Stories by bdahunter..........

[bdahunter]

I got a call from my Mom just before Christmas telling me that she had passed her heart test at the hospital and was cleared to travel to some place warm for the holidays, she felt Mexico might be nice. My wife and I had just returned from Tulum, Mexico and knew she would like it but I suggested that she come to Bermuda instead. You see my Mom would have had a wire run into her heart so they could shock it if she had failed that test and she had almost died a few years ago when they installed a pacemaker to even out the jazzy beat to her heart; so naturally I wanted to spend time with her whenever possible. It's not always easy spending quality time with family when you're a gypsy like I am, typically I'm somewhere thousands of miles away from the rest of the clan. Building hotels has taken me to many distant places and the wanderlust has shown no sign of abating so that's just how it is with me but when you come so close to losing a parent it's a wake up call that you are wise to heed.
Arrangements were made for a flight and a hotel so I picked my Mom and her husband up at the Bermuda International Airport on Christmas Day. What a perfect Christmas present to be with family. We spent a week together just seeing the sights and enjoying each others company and one of our trips was to Fort St. Catherine. Fort St. Catherine is one of the largest as well as one of the oldest forts in Bermuda, built in the 1600's it defends the ocean approach to the old capital of Hamilton, Bermuda.

[attachment 114479 p293893-Bermuda-St_Catherines_Beach.jpg]

Currently repairs are underway to the grounds surrounding the fort because the old Club Med Hotel was imploded this year to make way for a new Hyatt Regency Hotel and golf course. This will be a big boost to tourism on the island it is hoped and a true 5 star hotel for Bermuda, prices are 5 star now but the facilities are 4 star at best.


It was a blustery day when we visited Fort St. Catherine with the winds gusting to 40 kts. and whitecaps crashing against the walls of the old stone fort. The displays are well presented and the old fort in good repair. We quickly hurried off of the ramparts to escape the wind and view the main exhibits which are are unmanned by any staff.

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We saw the armoury and the gun emplacement for a 24 lb. carronade.

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The displays were very informative and we really enjoyed our visit.

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It was soon time to head for home on the other side of the island, in Somerset and we started to make our way towards the drawbridge where we met an older couple from Toronto, Canada. (my home town) They had walked out to the fort from Hamilton which is a good hike and much further than they were lead to believe by the tourist office. They wanted a cab so they could avoid the walk back to town but there was no staff working at the fort that day, naturally I gave them a lift back to town. Good deed for the day accomplished.

We made it home and shared dinner together as a family and that's what these holidays are all about.

Cheers All,

 

[Micheal_R]

When you were in Tulum, did you dive?

Fair winds

Micheal

 

[George-CT]

a beautiful island to visit or better yet, live on as you do. We spent a day at one fort there. I forget which one it was but that looks like it. Then, this was 30 years ago, it had a lot of ship wreck treasure on display. It was way at the end of the island. I don't recall it being walking distance from Hamiliton as we took the bus to it. There was another one on the other end of the island or a ship in St George. Not sure if a fort or not.... The fort we went to had a opeing in the wall and the boats could, small boats come right in there. It was pretty neat. It looked liek they were still restoring it at the time. Think we went over the smallest draw bridge in the workd along the way. Enough room for a sail boat mast to pass threw it I think.......My wife Jane and I really enjoyed the island. Pretty sure we stayed at the Hamiliton and traveld out from there. Most of my free time there was spend snorkling... Sure clear waters........

George-CT

 

[bdahunter]

a beautiful island to visit or better yet, live on as you do. We spent a day at one fort there. I forget which one it was but that looks like it. Then, this was 30 years ago, it had a lot of ship wreck treasure on display. It was way at the end of the island. I don't recall it being walking distance from Hamiliton as we took the bus to it. There was another one on the other end of the island or a ship in St George. Not sure if a fort or not.... The fort we went to had a opeing in the wall and the boats could, small boats come right in there. It was pretty neat. It looked liek they were still restoring it at the time. Think we went over the smallest draw bridge in the workd along the way. Enough room for a sail boat mast to pass threw it I think.......My wife Jane and I really enjoyed the island. Pretty sure we stayed at the Hamiliton and traveld out from there. Most of my free time there was spend snorkling... Sure clear waters........

George-CT

That's pretty amazing recall for 30 years ago, impressive. With that information I can tell you that you went to the fort at the Royal Naval Dockyard, on the way from Hamilton you would have passed over the smallest drawbridge in the world - Somerset Bridge. The porticulus is now locked in place because the area that used to be for resupplying is now the home of Dolphin Quest with 8 dolphins residing there. Fort St. Catherine is at the other end of the island from Dockyard.

Thanks for reminding me that I do live in a very nice place, it's possible to forget sometimes.

Cheers Mate,

Eric

 

[bdahunter]

I didn't get to dive Mikie. I wanted to get certified when I was there but it didn't work out with the dive instructor. I'm getting certified with my wife this winter because we are off to Grand Cayman in February to visit with friends.

Cheers Bud,

Eric

 

[Ron J]

n/t

 

[Sunny]

dream about living in Bermuda. I bet your mom had a great time too!Thanks for sharing your photos!

 

[Bayrat76]

Time with parents and family is priceless. Glad you had a great Christmas and hope your pirating in the surf is the best you every had this year. Good luck

 

[bdahunter]

Time with parents and family is priceless. Glad you had a great Christmas and hope your pirating in the surf is the best you every had this year. Good luck

Thanks Bayrat,

Right back at ya on your surf pirating this year. I'm headed to Grand Cayman in February to visit Very Good Friends who have a house on the beach, then in April I'm off to Wales on a cheap ticket from a British Airways seat sale to try and find some Really Old Gold in the waters of the Irish Sea.(plus visit with some Bermuda Mates who have a cottage in Wales) We plan to cruise the Llangollen Canal in Wales for a few days and cross the 120 ft. high viaducts in a canal boat, it should be a lot of fun. http://www.maestermyn.co.uk/llangollen.htm


Have submersible detectors, will travel.

Cheers Mate,

BDA

 

[bdahunter]

dream about living in Bermuda. I bet your mom had a great time too!Thanks for sharing your photos!

My Mom had a GREAT time in Bermuda, Sunny. It's her third time to visit the island but her first time with her husband. My step father and I didn't fight at all during the week they were down so I know that made her happy. (even if it required a lot of self control on my part) I'm always happy to spend time with my Mom as the bond between us is very close.

Happy New Year Hon,

Eric

 

[Sunny]

and holding your tongue is the right thing to do. My mother was my best friend! Hard to believe she has been gone going on 9 years now! You keep loving her, and if at all possible keep holding your tongue. It makes you the better guy!

 

[Bayrat76]

That's were my ancestors are from Wales. Would love to see it someday. If you run into any Hughes while you are in Wales that are drinking you might keep an Eye on them, and say Hello for me. I Hope that the vacations goes great and you find a bunch of gold and goodies. May God Be With You For A Safe Trip.

 

[Royal]

have visited a bunch of the other islands. What beautiful country but I am not sure I could live on an island. It would be great for a while but I don't know how the natives stand it. That is if they don't have the funds to get off once in a while.

It is a great place to break up a winter for sure. I could use some time in the sun about now!!

 

[bdahunter]

A few weeks ago Mikey PM'ed me to say that he had a spare SS dive shaft for an Excal that he'd made up and would I like to have it? Sure, how much I asked? and he said FREE. To save on postage I asked him to mail it to my Mother's house as she also lives in Canada and my Princess could pick it up and bring it back to Bermuda in her luggage the next time she was in Canada on business.
Simple Right? - Wrong! I got really busy at work and forgot to mention to my Mom that a package was on it's way from Vernon, B.C. to Toronto, Ontario and the package contained a stainless steel contraption that defies description unless you are a surf pirate. Anyways, the package shows up at the post office in Toronto and my Mom picks it up and she is mystified as to who would send her something from Vernon, B.C. ?
Then my elderly mother opens up the package when she gets home and is truly stumped when she pulls the stainless steel intrument out of the box and there is no note - nothing, she checks the package again and it is clearly intended for her but she has no idea what it is or who the mysterious sender is either. My mom is in her mid-70's and can get a little excited when her routine is altered unexpectedly and this wierd package has definitely altered her routine. Enter my older brother who has dropped by my Mom's house on his way home from work and he decides that there may be something sinister about the whole package.(he's always been overprotective and lacking in imagination) Mom is now getting worried so she calls my sister who starts researching the source of the package on Google Earth but since my Mate lives way out in the Rocky mountains the closest she can come to an address is a gas station in the middle of no where, so there is no match for the sender's address. Mom is now seriously worried that there is something seriously wrong with this package and my siblings aren't helping at all when they suggest getting the police involved!
By now, my stepdad has arrived home from work and the household is in an uproar over the sinister package, it doesn't help that my stepdad has no clue about the package either and my stepsister is with him and decides it would be safest to call the police. Fortunately, my mom decides to call my younger brother who lives in another part of B.C. to ask his opinion before calling the police, he used to be a detectorist and after a brief description of the package contents tells her that it is probably a shaft off of a metal detector. (the lad's a genius, crazy but a genius)
The police are not called but my older brother decides he will dispose of the offending dive shaft at the town dump on his way home but fortunately my Mom decides to hang onto the dive shaft as evidence for the police just in case.
The next day I happen to call my mom on an unrelated matter and she starts yammering on about the mysterious package and how upset everyone is; OOPS! I suddenly remember the dive shaft my Mate sent to my Mom's house and explain the whole thing to her. I apologize for all of the confusion and panic that this has caused and it's all good, WHEW!
The family sure is getting jumpy in their old age but I have resolved to call my Mom more often now.

Cheers,

Eric

PS If you haven't called your Mom lately, I strongly suggest you pick up the phone right now and see how she's doing. These older folks can get into trouble the moment your back is turned.
__________________

 

[Wayne in BC]

that is hilarious and i will sticky it so Mike will remember

 

[Micheal_R]

Very pleased that it is not in the Dump. : Royal has our home on Google earth. I do not know how he does it but, it can be done.

Just where was the gas station anyway?? :

take care bud

Fair winds

Mikie

 

[bdahunter]

I'm not sure if there even is a gas station, Mikey. My sister is the 'Queen of Melodrama' and she's the one who was on Google Earth trying to locate your place.
I would have been sorely peeved off if my older brother had junked your gift so I'm glad that didn't happen. It really was my fault for going away to Bermuda and leaving the family to their own devices. I warned them that if something like this happened again I'd be hopping a plane and heading North, I think that scared them into behaving themselves for at least a little while.

Thank You Again for the Wonderful (if sinister) Gift,

Eric

 

[Ron J]

n/t

 

[Wayne in BC]

Thank you Eric!

 

[bdahunter]

I am the third generation of my family that is a Builder, my grandfather built custom homes for the wealthy, my uncle built row housing and I build hotels. Our family name means Master Carpenter, in the same way that Smith really means Blacksmith - so we pride ourselves on a strong work ethic and taking pride in our craft. The worst condemnation you can level against a person in my family is 'that person is a lazy good for nothing', it goes beyond all other put downs, it indicates a lack of backbone and moral fiber; it is a condition that is