Bermuda Vacation 1963 ~ Black Bay Wrecks, A Spin in "Chaos", Hurricane Arlene & ARA Libertad

“Our Vacation Trip” Quite a few sightings of the Surry Taxis that were popular at the time. Convertible cabs with a cloth fringe on top – a charming touch that is long gone. Abord a harbor ferry ride sightseeing and passing the Old Invuiere Hotel, Salt Kettle and the ships at dock on Front Street. We dock at the Ferry Terminal with its cedar windows and make our way to Front Street past some mopeds. It’s quiet and, looking East on the right, the parking lot at number one shed is walled in with a tree overhanging. Staying at the Bermudiana, it’s a quick look at the harbor view from the Hotel, then back on Pitts Bay Road with the pink oleander overhanging the sidewalk. There is a policeman directing traffic in the Birdcage, and the Queen of Bermuda is at dock. Little has changed with the landmark Gosling Bros. building and back at the Bermudiana, a container ship leaves the harbor. Next we return to the water on the speedboat “Chaos” (any detail anyone?), with a cruise along the shoreline from Paget Hall , past the wrecks at Black Bay, past the NOB with its flying boats, through Somerset Bridge, to the wreck of the Vixen. On return, we pass the tender “Canima” (the best party boat ever), folks diving off the islands on Spanish Point, and a glimpse of Admiralty House, its shoreline of caves and beach. A short tour of Fairylands and the Point Shares shoreline ends back at Hamilton. Back at the hotel, its another calm day with the view over Barrs Bay Park. A quick stop at Windsor Beach is next, then its back to town with a glimpse of Queen Street at the front of City Hall with its fountains that were a gift from the Gibbons family (1960) and removed in 2012. A victim of “easier to remove than fix”. Some fishing at “Devils Hole” is next then it’s a visit to ARA Libertad, which is docked on Front Street. Belonging to the Argentine Navy or the Armada de la República Argentina, she still functions as a training vessel today. Shopping in Hamilton! English Sports Shop, J.E. Lightbourn & Co, Twenty-One Club, Calypso, Trimingham’s, H. A. & E Smiths, Furness Bermuda Lines & Gosling Bros. Ltd are some of the stops. Hurricane Arlene directly struck Bermuda on August 9th and is seen from the Bermudiana Hotel. This Category 3 storm quickly weakened to a Category 1 by the time it reached the island. We end with a visit to Gibbs Hill Lighthouse and a yacht on the shoreline rocks, a victim of the storm.