On our third and final day, we stayed close to the ship and explored the Dockyard. The Bermuda Maritime Museum looked interesting but was exceedingly expensive so we took a pass on the tour. Some buildings and courtyards outside of The Keep proper can be walked through. It was interesting imagining the Dockyard as the military outpost it once was. But the re-purposing of the buildings for tourism took me out of the moment.

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Our second day on Bermuda was our only true “full day” so we planned the biggest trip of the three days for the afternoon. We were both burnt from the day before, which was not ideal for a beach day. After breakfast on the boat, we scoured the Dockyard for 45 SPF and a hat for Sharon. We could only find spray on sunscreen which proved to be less than an ideal choice. Then we boarded a bus for another epic ride to the south shore beaches.

We bypassed Horseshoe Bay and transferred onto another bus to get to Warwick Long Bay. The view from the road was impressive with a sweeping vista overlooking the long beach and ocean. Warwick Long Bay is only a mile and a half further than Horseshoe Bay but was virtually empty despite only slightly longer distance. Much as with skiing, going just a little bit further reduces crowds exponentially.

Our itinerary for the day was a two mile beach walk starting at Warwick Long Bay and ending back at Horseshoe Bay. The walk would afford many opportunities for swimming when we were moved to do so or not when we just wanted to soak in the sun and the views. We sprayed on our SPF 45 and exposed our burnt skin for a dip into Warwick Long Bay.

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One benefit of cruising to Bermuda is having three full days on the island. Another benefit is the nature of the island itself. Unlike most Bahamas and Caribbean destinations, Bermuda is extremely safe and maintains a civilized air (which comes across a tad pompous at times). Whereas the culture has an air of sophistication exceeding its reality, the people do not. They are down to Earth, among the friendliest of any tourist destination that I’ve been to.

We boarded one of the many innocent looking pink buses, unaware that public transit in Bermuda is akin to an amusement park ride. Bermuda’s roads are extremely narrow, without breakdown lanes or sidewalks. Most residential side streets in New England are wider than Bermuda’s main roads. Buildings raise within an arm’s length of traffic. The bus continually brushed trees and other foliage as we passed within a foot or two of stone walls. Hands and arms inside the bus at all times, indeed.

Half an hour later we arrived at Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda’s aptly named and most well known beach.

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While swimming in Horseshoe Bay, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. The late May water was refreshingly cool but not cold; warm ocean water for a New Englander. The blue bird sky was a deep blue contrasting with the crystal clear light blue of the ocean. I breathed deep, taking in the feeling of true relaxation. I submerged myself and swam underwater, coming up to the surface next to Sharon. I turned to her and stated “this is better than a powder day.”

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