Storm Watch

Here we go again. Last year Hurricane Bill threatened to punish Bermuda with high seas and 135 mph winds. Remember that? I even shot this crazy Al Roker-esque video from Church Bay, with strong winds whipping around the camera and gnarly waves crashing steadily upon the shore. It all looked pretty grim for awhile. I went to Gorhams—our local Home Depot-type hardware store—and stocked up on everything I was told I'd need: Batteries, water, rope, flashlights (even though I already had four). And while everyone here on the island hunkered down for a direct hit the Category 4 storm spared us and passed to the west, with the bulk of damage being trashed beaches and hysterically, this doormat (no not really, but it was one of the most humorous pictures being circulated around Bermuda the day after the storm). Well, consider this the first official scare of 2010. According to the National Hurricane Center, Tropical Storm Colin has reformed and is making its way up the Atlantic—and it's got Bermuda in it sights. With maximum sustained winds of 45 miles per hour, the storm was 400 miles south-southwest of the island heading north-northwest at 11 miles per hour at 8:45 a.m. Atlantic Time this morning. On the current forecasted track, Colin should pass within 86 miles of Bermuda at its closest point at about 11 p.m. tomorrow, with storm force winds extended up to 105 miles from its center (for the latest visit the Bermuda Weather Service). Who knows what'll happen but there's one thing I'm certain of: I definitely have enough flashlights.

The Reasons: An Addendum

Even casual readers of Bermuda Shorts know of my great affinity for the island. Back in March I posted my top ten reasons why living in Bermuda is so darn delightful—things like lobster season, the prevalence of Dark n Stormy’s, the opportunity to grow a winter beard. Ya know, the basics. Well my friends, consider this an addendum to my original list, because living in Bermuda would not be the same without the one and only Johnny Barnes. You see, Johnny is a living legend here in Bermuda: Every morning between 8am and 10am, the 86-year-old gray-bearded Bermudian greets morning traffic entering the City of Hamilton with a kiss and wave. “I love ya, I love ya, I love ya,” he says with all sincerity as he blows kisses into the air. It’s astounding. Every morning like clockwork there’s Johnny, greeting commuters like it’s his job. He’s so beloved that Bermuda has even erected a bronze statue in his honor down the road from where he stands each morning—a phenomenon that still blows my mind (don't you have to be a Communist dictator to have a statue erected in your honor while you're still living?). I mean the guy even has his own Wikipedia page for goodness sake. And apparently I’m not the only one who knows what an impact Johnny has on daily life in Bermuda. According to Bernews, director Matt Morris is searching for locals to interview for his new film about Johnny titled “Mr. Happy Man.” Watch the short trailer above and try not to get excited for the upcoming documentary. So to you Johnny, I say three cheers! Thanks for making Bermuda such a wonderful place to call home.

Kid Corner

Got kids? Traveling to Bermuda? Then look no further than the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute, otherwise known as BUEI. As this eight-minute Voyage.TV video attests, the 40,000-square-foot discovery center is chock full of family-friendly exhibits designed to acquaint visitors with the mysteries of the ocean. You’ll learn about Bermuda’s more than 300 shipwrecks and tour collections of artifacts pulled from sunken ships; discover why the island’s sand is pink; and tour special exhibits, like its recent collection of memorabilia and relics recovered from the wreckage of the Titanic. Shell collectors will love the Jack Lightbourne shell collection, with more than 1,000 species of mollusks on display and young explorers will get a kick out of the underwater simulator, which recreates a submarine dive in Bermuda’s waters (that's a picture of it above; the "Nautilus 2 Experimental Sub." Paintjob anyone?). Of course you don’t have to be a Hannah Montana or Zac Efron fan to enjoy BUEI, but if it rains anywhere near as much as it did last weekend, it’s a great stop on a cloudy day.

The Life Outside

Today is Tuesday—you know what that means. I'm interrupting my regularly scheduled Bermuda Shorts program to bring you my take on The Life Outside (otherwise known as my weekly blog for Outside Television). Last week I told you about acclaimed underwater photographer Wes Skiles who died tragically while filming in Florida. And the week before it was all about humanitarian Greg Mortenson, who I met while filming at Mountainfilm in Telluride. Well, it turns out that film festival was chock full of interesting folks so today I bring you a story about Tom Iselin who I also met while shooting in Colorado. Tom is the founder of Higher Ground, a program of Sun Valley Adaptive Sports that helps America's wounded veterans overcome mental and physical disabilities—including PTSD and other injuries—by engaging them in outdoor activities, like fly-fishing in Ketchum, Idaho. It's a stellar program, as the documentary Fish Out Of Water clearly demonstrates. You'll have to head on over to Outside Television to learn the latest about Tom and what he's doing to assist our wounded warriors, but let's just say if you've got any extra cash lying around and are itching to make a big donation, I've got the cause for you.

Deal of the Day

Anyone who’s been to Bermuda knows that it’s a golfer’s paradise. The twenty-one-square mile archipelago has seven beautifully manicured courses, many offering stunning water views. My favorite of the bunch is Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton, not only because it’s the home of the 2010 PGA Grand Slam of Golf this October—the game’s premier season-ending tournament featuring Masters champ Phil Mickelson, U.S. Open champ Graeme McDowell, British Open champ Louis Oosthuizen and the winner of the PGA Championship this August—but because the public course often cranks out killer deals like this one: From today until September 30th guests of any island hotel can play 18 holes at Port Royal from 2pm onwards, then enjoy dinner at its ocean view clubhouse restaurant, 64º, for just $164. Considering green fees with a cart normally cost $180 and entrees at the restaurant hover around $20-$25, it’s a whopper of a deal. And forget about having to bring your sticks: Port Royal will also knock 50% off the price of golf club rentals (brand new Taylor Made Burners, by the way) making the total price for 18 holes with cart, golf clubs and dinner $189. Now that’s a package I can get behind. To book visit Port Royal Golf Course or call (441) 234-0974. Oh yeah, and if you're wondering, that's the 16th hole—Port Royal's signature par-three that's widely regarded as the greatest hole in golf. So what are you waiting for? Book your Port Royal package today!