Bermuda for August

PHOTO ALBUM HERE: https://photos.app.goo.gl/j9akpsUTYdMRk6ac8

August was spent in Bermuda.

We flew back and it was WHAM!! Back into the realities of the real world, family life and strife, plus visitors, a major Bermuda holiday – Cup Match, a family wedding and camping on Fern Island. PHEW!

Cup Match:

Cup Match is the major Bermudian holiday. The first day celebrates the emancipation of the slaves and the second day celebrates Sommers – Sir George Sommers who “founded” the colony when his ship was wrecked here in 1609.

Cup Match occurs on the Thursday and Friday at the end of July and beginning of August, a 4 day holiday. Traditionally the East end – St. Georges plays the West end – Somerset in a game of cricket. Each end of the island takes a turn every other year hosting the “Game” as it is referred to. All Bermudians are very loyal to their chosen team – mine being the West end as that is where my Nana’s family, the Roberts is from. We arrived just before Cup Match, but we didn’t get a chance to partake as there was much catching up with the family to do.

At the game there is all kinds of Bermudian food, venders galore, and games of “Crown and Anchor” -a gambling game. Cup Match is the only time and place that Crown and Anchor gambling is legally allowed in Bermuda. Other Cup Match traditions are camping, beach/swimming, boating, sailing, and really all water sports.

Wedding on the beach:

John’s niece – Laura arrived with her future husband and their 4 girls………….

A few days later John sister, the grooms parents and 2 of Laura’s buddies arrived………

We had meet and greets where they were staying, plus a dinner at our son’s house. John was very happy catching up with his sister, Lynda.

The Wednesday after we arrived there was a small, evening, wedding on one of the South-shore coves followed by a lovely dinner at “Sea Breeze” – Elbow Beach Hotel.

And during the day:

John and I were also the care givers/nannies during August for one of our grandchildren – May who is 2. Her nursery was closed for August so we had her for the day. This was complicated by not having any transportation.

However we survived and basically by tag-teaming we managed to entertain, babysit her and get some of our numerous chores completed. We also fitted in walks along the tracks with May and some with Kate too, feeding the horses

and a swim at the beach with Chrissie and Quest.

In the evenings Chrissie and Quest would arrive home and we would spend the evenings together.

At the same time we had our various Dr. Appointments and projects around the property that needed to be seen to…..a busy month!

A day on the water:

We also a lovely afternoon out in our son Gavin’s boat. We went to an area we call Kings Point, in Somerset.

There we tied up along side a friend – Will’s boat and had a fun family afternoon. Several other friends of Katie and Gavin stopped too.

It was a regular Bermuda family boating , swimming, paddle boarding, socializing, children and dogs playing and relaxing.

Fern Island camp:

Fern Island is an island that we have camped on for the last 30+ years, (excluding the last 5). My Dad even camped there wayyy back when he was a young man in the early 1900s.

It’s a very small island with a dock, a wooden “house” (that was used to house the Boar officer prisoners), a tiny beach and as its name implies there is much fern growing. The Yacht Club oversee the island in the form of a trust of which we are members.

The island is very special to all of our family as we started camping there in the 1980s when Gavin and Christina were quite young, when Kate was born she camped every year from 6 months old until she was 16. We always spent about 2 weeks camping, the pets came too and our children had their friends come along. Plus we had our friends and family from the UK come and visit or stay on Fern with us.

Those were wonderful family times and our son Gavin has started the Fern tradition again.

He sets up for a camping weekend and invites friends and family, many of which camped there with us and now have children. We were back to join camp, John went out with Gavin to set up on the Thursday. They prepared the island by cutting the grass, erecting tents, and organizing the house.

We all arrived on the Friday, John and I, Gavin, with Lily and dog Amy; friend – Daniel, wife Melody their 2 children Harley and Piper; friend Sean with his wife, 3 children and dog …….. we were the permanent campers.

The day visitors were numerous and the children many, and all but one, Quest, were little girls. At one point there were, nearly a dozen children under the age of 10 and all girls except baby Quest. Oh and there were dogs too as many as 3 at a time. I think the dogs and the children were the ones that had the most fun.

We swam, they ski tubed, jumped in the water, chased balls, had a campfire, water ballon fights, slept in tents, had barbecues and snacks, paddled at the beach and prowled the island. Plus we had a full moon! All too soon it was time for us to break camp and head home. It was a wonderful Fern camp!