Beautiful Bermuda

If you ever get the chance to go to Bermuda, we highly recommend it. It was one of the most beautiful and unique places we have been to so far. The timing was right and everything just fell into place, and we are so lucky to have been able to go. I don't know if we will ever be able to return, but it was a wonderful experience.

Panoramic View of Horseshow Bay Beach taken from the cliffs

Honestly, I hate flying. My personality doesn't allow for me to be relaxed as there are just too many things that can go wrong (gut wrenching moments like how we almost missed our flight to Jamaica for our honeymoon - sprinting down the terminal as we hear our names over the intercom). We flew out of Mobile early Tuesday morning (April 16th). Running a bit behind schedule, the check in process and going through security was surprisingly painless. Our connecting flight landed in Charlotte, North Carolina with no issues, and our flight to New York (LaGuardia) provided us a great view and took us straight over Central Park and the Empire State Building. When we landed, my apprehension set in once again, but the transfer service swooped us up and headed towards the cruise terminal with no problems. We boarded the Carnival Splendor and hung out on the deck until we departed taking in the sights. We got an amazing view as we passed right by the Freedom Tower, Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island.

 

After a day and a half at sea, we arrived in Bermuda. We didn't have a whole lot planned and were just going to wing it when we got there. So, we took a stroll in the Royal Navy Dockyard, went to Snorkel Park Beach, and booked a couple of excursions for the day. First, we would jet-ski in the bay and then, we would take a sunset cruise on a glass bottom boat. There was a lot to see in this area.

 

 

 

So, we decided that it would be a great idea to jet ski while there. This turned out to be a near epic fail. Everything was fine until the couple that went with us (from the Bronx, never been to the beach much less ever drive a jet ski, girlfriend couldn't swim, etc.) fell off. The water was really choppy and cold, so I can understand why it happened. But, as Craig and I waited for the guide to help them, Craig's attention was diverted and as a wave crashed into the jet ski he was knocked off balance and we went crashing into the water as well. It was cold and unexpected. It literally took me 2.5 seconds to get back onto the ski. However, Craig took a bit longer. He even thought that he may not make it back up, but he did and we proceeded with caution. This time I would drive! Sheer terror from flying off the thing kept us on. I refused to crash into that ice bucket again. Flying through the bays and shallows at 55 mph, remember the guide telling us, "follow me exactly and don't go over the dark spots because you will crash and sink into the rocks below," and clinging on for dear life made this excursion a little less enjoyable. However, who else do you know has gone jet skiing in Bermuda. So, BOOM! No pics, sorry to disappoint.

After that debacle, we needed a drink or seven. So, we headed to the nearest bar, the Bone Fish Grill (not the chain). We met a couple of locals, and I had several "tropical" beverages and were ripe and ready for the cruise. We sailed to a ship wreck, the Vixen, which was sunk in 1896 where the bow is just above the surface of the water. It made for a beautiful photo op, and the water viewed from the glass bottom was teaming with marine life. On the way back, they served "rum swizzles" which Craig and I took full advantage of.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day we booked an excursion through Carnival. We took a guided bus tour of the island with stops at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Museum, Aquarium/Zoo, Crystal Caves, John Smith's Bay Beach, and the Gibbs Hill lighthouse. The aquarium/zoo was tucked away in a beautiful little harbor (Flatts Inlet) with Harrington Sound on the opposite end. It wasn't a huge facility, but it was well kept and the exhibits were great. It seems like every vacation we take, we MUST stop at a zoo. Sorry Craig, it's kinda my thing.

Next stop was to the caves. Yes, there were caves on the island! This one was particularly awesome because you walked through it on floating docks. It wasn't very deep, but Craig and I enjoy caving and this was an awesome one to visit. 

 

We made a brief stop at John Smith's Bay Beach so that we could put our toes in the pink sand. The sand is pink in Bermuda because the parrot fish bite tiny pieces of coral as they are forging which creates the colored granules. Rock formations are found surrounding the island because a volcano created them millions of years ago.

The Gibbs Hill lighthouse was set on top of a large hill, and we could see the opposite end of the island that housed our cruise ship. The entire tour took the majority of the day, and it was well worth it. We got to see a large part of the island and learned some stuff along the way. Did you know the cheapest houses (2 bedroom, 1 bath) in Bermuda are $500,000 and are considered "ghetto."

We returned to the ship to set sail for a day at sea. Another cruise ship had to dock, and the dockyard was under construction. Evidently, prior to us booking, the itinerary was altered because of this. Thank goodness we knew this after booking otherwise I would have been pretty upset, as the people that purchased tickets did not have the option of cancelling and paid way more than we did. Our ship time was made much more enjoyable by our dining couple, Danny and Amanda. They were from Hoboken and were really fun.

We returned on Sunday for our final day. This was going to be our beach day. We woke up early, were among the first to debark, grabbed a taxi and headed for Horseshoe Bay. The beach was AMAZING, but we wanted to hike to a more secluded location, so we set off and hiked through the South Shore Park. Along the way, we stopped at several locations to take pictures and view the gorgeous scenery. We parked it at Jobson's Cove, and Craig hopped right in to snorkel. He really enjoys snorkeling ever since Belize, and I'm glad we have a shared interest as those are few and far in between. The long-tailed birds were calling, the waves were crashing into the shore, and there was nothing but us and the beach. This was the best day EVER. We moved from cove to cove, snorkeling and laying out. At one point in time, we both fell asleep only to be awoken by the cold surf hitting our feet. Scared us both to death! Oh, but what a way to die. Sadly, the time was nearing for us to hike back. After getting back to Horseshoe Bay Beach, we grabbed a couple of drinks. I decided that I needed to climb up the cliff for the view. Craig decided that he needed to hang out at the bar for a few. I wish he would've climbed up with me because this view was phenomenal!

We sailed back to New York and flew back to Mobile with few hiccups. We both enjoyed this trip so much. We feel extremely blessed to have had such a wonderful opportunity to see this amazing island. The pictures really don't even do it any justice.

Cheers!
Tara