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16th May Hamilton on a wet morning but beautiful sunrise beaches later & the Naval Dockyard
The history of Hamilton as a British city began in 1790 when the government of Bermuda set aside 145 acres (59 ha) for its future seat, officially incorporated in 1793 by an Act of Parliament, and named for Governor Henry Hamilton. The colony's capital relocated to Hamilton from St George's in 1815.
The new town of Hamilton developed quickly and overtook the Town of St. George and became the capital of Bermuda in 1815 during Richard Darrell’s Mayoral term which was considered to be one of Hamilton’s most outstanding Mayors.
The City of Hamilton became the hub of international as well as local business on the Island. Hamilton is packed with historic buildings, shops, museums, churches, galleries, parks, and gardens which are all set alongside a beautiful natural harbor giving it a unique character.
Being the capital of the island since 1815, Hamilton Bermuda is a small, vibrant, and friendly city and is the heart and commercial hub of the island and besides being the main container port on the island it is also the center of shipping and trade in
Bermuda.
Hamilton is centrally located in Pembroke Parish
The town of Hamilton became a city in 1897 before the consecration of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity in 1911, Church of England that was under construction at that point in time.
St. Theresa’s, a Catholic cathedral was constructed later on and presently the city overlooking Hamilton Harbour is the main business district with few structures besides office buildings and shops. The city has maintained a building height and view limit stating that no building should obscure the Cathedral.
During the 21st century, buildings were planned and some under construction are as high as ten stories in this area. Hamilton is centrally located in Pembroke parish which faces the Hamilton Harbour. Front Street is the main life and soul of Hamilton city as well as the center of all activities.
It is at this location where most of the island’s shops, retail shops, restaurants, and various other commercial establishments like banks and insurance companies are placed.
It runs alongside the water edge which is the first sight of the city seen by the cruise ship passengers as they come to shore in Hamilton.
18th May - West Coast Beaches
We set off the tour from Horseshoe Bay - This truly is a postcard tour! What this beach is most famous for is its pastel-pink sand. Colored by crushed sea creatures and shells.
USA Today named Horseshoe Bay one of the Caribbean’s top 10 beaches (even though Bermuda isn’t technically in the Caribbean). The long, sweeping crescent of pink sand is punctuated by rocky outcroppings and lapped by azure waves. The nearby Beach House offers snacks, rentals and changing facilities.
Horseshoe Bay Beach is absolutely Bermuda's # 1 beach for locals and visitors. At the very western end of the beach is a very sheltered section, nicknamed The Baby Beach - a favourite for families with small children.
At the eastern end of Horseshoe Bay we pass into Warwick Parish... Warwick Parish features some of the island's most spectacular beaches. In between Horseshoe Bay & Warwick Long Bay are several small coves.
With its half-mile (0.8 km) stretch of sand, Warwick Long Bay ranks as the island's longest beach. It's set against a backdrop of scrubland and coastal grasses.
Just offshore, a jagged coral island floats above the water, making this an excellent area to snorkel. Just to the west of Warwick Long Bay, tiny Jobson's Cove is one of the island's most visually stunning beaches – here, steep, jagged rocks crash into a sheltered inlet.
It was a very relaxing time strolling along this beautiful beach.
19th May The East-End beaches include Clearwater Beach and Turtle Bay . These off-the-beaten-track beaches sit on the southeastern coast of Bermuda, near L.F. Wade International Airport. Tourists rarely visit Clearwater Beach and Turtle Bay, though locals like to come here on weekends. They are both man-made beaches created by the U.S. Navy when Cooper’s Island was used as a U.S. Naval Air Station. Since 1995, the area has become the Cooper’s Island Nature Reserve. It is also the site of the NASA tracking station - that tracks rocket launches from the Kennedy Space Center and other east coast launch sites.
As we wandered along the pathways and through the dunes there was a lookout tower with magnificent views from the top.
Another lovely start to the day even though it was
10.30 here in U.K. it was 6.30 in Bermuda.
25th May - another visit, this time to the Naval Dockyard area. HMD Bermuda was the principal base of the Royal Navy in the Western Atlantic between American independence and the Cold War. Bermuda had occupied a useful position astride the homeward leg taken by many European vessels from the New World since before its settlement by England in 1609.
Even though the British Royal Navy sailed out in the 1950s, every inch of the Dockyard is still steeped in maritime history. Why did the Navy set up shop here in the first place? Location, location, location. Bermuda is between Europe and the New World, so it was the perfect spot for the Navy’s western hemisphere activities. Things had gotten complicated in the late 18th century, thanks to a new, independent country known as the United States of America. In order to solidify and maintain its presence in the Atlantic Ocean, the Royal Navy needed a proper headquarters. So, in the 1790s, work began on Ireland Island on Bermuda’s West End.
The Dockyard played a pivotal role in the final war between the U.S. and Great Britain. In
the summer of 1814, more than 5,000 troops and Royal Marines were deployed from Bermuda to lay siege to Washington, D.C. and Baltimore
A Funtime travelling virtually in a Twizy, electric 2 seater car enjoying views of Bermuda.
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