July, 2005 ~ "Life is a Beach"
August 2005 ~ Bermuda!, Fire Fighting Training
September 2005 ~ Bermuda Highways, Gone Fishing, John Smith Beach, Hurricane
October 2005~ Imagery, Visiting Bermuda
November 2005 ~ Hello - We are still Here, Our Place, What do I Do?
December 2005 ~ "All I want to do is Catch a Big fIsh"!, Our First Visitor, Peugeot Cabriolet
January 2006 ~ Happy New Year!
February 2006 ~ Winter in Bermuda
March 2006 ~ BRrrrrrr!
April 2006 ~ April Showers?
December 26, 2005

Happy Holidays to everyone from Lori and I

I apologize if I haven't been in contact with many of you over the holiday season, but I've been at work until Christmas morning and then there is the time difference. When I'm up and at the computer, most of everybody back home is still in bed and when they want to talk on MSN, "I'm" in bed!

Christmas in Bermuda for us was great. On Christmas day, all the doors and windows were open, not a cloud in the sky, beautiful and warm. Boxing day (today) is different. Torrential downpour but with the temperature still in the high 70's. We went to Mark and Anne's place for lobster dinner.The Lobster was so huge that we still have half of it for dinner tonight! We were also invited upstairs to have "brunch" with Adrian and Ronda. It turned out to be a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Oh my poor waistline!

Today we had another brunch where everyone from work came to share in an omelet breakfast washed down with Champagne and orange juice.

So I hope all who read this are enjoying life and especially the Christmas Season as much as we are.

Peugeot Cabriolet
December 18, 2005

As you can see, we are pretty proud of our little1995 Peugeot convertible. It's always been a dream of ours to own a soft top but in good ol' BC it was never practical. Here in Bermuda one has the top down more in the winter than in the summer!

So now we have all we need to be at home here on the Island (except for a hide-a-bed couch which is our next purchase). When visitors arrive at the airport, we have the wheels to transport them and their luggage to our place.

One of the great examples of living on a small Island is that after purchasing and bringing home the car, we found out that it once belonged to our landlady Ronda.

We have already lowered the top (as you can see) and have gone cruising West to Somerset. The temperature is now in the mid 60's and very comfortable. We are still preparing ourselves for the "cold" months of January and February.
December 14, 2005
HOORAY! OUR FIRST VISITOR

The first visitor to actually come through on the promise of a visit. Doug Askew arrived in Bermuda on December 7th, and although much of his stay I had to work, Lori and I did spend a couple of quality days with him.

Mark was able to take time off from Tynes Bay and so planned Doug's day to day itinerary as well as put him up at his home for the week he was here. Doug's first exposure to Bermuda was, of course, being "swizzled in" at the Swizzle Inn. My first sight of them that evening was Doug staggering into Mark and Anne's kitchen where I stopped on my way to work.

The next day they went on a boat ride in rough seas. Doug got to see the Island from the vantage point of being doubled over the stern of Mark's boat. Ouch!

Doug on his rented scooter in "Dockyard"
click on any of the images to open a larger version of the same

On one of Doug's bike tours, Lori tagged along and took a few photos. Although in the middle of December, the weather was pretty good most days. Perfect for activities such as golfing which they did twice at two different courses. One day at the Southampton Princess next door to us (along with Lori who now wants to get a membership there) and once to the prestigious Tucker's Golf Club where a fellow engineer from Tynes Bay once worked and got them in at a fraction of the cost ($250 for a round). Doug responded to the generosity by whooping everyone's ass.
Doug and Mark checking out one of the many "cannons" on Bermuda.
On a warm and calm day, albeit without the sun, we all went fishing in Mark's boat. Lori performed her usual and skunked us all by catching 5 fish to our none.
At right is one of three "shark suckers" she caught. Usually they are attached to a shark. She also caught a "silky" which are very good to eat and caught a "bream" which is usually used as bait for larger fish.
Doug lines up his camera on the Naval Dockyard
Lunch aboard the boat was a success as Anne outdid herself on the grub. Along with plenty of wine, the day was very much a success.
Lori, Doug and Anne help themselves to the after-quarter buffet
Life is good
December 3rd, 2005 "All I want to do is Catch a Big Fish"

Ever since we went fishing on Mark's boat, Lori has been "hooked" on the art of fishing. We fished off the edge of the reef and although none of us "men" caught anything that day, Lori skunked us by catching a "Porgie". We had it for dinner that night and it was delicious!

Now, when I ask Lori what she would like to do, the response is automatic; "I want to catch a big fish". We have bought hand-lines, hooks, weights and a spinning reel. Many an enjoyable afternoon is spent on the shore rocks, with bait and hook in the ocean, watching the sun set.
Often I have had to drag Lori back to the scooter in the dark, listening to her complaint that the last nibble might have been the "big one"!

Lori "gloating" over her catch
Pictured at right is Lori with catch and "Kenny", our two fisted Bermudan friend. Getting to the fishing grounds is a complicated affair of weaving in and out of shallow reefs until you get to the outside channel where all the "big" ones hang out. As you can see, fishing isn't the only thing we do out on Mark's boat, but the standing rule is that one does not crack a beer until the first fish is caught. Thank You Lori!
Kenny and Lori celebrating her "Porgy" and first beers

Living in Bermuda is a seafood lover's paradise. If you don't catch your own, then there are the fishermen who sell their catch every Friday at certain spots on the side of the main roads. Offered are always rock fish (my favorite), Wahoo (which reach 50 to 60 lbs), "Jack" fish, Hog fish, shark (which is surprisingly delicious), lobster (which get very large and are clawless), tuna, marlin and a host of others I've yet to try out.

Yesterday we stopped at a sign advertising "fresh fish" and walked down to the boat where we met the skipper. We bought a couple of pounds of Wahoo and arranged to go out fishing with him next week. We will motor about 25 miles off the coast. Now Lori will get her wish ....and "Catch a Big Fish"!

 

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On the dock at Jew's Bay fishing for a "Hog Fish"