improved over the years, it’s still important to have someone on the boat that knows how to navigate the old-fashioned way –– by the stars.

Gulf Stream encounter “The crews have been preparing for the last two years for the race,” Mr Rousmaniere says. “You don’t just go into the Gulf Stream by mistake. You know that it is coming and so you prepare.” As the crews leave Newport, they will probably spend one chilly night out on the boat before the temperatures rise and by the following afternoon the temperatures will be in the 70s and 80s. “The Gulf Stream is really tricky. You go from water in the 60s and in a matter of hours the temperature has risen and you

The six divisions of the Newport Bermuda Race St. David’s Lighthouse Division, for normal multi-purpose cruising-racing boats. This division is the largest at approximately 90 boats. There are limits on the number of professional sailors in these boats, and only amateurs are allowed to steer. n Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Division, for all-out racing boats. These are lightweight boats sailed largely by professional sailors. About 12 boats usually enter this division. n Cruiser Division, for boats that normally cruise, not race, sailed by amateur crews. The Cruiser Division usually has about 30 boats. n Double-Handed Division, for boats sailed by two sailors. Approximately 20 boats usually sail in this division. n Open Division, for racing boats with cant keels, which tilt from side to side, making the boat more stable and able to carry more sail. About five boats usually sail in this division. n Spirit of Tradition, for traditional boats, most recently the Bermuda Sloop replica Spirit of Bermuda. n n

have very strong currents. Tremendous squalls come in, especially at night, and it can be very wet.” But while the Gulf Stream is certainly one of the more remarkable weather phenomena that the crew will see during their crossing,

Mr Rousmaniere says that once the boats have sailed out of the Gulf Stream, that last 300 to 400 miles is where the weather can really play a part in how the race will end. “The winds can be very shifty and this is often

JUNE 20, 2014

where the race is won.” The trip takes about three to five days to complete with a variety of boats, most usually around 45-feet in length. Over the years the race has been designed to be open to most “normal, moderate performance cruiserracers”, although there is still room for some of the high-performance boats, such as Rambler, which broke the elapsed-time record by approximately 14 hours in 2012. However, most of the boats are filled with amateur, family crews who enjoy the competition and the warm welcome they receive in Bermuda. “A lot of people do it for the sail and then there are others that do it for the race and they push hard,” says Mr Rousmaniere. “The race is designed for both.” Shockwave and Bella Mente are the two boats to keep an eye on for this year’s race, he says. “It should be really exciting.” n

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Prestigious race has rich history back to 1906 BY ROBYN BARDGETT rbardgett@bermudasun.bm

The race has Thomas Fleming Day and The Rudder magazine to thank for its founding in 1906.

THOMAS FLEMMING DAY

At that time, its start was out of Brooklyn, New York, and later it had starts out of Marblehead, Massachusetts; New London, Connecticut; and Montauk, New York. It wasn’t until 1936 that the race started out of its current location –– Newport, Rhode Island, known as one of the major sailing centres on the US east coast. In the first race in 1906 out of Brooklyn, there were three starters between 28- and 40-feet in length. Fleming Day skippered the boat, Tamerlane, a 38-foot yawl owned by Franklin Maier, taking the honour of winning the first race. One of the boats from the first race included the first female to sail the race –– Thora Lund Robinson, who was sailing aboard her husband of only six weeks’ boat, Gauntlet. Not only did she steer the boat over the finish, but she also inspired many women

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CROSSING THE LINE: Thora Lund Robinson took part in the first race in 1906 and became an inspiration for many female sailors. to continue to take part in this prestigious race over the years. The 2012 race saw the record broken for fastest race with the boat Rambler crossing the finish line in St David’s in 39 hours, 39 minutes and 18 seconds, averag-

ing 16 knots and beating the record time by almost 14 hours. This year will mark the 49th “thrash to the Onion Patch” and will see around 170 boats at the start line in Rhode Island in six divisions and 17 classes. n

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Interesting facts about one of the oldest open ocean races Boats lost: two (Adriana, fire 1932; Elda, grounding 1956). Lives lost, one (in the fire). Boats Largest, 100 feet: Amorita, 1909, and Speedboat (2008, 2010). Smallest, 28 feet, Gauntlet, 1906. First built for the race, Zena (Bermuda), 1907. First race winner with Marconi rig, Memory, 1924. Last race winner with gaff rig, Malabar X, 1934. Fastest race: Rambler, 39 hr., 39 min., 18 sec. (ave. 16 knots), 2012. Slowest race: Venturer, 121:13:12 (ave. 5.2 knots), 1960. Largest winner: Margaret, 93 feet, 1909; (modern) Boomerang, 80 feet, 1996. Smallest winner: Burgoo, 37 feet, 1964. Most victories, skipper Three (tie) — John Alden in three Malabars (1923, 1926,

1932), and Carleton Mitchell in Finisterre (1956, 1958, 1960). Two (tie) — Robert N. Bavier Sr., Memory (1924) and Edlu (1934); Richard S. Nye, Carina (1952, 1970); Peter Rebovich, Sinn Fein (St. David’s Lighthouse Division, 2006, 2008); Rives Potts, Carina (St. David’s Lighthouse Division, 2010, 2012). Most victories, boat Three — Finisterre (1956, 1958, 1960), Carina (1970, and St. David’s Lighthouse Division, 2010, 2012). Two (tie) — Baruna (1938, 1948) and Sinn Fein, Peter Rebovich (2006, 2008). Successive victories Three — Finisterre (1956, 1958, 1960). Two — Sinn Fein (2006, 2008), Carina (2010, 2012). Non-US winner Noryema, UK, 1972. Freshwater winner Scaramouche, Chuck Kirsch

(Sturgis, Mich.), 1974. Most first-to-finishes, skipper Four, George Coumantaros in two Boomerangs (1984, 1990, 1992, 1996). Most first-to-finishes, boat Four (tie): Baruna, (1936, 1946, 1948), Bolero (1950, 1954, 1956), Boomerang (1984, 1990, 1992). Most wins by a yacht designer Olin Stephens, 14 (19341994). Winning skippers who also won America’s Cups Harold S. Vanderbilt, Ted Hood. Most races by a sailor 30 — Jim Mertz, (every race except two, 1936-2004). 26 — George Coumantaros. 24 — Edward Greeff and Edwin Gaynor. Most races by a boat under one owner 16, Emily — Edwin Gaynor

(1978-2008). 15, Prim — Gibbons-Neff family (1954-82, 2008). Most races by a boat 20, Carina — Richard S. Nye and Rives Potts (1970-2012). Women sailors First, Thora Lund Robinson, Gauntlet, 1906 (the first race). First woman skipper, Queene Hooper Foster, Sephedra, 1986. Highest placing woman skipper, Sheila McCurdy, Selkie, 2nd, 1994 and 2008. Oldest winning skippers DeCoursey Fales, 74, Niña, 1962. George Coumantaros, 72, 1996 and Peter Rebovich, 72, 2008. Youngest winning skipper Kyle Weaver, 22, Constellation, 1992. n COMPILED BY JOHN ROUSMANIERE

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Reading the Gulf Stream is key to race success BY DANNY MCDONALD dmcdonald@bermudasun.bm

For Somers Kempe, the Newport Bermuda Race is the culmination of months of work. Mr Kempe, as commodore of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club (RBYC), is among those who oversee the large number of volunteers who organize and execute the race. The volunteers, from both RBYC and the Cruising Club of America, run the gamut from medical professionals –– safety is a priority –– to surveyors and measurers –– each boat is inspected to ensure it’s seaworthy and that the owner and crew are capable sailors. The volunteers, said Mr Kempe, meet two or three times a year. “It’s a massive team effort. I won’t say it runs itself because it takes a lot of volunteer hours,”

he said. “We rely heavily on our volunteers and the business community. It wouldn’t happen without some great sponsors. The Bermuda Tourism Authority SOMERS and KEMPE Gosling’s are big sponsors. They allow the event to shine.” This year’s 635-mile race will feature three Bermudian boats and 180 vessels in total will be participating. The majority of the boats are from the US east coast. “For the serious people, preparation started a year ago and the more prepared you are, the better your race is likely to be,” said Mr Kempe. How different skippers handle their crews is

always a determining factor in the race, he said: there are shift changes and watch changes to consider for the three or four days at sea. “It’s your own little micro system during that time,” he said. Another chief factor: the Gulf Stream. The serious folks, he said, will be looking at satellite imagery to see how the Gulf Stream is setting up. “Where the warm eddies are forming, where the cold eddies are forming, things like that,” he said. The Gulf Stream, he said, tends to spread the fleet out.

Entry and exit ‘The Gulf Stream is a major factor. Where you enter and where you go in it and how exit. You could make up 50 to 100 miles depending on what the Gulf Stream does.” Reading the Gulf Stream, however, is far from an

exact science. “It’s always moving. It won’t necessarily be in the same position that the satellite imagery shows. There could be multiple features in multiple areas of the Gulf Stream that each skipper will handle differently,” he said. Mr Kempe says while Corinthians –– or amateur sailors –– continue to be the race’s core competitive group, professionals will also have the opportunity to flourish in the competition. “Our core competitive group continues to be Corinthians. That is the focus and will continue to be our focus,” he said. “In the sailing community, trying to manage racing between professionals and Corinthians can be challenging but I think this race gives professionals a chance to prove themselves and Corinthians a chance to shine.” n

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SORRY SIGHT: Sinn Fein was one of many boats badly damaged when Hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey in late 2012.

Restored Sinn Fein will be at the starting line BY JORDAN FARIES When Sinn Fein takes to the waters of Castle Hill, Newport, and sets sail for Bermuda, it will mark the triumphant end of a long and difficult restoration process. The historic Cal 40 and two-time winner of the Newport Bermuda race was one of many boats devastated when Hurricane Sandy ripped through the Raritan Yacht Club in New Jersey in late 2012. The boat, which sustained considerable damage, including a mast that snapped in half and a large hole on one side, was declared a total material loss by the insurance company and looked to be one of many boats destroyed in the storm. Owner Peter Rebovich, who was in the hospital recovering from heart surgery when he heard about the damages, thought about it for several weeks with his family but eventually decid-

ed to attempt to restore the boat. His goal was to have her ready in time to compete in the 2014 Newport Bermuda Race as planned. Rebovich told the Bermuda Sun: “This would be my 40th year that I’ve owned the boat, and it’s going to be 50 years old next year. My kids grew up on it. As a family, we decided we would try and restore it.” The restoration process turned into a total team effort, with various friends, family, and members of the yacht club rallying around the restoration efforts and pitching in with parts, advice, and help in the efforts to not only restore the historic boat, but also to improve it in time for the race to Bermuda. “We’ve gotten a lot of support from various members who’ve come in and pitched in and helped,” said Rebovich. “We’ve also gotten a lot of advice from knowledgeable members, as we took this as

an opportunity to make the boat better. “We had to replace the mast so we went to one of the best mast makers and he went ahead and designed a new mast for us. The engine was given to us by one of the members, and we’ve reinstalled it so it’s now functioning properly in my boat.” The addition of the engine was the latest milestone in the team’s race against the clock. With less than two weeks before the race, a donated engine from one of the boats destroyed in the hurricane was finally installed and working properly.

Deadline There are still, however, several more problems to be ironed out in the next few days for Sinn Fein to be ready by race day. “We’ve found out that the altimeter is not connected properly, so we’re not getting the batteries charged while the engines are run-

ning, which is a real important aspect when you’re off-shore. You need to be able to run the engine, not to propel the boat, but just to recharge batteries. If you can’t do that, then you’ve got serious problems.” Rebovich, despite his two victories in the Newport Bermuda race in 2006 and 2008, is not entering this year’s race with any sort of entitlement, saying: “When you’re on the starting line and there’s 140 other boats all going to the same place, your chance is 1/140 to win. “It’s not like anyone’s going to be like ‘Hey, you guys won last time, now we’re going to give you a paddle’. No, our chances are the same. “If you sail a really good race, a smart race, and if you’ve got a crew that really really knows the boat and are exceptional, and I feel I do have an exceptional crew, your chances are as good as anyone else’s.” n

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DEVASTATION: The aftermath of Hurricane Sandy ripping through the Raritan Yacht Club in New Jersey in 2012.

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Mansions and marinas make Newport top sailing centre BY ROBYN BARDGETT rbardgett@bermudasun.bm

The Newport Bermuda Race begins in a beautiful coastal New England town just a few hours south of Boston, Massachusetts. What is the appeal of the town that sees over 150 boats flock to its marinas every other year for the ultimate open ocean race? Here’s a look at what the city-by-the-sea has to offer. Newport, Rhode Island, is one of the top sailing centres on the east coast. So it’s no wonder it has become such a popular place for the start of one of the world’s most exciting ocean races. It has been well-known for years as the playground for some of the most spectacularly rich American families from the Astors to the Vanderbilts. Not only is the city rich with yachting history but

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RICH AND FAMOUS: A tour guide looks at a portrait of Gertrude Vanderbilt on a tour of her bedroom in the Breakers, the most popular of the Newport, Rhode Island, mansions. The 13 mansions and historic structures are the biggest tourist draw in the state.

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n CREATIVE COMMONS PHOTO

THE CLAIBORNE Pell Bridge, known as the Newport Bridge, is 3,428 metres in length and spans the East Passage of Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island. it is also filled with some of the most opulent ocean-side mansions, some of which are open to explore. There are also breathtaking views of the ocean from the famous Cliff Walk that takes you along the eastern shore of Newport, where the natural beauty of the shoreline, looking out into the open ocean, combines with the spectacular architecture of those gilded mansions. However, the town of Newport is down-to-earth, with the quaint streets lined with boutiques and eateries.

Day charters Of course, this eclectic town is renowned for its sailing and, even if you aren’t able to make it on one of the boats for the race, there are plenty of opportunities to try your hand at the helm of a variety of boats with a day charter. And, at the end of the day, there are plenty of places to chill out and watch the boats sail in and out of the harbour, including the famed Candy Store at the centre of Bannister’s Wharf. The haunt of some of the legendary sailors of the world, including America’s Cup contenders Ted Turner and Dennis Conner, the appeal of this watering hole is the wide open room that looks over the harbour and Narragansett Bay –– so it is the perfect spot to take in the views. Plus, there’s a Dark and Stormy on the menu made with Gosling’s Black Seal rum and Barritt’s Ginger Beer, naturally. n

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Crossfire debuts with experienced crew BY ROBYN BARDGETT rbardgett@bermudasun.bm

Crossfire will be making her debut ocean race in this year’s Newport Bermuda. Owner and skipper Brian Hillier and his team have spent the last 14 months fitting out the carbon-fibre hull for this first, and iconic, ocean race for the boat. Along with getting her race-ready with a rebuilt rudder and new navigational gear, the boat also needs to meet certain specifications for the Newport Bermuda race committee, which includes safety gear. As the underdog in the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Division, the J125, which is 41 feet in length, will be up against some stiff competition in this racing division where the big boats tend to be manned by a professional sailing crew. “We’re at the bottom of the Gibbs Hill division from a rating standpoint and not as fast as the other boats in our division, so it will be a real uphill battle. But it gives us an opportunity to really sail the boat against strong competition, so that’s really exciting,” explains Butch Agnew, Crossfire’s navigator, who has had offshore experience, but this will be his inaugural Newport Bermuda race. But while the Crossfire crew are considered amateur there is little doubt that there will be plenty of maritime knowledge on the boat. Hillier, who also owns Mills Creek Marine, is a familiar face on the local sailing circuit, both in racing Crossfire in BOCA (Bermuda Offshore Cruising Association) races year-round, as well as fitted dinghy racing out of St George’s Dinghy Club. He has also sailed the Newport Bermuda race seven times. Also on board will be Will Thompson, Jeremy Brasier and Ken Lamb, and rounding out the rest of the crew are former Olympic sailors

n PHOTO BY ED WILLIAMS

MINIMAL: Over the past few months, the crew have been sailing Crossfire and getting her fitted out to become a “stripped down, racing machine” capable of completing a demanding offshore race.

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Glenn Astwood and Eddie Bardgett, all of whom have done the Newport Bermuda, and other ocean races, on several occasions. “Even though we are essentially considered an amateur crew, it’s all a really solid group of sailors. Really the best of Bermuda in the sailing community and as individuals,” explains Agnew. While this will be the first crossing for the boat, it will also be the first time the team has come together for an ocean crossing. However, over the past six months they have been sailing Crossfire and getting her fitted out to become a “stripped down, racing machine” capable of completing a demanding offshore race. The boat will be as minimally fitted as possible in order to keep the weight down and maximize the boat’s performance. “The goal is for us to keep it fast and push the boat to get the most out of it. We will be pushing it to the

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‘The boat will be as minimally fitted as possible in order to keep the weight down and maximize the boat’s performance.’ edge the whole time.” The team must also plan for emergencies such as man overboard, losing any rigging or having to abandon ship, as well as stocking the boat with food and enough water to meet safety requirements. “It is a lot of fun but it can be dangerous,” says Agnew. “We have prepared for the worst-case scenarios and we have made sure that everyone is familiar with what we need to do if something does go wrong. We need to work together as one unit to be very competitive but also to be very safe.” Over the past few weeks,

the team has been getting comfortable with the weather patterns and the variability of the Gulf Stream. The team will be pulling on all of their maritime understanding to put together the best sail plan. The boat has been fitted with the most robust navigational gear, explains Agnew, as well as optimization software that will help them to better understand the weather while they are out on the water. “Ocean racing has changed in that the technology has become a larger part of the racing. We have a lot more tools at our dis-

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posal to help us figure out the quickest route based on the weather and the boat’s design. It can help us anticipate what is going to happen, and to get the best performance from the boat as possible. “The weather will dictate the way we configure the boat, what sails we will use, so we are always trying to stay that one step ahead of the conditions. “But there will always be a lot of info flow with the crew. We will be making a judgment call, taking into account the conditions, but also what the experience has been before. These are guys with a rich mariner history that we need to take into account, which no computer model can replace.” For most sailors the Newport Bermuda race is one to tick off the bucket list, says Agnew. “It’s a huge rush, sailing something that is so steeped in tradition and a part of Bermudian nautical history,” he says. n

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Operations Centre’s focus is on safety of race participants BY ROBYN BARDGETT rbardgett@bermudasun.bm

As the boats of the Newport Bermuda race make their way to the island, the team at Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre (Bermuda Radio) will be ramping up their efforts. “We will have extra manning on watch during the arrival of Newport Bermuda race participants when obviously the work load increases for the Controller, who also needs to deal with the daily arrival and departure of other shipping to Bermuda,” explains Denis Rowe, chief radio officer at Bermuda Radio. The function of the Centre is to handle radio communications with boats, vessel traffic monitoring and rescue coordination. This year, 165 boats are set to make their way to Bermuda’s waters, so the team must ensure that their

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KEEPING IN TOUCH: As the boats of the Newport Bermuda race make their way to the island, the team at Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre will send up-to-date Maritime Safety Information (MSI), making their service invaluable to boaters heading towards Bermuda. communication doesn’t have any negative effect on

the day-to-day shipping in Bermuda, adds Mr Rowe. Even when the boats are hundreds of miles away they can still receive upto-date Maritime Safety Information (MSI) from Bermuda Radio, making their service invaluable to boaters heading towards Bermuda.

Broadcasts The MSI broadcasts are sent out to mariners every four hours via NAVTEX (Telex), as well as voice on VHF and MF radio. The broadcasts include information about weather systems and any dangers to navigation, such as abandoned boat adrift or navigational lights extinguished, explains Mr Rowe. “All boats are fitted with yellow brick trackers (satellite), which allow a team from Newport and the Maritime Operations Centre the ability to closely monitor the race participants. Vessels are also fitted with satellite telephone or SSB (single-sideband) Radio, while some also have access to e-mail. “Communication with race participants is only needed if there is an identified need for assistance during the race.

Once race participants have completed the race, they are then instructed by the finish line committee to contact Bermuda Radio for information concerning safe transit to Hamilton and RBYC,” says Mr Rowe. In the past there have been no major incidents during the NewportBermuda race with one life lost in 1932 onboard the boat Adriana. However, the Maritime Operations Centre team is prepared for the worst-case scenarios that the boats may face along the way.

Responsibility As Bermuda’s Rescue Coordination Centre, the Maritime Operations Centre is responsible for assisting mariners in distress, whether a local boat or a boat thousands of miles away, says Mr Rowe. Pre-race planning meetings included the drawing up of an emergency contingency plan for the Rescue Coordination Centre with support groups in Newport and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. Some of the challenges of the race for the participants include lack of communication due to failure of onboard equipment,

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CENTRE: Even when the boats are hundreds of miles away, they can still receive up-to-date Maritime Safety Information from the Maritime Operations Centre at Fort George in St George’s n PHOTO SUPPLIED

encountering bad weather, medical issues onboard the boat, damage to the vessel or lack of wind, which can impact the amount of time it takes to get to the island, and the need for participants to withdraw.

Safe arrival “The Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre function is to ensure the safe arrival and departure of all vessels into and from Bermuda waters,” says Mr Rowe. “Should any vessels get into any difficulty, then our systems at Fort George will allow us to call on the assistance of other mariners on the water –– including race participants –– and the use of the support network of our colleagues in the US Coastguard.” n

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ICONIC BEACH: A visit to Horseshoe Bay beach is a must as it is rated as one of the top beaches in the world by TripAdvisor.

Relax and enjoy what Bermuda has to offer BY CARLA ZUILL czuill@mediahouse.com

Whether you just finished sailing the high seas or flew to the island to meet a loved one, you are certainly in need of a well-deserved vacation. Not sure of what to do while on the island? Here are a few suggestions that should keep you busy while you are here: A vacation in Bermuda is not a vacation unless you spend at least half a day at our famous Horseshoe Bay beach.

Top beach Located in Southampton, Horseshoe Bay has always been ranked as one of the top beaches in the world by TripAdvisor. Beach equipment is available for rent and an array of food is available at the concession, so all you'll need is your towel and sunblock and you are good to go!

Climb a lighthouse If you'd like to see the island from an aerial viewpoint, visit the newly reopened Gibbs Hill Lighthouse. Once you climb the stairs (over 180) of the oldest cast iron lighthouse in the

world, prepare to have your breath taken away with the 360-degree view of Bermuda. Care to explore the island by water in a relaxing environment? Take a glass bottom boat tour. It’s a great way to view our beautiful coral and aquatic life. There are several tour operators on the island who depart from various locations. The concierge at your hotel will gladly book it for you.

Swim with dolphins Looking for a fun activity for your children? Take them to the Royal Naval Dockyard where you'll find Dolphin Quest, located within the fortress of the National Museum of Bermuda. Swimming with the dolphins is great fun!

History and shopping While you're in Dockyard, why not visit the Maritime Museum. Learn about Bermuda's 500 years of maritime history, culture and view the artefacts. If you'd like to do a bit if shopping, visit the Clocktower Mall, where you'll find a plethora of souvenirs.

Eat out There are a number of restaurants serving local

cuisine in the event you want to grab a bite to eat.

Visit the zoo and aquarium No matter where you travel in the world, no aquarium is the same. And the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo is no exception. It features creatures from all over the world in its first-class exhibits. Located in the Little Sound, the Aquarium also boasts spectacular views of Harrington Sound.

Attend Harbour Nights If you are on the island on a Wednesday, attending Harbour Nights on Front Street in the City of Hamilton is a must. Be entertained by local talent; try a few Bermudian treats and purchase locallyproduced crafts. It’s a great opportunity to mingle with fellow visitors and natives alike.

Sample a fish sandwich No visit to Bermuda is complete without an Art Mel’s fish sandwich! It’s no secret that rarely can one be digested in a single seating, so make sure your stomach is empty because you are going to need the space. With locations in Pembroke and St George’s,

you will only be a short distance away from seafood heaven!

Go underground Speaking of the East, if you’d like to explore the underground beauty our island has to offer, visit the Crystal Caves. With clear waters up to 50 feet deep, you will find spectacular formations beneath the surface. Breathtaking indeed!

Visit St George If you travel further East, you will end up in the quaint town old St George, Bermuda’s original capital. As you venture along the cobblestone roads, visit St Peter’s Church, the oldest church outside of the British Isles still in use. Tranquil and abloom with beautiful flora, Somers Garden is where the heart of our island’s founder, Sir George Somers, is buried. Want to swim in the East? Visit the world-renowned Tobacco Bay beach. With tranquil waters, it is a great place to go snorkelling, too. So no matter what you decide to do while here in Bermuda, you and every member of your family can be assured to have a great time. n

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Be Alert. Be Safe this Boating Season. When you’re out on the water you are probably keeping a close eye on a lot of things: other boats, the weather, water conditions. But you may not have one serious hazard in mind – underwater electric power cables. When you are out on the water you will see that BELCO has installed warning signs everywhere we have cables. Please heed them and help us ensure a safe boating season.

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