My alarm goes off at 5am. I get up feeling like I have been beaten all over with a stick. Almost overcome by grogginess, I somehow get dressed and go up to the fridge to put together some lunch. I am driven by a youthful excitement knowing that every day will be somehow different and yet somehow the same.

It is July 1999, I am 12 years old and I have my first “job” on a charter fishing boat. I call it a “job” because I worked 29 days a month for three months and was paid a whopping $200 for my labours, but I would have been happy if I hadn’t received a dime. I just wanted to fish.

I loved the ocean. You never knew what you would see or catch out there and even though I would get seasick almost every morning, I did not mind. I just wanted to learn. The days were fairly monotonous. Show up at the dock before 6:30am, load bait and drinks, clean up the boat to make it tidy for our daily charter guests whom we would typically pick up at 7am at Albuoy’s Point in Hamilton.

Then we would pull out the big rods for our daily marlin troll to one of the two southwestern seamounts, Challenger Bank, 12 miles offshore, or Argus Bank, 21 miles out. These underwater mountains drop off into the abyss like a sheer cliff plunging as much as 10,000 feet deep. Our preferred position would be on the side of the mountain being hit by the prevailing ocean current.

We would wind in the marlin lures, anchor up in about 250 feet of water and start chumming. Every day we would catch an average of ten 40lb-60lb yellowfin tuna, plus some wahoo, almaco jacks (locally known as bonitas), amberjack and other bottom-fish, making for an action-packed day. Often the chum line off the back of the boat would look like an aquarium, with fish gorging themselves on the free buffet.

You could almost pick the fish you wanted to catch by timing when you threw out your line. I remember our anchor got stuck on Argus Bank, so we tied some floats to it and left it there. For six weeks we returned and consistently caught ten or more yellowfin tuna a day in the same spot from July into August of 1999. Once our time was up we would pull the anchor, throw out the marlin lures and every other trip we would catch a blue or white marlin.

Once back we would drop off the charter guests, return to the dock to clean the fish and the boat and do it all again the following day. Almost all the fish was sold to grocery stores and restaurants for $6.50 a pound — a price that remains much the same to this day. They never had trouble selling it.

With tears rolling down my face, I can say with confidence those days are over. I promise you, nobody loves yellowfin tuna like I do. Fishermen can be painted as ruthless killers, but the truth is we love the fish because without them we cannot survive. I would argue we know more about the fish than even marine biologists. It is one thing to know the scientific name and anatomy of a fish, it is another to learn their habits and behaviour so well that you can make a living from killing the ocean’s top predators.

Mastering the art of fishing is the fulfilment of what it means to be human which is why people love fishing so much. It is the last industry where we can still fully actualise our potential as the top predator on Earth. The old captain I fished with when I was 12 would say that in Bermuda we have seven years of good tuna fishing and seven years of bad. These days it is seven years of bad tuna fishing, a month or two of good, followed by another seven years of bad. I have not seen a good summertime yellowfin season in more than 15 years.

In the past couple of seasons we did have some decent yellowfin tuna fishing, but in the wrong months. These days they have been showing up for a couple of weeks in June, then again in October to January. The average size of the fish has dropped from 40lb to 60lb down to 15lb to 30lb. The tuna used to be consistent, almost like the seasons. You knew what to fish for simply by knowing what the date was. If it were June to August you could go out, determine the direction of the ocean current, anchor up or drift on the right side of the seamount and catch ten to 20 tuna per day. In September to November it was time to switch to trolling rigged ballyhoo or live bait trolling frigate mackerel (little tunny if you are not from the Rock) for wahoo.

In the winter months it was a bit harder to fish for the pelagics (wahoo and tuna) but in November and December you could go bottom-fishing on Challenger Bank and catch 600lb of fish per day. In January and February you could go to Argus Bank and do the same thing. March was a bit of a slow month, with the humpback whale migration moving through the fishing grounds. Come April you could once again go trolling for wahoo and even catch some early-season tuna and by June it was tuna time again. Making $1,000-plus per trip was fairly easy.

Those days are over, because that schedule no longer applies. People might think that the fish-pots are to blame, but pelagic species were never caught in a fish-pot. The local pelagic fishery was never commercially exploited, we never used long lines or purse-seine nets. Using hook and line, rod and reel, it was nearly impossible for us to ever catch more fish than the ocean could replenish.

The destruction of our local yellowfin tuna fishery is due to the proliferation of human beings, which leads to the proliferation of global commercial fishing, plastic pollution in the ocean and global warming. Small 10lb yellowfin tuna are being netted by the ton off the west coast of Africa. They are being killed before they have a chance to reproduce by people who cannot really be blamed for what they are doing. Post-colonial Africa has it much rougher than we do in the developed world and without those small tuna, people would starve.

At this rate of consumption the global pelagic fishery may have as little as 20 to 50 years before total collapse. The influence of global warming and microplastics could be even more detrimental than excessive fishing. If the ocean currents alter course we will see a global extinction event that would rival a large meteor striking the Earth.

In the Anthropocene age, our capacity to grow meat in a laboratory will determine who eats and who starves. We may think we are somehow separate from nature, but as the law of ecology states, everything is interconnected and we are part of nature.

The sooner we remember this and start accounting for the cost of losing the global fishery, the better. The fact that we are living on borrowed time and must change our ways soon will become truly apparent.

The solution is simple: stop having so many children and stop using fossil fuels and petroleum products entirely. We must remember that without the tuna we cannot survive, we are a part of nature and should act as the Earth’s stewards. Without a fresh piece of tuna, clean air and clean water, all the money in the world is useless.

It is hard to see the destruction of the ocean and put a price on the loss of the global pelagic fishery from an office building in Hamilton, but from where I have been standing it is plainly obvious. Nobody lives for ever and trying to keep up with the Joneses is no excuse for destroying the world. Just because everyone else lives a certain way does not mean you must do the same.

Bermuda could be a shining light, a utopian example of what the world needs to become for us to survive. But instead we continue to import plastic by the ton and burn oil to power an island that has more than enough wind and tidal power at our fingertips. Some say changing our ways would cost too much money, but what will be the cost of not changing our ways? Thinking “I will be dead by then” is no excuse. And to be frank, you might still be alive to see it at our current rate of consumption.

This article was originally published in the 2019 edition of the rg Food Magazine.

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Georgia Marshall is the Head of the Matrimonial Department at Marshall Diel & Myers law firm. Even after 32 years of practice, the thought of reading the judgement just handed down in a hard-fought case still gets her up in the morning. The day involves working closely with a bright team of attorneys, responding to clients’ needs, while mentoring young Bermudian attorneys. Even though time is always in short supply for her, she gives us her best notes and keys to daily success.

6:30 AM: My day starts with coffee, a quick email check, and a look at my diary followed by a peek at my Instagram account. It’s here that my mental to-do list is drawn up and I can move on to feed the dogs, make breakfast, shower, get dressed, put on makeup, and heels (black if I’m attending court). Then, off I go.

8:30 AM expectations: By now, I would have arrived at the office, poured coffee #2, and reviewed any papers for my 9:30 court appointments. I would meet with the client before finding myself in front of a Judge to present my case. If there are no court appointments listed on that day, I would use this time to organise my work, draft letters, pleadings, respond to client and opposing counsel emails.

8:30 AM reality:I arrive at the office with my mental to-do list ready for the day. I sit at my desk and before I can take the first sip, I pick up a call from Mrs X, she needs to see me urgently, Mr X was physically violent to her last night, she needs immediate representation. Then Mr Y needs an appointment now because Mrs Y is about to remove their children from the island to live permanently in Brazil. Mr Z has removed all funds from the joint account and has cut off Mrs Z from access to the credit card. She needs to see me right away.  At this point, the mental to-do list has to take a back seat… It’s time to go into overdrive.

11:00 AM: I sit down with the client, take instructions, draft emergency applications and supporting affidavits, call the court to get an urgent appointment, present the case. I obtain Order, arrange for service on the opposing party. Breathe. A couple of days in a row like this, not to mention some in court and the mental to-do list becomes the urgent must-deal-with list!

1:00 PM:  Lunchtime! Or an hour to see another urgent client and tackle those mental to-dos. I do get the rare day to spend this hour savouring a delicious meal and the company of my husband at the Red Carpet.

2:00 PM: Collect papers and organise for afternoon court, which starts at 2:15. Most days after return from court, I meet with my team to discuss active cases, latest court decisions, and any other matter that has come up on a case.

6:00 PM: Try to leave the office for a yoga class at Lucky Elephant. Depending on what is on my desk that needs to be completed, hot yoga may have to wait until tomorrow.

7:30 PM:Leave the office. Definitely.

8:00 PM:I’m home to feed the dogs. My husband and I will discuss the day’s events over dinner and call our children (in LA) to touch base.

9:30 PM: Catch up on the day’s news.

10:00 PM:Review papers for the next day.

11:30 PM:Get ready for bed and try to get to sleep. Often, this is harder than it sounds as my brain is on overdrive thinking about tomorrow’s hearing or that ever-present and always daunting mental to-do list.

Repeat.

A note from Georgia:

Being an effective litigation attorney takes hard work and organisation. You must know all the facts of your case. This takes hours of pouring through bank statements and other financial documents. Also, in order to head up a department, you must be responsive to team members so that you can add your input when it is required.

Everything cannot be done in one day. You have to work diligently, and apply your energies according to priority. I have learned that you have to save some time (which is in short supply) for yourself and for your family. I enjoy gardening and watching what I plant, grow – I’m in pursuit of growing the perfect tomato. I am a beekeeping novice and learn about perseverance from watching their hard work. I enjoy playing a vigorous game of squash with my husband with the hope to one day beat him and having a meal with good friends, engaging in stimulating conversation while sipping a good glass of wine.

This article was originally published in the February 2019 edition of the RG Business Magazine.

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OLIVIA HAMILTON – THE DIVA
After singing for years at local concerts, weddings and private functions, it may seem as though Olivia Hamilton is finally getting her chance to shine internationally. The songstress recently returned from her biggest gig to date in Australia, as part of an international tour with Savvy Entertainment. Just in the last 18 months, she performed in Troika’s highly acclaimed production of The Colour Purple; graced the stage in front of designers, bloggers and influencers at the Bermuda Fashion Festival; and served as the opening act for R&B artist Keri Hilson.
But while things are currently progressing nicely for the Bermuda native, she insists it has been a long time coming. Olivia first started singing in her grandfather’s church as a child. Her first paid gig was at the age of four when she was asked to sing at a teacher’s wedding – even early on she admits performing came naturally to her. “I was always the kid they called upon to speak at presentations or to thank a guest speaker at school. I was never really nervous or shy. My entire life, I’ve been on the stage singing and acting – that’s always been my dream.”
However, the road to stardom hasn’t always been easy for the 28-year-old. Olivia admits her biggest hurdle to making it big has actually been herself. “I didn’t believe in myself as much as I should have,” she confessed, “but I stuck to the wicket, and now some of the runs are starting to come.” “I’ve learned in this industry you just have to keep at it. There will be doors slammed in your face and people who say ‘no’, but you have to allow your own voice to be louder than that of the naysayers.”

JAYLYNN HINES – THE NEWBIE
Unlike some who spend years hustling just to get a taste of stardom, JayLynn Hines found her way into the music industry almost overnight. On a whim, someone she met in her social circle encouraged her to enter the ‘Quest for the Best’ soca song competition, hosted by Intense Mas Carnival Band. Without hesitation, she went for it. Earlier this year, she sat down for two days to write the song lyrics. Next, she found an instrumental beat to go with it, got the rights to use it and then started recording. “I flew back to Bermuda the day before I was supposed to record ‘Feeling For Ya’ and the next day we put the final touches on it and submitted it,” JayLynn said.
She didn’t expect to win – “not in a million years” – but it beat out entries from dozens of other local entertainers. “This is something totally out of the box for me. I’m normally doing video production and working behind the scenes, so it took a while for the win to sink in.”
Growing up, JayLynn was always an avid music lover. Her father, Jonathan Trott, was one of the founding members of the recording studio Spanish Town Entertainment, so as a youngster she spent hours in the sound room and backstage at events while he worked. “There was something fascinating about going around these big productions, seeing the stage, the lighting, the sound-system and feeling all the excitement backstage. I always got this buzz from that.”
Still, getting her song out to the masses outside Bermuda has involved plenty of effort over the last few months. As part of her $5,000 prize package for the competition, JayLynn has been working to get dubplates into the hands of DJs in places like Toronto, Trinidad, the U.S., St. Lucia, Barbados and England. The goal is to garner as much hype and energy around the song as possible and see how far this opportunity can take her. “There are people who have been singing for much longer than me, but I’ve realised we all have different paths we take to become successful. I just hope through my journey I can inspire a few people and prove that anything is possible.”

HARRY DUNKLEY – THE PARTY STARTER
At the age of three, Harry Dunkley got his first taste of music when his parents enrolled him in violin lessons with the Bermuda School of Music. Shortly after that, he started drumming at the Bermuda Drum Institute – a road he imagined would one day lead to him playing in a band.
But destiny had other plans. When Harry was just 16 years old, a friend introduced him to some electronic music – immediately he liked it and sooner or later he was hooked. “I spent hours researching about it, got into it myself and eventually became obsessed,” the DJ said. “I never thought I’d end up here, but I’m so glad the path evolved, and this is what I get to do.”
He eventually enrolled in the renown Berklee College of Music, studying DJing and music production, but again life threw him a curveball. In 2012, after securing an internship at a recording studio, Harry decided to leave college and move to New York. He got his foot into the electronic music industry door by going out to events, meeting people and honing his craft. He says the recipe to his success involved part passion and part industry connections.
Today the Electronic Dance Music (EDM) DJ is making waves internationally for his skills on the turntable – having performed at huge festivals with up to 50,000 music enthusiasts like Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) in New York and Las Vegas, Nocturnal Wonderland, as well as at the iconic Webster Hall in the Big Apple. “I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished so far, but I also feel like I want to do some more,” he said. “My hope is to keep doing what I’m doing now and making music, but I also want to start playing at bigger events and just grow upon what I have.”

JESSE SEYMOUR – THE CROONER
It was just six years ago that Jesse Seymour decided to first sing on stage in front of a large crowd. It was a Soca VS Reggae party – and he was invited to open up for dancehall star Wayne Marshall and local artist Mitchell “Live Wires” Trott. “I was given a two-minute segment before Live Wires started his piece – and right there and then I knew I was destined to sing,” Jesse said. “The response I got from the crowd was just amazing. Bermudians are the hardest critics. You could be really good, and they would just say ‘You’re okay’. From the response I got that night, the people loved it, and it just gave me a complete rush.”
Jesse was born into a musical family and got started performing in the church. Once he decided to pursue music more seriously, he set about creating a band of his own to perform with called Fire and Ice. Success followed the singer wherever he went – first by winning the Bermuda Idol competition in 2016, then a year later when he was picked as the frontman for the 4-Forty-1 band at the 35th America’s Cup.
More recently, he was signed to be part of the three-piece group, Big Chill. Starting on May 4th, the popular trio will be performing at various locations throughout the week, starting with The Terrace on Front Street on Wednesday nights; Elbow Beach on Thursdays and Friday nights; and at Hamilton Princess and Beach Club on Saturdays. “I’m looking forward to bringing a different flavour, a different vibe to the Big Chill,” Jesse said.  “It’s going to be great. I’m excited about it. I’m finally in a place where singing is my full-time job, and I don’t have to go out and work construction anymore. I’ve accomplished about half of what I want to do. Probably my next goal will be to start singing on the world stage.”

MIKE HINDS – THE COMEBACK KING
Some music artists are a one-trick-pony, but not Mike Hinds. The singer, songwriter and ukulele player, got his start in music in his 20s working at local clubs and performing in musical theatre productions, before finding his voice as the front man with bands like The Kennel Boys. At age 41, he found his true calling, after getting his first ukulele as a gift for his birthday.
Over the years, Mike has found fame locally and internationally – gracing the stage at the John Lennon/ Peace Concert alongside local songstress Joy T Barnum; and overseas at the Ukulele Festival in Scotland and Grand Southern Ukelele Festival in the UK. “Honestly music is everything to me,” Mike said. “For a while, I was learning at least one new song a week. Right now, I have a repertoire of over 1,200 songs I can play. It’s been a lot of hard work and luck to get this far in my career. For me, luck is just the ability to be able to recognise and jump on any opportunities that come your way.”
The multi-talented artist recently went through some health challenges after being hit with emphysema, among other things. He was in the hospital, in constant pain for long periods of time and on a lot of pain meds. “I would turn the music on and let it take me away. I wasn’t able to listen and enjoy it for about six to eight weeks, but I had to have music around me.” It’s been a tough road to his health recovery, but Mike was able to get back to performing his favourite weekly gig (from Thursdays to Sundays, 7 pm until 10 pm) at The Dock at The Waterlot Inn, starting this past May. The first time he played at the Southampton spot, a friend had invited him to sing for three hours. He wound up entertaining the crowd for twice that length of time. “I feel so at home there, and after a pretty difficult year, it feels so good to be back,” he said.

Photographs: Kondwani Williams

Wardrobe and Art Direction: Perri Furbert

Make Up: Calshae Minors of FaceTyme

Hair: TK Hair Salon

This article was originally featured in the Summer 2018 edition of RG Magazine.

The post Cover Story: Music to our Ears appeared first on RG Magazines.

Nicknamed Scientist, Junior Maxwell Ming says he is 52 years old, has been living rough for the past six years, and rides the length and breadth of the island on a variety of bicycles; his most recognisable feature, second only to an almost toothless grin. He also, sadly, refers to himself as a “retard”, perhaps reflecting an opinion others have expressed to him over the years.

He seems especially proud of the fact that he “learnt how to dress myself, and I dress warm”.

Given Mr Ming’s circumstances it seemed only natural that we put him on the cover of the magazine, although getting the picture proved a bit of a challenge. Fate often dictates that when you’re actively looking for something you will not find it.

Eventually he surfaced on Front Street; beer in one hand, his bike of the moment in the other. Happy to have his picture taken, the offer of lunch was turned down because he told us that he “was going to St George’s after to enjoy lunch at the big restaurant by the water”.

Conversation with him was as you might expect; fractured, confusing, and occasionally nonsensical.

“I stay out by the old Freezer Fresh in a bus stop and I try to keep out of the way,” he said. “I was staying around the corner but a man said I was too close to his house so I moved. I try to stay out of the way. I sometimes have trouble getting food but people buy me meals sometimes and I feel like I am an angel. I am an honest man and I don’t steal anything and I don’t commit any violent acts. I don’t go to the Salvation Army, I am frightened of people. I exercise often, I ride my bike.”

When earlier declining our offer for lunch he told us all he wants to do is ride his bike, because, “it makes me happy”.

In the past he has spent time in St Brendan’s. As far as we could gather he no longer attends what is now the Mid Atlantic Wellness Institute, he also said he does not take any medication. “Living out in the open is fine,” he said. “A lot of people have come and helped me, and if I didn’t have clothes they gave them to me. If I didn’t have a bike, they gave me one. I said I am going to be a good man and I am.

“I have to tell myself that nothing is tough. I stay away from bad people and no one bothers me. I never go to the doctor because I never get sick. My parents passed away and I have been living outside since I was 46. I have never been abroad, never been on an airplane.”

*We have been made to understand that Mr Ming has a family that support him and that his lifestyle is of his own choosing.

The post My name’s not Scientist appeared first on RG Magazines.

“My style is very two-sided. Sometimes I prefer the Minimalist style, which is sleek and simple. However, I also do love abstract colours and patterns and dramatic shapes. In terms of my hair, I recently cut it short in order to give it some texture, as my long hair did tend to cover my features and was limited in terms of styling. I tend to be a ‘less is more’ type of person when it comes to make-up. I stick to more natural earthy tones to blend in with my complexion and eyes. I love the cat-eye look, it is perfect for during the day and even for a night out.”

During her reign as Miss Bermuda, which she won last summer, Ms Rose said she has picked up tips from other beauty queens.

In December she travelled to China for the Miss World Pageant and said: “I learnt so many tips and tricks regarding make-up while I was away.”

Of going to the competition in China, she said: “I was surprised about how little people in Bermuda know about the Miss World Pageant and what is required of Miss Bermuda in order to compete. It is something that I am looking to alter in the remainder of my reign. Unless you sit and do the background research, many people think that I buy a dress, fly to another country, walk on a stage and that is all. It is so much more. The pageant consists of five fast track events, which require months of preparation and are ultimately based on shaping young women into well-rounded citizens. Beyond the sports and fitness, talent, modelling, media challenge and interviews, the competition encourages the contestants to get involved with humanitarian work in their countries. ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ is what Miss World stands for, and is their charity, which has raised millions of dollars for disadvantaged children around the world. This aspect of the competition is the focal point and highlights the challenges faced by communities around the world and the work these women have done to assist. It may still be called a ‘beauty pageant’ but Miss World has given the word ‘beauty’ an entirely new meaning.

It was an incredible feeling to hear the loud cheering and to see my family holding the Bermuda flags from the audience when I walked out for the first time.

“China was entirely different than I imagined it to be. In Sanya, it was very warm and humid, quite similar to Bermuda, which is why they call it China’s Hawaii. It was fast-paced and busy but ironically peaceful at the same time. We flew to three different cities located on the mainland, which was my favourite part, as I wanted to experience as much of China as possible. I do admit, it was challenging to have no access to social media or even search engines such as Google for the month. I really wanted to involve Bermuda in my experience by sharing information, photos and updating them on my journey and this was difficult to do given the limited access.”

Ms Rose says her family all travelled to China to support her which she appreciated.

“It was an incredible feeling to hear the loud cheering and to see my family holding the Bermuda flags from the audience when I walked out for the first time. It was honestly surreal. The support from people in Bermuda was also overwhelming. When I was able to access the Internet there was an abundance of messages, congratulating me, sharing photos of me from their TV screens, letting me know they have followed my journey and how proud they are of me. It really is an extraordinary feeling.”

While in China Ms Rose said she made lifelong friends with the other women representing their countries from around the world.

“We have a WhatsApp ‘chat’ group with all 114 women that competed. Everyone is able to share photos, stories and updates which is awesome. I have spoken to many of the contestants since and have been invited to their countries, offers which I hope to take advantage of in the future. I have also extended an invitation to them to visit Bermuda and stay with me so hopefully I get to see them again soon!”

Her reign as Miss Bermuda finishes this summer and she said: “It has been an extremely rewarding experience thus far. I have met and collaborated with talented locals, made new friends from 114 different countries at Miss World and have lived in China for a month. It has definitely been a year to remember! I look forward to continuing working with the Friends of Hope charity (helping children with special needs) and getting involved in community events as much as possible.”

Of her future she said: “Once my reign has come to an end, I plan on assisting Miss Bermuda to develop her ‘beauty with a purpose’. Now that I have graduated with a Master’s degree I am focusing on starting a career in Bermuda in Marketing and Brand Management.”

This article first appeared in RG Spring magazine in 2016

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