The Bermudian

Cooking with Rum | Cocktail Connoisseur Fall 2014 $6.90

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Rising Stars 10 twenty-somethings on the fast track

Off Nonsuch, 1934 A fictional account of William Beebe’s famous bathysphere dives

Kids Rule!

Our peek inside some cool kids’ bedrooms

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Building on a tradition of trust.

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contents Above: One of our cool kids’ rooms. Photograph by Ann Spurling.

On the cover: Rising Stars Jo-Rena Davis, Carlita Lodge and Kimberly Moore. Photograph by Scott Tucker.

Features 28

38

The consummate Bermudian The Cocktail Connoisseur How to create the perfect cocktail and set up the consummate Bermudian bar

Home & Garden Kids Rule!

Local designers and talented mums share their flair as we peek into some cool kids’ bedrooms.

by Charles Gosling

feature The significance of shipwrecks Exploring and conserving shipwrecks is so expensive: why do we need to spend money on it?

32

Food & drink Cooking with Rum What could be more local—and yum—than cooking up desserts with rum!

by Judith Wadson 4 | The Bermudian

by Laura Bell

48

by Kristina Kenniker

54

cover story Rising Stars Young, ambitious and quickly working their way to the top in Bermuda’s business world, meet this year’s crop of twenty-somethings on the fast track.

by Charles Doyle

65

Heritage off nonsuch, 1934 A fictional account of William Beebe and Otis Barton’s famous historical bathysphere dives.

by Alexandra Stewart www.thebermudian.com

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Departments From the Crow’s Nest 10 Home & Garden

Hello, Yellow On Time God Orange You Glad It’s Fall!

14 The Scene

Digging up the Past

18 Famous Onions

Lucie Bruckner: Finding Her Voice in London’s Music Business Mulderig’s Passionate Pen

20 Locals

Building a Foundation: A new approach to philanthropic giving in Bermuda

22 Homegrown

A Scent-sational New Store

24 Milestones

Forty Years and Forging Forward: Bermuda College reaches a milestone

Healthy Bermuda 36 Population Health

A new approach to managing health for

Bermuda

Regulars 8 up front

The Editor’s Page

26 Naturally Speaking

A Flash of Green

70 afternoon & Evening

Clockwise from top: Hello, Yellow, pg 10; Digging up the Past, pg 14; Lucie Bruckner, pg 18; Bermuda College Reaches a Milestone, pg 24

6 | The Bermudian

Summer Soul-stice Saracens RFC Gala Dinner Bermuda Red Cross: Evening in Tuscany Bermuda National Trust at Verdmont

78 That’s Life! A letter from London

No Good Deed... www.thebermudian.com

COMING THIS FALL.

THE NEW MINI. NOW WITH 5 DOORS. 3+2=A LOT. A MINI with five doors is a big thing. For starters, it has two extra doors. And that means both fun and function in the same tantalising package. There’s more legroom in the back and 67l more volume in the boot, so you can invite your tallest friends (and their biggest bags).

And did we mention it has two extra doors?

Volume LXXXIII Number 3

Tina Stevenson Publisher and Editor tina@thebermudian.com Laura Bell Graphic Design

Up Front

laura@thebermudian.com Dana Cooper Graphic Design dana@danacooper.net Subscription Manager Kim Moseley admin@thebermudian.com Fiona Woodward Copy Editor Contributors Elizabeth Jones, Scott Tucker, Ann Spurling, Charles Gosling, Kristina Kenniker, Alexandra Stewart, Winnifred Smith, Jennifer Gray, Josh Ball, Michele Smith, Christine Watlington, Winifred Blackmore, Dana Cooper, Jill Rubinchak Previous Editors William D. Richardson 1930-31 Ronald J. Williams 1931-41 Arthur M. Purcell 1942-49 Ronald J. Williams 1950-76 Dinah J. Darby 1977-86 Kevin Stevenson 1987-94 Rosemary Jones 1994-99 Meredith Ebbin 1999-2003

For more of everthing you love about The Bermudian, visit: www.thebermudian.com Connect with us!

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Published by The Bermudian Publishing Company Limited, P.O. Box HM 283, Hamilton HM AX, Bermuda. Tel: 441-232-7041. Fax: 441-232-7042. E-mail: info@thebermudian. com. Website: www.thebermudian.com. Annual subscription (postage included): Bermuda $29; U.S.A $29; Canada $39; rest of the world $47. The Bermudian is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs unless accompanied by addressed envelopes and return postage. All rights reserved. Reprints from The Bermudian only by permission of the publisher. The publishers cannot be responsible for the contents of any advertisement and readers are advised to use their own discretion in responding to same.

8 | The Bermudian

W

e kick off our issue this fall with some very lovely young ladies gracing our cover. Although model-worthy indeed, these ladies are no ordinary cover girls, but instead part of this year’s crop of The Bermudian’s 2014 Rising Stars. In all, we meet 10 Gen Y-ers who are making a name for themselves in Bermuda’s business world, shining brightly in insurance, hospitality, finance, marketing and IT. We are proud to showcase their talents and wish them luck and Godspeed on their journey to the top.

We just love our Homes feature this issue, where we peek into some dreamy children’s bedrooms. Kids’ rooms don’t get much cuter than these, but it is not all frills and froth as the designers—and talented moms—behind the designs will tell you. Creating a kid’s room that grows is important, and these spaces are celebrated not only for the to-die-for décor, but also for the thought and planning that has gone into making spaces that are efficient and durable, too.

Something new to The Bermudian this fall is a fiction piece written by Alexandra Stewart.

“Off Nonsuch, 1934,” is a wonderful fictionalised account of the historic August 15, 1934, descent by William Beebe and Otis Barton in the bathysphere when they set the world record for the deepest dive. Their observations of the environment they discovered were relayed to Gloria Hollister at the surface via telephone. Stewart beautifully brings to life the characters, the history and the full drama of the event.

Interestingly, we have another feature on important scientific work, albeit of a different kind, taking place under the ocean. “The Significance of Shipwrecks” asks the question: Why is it important to spend money on exploring and conserving shipwrecks, especially when it is expensive and often dangerous? As part of the support for her thesis, author Kristina Kenniker talks with Bermuda’s Custodian of Historic Wrecks, Dr. Philippe Rouja. Rouja, of all people, knows how important exploring wrecks is—especially after his fascinating archaeological work on the Mary Celestia that unearthed some very exciting and historic artifacts. For more information and multimedia on this story go to thebermudian.com.

And finally this issue, I want to draw attention to the second episode in our new series, The Consummate Bermudian. Last issue we presented “The Book Collector” where, after much discussion with authorities, Liz Jones told us which of the many, many Bermuda books ever published are a must in your library. This issue we focus on the accomplished Bermudian as a cocktail connoisseur, and who better to tell us how to create the perfect cocktail and set up the consummate Bermudian bar than Charles Gosling of Gosling Brothers. Stayed tuned for guidance from the experts as The Consummate Bermudian series continues next time.

We want to hear from you! E-mail the editor at tina@thebermudian.com

Tina Stevenson Publisher & Editor www.thebermudian.com

From the

Crow’s Nest The Scene, pg 14 | Famous Onions, pg 18 | Locals, pg 20 | Homegrown, pg 22 | Milestones, pg 24

Hello, Yellow

10 | The Bermudian

Cheryl Adcock

Roseli Johnson

Le-Ann Perry

Amba Smith

Also known as gold, citron, canary, sunshine, blonde, lemon‌whatever you want to call it, Bermudian readers share their photos of one of our favourite colours of fall.

www.thebermudian.com

www.thebermudian.com

Kimberly Holzer

Robin Millet

Robin Millet

Jason Leman

Jason Leman

Roseli Johnson

Jason Leman

Lynn Spencer

Le-Ann Perry

Nicola Parker

Crow’s Nest

From the

Home & Garden Resources & inspiration

fall 2014 | 11

From the Crow’s Nest | Home & Garden

On Time God The practice of house naming began hundreds of years ago with the English nobility whose manor houses, castles and estates bore traditional family or place names. Gradually, the practice spread to the local gentry and then to the middle classes, tradesmen and merchants. Today the name of a house may be decided by its location or an outstanding feature, have historical significance or derive from sentiment, memories or, simply, inspiration.

By Winnifred Smith

O

In 2000, on the advice of a friend—but still n Time God is the name of Linda without enough money for a down payment— Brangman’s house, and this is the Linda agreed to meet with another real estate story about her journey to homeagent to view properties, and when she noticed ownership and why she chose such an interestthat this agent did not focus on financing, she ing name. became comfortable with the process. When Entering Linda’s home, I have an immediate Linda first looked at her current home she sense of warmth, love and peace in the family. could see only negatives, but when she focused Linda’s mom, Mrs. Brangman, her sister Merle on the positive things about it, she decided to and niece Latoya greet me graciously and welcome try to go ahead with the purchase. At this time she me inside. I am shown to a cosy front room with a The rhyme & reason behind was working for the Department of Customs and was naming our homes beautiful view of the ocean where Linda and I begin our thrilled when she got approval for a home loan despite not conversation. having the usual down payment. Before the loan was finalised there Linda has been working since she was 18 years old. In the 1970s, were other obstacles to overcome, of course, but her determination had while still a young woman, she began dreaming of owning her own paid off after all! home, and started investing her money in a local company. During Ironically, shortly after Linda purchased her house, real estate the 1990s the economy changed, so she withdrew her investment and values began to climb, and it was during this period that she came following the advice of a friend, reinvested in another company. A year up with the name, On Time God, for her new home. She had always later this company went bankrupt, and Linda was devastated to learn believed that if she put her trust in God, he would find her a house— all of her investment had gone up in smoke. Fortunately she had savmaybe not in her time, but in his time. As Linda can attest, he is an ings elsewhere, and so despite this setback she was able, at least, to buy On Time God. Christmas gifts for her family that year!

In response to my questions about what she enjoys most about Sometime later, still without sufficient down payment for a home, her home, Linda told me she enjoys tending to her outdoor plants Linda arranged to view properties through a real estate agency. The and continues the old-time practice of hanging out her laundry on agents kept showing her homes she didn’t like, and she suspected an outdoor clothes line. The feature she likes best about her house is they were aware that she didn’t have the funds for a down payment. the exposed wooden beams in the ceiling. Her favourite room is her Eventually, Linda decided to take a break from viewing properties and, ocean-view living room and her favourite piece of furniture is her in 1997, began diligently saving again. Her dream continued, despite remote-controlled Tempur-Pedic bed! Linda’s advice to prospective being told repeatedly that she would never be able to pay for a home home owners? Take someone along to view the property—someone on her own. Her brother-in-law encouraged her, however, and she confessed to him that she would purchase a home without a down payment who has the expertise to point out any existing faults or deterioration in the house. if she had to.

What’s in a Name?

12 | The Bermudian

www.thebermudian.com

From the Crow’s Nest | Home & Garden

Bright is beautiful this fall at Island Trading. Halifax teak table by Gloster is themed for fall: Coral placemats (washable), $15. Pear candles, from $9.50. Kim Seybert’s non-breakable melamine coral: side plate $19.50, dinner plate $24.50, condiment bowl $39.50

Scalamandre Maison Arcadia coral lamp from Gregory Nelmes Interior Design, St. George’s, $1,280

Orange You Glad It’s Fall!

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www.thebermudian.com

Vintage inspired personal organizer, hand crafted from luxurious crocodile print Italian calf leather. Pulp & Circumstance, $186

fall 2014 | 13

From the

Crow’s Nest the Scene art • Culture • sports

Cotton Hole Bight carved into the hillside

Digging up the Past Written by Jennifer Gray

A

rchaeology is a uniquely important part of the historic preservation process. The Archaeological Research Committee at the Bermuda National Trust is a very active volunteer group undertaking archaeological excavations of historic houses and properties throughout the island, more often than not, partnering with internationally recognised archaeologists and institutions. A recent partnership with Dr. Michael Jarvis and his field school from the University of Rochester has literally uncovered some of Bermuda’s earliest history on an out-of-the-way island in St. George’s Harbour.

Lying between St David’s and Paget Islands and comprising 61 acres, Smith’s Island has figured in Bermuda’s history from the earliest days. It was home to the island’s three original residents—Christopher Carter, Edward Waters and Edward Chard, the sailors left behind (with the ship’s dog) after the wreck of the Sea Venture when the rest of the crew left Bermuda for Virginia in 1610. It was also briefly the seat of the first government when Bermuda was originally settled in 1612. Over the years it has been the location of an agricultural station, a tobacco 14 | The Bermudian

grower’s dwelling, a genteel Georgian mansion, a whaling station, a smallpox quarantine camp and a plant nursery. Despite all that history, Smith’s Island is mostly undeveloped today and provides a dreamscape for archaeologists.

In the summer of 2014 we made a visit to Smith’s Island to see what the archaeologists were up to—or should I say “down to”? Once landed on the island, we were struck by the exceptionality of this special place.

The sounds of traffic are ever so faint in the distance across the harbour and the smells and sounds of nature abound. The single dirt road in the middle of the island is dotted on either side with homes and each one seems to support a myriad of square-foot gardens thriving with herbs, vegetables and fruit. There are solar panels and ingenious water catchment systems, orchards, banana groves and spectacular flower beds and shrubs in every backyard space. Further along the road is the community garden, a large piece of arable land where the islanders all work together to grow and harvest crops.

The road suddenly narrows and disappears into woodland, and after meandering for a short time, brings us out to the first of four 2014 www.thebermudian.com

From the Crow’s Nest | The Scene excavation sites: the Oven Site. The location matches a building marked on John Speed’s 1625 map, reflecting Richard Norwood’s 1616 survey.

This summer the archaeological team matched the site scientifically. It is very likely the oldest known dwelling in Bermuda, occupied between 1614 and 1616. The painstaking activity of cautiously scraping and brushing away the ground cover, detritus, underlying dirt and rubble to expose the original dirt floor of the old house has taken five years and was no easy task, but it has taught us much about this early timber house and who may have lived there. These early settlers, for example, apparently dug down two or three feet into the ground before building up walls, making less work for themselves and potentially protecting the lower-profile house from wind and storms.

The original 400-year-old dirt floor can now be clearly seen along with a primitive fireplace and oven carved out of the bedrock, complete with an above-ground flue at the top of a quarry cut. Clearly visible in the dirt floor are a series of holes where posts once stood to hold up the wooden roof and gable ends.

With every scoop of dirt carefully sifted and inspected for artifacts, the team can learn much about how the early settlers built, what they traded and how and what they ate. Within the carved-out fireplace an accumulation of fish and bird bones was uncovered. The most intriguing, and perhaps most telling, items found in the floor layers of the dig, were flakes of chert (a type of stone) and the tip of a chert projectile point which had been pressure-flaked on both faces to create a serrated cutting edge. Chert is not a stone found in Bermuda and this discovery led the archaeologists to identify the house as most likely that of Boaz Sharpe, who at the time of his death in 1707 shared his home with nine Native American slaves. Metal knives were available during this period, so the chert arrowhead indicates that the stone was acquired in North America and brought to Bermuda as a cultural artifact rather than a necessity. A bone-handled knife, a pricey utensil that belonged to one of the first residents, the commander of Smith’s Fort, was found in the lower layer as well. Pieces of earthenware not made after 1620 were also found, along with Metropolitan ware, a type of pottery made only between 1630 and 1660, suggesting a long occupancy of this house until around 1710 when it was apparently abandoned. The hundredyear-old timber house was then likely wiped out by the hurricanes of 1712 or 1714.

We follow our leader through the bush and along less-travelled paths in the woodland to the Cave Site, a rocky outcrop overhanging rich soil.

To the archaeologists it suggested a refuge where early settlers could shelter from wind, rain and storms. Sure enough a closer inspection of the cave revealed that its overhanging roof had been scraped and carved on the underside to provide more headroom. Someone had gone to a lot of trouble to make this cave liveable. Furthermore, there were carefully carved out shelves on an interior wall of the cave. Once the excava-

Top: A tarpaulin protects the excavation site from rain and wind and the field school from sun at the Oven Site. Middle: Oven Site showing the 400 year old dirt floor, oven carved out of the rock and post holes in the ground. Bottom: Dr. Michael Jarvis and his field student at the Cave Site carefully scanning the soil for artifacts. www.thebermudian.com

fall 2014 | 15

From the Crow’s Nest | The Scene 56th Regiments. It is now thought that Smith’s Island could have been tion began, a post hole was found outside the cave entrance, perhaps one of a few islands where garrison soldiers fled to distance themselves used to hold up a “blind” or hidden front wall to this part of the cave. from yellow fever when it afflicted Bermuda. Occupancy by the Royal The archaeologists found numerous mammal and fish bones reflecting Navy or other imperial agent is suggested by an inscription on the the diet of people who used the cave, but no evidence of cooking as interior north wall with the carved royal cipher GR with a broad arrow there was no smoke staining within the cave. Three shards of Astbury below. On the western wall, additional ware, refined earthenware produced smaller inscriptions are clues that still between 1725 and 1750, provide the need to be deciphered. only dating clue so far. Such ceramics A small cast toy cannon and clay were fit more for the tables of rich St. marbles found at the site suggest the George’s merchants than for a rustic presence of children at some point; cave dwelling, but as this excavation is the site was clearly used intensively in in its early stage we will have to wait the second quarter of the nineteenth for Dr. Jarvis and his team to return century, based on artifacts of Annular next summer to discover more about ware and other ceramic types. The who might have lived in this cave. interpretation of Small Pox Bay is Another hike through the trees and further complicated by the discovery we arrive at Cotton Hole Bight where of post holes below the soil surface, Dr. Jarvis had hoped to find evidence two of which were clearly sealed under of Carter, Chard and Waters setting a wall of the stone building which up the first Bermudian homestead. confirms there was a wooden structure This “house” had been built into the predating the stone ruin. A search in hillside adjacent to a valley leading to the vicinity led to the discovery of a a sheltered bay with ready access to the midden (a mound or deposit containopen reefs, a perfect location for our ing shells, animal bones and other first settlers to set up their tobacco and refuse that indicates human settleprovision fields and build and launch ment) which turned up a bucketful of their boats, all the while keeping a ceramics and artifacts scattered on the watchful eye on the ocean approaches hillside halfway between the ruin and to the island.

A bone-handled knife belonging to one of the first Small Pox Bay. At this site, an even larger hearth residents, the commander of Smith’s Fort, was unearthed at Oven Site.

With more than just one time and oven were discovered carved into period to consider, and perhaps more the back wall of the dwelling. An questions than answers at this point excavated test pit revealed a curious in the excavation, there are many more stories waiting to be told—and basin or water catchment carved out of the bedrock which contained a mature boar’s tusk. As excavations continued, the team found they were much work still to be done.

“Archaeology,” as Dr. Jarvis explains to his students, “has little digging through rubble that was backfill from an early eighteenth-century quarry where an abundance of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century to do with Indiana Jones or Lara Croft and is hardly the romantic ceramics, glass and pipe stems were unearthed. While the group did not action-packed enterprise that movies present. This field school is both physically and mentally challenging and involves meticulous attenfind evidence of the dwelling of the first settlers in Bermuda, they are tion to detail in the archives, field and lab.” Despite this warning from not giving up and plan to extend this excavation next year. their scholarly professor, all the University of Rochester field school Our next trail took us to the fourth and final site—Small Pox Bay, students—and the local volunteers—thoroughly enjoy the experience where standing in the woodland is an old stone ruin. It was thought of the Smith’s island archaeology dig every summer. this site was used as a quarantine house for sailing vessels arriving in The Smith’s Island Project is making some of the most exciting Bermuda with sick passengers or crew. From the 1730s onward any pasdiscoveries in Bermuda’s history. We are indeed fortunate to have Dr. sengers with symptoms of illness were not allowed to land on the main Jarvis returning year after year, uncovering the layers of our past and island but instead had to check in for quarantine. The name of nearby Small Pox Bay and the close proximity of this structure make for a prob- matching clues to give us insight into how our forefathers lived on these islands. It is fascinating, and we can’t wait for the story to continue next able link. Interestingly, the 2013 dig at this site did not unearth any summer. The Bermuda National Trust is proud of this partnership and medical supplies or any evidence of cooking which one would expect grateful for the many volunteers, donors and supporters of the Smith’s in a place of convalescence. Discoveries made in 2014 include regiment Island Project. buttons, suggesting the building was used by soldiers of the 20th and 16 | The Bermudian

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From the

Crow’s Nest famous onions Authors • Athletes • artists

Lucie Bruckner: Finding Her Voice in London’s Music Business Written BY JOSH BALL

Lucie Bruckner has always had a passion for emerging music. How lucky for her that her passion is now her job. As part of the relatively new music-download website, Songeist (songeist.com), Bruckner spends all day surrounded by music from independent, unsigned acts, and she couldn’t be happier.

From open mic nights to getting out and about meeting new people, her job has evolved far beyond that of the website designer she was when she moved to London. “I love it. I’m super passionate about emerging music now. I was before, but living in Bermuda, you are detached from it in a certain sense, and moving to London reignited that passion,” she says.

“What I quickly learned in a musical hotbed like London is it’s quite a small 18 | The Bermudian

community, everybody is really connected, and everybody is really passionate about the discovery and acceleration of new music.”

Songeist harnesses that passion, allowing musicians to post, and sell, their music, giving fans the chance to hear “the next big things, before they’re big.”

“For us, the little guys are the headliners,” says Bruckner.

For Bruckner, Songeist isn’t just about the acceleration of new music, but also her own career, and each new success is a vindication of a somewhat risky move away from her island home after two and a half years with local advertising agency Cosmic, working for the likes of CellOne, Bermuda Tourism and Bermuda Commercial Bank.

“The challenge was appealing to me,” she says. “It was the chance to be part of something from the very beginning, to hone skill sets in a bigger marketplace, an opportunity I might not get elsewhere.

“I didn’t know how it was going to go, how it was going to be, but on a professional level my current bosses were very supportive of my ideas, and I really felt that I could have a voice and make a difference.”

In many ways, Songeist is like the artists they showcase—small fish in a big pond, all hoping one day to be the big fish. That day may come sooner for the company than the musicians.

Approaching its first birthday in September, Songeist has already built a substantial following in the UK, and is drawing interest in Europe too. Giving voice to the dream of a global presence is something it is only now willing to do.

The artists, though, and their music are what make Songeist a reality, and for Bruckner that relationship is only likely to get stronger.

“That [expansion] is always the dream. I think we were very tentative about running before we could walk. We’re already gaining a lot more attention in Europe, so I think that’s next on our radar,” says Bruckner.

“I see Songeist definitely growing, focusing even more on the artists. That has always been where our strength has been and we’ll continue to grow in that direction.”

Even while looking forwards, Bruckner has one eye on Bermuda and a way in which she might be able to give back to her home. Some of her fondest memories of emerging music include listening to Homegrown Boys in Oasis, and she believes the music scene on the island is missing something.

“I am Bermudian, I care a lot about Bermuda, and what I’ve experienced here [London] culturally with music is something I wish I had in Bermuda. While there are amazing emerging artists there, culturally I think there is a little bit missing with the music scene.”

She’d like to help, even if it’s just to give Bermudian artists a chance to expose a wider audience to their music. “Songeist is open to any and all, and I would definitely encourage Bermudian artists to come on board. It’s a really bright market, and we’re definitely open to listening.” www.thebermudian.com

From the Crow’s Nest | Famous Onions

Mulderig’s Passionate Pen

B

um Bum Bananas: Oh! Do Mind Your Manners is the title of Elizabeth Mulderig’s latest children’s book, released this past summer. Bum Bum Bananas is a very naughty cat. She has lost her manners and goes on an islandwide search with her friend DoBoy, the hot dog, to try and find them.

Because most of Mulderig’s books are based on educating children about Bermuda, she has made Bum Bum Bananas an interactive book by asking questions throughout. At the end of the book the child is taught how to say “please” and “thank you” in six different languages, including cat, dog and Bermudian!

Known for her Tiny the Tree Frog book series, Mulderig says education is of primary concern, with her books featuring lessons for kids on how to cook and colour—with her colouring cookbook for kids—or how to share, which is the theme of her Do-Boy Digs Bermuda. “One of the things I love to do,” she says, “is visit the schools and read my books. I get really good feedback from local kids and teachers as well.”

Two new books by the author will make their debut later this year. Her first book for tweens and teens, entitled Not the Bermuda Triangle: A History of Bermuda, explains how the island was unfairly tagged with the triangle title and gives a short history of the island, complete with cartoon illustrations written in Bermudian. “Tiny translates the Bermudian into non-Bermudian,” Mulderig laughs. “This is not only my most serious book thus far, but my funniest as well!” Her other new book is for babies; it’s a board book entitled Goodnight Tiny in Bermuda.

Mulderig’s collection of children’s books can be bought at gift stores and bookstores islandwide.

www.thebermudian.com

fall 2014 | 19

From the

Crow’s Nest Locals Leaders • Heroes • Icons

Building a Foundation A new approach to philanthropic giving in Bermuda Written By Josh Ball | Photograph by Ann Spurling

M

Myra Virgil

20 | The Bermudian

iddlemen, facilitators, long-term planners, the Bermuda Community Foundation is a relatively recent addition to the charitable-giving landscape on the island. Where the foundation, in existence for little more than 18 months, fits in to that landscape is something the foundation—and the community—is still trying to figure out.

Not that charitable giving, nor the concept of philanthropy, is anything new to Bermuda, but to talk to Myra Virgil, the foundation’s chief executive officer, is to appreciate the inefficiency which has surrounded the sector in the past.

According to the foundation, the island has some 600 charitable agencies (not all of them registered), all of whom end up chasing money from the same 22-square-mile pot.

But what if the pot was a self-sustaining one?

A pot with multiple donors; a pot invested, managed and distributed from one place. A pot which donors could rely on being used wisely and charities could tap for funds when necessary.

Born out of the ashes of Atlantic Philanthropies, which is winding down its global operations, and with backing from the likes of RenaissanceRe, XL and Bloomberg Philanthropies, the foundation’s mission is largely just that, to benefit donors, communities and charities alike.

That’s why Virgil objects to the term “middlemen” when it comes to the foundation’s place in the sector—a term she believes “implies that you put yourself in the way.” For Virgil, “facilitators” would be closer to the mark. In many ways she views the foundation as a one-stop shop.

“We like to think we assist where people feel there is a need, where something is preventing people from doing the kind of giving they want,” she says.

“We help create a sustainable legacy for donors.”

The foundation is not intended to replace the fund-raising that already happens; the tag days,

gala dinners, the silent auctions. All these have an important role to play; they are, as Virgil expresses it: “From the heart giving, I hear you and I want to give right away.”

However, with 600 or so non-profits, a donation intended to help a specific cause might not always have the impact hoped for, nor achieve anything more than give the beneficiaries a short-term boost. And even that comes after the donor has found the right place for their gift— no easy task in itself.

As an example, a quick search on the internet for youth development agencies in Bermuda brings up a myriad of options, and very little easily accessible information regarding who’s in charge, what they do, and how to give to them.

“We’re about providing a service that helps that interaction in the short term, but our number-one mission is to grow funds for the longer term,” explains Virgil. The foundation started with a $1 million base in December last year; they hope to grow those assets to $20 million by 2019.

For Virgil the opportunity to work at the foundation was part of a “lucky career progression” that has taken her from studying sociology at McGill University in Montreal and working on the frontline with non-profits in Quebec, to dealing with the practicalities of paying for those programmes during her work with Atlantic Philanthropies.

“The next two years is about helping people understand how the concept works for them and how it works for Bermuda,” Virgil says.

“Community foundations, especially in the beginning, the grants don’t tend to be large, they tend to $500–$2,000, but if you get to the kind of growth in the millions, then you start to see a big grant pool and you can start to do more sustainable, more impactful, stuff.” www.thebermudian.com

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From the

Crow’s Nest Homegrown Locally made

A Scent-sational New Store Written By Michele Smith, OBM | Photograph by Ann Spurling

The legendary Bermuda Perfumery, founded in 1928 by William Blackburn (W.B.) Smith and his daughter, Madeline Scott, has recently opened its first shop on Front Street in Hamilton. Located in Butterfield Place, this elegant perfumery is the flagship store of Lili Bermuda, owned by Isabelle Ramsay-Brackstone.

The Brackstone family acquired the Bermuda Perfumery (then located in Hamilton Parish) in 2004, and moved its operations to historic Stewart Hall, St. George’s, in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The original Easter Lily Perfume was first produced experimentally, with the assistance of eminent French perfumers, in a small wooden building in Bailey’s Bay. Determined to preserve the traditional methods of perfume making which created the original perfume, the Brackstones retained David Bothello, the perfumery’s perfumer for 45 years, to assist and guide the staff at Lili Bermuda.

Although it has its roots in old-time Bermuda, Lili Bermuda is a thoroughly modern perfumery. The newly opened flagship store in Hamilton is designed to reflect the unique history of the business, while communicating its contemporary, cosmopolitan sophistication. Working with Ramsay-Brackstone’s vision for the new store, Michele Smith of OBM hung original photographs from the Bermuda Perfumery archives, creating murals from some of the more celebrated pictures of ladies in lily fields and gentlemen in Bermuda shorts. Smith then arranged the owner’s antiques to contrast with the sophisticated interior palette. The result is a uniquely Bermudian shopping experience. “Depicting the perfumery’s history is of the utmost importance as 22 | The Bermudian

it is one of the few original Bermudian businesses on Front Street today.

The shop’s charm and elegance take you back in time,” says Smith.

At the same time that Ramsey-Brackstone was opening her new store, she was also launching a rare perfume discovered three years ago in the bow of the Mary Celestia, which sunk off the south shore in 1864. Expert perfumers have analysed the perfume and have been able to recreate the scent with contemporary ingredients. The Bermuda Perfumery can now give visitors (and locals) an opportunity to catch a scent of Bermuda’s history—perfume lost at sea for almost 150 years!

“We’ve spent months investigating and researching, and I’m immensely proud of the body of work we’ve amassed for the global fragrance industry,” explains Ramsay-Brackstone, director of the Bermuda Perfumery. “This story is a fascinating one in so many different domains: for shipwreck divers, historians, as well as perfumers. My goal now is to allow the public to get close to this discovery—to smell the perfume, and experience its notes. I hope by sharing the story of this perfume and its intriguing mystery with the public, we can foster an appreciation and love for fragrance-making in the hearts of many people.”

Needless to say, Ramsay-Brackstone’s passion for this industry radiates through her smile and mirrors the love she has for Bermuda.

She insists that Lili Bermuda be 100 percent Bermudian—made in Bermuda, by Bermudians. A legacy sure to last.

Lili Bermuda’s new flagship store opened in June in Butterfield Place, Front Street, Hamilton. www.thebermudian.com

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From the

Crow’s Nest on Milestones the town anniversaries Food • drink • remembrance • fun

Crows Nest Article Headline Crows Nest article subhead looks like this

Forty Years and Forging Forward Bermuda College reaches a milestone

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elebrating the 40th anniversary of Bermuda College is not as inconsequential as some might be tempted to believe. The significance of the number 40, coupled with the college’s motto—Mirabilia magna portendi (Great and wonderful things are foretold)—make this college milestone singularly significant!

To the serious, casual or simply curious student of numerology, the number 40 denotes the fulfilment or completion of promises or intentions. It is the traditional Hebrew number for the duration of a trial of any kind, and biblical scholars link it specifically to when times are hard, or when a person’s faith is being tested.

With a noble lineage created by the amalgamation of Bermuda College’s three celebrated and antecedent institutions—the Bermuda Technical Institute (1956), established as an all-boys secondary school, renamed the College of Further Education in 1969, and then

24 | The Bermudian

renamed the Department of Commerce and Technology in 1974; the Bermuda Hotel & Catering College (1965); and the Academic Sixth Form Centre (1967)—the visionaries of the day anticipated a single college campus with a mission that was clear: to prepare students for university, to provide career education and to offer technical training in key areas identified by the island in its still developing economy.

In 1974, the college housed its three component facilities at the Roberts Avenue campus. On July 22, 1974, Bermuda College was created by Parliament through the passage of the Bermuda College Act. Under this Act, a board of twelve governors was granted responsibility for the direction and management of the college. This helped to isolate the academic activities of the college from the political process, and enabled the college to accept cultural and leadership roles in the community which (it was deemed) would be denied if it were an arm of government.

Four years later, in 1978, the first board acquired the Stonington property in Paget. A master plan was developed, and the Bermuda government provided funds to commence the construction of the campus in 1979. The Stonington Beach Hotel and the building housing the teaching kitchens and hotel service laboratories were finished and occupied in September 1980. The Stonington Beach Hotel was built primarily to give the students in the several hotel-oriented programmes practical experience. From the outset, this facility, and the opportunity it provided, distinguished the college’s hotel-oriented programmes from similar programmes in other higher education institutions at the time.

The building programme continued with South Hall (1980), renamed Brock Hall in 2009 after the college’s first chief executive officer, Mr. Mansfield Brock; New Hall (1988), renamed Hallett Hall in 2009 after the college’s first president, Dr. Archie Hallett; the www.thebermudian.com

From the Crow’s Nest | Milestones Student Centre (1990); the College Centre (1991); the College Library (1992) and West Hall/Faculty Centre (1993). The opening of North Hall and the Technical Education Centre (Tech Hall) in 1996 completed the single college campus envisaged by the board.

Under the energetic leadership of the college’s first chief executive officer, Mansfield H. Brock Jr. (1974-1977), the college made great strides in upgrading and developing curricula for the education and training of young Bermudians. Advisory committees, established with memberships drawn from professionals in local businesses, helped develop programmes for major trade areas to ensure that Bermuda College graduates were well equipped for employment in the applied sciences and trades. Similarly, basic programmes for the hotel and business industries were developed, while the university-preparatory work of the former Sixth Form Centre was developed through curricula that would match the educational pattern of North American universities, enabling students to obtain credit at an advanced level for the coursework undertaken at Bermuda College. This programme was initially offered as an alternative to the GCE A-levels, and its rapid success in gaining recognition in North American universities soon made it the primary programme for university transfer.

The Stonington Avenue campus has remained committed to the basic tenet of its mission statement of “setting Bermuda’s

students on the paths to success”—for even longer than the recent adoption of the mission statement as such. Literally thousands of students have proudly made the transition from the college to undergraduate, graduate or post-graduate degrees, or have embarked upon long and distinguished careers as a result of the quality, tertiary-level instruction provided here. Just as importantly, it has kept at its core its responsibility to the local community as the only institution of higher education on the island, embracing the community college identity fully in 2003. Bermuda College focuses on opening the door of opportunity to the many that are either unable or unwilling to travel overseas in pursuit of academic or professional qualifications. It is an inclusive institution welcoming all who desire to learn, regardless of wealth, heritage or previous academic experience. Bermuda College represents accessibility, opportunity and options.

The college now offers approximately 40 associate degree, diploma and certificate programmes, affordable tuition, online courses, direct links to undergraduate degrees, articulated agreements with university partners in Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and the United States, and professional credentials or workplace training in 22 diverse fields—from accounting qualifications to activities assistants; from biology to baking and pastries; and from nursing to nail technology.

In 2010, Bermuda College completed a seven-year journey of academic affirmation

by being granted full accreditation status by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)—the same prestigious agency that grants accreditation to such Ivy League universities as Harvard, Yale, MIT and the University of Hartford. At that time, the college was only the seventh international institution to be accredited by this prestigious commission, and the first institution so honoured in the Caribbean region.

Bermuda College also offers its own Associate in Science (Nursing) degree with the island’s only state-of-the-art simulation lab, hosts the renowned CISCO Academy on campus for the latest training for computer information systems to international standards, and has become the premier training centre for the Bermuda government Human Resources and Workforce Development Departments.

Forty years is indeed a milestone for this academic icon in the local community. It has fulfilled and continues to fulfil the promise of higher education and career dreams for all who walk through its gates. It has survived philosophical differences about its purpose, debates about its academic mandate, including those questioning its comparative value to larger and older overseas colleges and universities, and variances about its continued worth in such a diverse economy. Yet all continues to augur well not just for its existence, but for its dogged success in the local community and beyond.

Forty years and forging forward—Mirabilia magna portendi!

Opposite page: Dr. Clifford Maxwell and a fellow lecturer in the 1970s. Above, left: Gerald Simons, Dr Archie Hallett, Lt. Col. Michael Darling at the New Hall opening in 1988. Above, right: Hugh Lewis (far left) instructs hospitality students on wine appreciation in the 1980s. www.thebermudian.com

fall 2014 | 25

Naturally Speaking | written by elizabeth jones

S

ome time ago, I was thinking about how beautiful Bermuda was looking in all its best summer colours when our friends James and Marian invited us to a barbecue in their garden overlooking Ely’s Harbour in Somerset. Though we didn’t realise it when we accepted, that invitation was to introduce us to a colour display we had never before experienced.

Now if there were to be a competition as to which part of Bermuda is the most beautiful, surely Ely’s Harbour would be a very strong contender. When we went to the barbecue, I realised all over again how gorgeous it is. The crenellated coastline, the islets, the play of different lights on limpid waters, the dusky greens of palmetto and casuarina set against a sky blue backdrop—they never fail to make me reach for my camera and try to catch its ever shifting perspectives.

What is also special to the view from James and Marian’s garden is the stretch of uninterrupted horizon beyond the curve of the harbour and the islets. That afternoon we could see the streaks of blue, turquoise and green running parallel to the horizon and as the evening drew near with golden light and a cloudless sky, we knew we were in for a perfect sunset. Then came James’s quiet instruction: “Don’t look directly at the sun, but once it dips below the horizon, look slightly to the right of it and see a ….” I actually couldn’t hear what he said we might see but that didn’t stop me from anticipating.

As I squinted at the skyline, the burning disc of the sun seemed to take forever to slide into the sea, but once it disappeared, I looked immediately to my right and saw—a flash of green. What do I mean by a flash? An explosion of green light across the sky? No. I saw a 26 | The Bermudian

small minty green rectangle, like the emerald stone of a solitaire ring. It flashed for one second, then disappeared.

Were it not for the fact all the other guests saw it as well, I might have thought I’d imagined it. Could we all have imagined it, thanks to James’s generous servings of wine? Were we suffering from illusion, if not downright delusion? Absolutely not. Green flashes after sunset (and also sunrise) have often been recorded, and according to astronomer Andrew T. Young are definitely real and not illusion at all. They are mirages “due to the dispersion of atmospheric refraction.” For those interested in optics, his web page (http://mintaka.sdsu. edu/GF/bibliog/who.html) gives excellent technical descriptions of all different kinds of green flashes and the reasons for them.

On his Green-flash Fallacies and Misconceptions page, he is also rude about Jules

Verne’s novel Le Rayon-Vert which follows the courtship adventures of Scottish heroine Miss Helena Campbell. When asked by her uncles and guardians to consider marriage to the appalling pedant Aristobulus Ursiclos, she announces she will not marry unless she has seen the green ray, which Verne says is “a green which no artist could ever obtain on his palette, a green of which neither the varied tints of vegetation nor the shades of the most limpid sea could ever produce the like! If there is a green in Paradise, it cannot be but of this shade, which most surely is the true green of Hope.”

Why will seeing the green flash help her? Because, Verne says, “At its apparition all deceit and falsehood are done away, and he who has been fortunate enough to behold it is enabled to look closely into his own heart and read the thoughts of others.”

Helena and her uncles go on a green flash quest taking them to my favourite parts of the west coast of Scotland: Oban, Seil, Iona and Staffa. One problem they encounter is finding a horizon unobscured by intervening archipelagos or clouds or ships. In the end, the one time the flash does appear, an “incomparable tint of liquid jade,” she misses it as she flashes loving looks with her true love, Oliver Sinclair, who has opportunely arrived earlier in the book.

James has actually seen the flash several times from his garden, thanks to that section of uninterrupted horizon and unclouded, unpolluted skies. Another friend of mine has seen it at the Fun Golf venue at Snorkel Park in Dockyard. So yet another friend who has wanted to see it for 14 years can take comfort that she doesn’t have to go to Hawaii to see it.

On the right day at the right moment, she can see it right here in Bermuda. www.thebermudian.com

Illustration by Christine Watlington

A Flash of Green

The Consummate Bermudian | written by Charles Gosling From codfish and cocktails, shorts and sports to books and birds and arts and architecture, here is our guide to living the life and having the style and substance of the consummate Bermudian.

The Cocktail Connoisseur Walk into any supermarket or liquor store’s wine section and there will be a new label from a different winery each week. The selection and shelf space devoted to simple choice keeps growing. Pick up any lifestyle magazine and there will be articles on food and wine pairing, vineyard holidays, power couples and their Provence wineries.

Amongst all this hoopla it is perhaps surprising to note that it is the spirit industry which has been growing by leaps and bounds over the last six years or so. Almost every category is “on fire” and this growth is based not only on major jumps in terms of quality or innovation, but also on the return of the cocktail.

While the cocktail phenomenon is strongest in the larger metropolitan markets, you will find “mixologists” (a fancy name for a bartender with imagination and a boss willing to let him play) plying their trade in Bermuda at some of the trendier bars. (Check out Ryan Gibbons at Barracuda Grill, Shawn Lekki and his group at 1609, The Dock at Waterlot, Red and Harry’s.)

Tools of the trade Ice. No matter what type of drink you make, ice is key. Most machine ice is too small and will quickly water down a drink. Ice made from filtered and boiled water will give a perfect crystalline, long-lasting cube.

Glassware. Presentation is key. Riedel, long known for its stemware, also has a selection of highball glasses (tall & thin) and oldfashioned glasses (short & fat)—well-dimensioned, simple shapes of a good weight that allow the drinks to show themselves off.

A stainless steel shaker and shaker glass (a Boston shaker). The shaker is partly filled with ice; the cocktail is “built” in the glass and poured into the shaker with the glass capping off the shaker. With both hands pick 28 | The Bermudian

www.thebermudian.com

Italian Ice Tea A refreshing lunchtime aperitif 1 1/2 oz. Martini & Rossi Sweet Vermouth ginger ale

Bermuda Mojito

Into a tall glass filled with ice, pour vermouth

A crisp, refreshing, moreish Bermuda twist on

and top with ginger ale. Add a splash of

a summer classic by Andrew Holmes, Gos-

soda if you want a dryer cocktail. Stir and

ling’s export brand manager and mixologist.

serve with orange wheel and mint sprig.

1 1/2 oz. Gosling’s Gold Rum 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice 1 1/2 oz. Bermuda Gold Liqueur 6 mint leaves 3 lime wedges 3 oz. Gosling’s Ginger Beer In a highball glass, muddle lime and mint.

Add ice, rum and liqueur, top with ginger

up the shaker and glass, and ensuring there is a seal between the two, shake (holding the glass closest to the shoulder). The bigger the ice, the longer the shake, but there’s more to chill than making slush puppies. Tap the glass against the side of the bar to dislodge the seal, and then strain from the shaker into a serving glass.

A cocktail strainer the same diameter as the stainless steel shaker. A small sieved strainer is also useful for double straining—giving a polished finish to the drink.

A muddler. The lightsaber of mixologists.

In today’s terms it looks like a short, skinny police baton, used to crush or bruise fruit, veggies, herbs or spices, releasing the aromatics and flavours.

A powerful blender. Necessary for the brainfreeze piña coladas, margaritas and other adult smoothies.

A long-stemmed mixing spoon, a sharp knife, a cutting board, a jigger to measure, a cork screw and a church key to open.

Lynchburg Lemonade Essentially a margarita with whiskey and a sparkle 1 oz. Jack Daniel’s 1 oz. Cointreau or Triple Sec Juice 1/2 lemon or 1 oz. sour mix

beer or club soda.Garnish with a lime

Add all ingredients to a glass 2/3 full of ice;

wheel and a fresh mint sprig.

stir and top with 7 Up.

Necessary Ingredients Rum. Bermuda is a rum market and it is not unusual for the same drink to be served with black, gold or white rum. All three play a key role in cocktails (daiquiri, mojito, swizzles, punches and coladas, to name a few) and can knock almost any spirit from its classicingredient perch. A manhattan or a Bloody Mary made with rum, especially Gosling’s Black Seal, has to be tried, and then you can go down the list of other classics. Don’t worry about creativity gibes, at the right moment any association between plagiarism and alcohol is forgiven, even blessed.

Vodka. For a spirit meant to be tasteless, there sure are a lot on the market, and somehow huge differences in flavour, mouth feel and ultimate enjoyment. The ingredient for creating vodka has been, for the most part, whatever is the cheapest source of sugar.

Today the choice has evolved to include grapes (Ciroc and Grey Goose), corn (Tito’s), grain (Absolut), potato/rye/barley (Ultimat) and

some vodkas from Iceland and New Zealand using milk! What has to be recognised is that you can’t put a poor-quality item into a cocktail and expect premium results. “Trash in, trash out” is the maxim. To counter that, use the brands mentioned above to make that special-flavoured martini, sea breeze, etc. Vodka is also great for making infusions.

Seasonal fruit, jalapeno peppers, basil, cilantro and other herbs, even sour gummy bears, can be steeped in vodka for several days to give a completely new look—and taste!—to that same old recipe.

Gin. The Lazarus of the spirit world. Gin was once relegated to staid martinis and G&T’s, until Bombay Sapphire presented a lighter, more elegant flavour profile a couple of decades ago. Today, Scottish Hendrick’s Gin is leading a whole new school using regional/native botanicals, lavender, rose petals, cucumber and other uncommon choices. Barrel-aged gin is the latest, latest thing. It seems a shame to dirty the spotless elegance of a good gin,

Don’t worry about creativity gibes, at the right moment any association between plagiarism and alcohol is forgiven, even blessed. www.thebermudian.com

fall 2014 | 29

sort of like tattooing an Audrey Hepburn or a Grace Kelly.

Whisky. In some respects the cocktail argument is whether to add a cube of ice (possibly), water (sparingly), soda water (never).

While the sales of speed-well scotch (what you get when you are not specific) continue a long slow decline, the sales of 12-year-old, and older, blends and single-malt whiskies continue to soar. In fact, a shortage of age-statement malt whiskies has begun; non-specific-age blends are becoming an economic reality, though not fully accepted by the consumer—yet.

Strangely, given such a conservative consumer, cask finishes—where the whisky is aged for a final period in a cask that previously held another distinct spirit or wine—is seen as a valid “expression” of the distillery.

The whiskeys of America, Canada (whisky) and Ireland have just taken off. The mixability, certainly of the last two, has helped them gain a younger consumer base. The distillery bar, like the brew pub, is a growing phenomenon with whiskey flights preferred over rounds of beer. Old favourites are being explored, discovering the difference, for example, in a

manhattan (⅔ whiskey, ⅓ sweet vermouth) made from a true rye whiskey—while Canada makes rye whisky, most of it is used in blends made from other grains—or from a sour mash ( Jack Daniel’s) or a whiskey made from wheat (Elijah Craig) or corn. On top of that the whiskey makers are following the vodka market with flavours. Honey ( JD and Jim Beam), maple (Crown Royal, of course) and cinnamon are the current leaders.

Bitters and vermouth. Angostura Bitters has long been the bartender’s friend, similar to the close relationship between a chef and salt.

Like salt, it can draw out new perspectives in flavours or bring a recipe to a round completion; it can also dominate the drink’s core.

To be treated as a true tincture of essential essences. A number of new bitters are coming onto the market and some enterprising mixologists are creating their own alchemy.

(Buyer beware—delight and despair aren’t that far apart!) Vermouth, in a way, is a tepid bitters and one that can easily be enjoyed on its own. Wine based, with herbal and bark infusions, the dry (white) turns a vodka or gin shooter into an elegant martini, and added to a whiskey, the sweet (red) “turns Manhattan into an isle of joy.”

Tequila. We all have our entry-intoadulthood stories about tequila; ‘nuff said.

The recent move to super-premium status has essentially focused on two aspects of quality, control and choice. Multiple distillations can carefully remove the harsher alcohols from the distillate; various fermentation methods can add complexity to the flavours; aging in select, old or new casks can soften and again bring new dimensions. While brands like Patron can be sipped by themselves, they can also add a twist to a caipirinha or a daiquiri, or replace the gin in a negroni (equal gin/Campari/sweet vermouth, stirred in ice-filled glass, decorated with orange slice).

This is not an exclusive list, just an essential one. Moving on to include cognac, brandies and liqueurs is a necessary second step, just as necessary as considering the codependent role of the canapé, tapas and hors d’ouvres with all of the above.

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Food & Drink

Pumpkin Rum Walnut Cake An autumnal take on a classic dessert

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3/4 cup walnuts, chopped finely 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice 2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar 4 large eggs, beaten lightly 15 oz. pumpkin puree (fresh or tinned) 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Glaze

ooking with rum

What could be more local—and yum—than cooking up desserts with rum!

R

By Judith Wadson

um has long been synonymous with festive drinks and warm, sunny islands. But its sweet, sugary base has over time easily extended itself to become an integral addition to a host of delicious desserts.

This spirit has also made its way into savoury dishes—particularly Asian-based sauces that require a balance of sweetness with salty ingredients, such as soy sauce.

An all-purpose rum glaze marries well with 32 | The Bermudian

oven-baked ribs or chicken thighs. It is always a winning combination and an easy dinner option when served alongside a salad. Simply blend one cup of Bermuda honey, ½ cup each of rum, fresh lemon juice and Worcester sauce and ⅓ cup of fresh minced rosemary leaves and pour over the ribs or chicken parts that have been placed meat side down in a casserole. Bake for 40 minutes at 325 degrees.

A simple glaze for ham using rum can transform the meat. Simply combine a few tablespoons of brown sugar with a dollop each

1/4 cup unsalted butter 1/2 cup sugar 2 tbsp. water 3 tbsp. rum Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly oil or butter 12-inch tube pan and sprinkle walnuts evenly over bottom of pan.

Combine all dry ingredients in large bowl.

In another large bowl, add butter and sugars and beat with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Fold in eggs followed by pumpkin and vanilla.

Mix until batter is smooth.

Pour batter evenly into tube pan, tapping pan on counter to release any air bubbles. Bake 60 to 70 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool on rack for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add glaze ingredients to small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for about a minute.

Remove from heat.

Gently poke holes into the top of cake and pour the glaze evenly over it.

Let cake cool completely before serving from the pan. www.thebermudian.com

Food & Drink of Dijon mustard and peach preserves and a dash of your favourite rum in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat for a few minutes.

Pour it over the pre-cooked ham and bake until it is warmed through and the glaze has caramelised. Delicious!

On the sweet side, rum pairs easily with chocolate, perks up cooked bananas and creates a taste sensation when heated with sugar and such tantalising spices as cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and nutmeg and drizzled over crepes, cakes, bread pudding and ice cream.

Rum’s big flavour and low cost made it a natural for the development of classic desserts in the Caribbean and Bermuda. The original rum cake recipe was heavy and very similar to that used to create English Christmas or plum pudding. It was adapted to suit the ingredients that were locally available, and baking eventually replaced the standard method of steaming.

Because of its delicious blend of flavours, rum cake took on a starring role and became the centrepiece of Christmas and special occasions throughout the year. It became a must for weddings and christenings. For many demanding aficionados, though, it was too delicious to reserve for just those times, and it earned its place as a year-round dessert. Raisins and currants soaked in rum for 24 hours have also been added to all manner of dessert recipes since the time that the English specialty arrived on this side of the Atlantic.

Like rum, chocolate is a product of the Caribbean, and a premium single-source chocolate bar made with a high percentage of the rare criollo or trinitario bean can make for a simple yet excellent dessert when paired with a fine, aged rum.

Chocolate lovers with a taste for high-end rums (which mimic superior brandies) will find great satisfaction in blending the two.

Trendy pairings of such rums and boutiquestyle chocolate bars have become legendary for some foodies. The two are a magical mix—and the combination is one of the Caribbean’s greatest gifts to the culinary world. You may even discover the ideal blend to fashion some holiday rum balls at a later date.

Alcoholic beverages have been part of Bermudian life from the earliest days, and www.thebermudian.com

sometimes it seems they became too great a part of life. Historical references from men of the cloth cite drinking as more popular than going to church on Sundays!

Rum drinks were concocted ages before rum became a dessert ingredient. Rum was one of the drinks of choice in the American colonies throughout the sixteenth century.

And when British eggnog—with its base of milk, eggs, sugar—crossed the Atlantic to the colonies, rum was added as a cost-effective substitute for imported European brandy.

The simplest recipe—cooked bananas with brown sugar and rum—has long been prepared in Caribbean and Central and South American kitchens. In Bermuda, bananas have been enjoyed in this style, either baked in the oven or cooked on the stovetop, for myriad generations.

Rum from Barbados and Jamaica began making its way to our shores in the late 1600s when Bermuda’s enterprising captains made regular voyages south to trade with Caribbean

Chocolate Rum Pudding This make-ahead dessert is addictive.

But it’s best when savoured slowly.

6 oz. good-quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped finely 3 eggs, separated 1/4 tsp. almond extract 1/4 tsp. fresh nutmeg, grated 2 tsp. light rum Whipped cream Chocolate curls Using a double boiler—with about an inch of water in the bottom pot—melt chocolate in top pot, using a whisk to help the process. Mix in almond extract, nutmeg and rum. Do not let chocolate mixture bubble. Remove from heat, but keep covered.

In separate stainless steel bowl, beat egg yolks until thick and a light lemon colour.

Slowly and evenly, whisk in about a quarter of chocolate mixture into egg yolks. Then very gradually add remaining chocolate—so that the eggs do not curdle.

In a separate stainless steel bowl, beat egg whites into stiff peaks and fold evenly into the chocolate mixture.

Spoon into cordial glasses. Chill. Just before serving, top with whipped cream and chocolate curls.

Serves 4.

fall 2014 | 33

Food & Drink plantation owners and tradesmen. Detailed records of imports from Bermuda into colonial Caribbean ports include livestock and preserved salted meats, fresh produce, honey and beeswax, salt, fine cedar furniture and fashionable palmetto hats.

In the 1700s, the Dutch and Danish Caribbean free ports became a mainstay for Bermudian traders since rum was sold at lower prices in these ports and the merchants’ financial success increased handsomely as a result.

And because Bermudian sloops were faster than most ships, they were much sought after by rum producers to deliver rum and sugar to far-flung destinations.

Bermudian captains’ trading routes expanded to Charleston, South Carolina, and other ports along the colonial North American coast when passengers needed to travel to and from the Caribbean islands and the mainland.

Along with their paid passages, the ships increased trade in all areas. Rum, sugar and other desirable commodities became the main reason for such forays, with handsome profits being the result.

Smuggling rum and other goods into Bermuda became a seriously lucrative business for locals in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Apparently it proved to be impossible to restrain or control the importers. Policing was futile. Large kickbacks were the reward for authorities that turned a blind eye to such shipments. Indeed the conspiracy of silence was the key to success. Local captains regularly off-loaded the bulk of their cargo in the West End before heading to the formal entry port of St. George’s.

Bermuda’s illicit trade was so successful— the late 1700s being a particularly notable period with more than twice the recorded amount of cargo landing than was actually declared—that captains built big houses along the waterside with storage underneath. Many of these homes rivaled those in bustling British colonial North American port cities.

Take a look around the island; some of these magnificent homes are still standing. The recipe for the success of the men who built them and those dishes we enjoy as a result of the arrival of rum remain.

34 | The Bermudian

Bananas with Rum and Brown Sugar This classic Bermudian dessert is cooked on the stove top.

4 bananas, ripe but firm, peeled and cut lengthwise 2 tbsp. unsalted butter 3 tbsp. dark brown sugar 1/2 cup dark rum, measured Sour cream In medium sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter and sugar and whisk until dissolved.

Add bananas, cut side down, for about one minute before turning very carefully.

Remove pan from heat and pour in the premeasured rum.

Return to heat and shake pan to allow rum to ignite.

Let alcohol burn off before shaking pan to coat the bananas.

Cook another minute until glazed and translucent.

Gently place onto dessert plates and top with a tablespoon of sour cream.

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Healthy Bermuda Headline | Headline | Headline

Population Health:

A New Approach to Managing Health for Bermuda The world of health care is undergoing a revolution. There are new rules in play, new treatments, new technology, new expectations, and new costs—basically, a whole new way of doing things. Here in Bermuda, population health is at the forefront of the inspiring changes taking place. It is a comprehensive approach to wellness that is proven to effectively manage the health of a population (groups, companies, communities and even an entire country) and improve overall wellness. It is an interconnected approach and is redefining how wellness is delivered. Now, through a strategic collaboration between the Argus Group and Johns Hopkins Medicine International ( JHMI), the global arm of Johns Hopkins Medicine, population health is being introduced to Bermuda.

What is population health?

Population health is a transformative approach to health care and how we look at health. Beyond the goal of simply being free from disease, population health concentrates

36 | The Bermudian

on how to equip a community with the tools it needs to control the challenges and changes people will encounter throughout their lives.

“We want to provide our customers—and the community—with the tools and knowledge they need to control their own health and lead even more fulfilling lives,” explains Michelle Jackson, executive vice president of Group Health at the Argus Group.

Population health is a holistic approach that considers all aspects of an individual’s lifestyle and well-being, including social circumstances and mental disposition. These factors are then taken into account along with the person’s physical condition and medical history, such as the occurrence of one-off illnesses, as is the case in mainstream health care systems. As part of this new approach, if a patient shows signs of diabetes, for example, the physician, rather than just diagnosing the disease from the symptoms, will also check on the patient’s eating habits, exercise regime and possible allergies, as well as conducting a review and analysis of the individual’s mental well-being.

What makes the holistic approach so relevant is that it doesn’t merely review the symptoms; it also takes into account a person’s social situation and environment—and whether or not that person is likely to visit a doctor. Johns Hopkins University has described this as a social determinant of health, where a programme doesn’t focus solely on health services, but on the wider picture to include access to housing, education, social support, employment and other critical factors that together determine health results. So, in order to improve the health of a population as a whole and reduce the differences in people’s health, these factors must be incorporated into the solution. Social determinants of health include personal practices and behaviour, individual coping skills, human biology, early childhood development, and access to and usage of health services.

The benefits of population health management are extensive and will help individuals over the long term. While a programme may start on a small scale with support for indi-

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Healthy Bermuda viduals, it can be expanded quickly to include a larger group, or even a country’s population. As individuals make changes to become healthier, so do those closest to them.

Johns Hopkins HealthCare LLC has been working in the field of population health for more than 18 years and currently provides health services for three health insurance plans that together serve more than 350,000 members in the United States. It has established best practices in population health management that are rooted in scientific evidence and are proven to deliver positive results.

“Johns Hopkins Medicine has a long history of collaborating in Bermuda and sharing what we know about medicine and health care, whether it’s through clinician training programmes or administrative projects,” says Steven J. Thompson, CEO of JHMI. “Our work with Argus promises even greater opportunity to have a positive effect on the lives of many Bermudians.”

Inequities in Health Care The differences in health care usage are a significant consideration in population health. On average, around 10 per cent of any given population—those with more serious or chronic conditions—use approximately 70 per cent of health care services regularly; a larger group (who do not suffer from serious or chronic medical conditions) use the remainder.

Dr. Linda Dunbar, Ph.D., R.N., vice president of Population Health for Johns Hopkins HealthCare LLC supports these statistics: “A large percentage of the population is in good health, so they will only use limited medical resources on a regular basis, while at the other end of the spectrum, you have a small percentage of people who have significant health care needs.” One of the objectives of population health management is to better balance utilisation of medical resources.

How does it work?

Population health management programmes are designed to improve the overall health and satisfaction of a collective population, while managing costs and utilisation of health care services in ways proven to improve www.thebermudian.com

the health of programme participants and their families. These programmes are carefully monitored and have a positive impact on the population.

The goal is to improve the health of the population through care management for people with high health risks (typically due to complex health conditions), and preventative

On average, around 10 per cent of any given population—those with more serious or chronic conditions—use approximately 70 per cent of health care services regularly; a larger group (who do not suffer from serious or chronic medical conditions) use the remainder. health management for those at lower levels of risk. “We’re excited about the future,” says Jackson. “We’re redefining how we deliver wellness and how we can improve and enhance the programmes that we offer.”

The journey to population health management begins with a focus on a particular population, assessing their health care needs, planning and developing effective programmes designed to address required changes or areas for improvement, and tracking and measuring the programme’s outcome and overall effect on that population.

Initially, Johns Hopkins will conduct assessments, including the gathering and analysis of health-related data. This will serve as the basis for developing health programmes that are customised for the unique medical needs of different health groups in Bermuda. These will include efforts that promote actions to positively affect health and discourage actions that have a negative effect.

In the earliest stages, programmes will concentrate on high-risk patients—those with chronic disease who depend on the health care system to care for them on a regular basis.

Patients with chronic health needs can help themselves with information on prevention, a focus on healthy lifestyle, positive thinking and other strategies that improve health.

The ultimate goal is to get these people out of treatment and enjoying life.

What does this mean for Bermuda?

It means that we can take control of our health. Using a better understanding of the health of populations within Bermuda, and new tools that go beyond those used in traditional health care, Johns Hopkins Medicine’s population health strategy will take a holistic approach to improving individual health results.

Through partnerships with patients, community organisations, public health agencies, social services and health care teams, the programmes will make it easier to access services and to maximise the effects on people’s health.

Argus remains committed to finding sustainable solutions to Bermuda’s health care challenges and, through its wholly owned subsidiary Bermuda Life Insurance Company Limited, Argus has recently developed a strategic collaboration with JHMI to launch an innovative programme aimed at improving the health of Bermuda’s workforce.

“With this collaboration, our aim is to learn from what Johns Hopkins has accomplished in the field of population health management and to bring those measures to Bermuda,” says Alison Hill, CEO of the Argus Group. “The programmes that we implement as a result will improve the health of the people in Bermuda and better manage chronic diseases.”

This is a complex community issue. With a greater understanding of prevention and coping strategies, the overall health of the population will improve. With improved health in a population comes increased productivity and greater financial security; so improving health will benefit the economy.

Wouldn’t we all feel stronger and happier with improved health and greater financial security? Complex or not, the potential outcome is exciting for everyone in Bermuda. fall 2014 | 37

Kids Rule!

38 | The Bermudian

www.thebermudian.com

Local designers and talented mums share their flair as we peek into some cool kids’ bedrooms.

Written by Laura Bell Photography by Ann Spurling

Callie’s Pink Palace Designed by Nicola Lucas

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roving pink can be both girly and glamorous, five-yearold Callie’s new bedroom is the perfect room to grow up in. “Callie wanted a pink room when she moved out of the nursery as a big girl into her own real room and we needed a room that guests could also stay in. We also wanted this room to grow with her,” explained mum, Nicola Lucas, the talented seamstress who owns Aqua Designs.

To make sure she had a bed she could grow into, they purchased an off-white queen-sized bed from Pottery Barn Teens.

The pink floral and butterfly duvet is from Pottery Barn and the Roman shades were made in the UK. A seamstress by trade, Lucas made the curtains herself and painted the walls in two shades of pink.

The loft above the bed was also custom-made by Lucas and her husband, Ben, to contain all Callie’s Lego, books and other toys.

“She spends many hours up there,” said Lucas. “Often I can’t find the kids and they will be quietly playing in their lofts!”

Twinkling fairy lights below add to the magic of this very girly-but-glam room that any little girl would surely to be proud to call her own.

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fall 2014 | 39

Carter’s Sea Creatures Designed by Christina Davis

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rafty mum Christina Davis scoured the web for inspiration for son Carter’s charming sea-creature-themed nursery. “A family member sent us the link to the [sea-creatures] rug, thinking that it was cute and that we might like it. I loved it and that became my inspiration as I worked in the colours and animals from the rug throughout the room,” said Davis. The former guest room was already painted green, so Davis found navy blue and white accents like the prints above the changing table, the large whale decal, Carter’s name decal above the crib and the navy pillow covers on the bed from one of her favourite sites, etsy.com.

40 | The Bermudian

“I love Etsy because I feel like you can make a personal connection with the crafters and they are located all over the world,” said Davis. “For example, I found the mobile above the crib on Etsy and contacted the seller, who was located in France, to ask if she could make something similar in my colour scheme. I sent her a picture of the rug and she even offered to change out one of the animals to include the octopus. I am so happy with how it turned out!”

Using local shippers, Sea Venture (Overseas) Shipping and Conspec Imports, Davis outfitted the room with a crib and rug from Wayfair.com, linens from Pottery Barn and Target, a rocker and ottoman from Walmart

and blackout shades from Bed Bath & Beyond. The bed, dresser and mirror were eMoo.com finds that Davis spruced up with a fresh coat of paint, and she made the curtains herself.

“I like being crafty so I enjoy adding some of my own things myself, even if it is just a small touch,” added Davis. “The lamps, for example, were very inexpensive and plain from Walmart, but I added the navy ribbon embellishment with a hot-glue gun. EMoo is also great for a budget, and repainting furniture (especially white) is an easy project.”

We suspect Carter, and his mum, will be enjoying his room for many years to come. www.thebermudian.com

Charlie’s Cheerful Room Designed by Emily Hopkin

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ou know you are destined to have the coolest room on the preschool block when your mum is an interior designer! Four-year-old Charlie is lucky indeed to have Emily Hopkin, an interior designer at Linberg & Simmons, as his mum. His cheery yellow bedroom is filled with colourful accents, like his aqua bed from the Land of Nod and vibrant Andy Warhol animal prints. A tree decal complete with flowers and butterflies from the Land of Nod adds even more colour and style. When asked her inspiration for the room design, Hopkin says: “It just had to be a colourful and fun mix of patterns and accessories.”

“Yellow is a great ‘neutral’ that will match with anything so it works well with the aqua bed and the animal prints and wall decal, yet is a happy colour,” she adds. “I didn’t want the www.thebermudian.com

room to look like a bedroom set so I mixed the finishes of the furniture with white, a medium wood tone and the aqua-coloured bed.

I changed up the boring knobs on the dresser, the nightstand and the closet bi-fold doors with a mix of patterned, coloured and shaped ceramic knobs.” Hunter Douglas Roman shades from Furniture Flair work as elegant window treatments, with blackout blinds from Home Depot added underneath to block out the sun for Charlie’s naps.

A colourful striped tent from the Land of Nod makes a perfect spot for Charlie to hide from his one-year-old sister, and two bean-bag cushions from Anthropologie make jumping off the bed that much more enjoyable! Cheerful and full of fun, we think Charlie’s room will soon be the talk of the playground. fall 2014 | 41

Pippa’s Perfect Nursery Designed by Emily Hopkin

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erfect for a polished little princess-intraining, Pippa’s nursery, also by interior designer mum, Emily Hopkin, is proof that kids’ rooms don’t have to be so, well, childish. “I don’t think everything has to be babyish in a child’s room,” said Hopkin. “You can have sophisticated artwork too. It makes it more interesting and the room ‘style’ last longer.”

A Gustav Klimt print of a mother and child is featured on the wall, along with a colourful strand of balls—a find from a business trip in New York City—strung above the

42 | The Bermudian

Pottery Barn crib. “I came across some twinkle lights with round colourful balls. I removed the lights and strung the balls on string and this acts as a feature on the main wall. The coloured balls pull in colours from the rug and other accessories,” said Hopkin.

The vibrant animal-themed rug from Anthropologie was borrowed from her brother Charlie’s room to liven up the wall-to-wall carpet from Furniture Flair. “We reused the colourful animal print rug from Charlie’s room and put it in the centre of Pippa’s to

fill the void,” said Hopkin. “The crib doesn’t take up much space so there was all this beige carpet that needed something. I like to use these woven rugs as layers—they work well on top of carpet as an accent.”

A pale mint green rocking chair from Four Seasons Furniture adds further sophistication, while a custom niche with recessed shelving is a grown-up way to display family photos, artwork and other trinkets. With a mum like Hopkin, we expect Pippa will always have a room many grown-up princesses will want to share. www.thebermudian.com

Dylan’s Shark Cave Designed by eye4design

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wimming with style, this marinethemed room for six-year-old Dylan is a shark-lovers paradise. Choosing various shades of blues to represent the ocean, Janice Burke from eye4design created this highly customised room using mainly recycled pallet wood.

“Dylan originally had a double bed in his room and his mum thought two twin beds would work better,” said Burke. “I wanted the beds to be different heights so that he could sleep on the taller one and hide underneath it and use the lower bed as a couch. We made the beds from plywood—12-inch spruce painted white—and used pallet wood for the legs. I wanted the headboard to run the

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whole length of the beds and I loved the idea of the hammerhead shark protruding from it. We painted the pallet wood planks blues, grey and white (and left some natural} and assembled them directly onto a wood frame on the wall.” The team also created a Lego table from pallet wood, custom shelves in the shape of surfboards and a humpback whale wall art piece. They found the deep ocean-blue area rug at Souza Carpets, and the linens and pillows were from Gibbons Company.

We suspect this budding marine biologist will have many dreams in this room of swimming carefree in the ocean—just beware those sharks! fall 2014 | 43

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Charlie & the Whales Designed by eye4design

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here is no doubt baby Charlie will have a whale of a time growing up in his sophisticated, but fun, nursery created by Janice Burke from eye4design.

“Charlie’s parents [Katie and Adam Richards] said that they liked the colours grey and yellow and wanted a nautical theme,” said Burke. “I found a fabric with grey, yellow, black and white and—with the nod of approval from the parents-to-be—I bounced my design from that fabric.”

Dominating the space is a spectacular custom art piece featuring two giant whales and a dolphin created by Burke’s business partner, Carla Marquardt, from one-by-six-inch spruce planks, sanded and painted to look “beachy.”

“In my head I wanted big animals,” she continued. “I was initially thinking of elephants actually, but Carla had cut out a whale for her Harbour Nights artwork and I thought it was cute. It was then I thought of two huge

whales—Moby and Moby’s mate—and Flipper the dolphin following.”

Summer student Shelby painted the walls in slightly different shades of cool grey and dappled on white and yellow “bubbles.”

Custom pillows from Anslies and cushions from Gibbons Company enhance the IKEA daybed with pops of yellow, while a sleek grey Babyletto Hudson convertible crib provides a perfect spot for Charlie’s rest.

Next to the daybed, using natural wood tones to warm up the space, eye4design created a beautiful custom table out of pallet wood, which was sanded and coated with polyurethane to bring out the beautiful colour in the wood and in the starfish art hanging on the wall above the crib.

With cool greys enhanced with warm wood tones and pops of energising yellow, this elegant room will no doubt grow up right along with little Charlie. www.thebermudian.com

Rory’s Pirate Paradise Designed by Nicola Lucas

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hiver me timbers! This pirate-themed room for eight-year-old Rory was cleverly designed by his mum, Nicola

Lucas.

“Rory wanted to move into our spare room about a year ago and wanted us to ‘do it up’ like a pirate ship,” said Lucas. “We compromised as we wanted it to last him for many years and went for a pirate/ocean theme. I wanted to build the loft as we have such high ceilings and I wanted to get all his Lego off www.thebermudian.com

the floor. This gave him a place to play with his Lego—and other toys—where he could leave it spread out. He manages to keep his room tidy down below but I try not to look up the top too much!”

The loft was custom designed and built by Lucas and her husband, Ben; Lucas painted the ombré walls herself using paint from Pembroke Paint. “The ombré effect was achieved by choosing three colours then adding white to each, painting the darkest colour

and then gradually blending each subsequent shade into the previous colour.”

As for the rest of the room, the shark-print duvet covers and the deep blue curtains were from Pottery Barn Kids and the teal blue beds were from Young American. “We have had them for several years; they were bunks but Rory preferred them as single beds,” said Lucas.

There will certainly be no walking the plank around here as this young pirate has a perfect space to enjoy for many years to come. fall 2014 | 45

Grandsons’ Great escape Designed by By Design Ltd.

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hoy mateys! This nautical-themed bedroom suite—complete with porthole window, rope trim and custom fish area rug—was created by the team at By Design Ltd. for their client’s two young grandsons when they come to visit.

“Our client wanted a space that would grow with the boys, so the foundation of the room is generic and can easily grow with them,” said interior designer Jill Henneberger. “The room has a slight nautical feel with the porthole window and rope trim on the millwork, but the current aquatic theme found in the linens, custom fish area rug and accessories can easily be changed as needed.”

46 | The Bermudian

The beds and bookshelves were thoughtfully designed by the By Design team and built by Convoy Custom Interiors. “The beds and bookcase millwork were custom made to suit the room’s parameters,” explained Henneberger. “The captain’s-style beds have deep drawers with soft-close glides so little fingers do not get trapped and flush pulls so shins are not scraped. The beds also have a nightstand concealed in the top drawer closest to the pillow to hold a book and glass of water for bedtime, but the nightstands can be closed away when not needed—to maximise play space. The built-in bookshelves, with storage cabinets and baskets under the long window

seat, are the perfect place to store all the fabulous things that ‘Yaya’ seems to find.

“The two leather poufs are covered in waterproof leather so the boys can use them as seats and as ladders to get into their elevated beds,” the designer added. “The headboards and window seat are also in waterproof leather—a perfect solution for areas that may be subject to accidents. We also provided lighting over the beds for reading and extended the existing details into the room, such as the coved ceiling and crown moulding.”

And just like us, apparently the four-yearold grandson was speechless the first time he saw the room! www.thebermudian.com

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fall 2014 | 47

The Significance of Shipwrecks Written by Kristina Kenniker Photography by LookBermuda/Chris Burville

“Exploring and conserving shipwrecks is so expensive: why do we need to spend money on it?”

This is a question I’ve been asked on several occasions and honestly, it is a fair question. When I first started working for the Waitt Institute as a research assistant, many of the projects they supported involved historic shipwrecks and, as noted, these are usually quite expensive, and often dangerous expeditions. With the global economy still recovering, dire warnings about the state of our environment, and our educational systems struggling to transition into the twenty-first century, people often ask if funding wouldn’t be better spent elsewhere. So I set out to ask a couple of people with caring expertise how they would respond to such a question. The answers I received were diverse; yet, interestingly, all of the responses are compelling enough on their own to not only continue exploring and conserving, but perhaps even to do it with greater urgency than ever before.

A version of this article first appeared in Quest: The Journal of Global Underwater Explorers 48 | The Bermudian

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Above: Mary-Celestia Shipwreck gigapixel image created by JeanPierre Rouja for LookBermuda | LookInteractive in collaboration with the Department of Conservation Services. The image is a composite of over 600 individual images, an interactive version of which can be seen on www.mary-celestia.com. Right: Joe Lapore, Chief Dive Safety Officer at the Waitt Institute, holds one of the recovered wine bottles during transfer from the Mary Celestia to the surface.

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ost people are familiar with the view that shipwrecks are very important for understanding our past, which is exactly why I chose to speak with Dr. James Delgado, Director of Maritime Heritage in the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Not only is Dr. Delgado considered one of the world’s foremost experts in maritime archaeology, he is also incredibly balanced and practical in his thinking, which came through loud and clear when we sat down to discuss the need to explore and conserve shipwrecks.

“Our waterways are our ancient highways; they are the means by which humans spread out across the globe. So much of our history is hidden beneath the surface of our oceans…our past is lying there waiting to be discovered and tell its story.” Dr. Delgado’s response is what most of us would think, albeit in more eloquent language. He went on to point out that every shipwreck that sits beneath the water is a tragic moment in history. Most often, lives were lost and human remains are likely entombed within or around the wreck site. When a shipwreck is located and identified, we are then able to bring closure to the stories of the men and women who lost their lives and honour them with a proper burial ceremony.

This was the case on one of Dr. Delgado’s most recent projects when his team, aided by a group of local divers, was able to identify a wreck that had baffled experts for decades off the coast of New Jersey. The www.thebermudian.com

wreck turned out to be the Robert J. Walker, a U.S. Coast Survey (a predecessor to NOAA) steamship that went down on June 21, 1860, taking with her the lives of 20 men and women. After the team was able to identify the vessel, they held a ceremony for the victims and laid a wreath over the remains.

Shipwrecks and Ocean Conservation Dr. Philippe Rouja, Bermuda’s Custodian of Historic Wrecks, provides another perspective from which to advocate the need for exploration and conservation. Dr. Rouja is a medical anthropologist by training, a marine archaeologist by vocation and a marine conservationist by passion, so you can imagine that his viewpoint is going to be unique. He believes strongly that shipwrecks are some of our most fall 2014 | 49

Dr Philippe Rouja and volunteer diver Stuart Joblin use a water dredge to remove the upper sand layer from the forepeak of the Mary Celestia site at the beginning of the excavation.

“Everyone is excited by shipwrecks. You can tell pretty much anyone the story of finding a wreck and they will listen intently…it excites them. It isn’t the treasure that intrigues them so much, rather it is the thrill that one experiences at the moment of discovery…we all want to share in that.” — Dr. Philippe Rouja —————————————————————— valuable resources in more ways than one.

When I first asked my question, Dr. Rouja was a little uncertain how to answer. After all, the idea of not exploring and conserving shipwrecks seemed completely absurd to him; it was as if I were speaking in a foreign language. He cited many of the same reasons as Dr. Delgado, yet as our conversation continued, it took a turn in an unexpected direction.

“Everyone is excited by shipwrecks. You can tell pretty much anyone the story of finding a wreck and they will listen intently…it excites them. It isn’t the treasure that intrigues them so much, rather it is the thrill that one experiences at the moment of discovery…we all want to share in that.” He went on to explain that shipwrecks are often the first thing that intrigues people about our oceans and what lies beneath 50 | The Bermudian

the surface. “Shipwrecks are broadly appealing [and] fascinating, and explorers are doing an amazing job of sharing their discoveries with the world through images and films.” Thanks to divers and their willingness to share their discoveries, more and more people are looking below the surface and peering into a realm that is less explored and understood than the surface of the moon.

Dr. Rouja then went on to say, “Shipwrecks are an invaluable resource for raising awareness about our oceans.” It is a well-established fact that shipwrecks have some of the most diverse and dense biomass concentrations of any ocean environment. He went on to explain that as people see films or read the magazines and look at these wrecks, they are also looking at corals, anemones, fish—a melting pot of marine biodiversity. The hope is that the story of a shipwreck will draw in a broad audience, and the visions they see of life in the subaquatic realm will spark their curiosity and ignite a lifelong passion for the oceans. We want—wait, scratch that—we need the world to come and see the documentaries, visit museums, read books, look at pictures…and be excited, ask questions, inspire research and drive conversations. Shipwrecks are the ideal triggers to launch people’s curiosity and inspire them to care for our most valuable resource, our oceans.

A Race Against Time As noted earlier, shipwrecks contain something even more valuable than the cargo they may be carrying. They hold historical information www.thebermudian.com

that has yet to be recorded, entombed lives that cannot be resurrected, and they provide habitats for marine life that is often threatened, endangered or on the verge of extinction. With that said, every day that a wreck goes undiscovered, it deteriorates a little more, making it harder to identify and, therefore, limiting the information that can be gleaned from it. With every moment that passes, these wrecks run the risk of being destroyed by both natural and man-made causes.

Brendan Foley of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution wrote a compelling paper entitled “Impact of Fishing on Shipwrecks” that warns of the irreparable damage caused by commercial fishing activities. He discusses both the environmental implications and the losses to the historical record that can be brought about through activities such as trawling and even the use of illegal dynamite.

Foley points out, “Wrecks are artificial reefs, with entire ecosystems forming around them.

Where there are fish, fishermen are not far behind.” He goes on to say, “Ancient shipwrecks are more delicate [than modern wrecks].

Because the wooden hull is consumed by a variety of animals, an ancient shipwreck typically consists of ceramic or inorganic artifacts lying on the sea floor. If a trawl net is dragged through an ancient wreck, these delicate objects will be smashed and scattered. Repeated trawls may eliminate all traces of the wreck.”

With fishing technology advancing at a breakneck pace, fishermen are not only locating fish with more efficiency, they are also unintentionally locating shipwrecks due to the fact that they are where fish like to congregate, especially during spawning season.

Spawning aggregation at the Mary Celestia site—an example of marine human heritage helping nurture natural heritage. www.thebermudian.com

Dr. Rouja confirming by flashlight the presence of “air bubbles” in the necks of the still-corked wine bottles recovered from the Mary Celestia—suggesting that the liquid inside may have remained uncontaminated by seawater over the last 150 years.

About the Mary Celestia

O

n September 6, 1864, the American Civil War blockade runner Mary Celestia struck a reef off Bermuda’s south shore and sank just offshore from the site of the former Sonesta Beach Hotel.

A popular site for scuba divers, the wreck sits 55 feet below the surface with the ships paddle wheels, anchor and bow still very visible above the sand.

The wreck is buoyed under the Bermuda Dive Sites programme, established by the Marine Environment Committee of the Bermuda National Trust in association with the Ministry of Environment, and is protected with a 300 metre no-fishing limitation.

After Hurricane Bill passed 80 miles off Bermuda on August 22, 2009, a post- hurricane survey was conducted by Dr. Philippe Rouja, Bermuda’s Custodian of Historic Wrecks. On that dive, Dr. Rouja recovered an intact bottle of wine from the Mary Celestia, and a rescue marine archaeology project to excavate the sand inside the bow of the Mary Celestia was born.

In January 2011, a second survey following a winter storm revealed even more secrets of the Mary Celestia when five bottles of wine were discovered lodged inside the bow of the wreck, still packed inside a wooden crate and corked—with their liquid contents intact after 147 years underwater. The loca-

tion of the wine and packing cases in the small front bulkhead suggests the stash was private contraband, separate from the Mary Celestia’s general cargo.

As the archeological excavation progressed, clearing the site of four feet of sand, the team uncovered more artifacts including several pairs of shoes and a wooden “last,” a form used by shoemakers to manufacture shoes, a wooden hairbrush and two other bottles, which analysis and research have identified as a nineteenth-century cologne and perfume. Both bottles were intact and sealed with their original contents inside.

One of the bottles, clear glass with a narrow neck, was filled with a yellow-green liquid and corked. It was embossed “Murray & Lanman, No. 69 Water Street, New York, FLORIDA WATER.” That firm, founded in 1808, remains in business although now relocated to New Jersey. The original 1808 formula for this citrus cologne was enjoyed in 1864 and can still be appreciated today.

LookBermuda/LookFilms is coproducing a film on the Mary Celestia with South Carolina PBS affiliate SCETV for US Public Broadcasting that will air in 2015. The film will be made available to the island schools via the LookBermuda Educational Media Foundation. For more information please visit www.mary-celestia.com fall 2014 | 51

The Divers’ Contribution

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Interestingly, both Drs. Delgado and Rouja noted the important role that divers play in adding to the narrative of shipwrecks. Divers are often the first to locate a wreck, the first to explore them, and also the ones who provide scientists with the initial data used to begin identifying a shipwreck. This was the case with the Robert J. Walker. In the 1970s, local divers had first been alerted to a possible wreck by fishermen and purchased the coordinates for $25 so they could explore it. The divers in turn alerted marine archaeologists and shared the information they found over the years, eventually leading to the identification of the wreck.

Dr. Rouja works closely with local Bermuda divers and credits them with contributing substantial amounts of information that is used in identifying and understanding wreck sites. Take for example, the Mary Celestia. She has long been one of Bermuda’s most popular dive sites. Knowledgeable local divers knew that items were regularly exposed on the ship after heavy storms. After a particularly strong winter storm event that saw huge swells pound the south shore of Bermuda and the site of the Mary Celestia local divers quickly alerted Dr. Rouja of the potential for artifacts to be exposed. Quickly diving the site, he found signs of a stash of contraband that had been hidden deep in the bow, and covered by sand for nearly 150 years! The artifacts included perfectly corked wine, perfume, cologne, and even shoes. Local divers quick action lead Dr. Rouja to team up with Dr. Delgado, the Waitt Institute, and local volunteer divers to perform a proper investigation of the newly discovered artifacts. All of this was possible because of the local divers who first made the discovery.

Kristina Kenniker is a passionate advocate for ocean exploration and conservation. Her primary focus has been on fisheries issues, particularly understanding the global impacts of their health and well-being. She got her start as a research assistant to the executive director of the Waitt Institute where she worked with explorers and scientists from around the world.

Currently serving as codirector on two documentary films that focus on fishery concerns, Kristina is also the director of research for a pharmaceutical research firm in Princeton, New Jersey, where she lives with her two favourite explorers, her children, Grace and Jack. www.thebermudian.com

We always strive for the gold standard.

Now we are the gold standard.

Nakia Foggo, Internal Auditor, Group Risk & Compliance At Argus, we’re committed to people – both customers and employees.

That’s why we’re so pleased to have achieved the Investors in People Gold award and one of the highest scores ever awarded to any organization. To us, this confirms that we are investing in our greatest asset – our people – and that will in turn help our business perform even better for you – our customer.

argus.bm • 298-0888 “Argus” and “the Argus Group”, collectively refers to Argus Group Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries.

Rising

Stars 54 | The Bermudian

www.thebermudian.com

Nakia Foggo, Jo-Rena Davis, Caroline Berlo, Mathew McBeath, Carlita Lodge, Laura Norman, Aleasha Pearman, Kimberly Moore, Nicholle Monish.

Young, ambitious and quickly working their way to the top in Bermuda’s business world, meet this year’s crop of twenty-somethings on the fast track.

Written By Charles Doyle Photos by Scott Tucker

www.thebermudian.com

fall 2014 | 55

A

s too many of our young Bermudians know, in today’s climate fulfilling employment can be difficult to come by. Lingering negative economic factors have shrunk our population—and thus our workforce—with the knock-on effect of fewer businesses taking chances on hiring inexperienced youth. The talent is certainly here, but opportunities for young people can appear bleak in the face of our unemployment problem.

Luckily, the tide is turning, as evidenced by this year’s impressive crop of nominees for our annual Rising Stars feature. All in their 20s (as of this writing), they’ve begun to establish fulfilling careers in varying fields and are part of the first generation to thrive in the workforce as the global recession comes to an end. The Rising Stars of 2014 are our future leaders, thinkers and philanthropists, and The Bermudian is proud to introduce them to you.

STAR Laura Norman

I

mmersed in the complex world of financial and professional liability (FINPRO) insurance, 24-year-old Laura Norman started at Bermuda’s Bowring Marsh branch in 2011 as one of their youngest full-time employees. Thriving in an environment that requires skills both quantitative and personal, she values face-to-face interactions and networking with industry players as pointed advantages to working in a small place like Bermuda. Having originally applied as a summer intern, Norman—and her talents—stood out so much that Bowring Marsh decided to forgo her internship and hire her as a technical assistant immediately out of school, putting her abilities quickly to the test.

Three years later, Laura has climbed to the rank of assistant vice president (FINPRO), crediting loving, supportive parents and a humble upbringing as two of the many keys to her success. As for employable virtues, she credits her organisational skills, in the face of her job’s many moving parts, as crucial to helping prove herself upon starting with the company. For inspiration, she looks to female power players like Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg, and Yahoo! CEO, Marissa Mayer, who overcame the odds to succeed in an industry typically dominated by men. In terms of overcoming her own adversity, Laura isn’t 56 | The Bermudian

Jason Lowe, HSBC

one to bet against. After suffering severe heatstroke during a 2013 triathlon, she used the setback as an excuse to train even harder for the next one, and she applies the shared virtues of commitment, training and hard work to her professional life. “If you don’t put in the training, you don’t see the results,” she adds.

STAR Jason Lowe

P

roving that helping others plan their futures makes for a rewarding career, 29-year-old Jason Lowe is a premier relationship manager at HSBC Bank Bermuda Limited and loves the company he works for. “As a relationship manager, I strive to provide solutions that will help my clients’ dreams become reality,” he says, speaking to

Monish stresses the ability to accept constructive criticism from peers.

“There are very few people who actually set goals to see you fail,” she says.

- Nicholle Monish

www.thebermudian.com

his passion for assisting Bermuda’s residents to achieve their financial and personal goals.

Lowe’s enthusiasm for customer service is inspired by his late father, the Reverend Dr. Wilbur Lowe Jr., JP, whose selflessness he says was “a positive force to be reckoned with.”

As a short-term goal, Lowe plans to seek his certified financial planner (CFP) accreditation, which will allow him to offer enhanced knowledge as another asset to his clients.

Lowe’s advice for those starting a career in banking is to be well read and informed about the field, particularly in terms of how their role fits into the bigger picture. “If you can understand the many dynamics of your industry and how they interconnect, it will provide you with insight into your current position as well as highlight future career opportunities,” he says, and adds that networking with colleagues is equally important to

personal development. Crediting a foundation of faith and strong belief in Jesus Christ as key to his advancement, Lowe’s philosophy regarding personal obstacles is to treat them equally since he believes categorising them as large or small can lead to anxiety and lack of focus. When asked of his loftiest ambition, he states: “One day I would like to be the CEO of a major company. HSBC Bank Bermuda Limited is at the top of my list. What a great story that would make.”

STAR Nicholle Monish

E

mbarking on one of Bermuda’s most popular and competitive career paths, 29-year-old Nicholle Monish has had a rewarding year since starting as a finance manager for Marsh IAS Management (Bermuda) Limited in April 2013. Formerly

an auditor, she now manages multiple captive companies that require frequent interaction with professionals across the globe, and credits such networking opportunities as helping her to become well rounded. “I wanted to be in a position where I could assist companies in making their decisions,” she says of why she originally left auditing for finance, stressing her achievement in securing a front-facing role.

Monish is inspired by everyone around her, and values a number of mentors by whom she’s been influenced through all stages of her career development. With a short-term plan to complete multiple insurance exams for quick advancement, she cites “to retire at age 50” as her loftiest ambition—a goal she’s well on the way to achieving with her resourceful attitude. Noting being “too nice” as her biggest obstacle, she recognises, nonetheless,

From left: Nakia Foggo, Argus Group; Laura Norman, Bowring Marsh; Kimberly Moore, BF&M www.thebermudian.com

fall 2014 | 57

From left: Jo-Rena Davis, Fairmont Hamilton Princess; Mathew McBeath, Elbow Beach Hotel; Carlita Lodge, Fairmont Southampton.

that this quality has helped her build strong business relationships in Bermuda’s business culture. Asked what advice she would give to someone starting out in her industry, Monish stresses the ability to accept constructive criticism from peers. “There are very few people who actually set goals to see you fail,” she says.

STAR Jo-Rena Davis

S

ocial skills and a positive attitude are two traits essential to client relations— a lesson that 25-year-old Jo-Rena Davis has taken to heart younger than most in her field. As sales and marketing coordinator for the Fairmont Hamilton Princess, she has launched headfirst into this high-energy hospitality role at an early age, grateful for the 58 | The Bermudian

opportunity to work at what she describes as her “favourite hotel.” Securing this position so impressively young is a testament to Davis’s talent, acknowledged early on at her previous company, a London-based event management company which had her deeply involved in a complex programme with over 60,000 participants. “The [event management] role gave me the opportunity to demonstrate in practice what I had learned in theory,” she says, describing the experience she gained in an applied setting as essential to landing the Fairmont job.

Davis’s advice to young people seeking a career in public relations is blunt and succinct.

“Decide what it is you want to achieve and just do it,” she says, highlighting the importance of focus and a driven attitude. With her ultimate

dream to become director of sales at Fairmont Monte Carlo, it’s clear she loves the company she’s part of, and is working towards becoming sales manager for the Fairmont Bermuda Group as a short-term goal. Crediting her sister as the person who motivated her to pursue what she most enjoyed doing as a career, Davis’s current inspirations are her colleagues: “There is so much experience in our team, and my peers make a conscious effort to pass it on.”

STAR Nakia Foggo

I

f anyone exemplifies Raleigh International’s success as a youth development charity, it’s 26-year-old Nakia Foggo, internal auditor at the Argus Group. Having embarked on a three-month expedition to Namibia with www.thebermudian.com

Raleigh immediately upon graduating from Berkeley in 2006, her intelligence was quickly recognised by one of her fellow travellers with connections at Argus, and the rest is history.

With her talents discovered and secured by a local company before she’d even gone to university, Foggo benefits from a long-standing professional relationship that developed throughout her post-secondary education and right into her career. Argus “consistently invited me back to work as a student during breaks from university,” she says, proving the company’s well-placed confidence in her abilities.

In the workplace, Foggo appreciates that her position removes her from her comfort zone “just enough to stretch me and help me grow,” such growth being fundamental in the ever-evolving field of auditing. Stressing patience as a key professional virtue, she recommends that anyone starting on this career path be able to view positive steps, no matter how small, as “seeds,” without getting frustrated at what they might perceive as slow advancement. “You may not start out in your dream position, but with a positive attitude and commitment to your work, you’ll get

there eventually.” Foggo’s next big career goal is to acquire her professional certified internal auditor designation, a naturally smart step towards her ultimate ambition of becoming senior management at one of Argus’s global offices. “The plan is to be a seasoned veteran, one of the best Argus has ever seen!”

STAR Matthew McBeath

O

ne who fostered an early interest in business’s most essential service industry, 26-year-old Matthew McBeath is information technology (IT) manager at the Elbow Beach Hotel. “Technology is always changing, so I am always learning,” he says, speaking to the integrated nature of today’s gadget culture and the importance of being a “jack-of-all-trades.” McBeath’s early start in the industry was key to his impressive advancement. Having filled his resume with related experience during summer breaks, he was a desirable candidate for an internship at KPMG upon completing high school. With former employers including Easy Access Consulting, The Total Group and Northrock Communications (now Logic), his credentials

“Without IT, businesses cannot operate,” he says, while acknowledging the personal downside associated with a 24/7 service.

- Matthew McBeath

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We’re making it our purpose to help build a better working world.

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Better begins here: ey.com/betterworkingworld, #betterworkingworld

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The things that affect you and the things you affect.

fall 2014 | 59

From left: Caroline Berlo, Ernst & Young; Nicholle Monish, Marsh IAS Management; Aleasha Pearman, People’s Pharmacy.

were soon noticed by Elbow Beach.

McBeath describes networking as one of the most enjoyable and rewarding aspects of his job, highlighting the importance of resourcepooling in his professional life. He plans to apply his work experience to acquiring a pair of IT certifications (Microsoft & Cisco Systems, respectively), with the ultimate goal of becoming chief information officer at a local or international company and owning his own IT business. “Without IT, businesses cannot operate,” he says, while acknowledging the personal downside associated with a 24/7 service.

For helping him get to where he is today, McBeath thanks everyone from former educators to previous and current employers, adding that when it comes to influential figures in his life, there are “too many people to list.”

60 | The Bermudian

STAR Carlita Lodge

I

want both my personal and my professional life to help shape the future of Bermuda,” says 26-year-old Carlita Lodge, civic-minded marketing and communications manager at the Fairmont Southampton hotel. Promoting the public image of one of Bermuda’s most iconic resorts, she values Bermuda’s people as its “true beauty,” and keeps a busy schedule communicating the local culture to visitors. With a job that spans multiple skill sets and responsibilities, Lodge appreciates the opportunity to “shape the perception” of the island for the good of its tourism product. Thankful to represent an employer that provides growth opportunities for young Bermudians, she also gets

“If you have the drive, you can, and you will, achieve your goals no matter what obstacles are in your way,” she says, stating that currently her loftiest ambition is to complete her bachelor’s degree. ‑­Aleasha Pearman

www.thebermudian.com

to advocate for the hospitality industry to student interns as a rewarding side benefit of her job. Lodge takes inspiration from Bermudian icon Ruth Thomas, whose contributions to society she says have “shaped the fabric of Bermuda’s culture and community.”

Advising those starting out in her industry not to underestimate the flexibility of their talents and skills, she states that while she never expected to end up in hospitality, it turned out to be an ideal career choice given her passions. Lodge thanks her parents for instilling in her the values of education and persistence, which have served her well as a female professional in a competitive economic climate. “I believe as a young woman, you have to work harder to assert yourself as a legitimate and worthwhile business person,” she says, echoing a common workplace sentiment.

As one with a bright future at the Fairmont Group, it’s clear she’s overcome this adversity.

degree. The hurdles, however, made her a more resilient person who was eager and doubly determined to get ahead. “If you have the drive, you can, and you will, achieve your goals no matter what obstacles are in your way,” she says, stating that currently her loftiest ambition is to complete her bachelor’s degree.

STAR Caroline Berlo

I

f anyone has ever told you that auditing is a boring field, they’ve clearly never met 22-year-old Caroline Berlo, enthusi-

astic staff accountant at Ernst & Young. “Auditing is actually a respected and extremely social career,” she says, dispelling a common myth about her chosen path. Awarded a prize from the Institute of Chartered Accountants immediately following high school, Berlo was primed to succeed from an early age, and already had two job offers upon completing her first year of university. With a shortterm goal of achieving her full chartered accountant qualifications, she notes that her company is deeply committed to training and development, having been voted second most attractive global employer overall by

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STAR Aleasha Pearman

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he People’s Pharmacy is one of Bermuda’s most patronised retail businesses, thanks in part to the dedication and hard work of employees like 28-year-old Aleasha Pearman. Having climbed the ladder from cashier all the way to senior accounts assistant, she’s a prime example of how hard work and sacrifice lead to vertical growth. Pearman’s advice to young people starting their careers is to become familiar with all aspects of their company from top to bottom, adding that “you never know who’s watching and what doors can be opened” if you take other people’s advice to heart. A true proponent of good client relations, she describes interacting with customers as the most exciting part of her career, adding that there’s always opportunity for growth and advancement in her field.

Pearman lists her sister Reken as the biggest inspiration in her life, and thanks Greg Dos Santos—the company’s former financial controller—for recognising her full potential and giving her a chance to grow professionally. No stranger to adversity, her career path came with several challenges, including raising a son at a young age and having to postpone the pursuit of her bachelor’s www.thebermudian.com

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Universum Global in 2013. “I started out as an intern and everyone I worked with supported me through my studies and my new job,” she says.

Eventually, Berlo believes her dedication and self-confidence in the workplace will land her a leadership role within Ernst & Young.

She credits the experience gained from attending university overseas as key to her ability to integrate unique perspectives in her professional life, although she loves working on the island.

“Bermuda is my home and it’s exciting to see the abundant opportunities the island

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provides for young, hard-working, dedicated professionals with ambition,” she says, noting the importance of giving back to the community that helped her succeed. Part of the way she does this is by acting as a peer mentor for two other staff accountants, describing it as an “amazing feeling” to be able to guide and coach others.

STAR Kimberley Moore

T

wenty-five-year-old Kimberley Moore is sales and marketing coordinator at BF&M insurance, and has had a

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Moore looks up to women in the private and public sectors who’ve fought hard to achieve unprecedented leadership roles and appreciates her company’s progressive, opendoor policy which allows her to freely express her views about its direction. In terms of grand ambitions, hers is a charitable one. Citing a history of several university internships in the non-profit sector, she states that “in the future, I would like to return to that work in some capacity and use experience gained in the private sector to help accomplish my philanthropic goals.” Moore’s advice for young people starting their careers is to find meaning in what they do, adding that this advice can apply to any career path.

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Fiction

Off Nonsuch, 1934 A fictional account of William Beebe and Otis Barton’s famous historical bathysphere dives off Bermuda in the 1930s Written by Alexandra Stewart

I

t wasn’t an expedition for the claustrophobic. Two and a quarter tons of steel dangled from a cable less than an inch thick. The four-foot-wide

prospect in 1929 in the wake of the Wall Street Crash.

Bermuda was an ideal base for their expeditions; the shallow waters close

interior had to accommodate not only the two men, but bulky technical

to shore and the sudden drop of the seamount into deep water gave them two

equipment, oxygen tanks, photographic apparatus, and lights and trays

very different ecosystems from which to gather data. A scientific team assem-

of chemicals to soak up carbon dioxide. At 3,000 feet below the surface,

bled labs on Nonsuch Island to examine specimens caught in trawling nets.

the water pressure exerted per square inch exceeds 1,000 pounds. It was

Among them was Beebe’s assistant John Tee-Van, illustrator Else Bostel-

an enormous undertaking, not just dangerous but a truly original attempt to

mann, and Gloria Hollister, an ichthyologist who also manned the telephone,

explore a completely unknown part of the planet.

the lifeline between the men in the bathysphere and the surface.

The bathysphere was engineer Otis Barton’s brainchild, based on his

From 1930 to 1934 Barton and Beebe set consecutive depth records in the

own designs and built at his own expense. Barton approached naturalist

bathysphere and on August 15, 1934, they descended to 3,028 feet, setting

and explorer William Beebe, after reading of his deep-sea diving ambitions,

a record that would stand until 1949. Hollister would also break barriers,

hoping to join forces. Beebe was already something of a celebrity scientist,

eventually descending beyond the 410 feet mentioned in this story to over 1,000

having published a number of successful and popular books, as well as having

feet—a depth record set by a woman which would remain unbroken for 30 years.

gone through a messy public divorce. Barton didn’t have the connections to

Records aside, these individuals were pioneers in the truest sense of the word,

fully fund his own ambitious diving plans. He knew his as yet unnamed sphere

seeking to illuminate the unknown and broaden our understanding of the world.

was better able to withstand the immense pressure of the ocean depths

Herewith, a fictionalised account of the August 15, 1934, descent in the

than Beebe’s reinforced cylindrical diving tank, and Beebe evidently realised

bathysphere, when Barton and Beebe set the world record. Their observa-

Barton was on to something. An uneasy partnership was born as they worked

tions of the environment they discovered were relayed to Gloria Hollister at

together to organise financial and public support for their project—a difficult

the surface via telephone.

www.thebermudian.com

fall 2014 | 65

© Wildlife Conservation Society

Dr. William Beebe (far left), Otis Barton (centre), Gloria Hollister (far right) and the rest of the team at Nonsuch.

S

he begins with a curved black line.

Beebe’s voice surfaces every now and then in her ears, the phantom weight of headphones long since removed.

Miss Hollister. She tries to focus on the thin arc across the paper. The unidentified fish from this morning is still precise in her mind but she feels the edges of it could bleed together at any moment. She widens the line at the base. She adds a fin. Gloria, what do you see?

At her desk she sees her fingers as they were on the glass of the bathysphere, dark against the shifting green light of the water.

Yesterday she sat sweating in the shade of the barge, watching the crew bolt the hatch down once Beebe and Barton had twisted 66 | The Bermudian

their long bodies inside. She hated the weight of the moment before the bathysphere was winched out over the water; she hated the pneumatic thud of the bolts hitting home. The thought of being sealed inside caused her to feel something between anxiety and envy. She worried whenever they went down, imagining a crack like a spider’s web in the fused quartz windows, the immense bolts shaking loose.

Beebe’s cacophonous profanity whenever the bathysphere swayed in the air didn’t do much to calm her.

But then his voice would rise in her ears, sharp gasps and feverish exclamations all coming at a barrage. She had to concentrate, make sure they kept up a constant dialogue; a silence of even five seconds and she’d have to signal the crew to winch them up. The incessant, giddy buzz of Beebe’s narration replaced her own

Gloria Hollister www.thebermudian.com

in her head. A lovely, bright, solid pale blue light at the glass. Probably—oh, I don’t know.

She fired questions at him, kept him focused when he became vague and for a moment did not recognize the feminine inflection of her voice. How many? How small is it?

As small as an American penny.

At nine hundred feet Barton cut in, measured and clinical. Oxygen nineteen-hundred pounds. Humidity fifty-five percent. Temperature eighty-five. Hose all right. Door all right.

Barometer seventy-six and one half. He paused before adding, Only dead men have sunk this far.

She pictured the two men, cramped and curled around oxygen tanks, photography equipment and her disembodied voice, the claustrophobic intimacy of the luminous dark.

Luminous dark. Beebe’s phrasing in her head again. It frustrated her sometimes; his romantic descriptions made it difficult to contain, to stop the shape of the fish from exploding in every direction at once.

You know what a contradiction that is, don’t you?

There is no other way to explain it, he told her, not for the first time.

It is impossible.

Not if you’ve seen it.

Twilight rising, Barton’s voice filled her headphones unexpectedly, then silence. Five seconds passed.

GentOxygen at thirteen-hundred, Barton interrupted. Temperature at eighty six. Where are we?

At fifteen-hundred feet, she said.

On deck she was baking in the August heat, aching for a breeze to pick up. The shadows had receded and the whirring pitch of the winch, Beebe’s torrential observations had started a dull thumping in her temples. She glanced up every now and then from her notebook and squinted out over the deck.

She watched the crew inspecting the cables; she saw how their mouths moved and their arms gestured but she couldn’t make any sense of it. She was disoriented by the closeness of the men in the bathysphere and the sprawling openness of the barge’s wide deck, and beyond that the immensity of the sea. She was in some nowhere place between the two, linking them but somehow not connected to either.

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Dr. Beebe at the bathysphere’s threeinch fused quartz window wearing the telephone set with which he maintained communication with the surface.

“She had seen his sketches of the unnamable creatures and at first thought the dark had turned his mind. What else was she to think when he presented her with those loose-leaf monsters? A detail of teeth, an outline of some unknown twisting body; here a perversion of a fish, all maw and tentacles. Apocalyptic visions sketched by a mad, desert prophet.”

An anglerfish, quick, by the window. I only caught a glimpse. There’s a pair of leptocephali—large, twisting like willow leaves…

Mr. Beebe, — Both of them about eight inches long.

More of them now, sweeping along in a line.

Mr. Beebe, the anglerfish. What of its size?

Colour?

Black. Medium. Wide-mouthed.

Luminescent?

No tentacle lights. No lights on the body.

Its teeth were glowing. Faintly. A pale lemonyellow.

She had seen his sketches of the unnamable creatures and at first thought the dark had turned his mind. What else was she to think when he presented her with those loose-leaf monsters? A detail of teeth, an outline of some unknown twisting body; here a perversion of a fish, all maw and tentacles. Apocalyptic visions sketched by a mad, desert prophet.

It wasn’t until the nets had dredged up a few flesh and blood specimens that she started

to take his drawings seriously. The fish were damaged and crumpled from the sudden depressurization, and Beebe claimed they didn’t hold a candle to the living ones he had seen, but for her they were a revelation.

Barton look! Miss Hollister, something big.

A cetacean probably. It moved all wrong for a squid. Barton missed it.

You’re at twenty-four hundred now.

Our friend is deep. Beam off.

It was noon when they set the record. She held up the telephone so they could hear the cheers and whistles coming from the barge half a mile away at the surface. Beebe, in the middle of describing a shrimp explode, sounded nonchalant, almost annoyed at the interruption.

How far down are we?

Three thousand and twenty eight. No one has ever seen what you are seeing now.

Utter blackness and a spray of bioluminescent constellations. fall 2014 | 67

You may as well be in space.

I hope it has as much life as I’m seeing now.

The shrimp left no trace of colour. I think we’re ready to come up.

The fish has evaded her. She cannot get the shape of the fins to match the figure in her mind’s eye. She scrunches the grey smudged paper between her hands and begins again.

Today is her birthday; thirty years old and she, still riding on the excitement of yesterday, would have forgotten it entirely if it wasn’t for Beebe gathering the crew around him on the deck that morning. They were all a little slow and unsteady after a night of heavy celebrations and she wasn’t focused on Beebe’s speech at all until he took her hand.

What do you think? Is this an appropriate way to celebrate such a momentous occasion?

Last night wasn’t enough for you?

The crew chuckled as Beebe beckoned to the round opening of the bathysphere.

Such things you’ll miss if you don’t listen.

Happy Birthday, Gloria.

She dove inside gracelessly, hangover gone and settled herself on the thin cushions by the window. The air was thick and hot though the curved metal at her back was cold enough to prompt a shiver. Barton maneuvered in an inch at a time, pushing aside canisters and equipment until he made a space to seat himself. He braced his feet on the opposite side, nearly level with her ears. She wasn’t short by any means, but she was small enough to be quite comfortable and she couldn’t help but give Barton a smug little smile.

I was built for this. You should have let me down in the beginning.

Barton fished a wad of cotton from his pocket and passed it to her.

Pack that in your ears. It’s about to get loud.

Despite having grimaced in sympathy for Barton and Beebe all these weeks when watching the crew seal the door in place, she was still unprepared for the bone-shattering reverberations that followed. Her teeth felt loose and her head unhinged. In an instant, her old fears came back to her. How could the quartz withstand such pressure? She felt sure the windows would break; the water would seep in and drown them. After an eternity, silence fell and Barton adjusted the valves on the oxygen 68 | The Bermudian

The bathysphere splashes down into the sea at the start of its half-mile descent.

tanks, his smile echoing hers earlier.

A small price to pay Miss Hollister, I promise you. Beebe? Take us down.

Her apprehensions dissipated as soon as they made splashdown. The potential disasters that seemed all too likely on previous dives were carried to the surface in a cavalcade of foam and bubbles. The waters cleared and the ocean unfurled itself before her.

The sunlight streamed down in goldengreen shafts that fell like curtains and she felt as though she were traversing an infinite cathedral. The incandescent motes of microorganisms suspended in the water like dust in the air; the delicate clouds of jellyfish and long strings of siphonophores— It’s like a garden, flowers everywhere.

You’re mixing your metaphors. First I think you’ve found God, now you think of petunias?

Are they not the same thing? That prompted a laugh from him that lasted a hundred feet.

At this depth, red was a memory; fish she should have recognized were phantom copies of themselves. Looking over at Barton, she saw only a featureless mass, a blurred patch of grey and black that grew dimmer with every passing second.

At three-hundred feet the dark poured into the bathysphere like oil, with a sudden, unexpected swiftness. She and Barton breathed it, they spoke it in a blue-violet whisper; she could even hear it under the hiss of the oxygen canister as a low, rumbling growl. With the beam off she could make out the shape of fish like plumes of smoke against a night sky.

You’ve lingered there for nearly ten minutes now. Beebe sounded anxious.

Just wait, she pleaded. Beam on.

It was then she saw it, the fish that had been tormenting her all day with its impossible dimensions. It slithered into the light only for an instant, pale grey underbelly exposed as it twisted up, chasing something imperceptible to her eyes. It turned, glided past the window with its mouth open, and in it she discovered a veritable firework display; long teeth, faintly lavender, and a row of blinking indigo lights leading back towards the gullet.

Miss Hollister, I’m going to have to insist.

With a final flick of its elastic tail, the fish slid out of sight.

You’ve set a record, Barton told her, as if that were enough. The first woman to have traveled so deep.

At four hundred and ten feet it was nearly impossible for her eyes to adjust to the darkness, but she knew, hovering just below them, was oblivion, teeming with Beebe’s luminescent monsters. Looking straight down she could see it, a barely discernable line dividing the primal brilliance of the blue-black from a deeper violet. What did records matter when she was perched on the edge of so alien a border?

Miss Hollister, Beebe’s voice came sliding down the telephone wire. Do you still think me mad?

At the surface she felt dizzy, affronted with the array of colours and the brightness of the day. The crew crowded around her, passing on their congratulations but she barely heard them. Their voices passed through her and merged with the rising heat coming off the hot, polished metal of the barge.

Tell me, Gloria— what do you see? She sees in Orion’s Belt a school of flashing shrimp. She sees colour in her speech, tongue painting her words indigo. At her desk she sees her fingers as they were on the glass of the bathysphere, dark against the shifting green light of the water and she feels some fundamental part of her has yet to resurface.

She recalls the fish. It turns towards her, mouth agape and glowing, and before she is swallowed, she takes up her pencil and begins with a curved black line. www.thebermudian.com

Afternoon & Evening

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photography by Jill Rubinchak

Susie & Gary Singer

Juliette & Wayne Jackson

Michelle & Winston Laylor David Hills & Karen Schellinck

Headline body copy Summer Soul-stice On June 21st, the Adult Education School in conjunction with Chewstick hosted Bermudian Summer Soul-stice at the Pier 6 complex. Guests experienced the best of local culture where all things “Bermudian” were showcased. The event started with a cocktail reception and silent auction to the accompaniment of the steel pan. Dinner and dancing followed, and guests were entertained by the music of Gita Blakeney-Saltus and Shine Hayward. All proceeds from the night benefited the programmes of the two charities.

Sam Nusum, Suzanne Deslauriers, Bob & Susyn Wood, Marc Deslauriers

Debbie Blakeney & Susan Jackson

Scott Gemmell & Liz O’Mahony Gabriella French & Judy Gonsalves

Joe DaSilviera, Rachel Gonzales & Scott Gemmell

Mary-Lynn Robinson & Arlene Brock

70 | The Bermudian

Nhuri Bashir & Najib Chentouf

Daryl & Sheena Walwyn

Sue & George Cubbon

Jo-Dina & Gloria Pearman

Karen Burchall, Richard Daniels & Lancane Henry

Aquillah Fleming, Victoria Pearman & Kristen Augustus

Wendy DaSilveria & Robert Rebellato

Marc & Kim Daniels

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Beyond Rugby was delighted to welcome back Saracens RFC to Bermuda for the second time as part of the “Big Game” fundraiser for the Beyond Rugby programme. The Gala Dinner was held at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess on June 6th. A great evening was enjoyed by all, and Beyond Rugby is extremely grateful for the support of all who attended.

Jackie Pinchin, Richard Tyler, Reeva Bakhshi, Peter & Angie Bell

Kelly Nusun, Nathan Williams & Shara Crunden

Jose Miranda, Tamika Williams & Lauren Haggans

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Laura & Mike White

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Ann & Robin Spencer-Arscott

Headline Bermuda Red Cross: body copy An Evening in Tuscany On May 31st, the Bermuda Red Cross hosted 240 guests in the new iconic structure above Pier 6 on Front Street which showcases beautiful Hamilton Harbour. Guests were treated to a three-course Tuscan meal and Italian wines, while enjoying the music of The Kennel Boys and partaking in the tombola and silent auction tables. All proceeds from the event are used to help enhance the lives of those the Red Cross serves in the community.

Peter Tadman, Tina Stier, Tammy Tadman & Wade Stier

Ronnie Terceira, Sharon & Larry Jacobs

Carol Sims, Chris Coelho, Pam DeCosta & Sylvia Coelho

74 | The Bermudian

The Red Cross Event Committee

Mike & Steph Hanson

Kevin & Becky Ronaldson, Kristin Martinez-Jones & Adrian Jones

Carol & Bruce Sims, Alison Dodd

Wendy & David Roundtree, Charles & Doreen Roberts, Colin & Kathy Roundtree

Ginee Hatherley, Gina Griffith, Amanda Smith, Teresa Lima & Suzanne Richardson

Sylvester & Stephanie Robinson

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Chip Waters, Denise Foster, Karen Waters & William White

Peter Frith, Raj Tolaram & Robert Chandler

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Robert Chandler & Jennifer Gray

Cortney & Andrew Bernstein, Jennie Lee & Kevin O’Donnell

Helen & Colin James, Henry & Judy Godfrey

Emily Deane, Andrée Deane, Eimear De Burka & Sophie Grewal

Jess & Bill McClure

Bermuda National Trust at Verdmont “Treasure Island” at Verdmont House and Garden on June 7th was a fantastic evening of dining and dancing in support of the Bermuda National Trust. Two hundred and thirty guests graced the beautiful grounds and were greeted in style by hosts dressed in period costume. Cocktail hour included swizzles and canapes on the south lawn with splendid views of the ocean as backdrop, followed by a fine dinner in the north gardens. Funds raised that evening support the Trust’s campaign to preserve and protect Bermuda’s precious open space and our iconic architectural heritage.

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That’s Life! A Letter from London | written by Winifred blackmore

78 | The Bermudian

to the conclusion that it might have to be No Good Deed Goes Unpunished. Credited to Clare Boothe Luce (American diplomat, journalist and archenemy of Dorothy Parker), it seems to grow truer, the older I get.

Take the other day. I was out in the garden, doing a bit of tidying.

The first flush of summer had passed, flowers had faded, and things were generally going to seed.

I’d spent a happy hour deadheading, when suddenly I felt a sting on the back of my hand. I assumed I’d been stabbed by a thorn, but when I looked down I saw a tiny insect. Still thinking the rose the culprit, I removed the creature and deposited it gently on a leaf.

Later, the bite began to swell.

The next day, it was ten times the size of the bug that bit me, and oozing. And now I have a scar.

For exhibit two, m’lud, I present the foxes. This past winter, I noticed one in our yard. A big ‘un.

And he was limping. Then I saw another—smaller. His mate. Also limping.

I rang my go-to guy, Roger, of Roger’s Wildlife Sanctuary—a modern day St. Francis, who devotes his life to caring for wild creatures injured when their lives collide, sometimes literally, with ours.

How badly were they limping, Roger wanted to know. Were they still hobbling around? Well, yes. In that case, best to leave them. “They will mend; they’re just looking for somewhere to lay low.” Wonderful. My garden: the vulpine version of Butch and Sundance’s Hole in the Wall.

“If you want to put a handful of kibble out at dusk, you could do that. Not too much—you don’t want them to become dependent.”

And so, for several weeks, I crept out as night was falling, and carefully placed a small fistful of cat food (“Royal Canin Pure Feline Beauty...with borage, for

beautiful coats”) on an old flowerpot saucer in the back corner.

I could tell they were there— eau de fox is like no other smell on earth: it doesn’t just get up your nose; it punches you a new nostril.

Eventually, though, they must have recovered, for there were fewer sightings of their pointy, crafty faces, peering out of the undergrowth or round the barbecue.

But I did see something else that suggested they had not left entirely. An enormous hole. Dug under the hedge and halfway to China.

I filled it with compost.

The next day, it had been redug; deeper. So I filled it again, adding a bit of manure, just for good measure. The day after that, there were two holes.

And so it went. Until the hedge fell over.

Regular readers will recall that I launched a spirited defence of ivy in general, and my ivy hedge in particular, not long ago. “The holly’s humble cousin may not be a looker, but don’t judge a plant by its foliage!”

Well, shortly after I wrote that piece, the hedge flopped into our yard. Preserved and nurtured by me, it shot up so high that it turned into a giant vegetarian sail. So when the first big blow of winter came, it flapped back and forth, like a Chinese dragon in a wind tunnel, and then collapsed, taking a large section of fence, and a big chunk of plaster from the wall of our house, with it.

No good deed...

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illustration by dana cooper

M

ottoes are funny things. Some are inspirational— like Who Dares, Wins; or my old alma mater Warwick Academy’s Quo non ascendam, “To what heights may I not ascend?”

(Given my fear of heights, plenty; but I’m assuming it’s meant to be rhetorical.)

Others are whimsical, like Bermuda’s national motto, Quo fata ferunt, “Whither the fates shall carry us.” This has always struck me as a strangely passive, throw your hands in the air kind of motto. Oh well! The fates have carried me off to a life of crime/ dead end job/barstool at the Swizzle Inn, so what can I do about it? Yes, I know it’s about the wreck of the Sea Venture, but it’s not exactly Live Free or Die, is it? Or even Live Long and Prosper.

If I had to pick a motto for myself, I might go for “Stick It, Hywel!”—a pet saying of my Grandpa Hughes. (You have to imagine it being bellowed by a Welshman with a fine tenor voice, emphasising the “well.”) When he was a schoolboy, Grandpa watched a race in which the hapless Hywel finished miles adrift.

But his father never stopped cheering him on—“Stick it, Hywel!”—till he limped over the finish line, after everyone else had packed up their kit bags and headed home for tea. It’s about perseverance, and getting the job done, no matter how painful.

Hurt No Living Thing is another possibility, given my legendary soppiness with regard to animals of all shapes and sizes.

But gradually, I’m coming

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