Kings Wharf, Bermuda 24 April 2009

Our first port of call!  What a beautiful day, we could not have imagined anything better.  We arrived at the expected time of 8 am and left at 16:00 (4pm).While I have  always wanted to see Bermuda we are only in port for eight hours and we decided to walk about the dock area and see the sights there.  The Royal Naval Museum is a short walk from where we were docked.  There is a ferry terminal that many of or shipmates went on to different areas of the island. Also the Clocktower Mall, Rumcake Factory, Bermuda Maritime Museum, Dockyard Glassworks, and a number of restaurants.  We had a bite to eat at the Bonefish Bar & Grill.  It was good but expensive for what we got.  Anyway, we helped their economy a bit.  We went to the Bermuda Maritime Museum for the majority of our visit.  Not the typical museum, though we did not see all of the inside.  Mostly we wandered around the outside where some cannons have been restored and other interesting places such a light tunnels, magazine holes, meandering over turrets, and over the limestone walls, steps,  and some unrecognizable rubble, dodging sheep dung as we went; we had a great time.  The sheep keep the grass surrounding the area looking very nice.  As we explored I found an old shell casing amongst the rubble. I turned it in and it will no doubt be put on display as they continue to dig up artifacts from the period of time this area was inhabited by various groups; soldiers, prisoners, slave, and others.  There is a Dolphin Experience to visit as well, included in the $8. or $10. admission to the museum, but we didn't even go look at it.  No Pink sand beaches for us this time either.  I think the ideal cruise for Bermuda would be one of them from either NY or Philadelphia that sails directly to Bermuda and spends two days in two different ports then sails back.  You would then have plenty of time to see everything.  The ferry and bus service seems to be very efficient. 

Interesting facts:  Bermuda has more vehicles per square mile than anywhere else in the world, but you can't rent a car there, Bermuda has the highest per capita income in the world, 138 islands totally less than 21 sq miles, the 6th largest population per sq mile in the world (higher than Bangladesh or Bahrain).

Dinner was the usual delicious feast in the regular dining room: Between us we had appetizers of shrimp cocktail, scallops with risotto, creamy garlic soup, and chilled strawberry soup. Entrees were lamb shank, grilled tiger shrimp, and chicken Marsala.  Dessert was Tiramisu  for me, that plus ice cream for John.

A brief walk on the deck and we are calling it a night. 

Temperature: 68*

Sea:  Slight 1.0 to 4.5 ft (but it looks moderate)  Incidentally the sea temperature is 77*!

Next stop:  Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal-1890 Nautical miles. From Galveston 1941 Nautical miles.

I will leave you with this picture of the sky as we departed Bermuda, the photo does not do the majestic sky justice, it was magnificent.