Friday, July 8, 2016

St. George






While we were in Bermuda we took the ferry to St. George.  This island is a quaint quiet place that holds great history for me and my family.




The forty-five minute ride over was enjoyable on this ferry that will accommodate 250 passengers.  We were surprised to see it come into the dock with a Rhode-Island Ferry sign on the side.  It seems the Bermudan government leases this ferry for a million dollars for three months of every summer to accommodate the flux of tourism.  One local fellow thought they should just buy the ferry and not lease it.  I'll have to agree with him. 






The water was relatively calm.  Fort St. Catherine was in sight as we rounded this bend.  It is the largest fort in all of Bermuda.  It was constructed in 1614 and it had numerous upgrades in the nineteenth century.  It now houses a museum of Bermudan history.  St. Catherine Fort was the landing place of the 1609 crew and passengers of the Sea Venture. ♥




The ferry begins to approach St. George.






St. George is a World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO.  St. George is named after the legendary dragon slayer and patron saint of England.  This is the place that Bermuda began.  The Sea Venture shipwrecked here in 1609 during a horrible storm and possibly a hurricane.  All on board survived the wreck.  One hundred fifty souls!  All but two of these passengers continued with their original purpose to reinforce the settlement at Jamestown, Virginia.

We stepped off the ferry to see beautiful St George.  The houses are so colorful and happy looking.  The roof line of most homes is quite interesting.  Bermuda has no fresh water lakes or rivers so the islanders have to save their precious water in a collection cistern.  This is an example of how the rain water trickles down these steps and then into a cistern.


Pink Oleander 


Bermudan Flag and the flag of Great Britain

There were flowers everywhere, even at the gas station.  Which by the way sold gas at 1.98 a liter!  Bermuda is a very expensive island to live on.  Most of the locals use the ferries or some other form of  public transportation.  One young lady told us she has a motor bike that she uses as it was too expensive to operate her vehicle.










Across from Town Hall we walked the bridge to Ordnance Island where a modern replica of the seventeenth century ship Deliverance sits.




 After the Sea Venture crew made it ashore they wanted to continue on to Jamestown by building two vessels with the cedar from the island and the wreckage of the Sea Venture.  The Patience was the second vessel that was built.  My ancestor continued the journey to Jamestown, Virginia on the Patience.  I cannot tell you the emotion I felt on this island touring a tiny vessel that sailed many more miles to the New World!  We were reminded that this replica of the Deliverance is a much more substantial vessel than the original one was.  There are plans to build the Patience replica and I would be honored to go back to visit it one day.  The Bermuda built ships arrived in Jamestown in May 1610, their supplies helped to save the surviving settlers.  As a result of their efforts the first English settlement in the New World was made.  We were so happy to board the replica and see how it was for these brave souls.










I wondered as we walked around what my ancestor must think of  his descendant traveling on a large cruise ship to an island he wanted to leave!  I was walking where he walked.  I was full of emotion.

The Admiral of the Sea Venture fleet was Sir George Somers.  There is a bronze statue of him on Ordnance Island .




Walking around St. George we were greeted with beauty and joy.








I love these umbrellas made from Palm fronds.  They provide the much needed shade on this very warm day.  Take note of the stockades.  This was the colonial beginning of Bermuda and has a feel of any colonial town along with the good and the not so good.  There was even a ducking stool for all the women who gossiped.  If you want to see a reenactment that takes place in St. George you can go HERE






As the afternoon wore on we decided it was time to take the ferry back to the Royal Naval Dockyard.  If you ever get a chance to go to Bermuda, don't miss St. George.




As we were riding the ferry we spotted St. David's Lighthouse.  It was built in 1879 to keep mariners from getting too close to the hidden reefs that surround this area.  When we visited Bermuda many years ago, we visited this light up close and personal.  My sister loved lighthouses and that was a must for her.




Our memories of this trip will stay with us for a lifetime.





On Tuesday evening as we were leaving Bermuda, Grayden and I were having dinner at a table that faced this gorgeous sight that I love.  The pilot boat was guiding the ship into the channel and we reflected on all that we had seen.  St. David's light came into view as well as the houses on St. George.  I couldn't help but think of my ancestor as this was near the spot they suffered the terrible storm and tried to stay alive.  I cannot imagine what they were feeling. The human spirit is so strong and so amazing!  Our grandson is named for this brave soul.  He went on to Virginia and became a member of the House of Burgesses.  He survived the Indian Massacre and saved many lives.

Yes, this was a very meaningful trip.










28 comments:

  1. Martha Ellen, this post is fascinating to me. I am into genealogy and family history, so I am always interested in hearing immigration stories. Wow, that you know all that is amazing!

    My uncle (my age---more like a brother than an uncle) and I are researching our line, and we are pretty sure there is Mayflower ancestry. We are confirming that with the Mayflower Society. The difference between us and you is that your ancestor's story has been passed down through the generations, which is awesome. Our ancestor's story has been lost for generations, and my uncle and I are having to bring that person back into the family. Job well done to the historian of your family!!

    Okay, so a million dollars for three months is extreme. I can't imagine that they make enough in transportation fees to cover that.

    I never gave a thought to the fact that Bermuda wouldn't have any fresh water sources. Oh, the things we take for granted on the continent!

    The photos are beautiful. Your trip was awesome. Thank you for sharing with us.

    Blessings,
    Patti

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Patti, my family is full of proud Virginians. I took this history for granted when I was younger. That's wonderful that you and your uncle are doing the research for you and your future generations. The Mayflower--how amazing! Good luck with your search! I need to do more research on my Daddy's side. It can be a full time job doing this work. I have a deceased aunt who did a lot of this work and I need to get in touch with my cousins about this.
      Have a wonderful weekend. ♥

      Delete
  2. Someone could write a book! And wouldn't that shipwrecked adventure make a great movie?!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There have been several movies made of Shakespeare's - The Tempest. You can find them on YouTube, Vee. Some have good reviews and others not. Also there are films now being used in Bermuda to teach children about this shipwreck. ♥

      Delete
  3. The pictures are wonderful. I love all the colorful buildings. Amazing history for your family there and I can just imagine how full of emotion it was for you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Dotsie. St. George was so pretty with its colorful buildings. Of course it looked completely different to my ancestor. ♥

      Delete
  4. You've been on a wonderful trip, and you've documented it so beautifully! - xo Nellie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Nellie. It was wonderful and quite emotional for me. xo ♥

      Delete
  5. It's amazing that you have your ancestral story so far back. I can identify with your emotions because I was able to stand inside the house my ancestor lived in in the 1750's and felt the emotional closeness it brought to my past--and that was without the intriguing story you have attached to your ancestry. Stories like yours highlight for me the journey we each make to get here and makes me appreciate the life I was given even more.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cathy, all the twists and turns that have led us thus far makes me stand in awe! I recall the story of your ancestor and am happy you were able to have that experience. We all stand on the shoulders of those that came before us. ♥

      Delete
  6. What a nice experience for you both. How neat that you know about a relative that was a part of such an important time. I enjoyed the pictures are your story about your visit. I envy that you know the history about family members like you do. My Dad's grandparents migrated to the U.S. from Sweden but we have so little information to go on. Thank you for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Liz. There are so many more resources available today to trace our ancestry if you wish. The older I get the more interesting this information is to me. Have a great weekend. ♥

      Delete
  7. Oh, Martha Ellen1 I can just feel the strong family ties and emotions you feel each time you visit St.George! It must be so powerful to walk along the same places as your brave ancestor. Virginia is rich with history... and your ancestors played such an important role in America's past. It's wonderful that your grandson carries on this special name!

    Thank you for sharing Bermuda with us! I just love traveling along with you and Grayden! Sending sunny wishes for a nice weekend! ♡Dawn@Petals.Paper.SimpleThymes

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Dawn. I don't think any of us realize the impact of our forefathers. I take so much for granted. Dawn, you share my love of traveling and I know you understand what this trip meant to me. By the way, our ship was the Norwegian Dawn! I just knew it was going to be a good one. Enjoy your weekend, dear one. ♥

      Delete
  8. Martha Ellen, these are wonderful pictures of Saint George. How fun that you took the ferry to see it. This is a nice picture of the Bermudan flag. The picture of the red flowers against the white building is so pretty. To have walked in the same area your ancestors walked must have been exciting and sentimental at the same time, Martha Ellen. I am really into my ancestors and heritage as well. What an awesome trip this was for you. Thank you for sharing your pictures with us.

    ~Sheri

    ps that last picture is gorgeous, love that!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Sheri. The last photo is a favorite scene I seek out on every ship I've sailed on. It's the wake the ship that churns up the gorgeous blue of the ocean. I hope your weekend is going well. ♥

      Delete
  9. You..my darling...are having a beautiful Summer. Just lovely Martha Ellen! Indeed, you are a lucky girl right now! Big hugs for sharing your gorgeous vacation!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Betsy. Your summer has been wonderful as well. Enjoy every moment! ♥

      Delete
  10. Amazing photos. What a wonderful way to spend the summer. I do love the last shot. having dinner and sailing away....priceless.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Linda, that's exactly how I felt that evening. Thank you for your sweet comments. ♥

      Delete
  11. What a fascinating chapter of history is a part of your heritage!! I can imagine that you would be full of emotion as you visited St. George; you have such a personal connection!

    Even without the personal connection, I enjoyed seeing your wonderful photos of this beautiful place, and learning more about St. George. (Have you ever read the children's book, A Lion to Guard Us by Clyde Robert Bulla? It is a well-written work of historical fiction based on the story of the Sea Venture.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Cheryl for recommending another book to me. I will order this for my grands and I to read. I've seen this book in Jamestown and Williamsburg and thought it might be interesting for them but didn't buy it. Now I know I should have. Have a wonderful day. ♥

      Delete
    2. We have "read" our way through so much history, Martha Ellen, it seems that I am always thinking of a children's book to go along with this topic or that! I hope that you and the grands enjoy it!

      Delete
  12. That blue blue sea. I want to jump right in.
    Amalia
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thank you, Martha Ellen, for your comment today. Jess is my middle child, and we've always been very close. May goodness always comes your way, my dear. You deserve it so. :)

    ~Sheri

    ReplyDelete
  14. How fascinating to have an ancestor that survived this historical shipwreck and then to walk where he walked!

    ReplyDelete

Your comments will show after moderation. Thank you. ♥