“My husband Bryon and I were contemplating moving back to Bermuda because it’s my home and he had never lived here. Being newly married we wanted to think of our next adventure, and he agreed he wanted to live in Bermuda for a while.

“I have a home on the Island that belongs to my family, but it was rented out at the time. My aunt who lives on a boat in Dockyard suggested ‘Why don’t you think about living on a boat?’.  It just so happens Bryon is from Newfoundland in Canada, where boats and water are in his blood, and he was totally excited about that option.

“We started looking at Emoo and Bermuda Boat Traders for something suitable for living aboard, and we ended up looking at several. In the end, we found Free Spirit, a 43ft Carver Cabin Cruiser.

“When it comes to living on a boat, you have to also look at the outdoor living space, as that’s where you’ll be spending a lot of your time.

“We took my aunt with us to look at the boats, and when we saw Free Spirit she was shaking her head in approval the whole time saying ‘This is very nice’.

“It had a lot of natural daylight, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Between us, we have four grown children, so we wanted them to have a place to stay when visiting Bermuda.”

“We moved to the marina in Dockyard on May 1, 2015. It was a different change of pace, but I loved it almost from the word go. I had left behind a 3,500 square foot house on 35 acres in St. George, Ontario, a rural town 45 minutes west of Toronto.

“We had 25 animals including horses, alpacas, dogs and cats. It used to take me three hours to cut the grass. I spent every weekend weed whacking, maintaining fences, hedge cutting, sweeping the barn and in the winter shovelling snow. I had a perpetual to-do list that never ended.

“With two kids who did all the sports, my garage looked like a sporting goods store. We had to scale our stuff down and decide what to sell, keep or donate. In the end, Bryon and I moved here with just two suitcases and two storage containers. The whole process of downsizing was very liberating. Now it takes me an hour to clean my boat top to bottom.

“Living on a boat is very economical. Plus, Dockyard has all the amenities and restaurants you could want. We get up early, and I watch the sunrise while drinking my morning coffee. Then on a Friday night, we untie the boat and go somewhere different for the weekend. We just drop anchor, swim, snorkel or fish, take naps, I read like crazy and just chill. That’s my absolute favourite thing about living aboard. It’s simplified living.”

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

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I have never kayaked in Bermuda, so I wanted to do so and learn a bit more about my home from a tourist perspective. We began by departing from Dockyard starting with a boat ride to our official departure location which was Ely’s Harbour. During the off season a mini bus is normally provided to avoid the refreshing splashes from the waves against the boat. Our tour guides were Ashley, Adrian and Josh all very knowledgeable and friendly individuals.

A quick stop to the northern point of the Bermuda Triangle, locally known as The Vixen, a boat which was once upon a time filled with prisoners who were later put to work. Currently the Vixen provides a lovely residence for greedy tenants that know to expect food when boats arrive to the area. Although the temptation to throw over a line comes to mind, fishing is not allowed.

Once we arrived at Ely’s Harbour I could not get my bearing’s from this perspective. I was completely turned around yet amazed by the landscape surrounding the harbour. The wind was not in my favor on this day however I was completely fine being left behind by the group! I wanted to give up, but instead I made more of an effort to catch up and hear interesting facts about Bermuda.

Here’s a fun fact: Thousands of the very tiny insects called the lady bird beetle, commonly known as the lady bug were brought to Bermuda to destroy the cedar scale insects that was killing the cedar trees. Unfortunately, this was unsuccessful, and a high number of cedar trees died.

We paddled our way around the harbour, passing a well-kept dwelling on a private island fixed with anything you could possibly ask for. Straight ahead we made our way to the mangroves where turtles come to enjoy a fresh meal of sea grass. Not many were spotted on this day but in the warmer months more are known to visit the area.

Here’s another fun fact: It was once said that turtle eggs where brought to Bermuda from Puerto Rico with hopes to have more live in Bermuda waters. Unfortunately, this too was unsuccessful as once the eggs hatched the turtles made their way back to Puerto Rico. While on a roll with unsuccessful experiments, Bermuda’s weather temperatures were not taken into consideration as it only assisted in producing male turtles. The temperatures in Puerto Rico produce an even number of males and females.

While I tried to keep up with the group I was still fighting my hardest to avoid trees and rocks. I had no choice but to laugh at how pathetic my kayaking skills were! However, I quickly realized that I should have been stirring the kayak and not paddling my little heart out as the wind was now working in my favor!

Note to remember: When you change direction, the wind will make life a bit easier just be mindful of how you use your paddle.

Nevertheless, the tour guides found me amusing and we shared a moment in laughter as we made our way to the last stop called the Elephant Rock. I was able to see right away the reason behind the name as I saw a cluster of elephant heads in the rock formation. It was a two for one special as the opposite side of the rock formation showcased a cathedral. Pretty fascinating how the elements create such artistic formations.

We were on the home stretch and the sun was beginning to be a tad bit aggressive on my skin. Thankfully, we were given a moment to take a swim and cool down after an awesome upper body work out — quite refreshing if I do say so myself!

It was all aboard as we made our way back to Dockyard while consuming a complimentary glass of Rum Swizzle! While feeling like a tourist for three hours I was intrigued, learning new and refreshing information about Bermuda. Would I do it all again? Absolutely, only this time I’ll bring someone else to paddle me around.

* To book a kayaking adventure, simply log on to www.islandtourcentre.com and follow the instructions online. With a simple click, you can be scheduled for a tour in no time. Once the desired date is confirmed, print out your e-ticket for easy reference and arrive 15 minutes prior to the departure time as suggested. By doing so this provides enough time to check-in and sign any necessary waivers.

Deanna Williams – DWPerception is a landscape, architecture, portrait and fashion photographer, who thrives on fresh ideas and collaborative opportunities. Here’s the world from her perspective: www.dwperception.com

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So, on Sunday, September 10, we arrived for our morning tour at Island Tour Centre in Dockyard ready for our flight.

Waiver forms were completed prior to commencing our tour with our driver, Skye, and instructor, George. George prepared us for our adventure with a harness, life vest and instructions for taking off and returning safely.

Among a small tour group of brave females I jumped at the opportunity for my friend and I to go first.

We were instructed to sit in harnesses, and before we knew it we were up and on our way high in the air. We both let off nervous laughs as it was our first time parasailing, but we were just fine moments after and began taking in the view.

This particular Sunday rain had been forecast, but in true unpredictable Bermuda fashion it never rained, instead it presented perfect parasailing conditions, with a blue sky, few clouds, and a gentle breeze.

Vibrant building colours complimented the turquoise sea that housed playful turtles and other sea life — It was a view that will stay embedded in my mind forever.

Everyone in the group had their turn flying high over the Great Sound, and eventually the tour was coming to a close, or so we thought, but Skye surprised us with a boat ride.

First stop was to the Vixen shipwreck to feed the fish and to share a surprising fact that we were  located at one of the points of the “Bermuda Triangle”. Next was Daniel’s Head to visit the camera shy turtles! I was completely prepared to enjoy a quick swim with the turtles, but my request was politely declined with a laugh from Skye and George and we made our return to Dockyard to end the tour. These gentlemen were an excellent team and as tour guides I felt it was money well spent.

Before returning to reality my friend and I stopped to Woody’s for a bite to eat while reflecting on what was a truly memorable experience. What local tour will we engage in next is unknown, but it must top our parasailing experience.

* To book a parasailing adventure like ours, simply log on to www.islandtourcentre.com and follow the instructions online. My friend and I were registered and confirmed within moments. The user friendly calendar system on the website allows you to see what days are available and the times. Once booking is complete, an itinerary screen is displayed for easy printing.

Deanna Williams – DWPerception is a landscape, architecture, portrait and fashion photographer, who thrives on fresh ideas and collaborative opportunities. Here’s the world from her perspective: www.dwperception.com

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