Blog week ending 18th April

Nightsong
Sun 18 Apr 2010 18:28
Dear Blog
 
Well of course we shouldn't be here having booked back on Thursday 15th but alas an Act of God in the form of an Icelandic volcano has prevented that. The weather here is not too brilliant either but just to remind us 2 photos of the BVI's sadly 800 miles due south to remind us, the first at Marina Cay and second at Guana Island (yes it is a helicopter)
 
 
 
Well we arrived here exactly a week ago - to a great reception from Bermuda Radio, HM Customs and the St George Dinghy Sailing Club where we still are - the only lived on boat apart from 1 houseboat.
 
 
Strange place Bermuda, 1/3rd Caribbean, 1/3rd British and 1/3rd American.. Population is 65000 of whom 65% are black and 35% white. Not warm at this time of year - in fact we very much feel in the mid Atlantic and it is north of the Canaries. But prone to hurricanes in the June to September period - here they protect their roofs by making them of heavy limestone tiles which are far moe wind resistant than the tin roofs of the Windward and Leeward islands. All the roofs look the same and are very white - made out of the coral which is what this island is - a coral atoll 13 miles long on top of the remains of a volcano 65million years ago but eroded down. From the distance looks like abig caravan park.
 
Much richer of course than the West Indies - the reinsurance industry of Hamilton the capital has seen to that. And surrounded by beautiful turquoise reefs extending for miles and miles on which 000's of ships have been wrecked over the years - the first a ship which had been sent to relieve the hunger of the settlers of Jamestown Carolina in 1610.
 
Very colonial architecture as this pic of Tony and Sarah in Hamilton shows.
Of course the famous Bermudan rig comes from here - developed form these amazing 14ft dinghies which carry a crew of 7 (1 to bail) and 1000sqft of sail - excellent maritime museum. Alas we shall miss the first dinghy race of the year - or maybe we won't!
 
Anyway I do hope we can get home soon - getting a bit bored and fed up although we have explored the island extensively by ferry and bus. Booked the travellift for 3 weeks time so I can sort the keel with the help of Northshore. Pity it isn't sorted really, because instead of waiting for goodness knows how long here for a plane we could sail to the Azores!!
 
AJB 18.04.10