Mark, AA1AC will be again active from Bermuda Islands, IOTA NA - 005, 4 - 8 November 2023 as VP9/AA1AC.
He will operate on HF Bands.
QSL via home call.
Ads for direct QSL:
MARK L STENNING, 97 Narragansett Avenue M5, Newport, RI 02840-6903, USA.
Bermuda - a little mysticism, myths and pink sand
Brief geographical background
Bermuda is a group of coral islands in the center of the Atlantic, a self-governing overseas territory of Great Britain.
Climate - temperate maritime, with an average annual temperature of +24 ° C .
Population - about 70 thousand.
Area: 53.2 km²
Language - English.
Currency - Bermuda dollar.
Mystical disappearances of aircraft and sea vessels, abduction by aliens, temporary black holes, voodoo sorcery and hundreds more fantastic stories about the awe-inspiring "Bermuda Triangle"... This is in most of our compatriots almost the only association at the mention of Bermuda. Bermuda was indeed originally called the Devil's Islands - Spanish navigator of the XVI century Juan Bermudez had difficulties with navigation and blamed the labyrinths of coral islands.
But the definition of the "Devil's Triangle" first appeared in the middle of the last century: Associated Press called it the stretch of ocean between Bermuda, Florida and Puerto Rico. It was about a sunken ship, and when the second ship sank in the same area, the definition was remembered. And the book by Charles Berlitz, published soon after, only strengthened the bad reputation of the "Bermuda Triangle", although it was criticized mercilessly. But if you still decide to see Bermuda up close, don't worry - the plane to the islands flies without crossing the boundaries of the triangle.
Five reasons to go to Bermuda
- Myths and treasure. You will be able to see those mystical islands, scuba dive at the shipwrecks and maybe even find treasure or at least a few coins. By the way, there are 157 islands in the archipelago and on each of them pirates could have hidden treasure.
- Pink beaches. No, they are not strewn with rose petals - just the sand on the beaches of Bermuda is the color of morning dawn. Just imagine the combination: pink sand, multicolored coral reefs, turquoise-colored lagoons and cozy hotels drowning in greenery..... Beauty!
- Excellent active rest. Diving, snorkeling, surfing, horseback riding in the morning, golf, cricket and in the evening - tennis. And all this with excellent equipment and in good company. Isn't it tempting?
- Equally excellent wedding decorations. For a wedding ceremony, honeymoon or wedding anniversary, it's hard to find a better place than these islands.
- Delicious food. Here you will not be imposed exotics like fried grasshoppers or steamed snakes, Bermuda prefers European cuisine, occasionally diluting it with American dishes.
Lighthouses, caves, forts and a phaeton, or What to see in Bermuda
If your thirst for knowledge is stronger than your desire to laze on the pink sand, start making discoveries - discover touristy Bermuda. Of course, you'll want to see the capital of Bermuda - it's named after Governor Sir Hamilton, who ordered the city's construction. Cheerfully colored buildings look like gingerbread houses, lots of restaurants and bars, stores and markets - everything as it should be in a cozy resort town. So Hamilton can hardly be called a discovery. Other routes are needed.
So, route one is the lighthouses. There are two of them, and one of them is well known to you from the movie "The Abyss", which was filmed here, and the second one - Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, erected from cast iron and bolted sheets of metal, is simply unique. All you have to do is climb 185 steps to get a breathtaking panoramic view of the islands from the observation deck.
The second route is the Crystal Cave discovered by teenage boys a hundred years ago. The boys were playing cricket and dropped a ball into a crevice, and when they went down to pick it up, they saw a cave formed during the Ice Age. It is located at a depth of 36 meters and was formed by an underground stream of water with high acidity: the acid dissolved the limestone, thanks to which the voids were formed. And when the water level became higher, the ocean filled them with itself. Today there is an underground lake here, and stalactites of amazing beauty grow on the walls.
And the third discovery is Fort Bermuda. It is built of huge blocks of limestone stone, perfectly preserved, carefully restored: today the fort houses the Bermuda Maritime Museum, a cinema, an Arts Center, a market and a scattering of stores.
...You know what's on the 25-cent Bermuda coin? A phaeton. No, not an open-top baby carriage, not a planet, not even an asteroid. It's a bird that only nests in Bermuda. Phaetons were once almost wiped out by egg collectors, but then a law was passed banning egg collecting, and the bird's numbers began to rise. Now they are plentiful, circling over the heads of travelers
Bermuda has an ancient history, beautiful vegetation, coral reefs with pirate treasures and a wonderful climate - all that is necessary for popularity with tourists, so indifferent people are not left indifferent. And by the end of the trip, the mysticism of the "Bermuda Triangle" no longer frightens anyone.