THE ADVENTURE ISLAND
BY JEN ROSE SMITH
Don’t let blushing beaches and pastel houses fool you — Bermuda’s waterfront idylls are a
beguiling front for the archipelago’s wilder side. Among the world’s most remote populated
islands, the British territory in the Sargasso Sea is carved into sheer limestone cliffs and
hidden caverns, while hundreds of shipwrecks cover the surrounding ocean floor. It’s no
wonder the island served as the inspiration for Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
Deep-sea fishing challenges anglers to pursue the catch of a lifetime here, fighting tuna
or blue marlin that can exceed 1,000 pounds, and year-round mild weather means there’s
no excuse to linger indoors. “You can go to heaven if you like,” wrote Mark Twain, an
adventurous traveler with a taste for the good life. “I’ll stay right here in Bermuda.”
GO DEEP GET VERTICAL
Tales of ghost ships and vanished planes haunt the Bermuda Triangle,
and the archipelago claims more shipwrecks per square mile than
anywhere on earth. For divers, the wrecks surrounding Bermuda are
an unmatched playground, where darting barracuda and angelfish
colonize sunken ships like the century-old luxury liner Cristóbal Colón,
an elegant early 20th century-vessel now sprouting delicate sea fans.
Contact Blue Water Divers to explore dozens of wrecks, including the
Cristóbal Colón. Cliffs dip to glassy water on Bermuda’s coastal flanks, drawing rock
climbers for dramatic ascents with a postcard backdrop. At Clarence
Cove, those limestone faces lean far over the emerald-tinted water,
allowing climbers to practice “deep water soloing,” which eschews
ropes and harnesses altogether. When the climbers eventually slip
from the rock, they plummet into the sea and try again. Hundreds of
deep-water routes with names like “Lara Croft” and “Atlantis” have
been established.
HEAD UNDERGROUND
Solid ground gives way to a crystalline maze of caves in Bermuda.
Novice cavers can join a day-long excursion with Bermuda Island Tours
to see the Crystal Caves, whose gin-clear fresh water reflects ceilings
bristling with stalactites and hollow-core “soda straws.” Advanced
divers suit up for challenging trips into flooded and undersea cave
systems, such as the spectacular Green Bay Cave, lit only by the
powerful beams of handheld dive lights.
FLYWASHINGTON.COM 38 SPRING 2020
CAST OFF
Anglers test their reels — and willpower — against some of the
ocean’s brawniest tuna, wahoo, and marlin, which patrol the Bermuda
coast. Record-setting blue marlin are the ultimate prize, bringing boats
to Bermuda’s Challenger and Argus Banks seeking acrobatic fights with
fish that tip the scales at 1,000 pounds. To find your own, join Early Bird
Charters for trips aboard the 42-foot Troubadour and an education on
sustainable fishing practices.