That's All Folks!

As you may have noticed, Bermuda Shorts has been pretty quiet. That's not because I've moved away or lost interest in this gorgeous island in the middle of the Atlantic. It's because I've dedicated myself to new projects, plain and simple.

The most exciting of the bunch?

My fancy new website, DavidLaHuta.com, which now features my fancy new blog, Live Out Loud. As you'll see, the blog is all about celebrating life to its fullest, so you'll be pleased to learn that I'll continue to post about Bermuda and all of its pink sand glory on the new website as well—just search for the tag 'Bermuda Shorts' and anything about the island will instantly pop up. While there you can also read about my adventures around the world, what life is like as a stay-at-home dad and updates about my increasingly busy television career.

That said, if all you want is honest-to-goodness information about this sunny place that I call home, then I'd suggest to check out bermuda.com for comprehensive destination information including where to shop, stay and eat; GoToBermuda.com for hotel deals and general updates from the Department of Tourism; Bernews, The Royal Gazette and The Bermuda Sun for headline news from around the island; the Bermuda Weather Service for the most accurate local forecast anywhere on the web; and NothingToDoInBermuda, which lists a day-by-day account of what's happening here on the island.

Of course, if you're still looking for a local's opinion don't miss a few of my classic island articles that I've written throughout the years including 36 Hours in Bermuda, from the New York Times; The Many Faces of Bermuda, originally published on Jetsetter; What Happened to the Bermuda Triangle from ISLANDS magazine; Reflections of an Ex-Pat on Gadling; and Winter Deals and Sunny Skies on Huffington Post Travel. Also, don't miss this collection of videos that I shot exclusively for the Bermuda Channel, the island's most-watched visitors network.

And finally, if you're really in a pinch, head on over to the contact page of DavidLaHuta.com to learn how to reach me directly. I'm always happy to help a traveler in need.

So that's it my friends. It's been a great ride here at Bermuda Shorts but it's time to move onto bigger and better things. So without further adieu, I invite you to join me over at Live Out Loud for a small bite of Bermuda but a bigger slice of me.

At Least We've Got Waves

Hurricane Leslie is officially churning its way up the Atlantic, and although the Category 1 storm is forecasted to swing just east of Bermuda on Sunday, its swells have been nothing less than fantastic. For surfers, that is. Just check out the video above. That was shot yesterday near The Reefs hotel in Southampton—an exposed reef break that has fairly consistent waves during storm season. For specifics about the break check out Surf Forecast for more, but if you're looking for a wave of your own, this would be the place. It is not however, the only spot local surfers are catching waves this week. Bermuda photographer John Manderson documented chest-to-head-high waves across the island, including these images taken at Horseshoe Bay. And I've witnessed tons of surfers all along the south shore, from Dunkleys to Tuckers, both of which are hosting waves unlike I've ever seen in Bermuda. For more about local surf breaks, check out this (albeit slightly dated) article in TransWorld Surf. And be sure to keep checking Bermuda Shorts for continued updates about Hurricane Leslie, which according to all local reports, should pack a punch over the weekend. Thank goodness I've got my rum.

Storm Watch: Hurricane Leslie

Some of you may have noticed that Bermuda Shorts has been semi-retired for awhile now. It's true: The rigors of life, work and admittedly, stay-at-home-dad-dom have sacrificed yet another blog. Well, I'm happy to report that your daily dish from paradise is back—that is, until I lose power due to the impending impacts of Tropical Storm Leslie, which is currently churning its way up the Atlantic and forecast to become a hurricane any day now. On its current track the storm is expected to approach Bermuda this weekend, with winds as much as 110mph forecast to whip the western portion of the island (a.k.a. The End Where I Live). However, my catastrophe modeler insurance pals are all calling for a direct hit from a Category 2 hurricane sometime on Sunday. And trust me, these people know what they're talking about. Their business is risk. If the surf that's been rolling over the island's south shore is any indication, Bermuda should start bracing for something major (the above picture taken yesterday from Warwick Long Bay doesn't even do it justice; the surf is indeed up). For up to date information about Tropical Storm Leslie, visit the Bermuda Weather Service. And of course, I'll do my best to keep you posted with images, videos and news from the island. Folks, it looks like it might be time for a Dark n' Stormy.

Calling All New Yorkers

Apologies up front for not having more information than the bare minimum I'm about to share, but if you live or work in New York City and have a chance to be anywhere near Grand Central Station tomorrow, stop by for a chance to win a trip to Bermuda. According to the tourism website GoToBermuda.com, the powers-that-be are giving away 50 round-trip airline tickets to Bermuda tomorrow, February 16, from 7am-6pm in Grand Central's Vanderbilt Hall. The Department of Tourism did the exact same thing last year, hosting a festive daylong event featuring live Gombey dancers and Bermudian food favorites, so I imagine tomorrow's shin-dig will be much of the same, but unfortunately, that's all I've got folks.

This Just In

Remember Matt Morris' documentary film Mr. Happy Man, about a well-known Bermudian who greets Hamilton commuters each morning? Well, the director has just placed the full version of the award-winning short film online, which means you too can see the smiles Johnny Barnes brings to islanders each day. The film won the Audience Award for Best Short Film at the AFI/Discovery Silverdocs, Best Documentary Short Film at the Sidewalk Motion Picture Festival, Honorable Mention at the Nashville Film Festival and an Ideal Award at the Adventure Film Festival. Even better, it's also playing on Outside Television, the American cable network I'm also an on-air correspondent for (click here to watch my interview with Matt Morris live from Mountainfilm in Telluride). Go on, get happy.