When the average Bermudian hears that there is a small craft warning of 50+ knot winds? Yeah, that’s much closer to the mild excitement level of the emotional scale.

There’s the grocery planning for an 18-day siege, of course. The obligatory trip to Gorham’s to find the perfect flashlight for every room. The cooking ritual of either spaghetti or chili, enough to last for at least a couple of days. And, of course, making sure there’s enough wine, beer or Black Seal on hand to carry you through the flickering … and the inevitable loss … of electricity.

That’s not to say that there aren’t the more annoying logistics part of storm prep. Buying or cutting the perfect size of plywood to cover every window that you really do not want to have to replace. Filling the bathtub with water (just in case). Stacking all your outdoor furniture away in the shed, provided you have the space. And don’t forget to memorise every socket placement so that you can quickly unplug every appliance that you value the minute the electricity goes out. Trust me, the last thing you want is for a surge to provide a reason to post on Maj’s List asking for advice on how to claim for a fried 60-inch TV from your insurance company, provided you have contents insurance.

But once you have all the prep done and everything is as secured as it can be you finally have a chance to sit down and … wait. Hurricanes can take a long time to come when you are ready for them.

You grab that old-school radio to make sure you can get the EMO updates when your phones give up the ghost. You play every board game known to man which, pro-tip, is a surefire way to find out how much your husband cheats at said board games. You play Crazy Eights until you feel a bit stir-crazy yourself.

If you are daring, and the wind isn’t too high yet, you can take a quick walk around the neighbourhood. Let’s be honest, it’s mainly to be pokey and judge your neighbours’ boarding up efforts. But don’t stay out too long. A stray gust has a way of sneaking up on you and you will want to make sure you’re indoors when the sideways rain starts.

It’s easy to paint this with rose-coloured glasses, and I don’t want to downplay the reality. Hurricanes are serious, powerful events. People can get hurt. The preparation we do isn’t just a ritual, it’s necessary. Living on an island in the middle of the ocean means we face at least one or two of these storms every year, so we have had to become somewhat experts at facing them.

But that’s part of what makes us Bermudian. Our resiliency in the face of, well, the storm. And our resiliency after the winds die down on the other side. When the winds settle and the skies clear, that’s when you really see who we are. Neighbours helping neighbours. People clearing debris, checking in, rebuilding together. That’s where Bermuda truly shines.

And maybe that’s the real story of hurricane season. Not the high winds and the rain, but the quiet reflection that no matter how hard it blows, we’re never really facing it alone. There’s something comforting about that, knowing that when the storm passes, someone will be there with a rake, a hammer, or just a cold drink and a laugh about how we all got through it. Because surviving the storm is one thing but showing up for each other after it passes is what truly defines a true Bermudian.

The post Our annual time to shine appeared first on RG Magazines.

That’s about 20,000 cruise passengers whose dream visits to our island were scuppered by storms in about three months.

While the air and hotel sectors fared better, they too remain vulnerable to increasingly unpredictable weather patterns and the ripple effects these disruptions create across the wider tourism economy.

These disruptions have renewed calls for Bermuda to further diversify its tourism model beyond its traditional reliance on the summer season.

Against this backdrop, members of the Bermuda Hotel Association shared their thoughts on ongoing efforts to reinvent Bermuda as a vibrant year-round destination.

Show our strength

As much as the threat of rain or severe weather can dampen anyone’s spirits, BHA members also view weather disruption as an opportunity to demonstrate Bermuda’s resilience.

“Bermuda’s building standards and infrastructure are exceptionally robust compared with many other island destinations, uniquely positioning us to recover quickly and restore guest services with minimal disruption,” said chief executive Stephen Todd.

“That ability to bounce back rapidly after major weather events speaks not only to the island’s resilience, but also to the tourism industry’s long experience in preparing for and managing storms effectively.”

In today’s world of social media, industry leaders believe it is essential that Bermuda communicates accurate, timely information that clearly distinguishes between periods when the island is operating business as usual and occasions when there is a genuine or imminent hurricane threat.

“It’s essential that we focus on clear communication before, during and after storms, both locally and within our key visitor markets,” Mr Todd said.

“A lot of people don’t really appreciate the difference between a tropical disturbance and a hurricane, and it’s not unheard of for foreign news agencies to sensationalise circumstances.”

Diversification

While Bermuda’s tourism industry has always had to operate with a degree of agility during hurricane season, industry leaders increasingly believe that diversification will be critical to the sector’s long-term resilience and sustainability.

Although many hotel guests are repeat visitors to Bermuda, a considerable number were first introduced to the island during a cruise stopover, often experiencing only a glimpse of what Bermuda has to offer. Many are keen to return during the less crowded months of the year to explore the island further.

In addition to strengthening demand during traditional shoulder periods, there is growing emphasis on developing “event-driven” tourism initiatives that strategically showcase the island to targeted visitor groups and international markets.

Stakeholders within the BHA see opportunity to strengthen year-round visitation through experience-driven tourism built around sporting events such as golf and sailing, wellness retreats, cultural programming, executive meetings and conferences.

Industry leaders agree that the conversation today is less about guaranteeing weather and more about positioning Bermuda differently by season.

As the general manager of one of the island’s larger resort properties said: “In markets such as New York, Boston, Toronto and London, there is a strong opportunity to tell the story of Bermuda as a sophisticated escape offering fresh air, blue water, space, calm and a more relaxed atmosphere away from crowded peak-season destinations.”

The wider goal is to create a more balanced tourism model — one less dependent on peak summer leisure travel and better positioned to withstand disruptions associated with increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.

Weatherproof experiences

Central to that strategy is the development of experiences that remain attractive regardless of seasonal weather conditions.

One of Bermuda’s greatest opportunities lies in continuing to develop compelling year-round experiences ranging from wellness offerings such as yoga retreats and spa experiences to culinary initiatives including Bermuda Restaurant Weeks and wine tastings, alongside cultural programming such as theatre performances, live music and heritage events.

Indoor recreational activities are also becoming part of the evolving tourism landscape, including the recently opened pickleball courts on Par-la-Ville Road, Hamilton. Together, these experiences help broaden Bermuda’s appeal beyond the beach, while creating stronger incentives for visitors to travel throughout the year.

“Bermuda is much more than sun, sand and sea,” Mr Todd said. “The BHA is working very closely with the BTA and our airline partners on a range of initiatives centred around sporting and cultural events.”

Strong reasons to travel

A broader year-round tourism model creates greater resilience for the island overall because visitors travelling for a specific event make the destination less vulnerable to disruption tied to any single period of weather.

The SailGP competition, in early May, and the annual PGA golf event in October, are examples of off-season events capable of attracting tourism investment, visitors and international media exposure while showcasing Bermuda to a high-value audience.

Beyond filling hotel rooms and restaurants, both help position Bermuda as a sophisticated destination for elite sport, luxury travel and maritime experiences, strengthening the island’s reputation outside the traditional summer leisure market.

Industry leaders also point to the broader economic ripple effect generated by international sporting events, with visitors often extending their stays to explore Bermuda’s dining, cultural attractions and natural beauty.

A sustainable future

The BHA believe initiatives such as these will be key to building a more sustainable tourism industry capable of weathering future uncertainty.

By working in partnership with onshore and offshore organisations to bring high-quality entertainment and events to the island and pairing them with creative local pre- and post-event experiences, Bermuda has an opportunity to build a resilient year-round tourism product that visitors will not only seek out but return to again and again.

The post Bringing people to Bermuda … appeared first on RG Magazines.

From the age of 10, working alongside his father, he developed a lifelong relationship with the soil. Today, as both a chaplain and master gardener, he blends cultivation with community service.

That work became his Grow, Eat, Save programme, which he has led for the past decade through the Department of Health.

He launched it in response to rising food costs, increased reliance on imports, and the loss of traditional knowledge.

“If people learn to grow more of what they eat,” he said, “they can eat healthier, spend less and strengthen food security.”

In Bermuda, where hurricanes are part of life, that also means learning to protect crops and rebuild after storms.

As a storm approaches, Dr Santucci keeps the focus simple.

“The first thing I always tell people is to harvest what they can. Don’t leave mature crops to be destroyed by wind and rain.”

Preparation then turns to securing the space.

“Secure everything, pots, tools and anything loose, because the wind will take what is not anchored.”

Taller plants should be “supported or gently tied down,” while weak branches are pruned ahead of time. The aim is survival.

“You are not trying to perfect the garden; you are trying to help it survive.”

That includes protecting the soil. Mulch where possible and ensure drainage is working properly, since “too much standing water can be just as damaging as the wind.”

Delicate crops can be covered where possible, but simple steps make a difference.

“In Bermuda’s climate, gardeners must work with salt air, strong sun, humidity and frequent storms,” he said.

“Some crops are better suited than others,” Dr Santucci noted, adding that “the plants that hold up best tend to be resilient, deep-rooted, and adaptable”.

He pointed to root crops like sweet potatoes, cassava, and yams; hardy greens such as callaloo, kale, Swiss chard, and okra; fruit trees including banana, papaya, guava, mango, and loquat; along with herbs and salt-tolerant plants like rosemary, thyme, sea grape and aloe.

“Success is not just about what is planted, but how it is grown within our environment,” Dr Santucci said.

He highlights low, wind-resistant planting, mixed crops, raised beds, compost-rich soil and “succession planting” to sustain harvests. After the storm passes, patience takes over.

“The first thing I always tell people is to be safe, don’t rush into the garden until you know it is clear of hazards.”

Then comes observation.

“Not everything that looks damaged is lost” he reminded us.

“Start by clearing what is dangerous or blocking the space,” Dr Santucci said, advising gardeners “not to be too quick to remove everything,” as some plants “just need support, a little pruning and time to recover.”

He recommended re-staking fallen plants, covering exposed roots, rinsing off salt where needed and restoring soil with compost and mulch after heavy rain.

Recovery takes time.

“Don’t try to rebuild the whole garden in one day. You start with what survives, then rebuild step by step.”

And in Dr Santucci’s advice, we hear more than just advice related to the garden.

Hurricanes expose how fragile human systems are, but they also reveal the importance of resilience, community support and faith in rebuilding.

“The garden is never truly destroyed; it is only waiting to be restored.”

Those words inspire the heart and the gardening hands, in that the work after a hurricane is not simply recovery, but part of a natural rhythm, not an ending, but a new beginning.

Protect your outdoors

RG Hurricane top tips

• Think about your neighbours. Even if you’re not worried about the bulky items in your garden, they might be. In a storm, they can become dangerous projectiles, and the storm gods don’t discriminate whose garden they end up in, or whose windows they smash through.
• Prioritise dealing with your large pieces of outdoor furniture. If you leave it too late, you’ll be that guy dragging the patio table across the lawn in the pouring rain as the hurricane hurtles towards Bermuda. Don’t be that guy.
• If you’ve got a shed – use it! Load it with as much as your outdoor stuff as you can. It doesn’t matter how unwieldy it gets inside that shed for the next couple of days. But make sure your generator or barbecue equipment isn’t packed shoved away in the back corner. You might be needing them tomorrow!
• If you haven’t got a shed – use your home! The trampoline and barbecue might become annoying up obstacles in your living room, but that’s a step up from leaving them to the whim of the storm. Don’t be tempted to use the BBQ in the house though.
• Final bit of advice on the shed: tie it down with strong rope and sturdy fasteners. Nobody wants somebody else’s shed flying through their garden in the middle of a storm.

The post Sowing resilience appeared first on RG Magazines.

They were serious, of course, and everyone respected them, but for my family they also carried a sense of great adventure.

I have been very fortunate when it comes to hurricanes. I never experienced catastrophic personal damage or moments where I truly feared for my life.

Instead, most of my memories involve the aftermath: cleaning up fallen branches, helping neighbours clear driveways and spending long days without electricity while everyone tried to adjust.

In Bermuda, storms become a shared experience – no one goes through them alone.

One of the hurricanes that stands out most in my memory is Hurricane Fabian in the early 2000s.

Anyone who lived in Bermuda during that time remembers it. Fabian was one of the island’s deadliest storms, and it left a deep mark on the community. For me, though, the strongest memories are not of the storm itself, but of the long, exhausting aftermath.

At the time, I was living in St George’s. After the hurricane passed, the Causeway was damaged and unsafe, meaning we were effectively trapped in ‘God’s Country’ for days. If you worked anywhere west of the airport back then, there was no going to work for a while for you.

I vividly remember walking out to the western edge of Ferry Reach, where we lived, looking across at Coney Island, and thinking that – if push came to shove – I could always swim to the other side.

The nights were uncommonly tedious; without power or air conditioning, the heat became unbearable. I remember lying awake in the darkness, sweating, unable to find enough comfort to ever fully fall asleep. The air felt heavy and suffocating.

Humans adapt

After several nights of little sleep, every day blurred together. It felt like living inside a haze for almost two weeks. Everyone was exhausted all the time. You would wake up tired, move through the day tired, and somehow still struggle to sleep again at night.

Daily routines became physical work. We had to climb down into the water tank to collect water for washing and cooking. Meals were cooked outside on a gas barbecue set up on the porch. Even simple things like bathing or making tea required planning and effort. At first, it felt inconvenient, but after a while it simply became normal. Human beings adapt quickly when they have no other choice.

Another thing I remember about Fabian was the emotional atmosphere afterward. Everyone seemed drained, moving slowly, just trying to get through each day until life returned to normal. Yet even during that difficult time, people helped one another constantly. Families shared food, checked on neighbours, and worked together to clean up debris. Hurricanes in Bermuda have a way of reminding you how connected everyone really is.

Another storm I remember vividly was Hurricane Emily in the late 1980s, when I was in high school. Again, the aftermath became the memorable part. Electricity was out across the island for weeks. School technically reopened at some point, but attendance was almost optional because everyone was dealing with the same struggles at home.

When students did show up, nobody cared about uniforms or appearances anymore. People came dressed however they could because there were no washing machines running, no irons, and often no proper showers. We were all washing with dipped tank water; doing the best we could. It created a strange sense of equality. Everyone looked tired, rumpled, and sunburned, but nobody judged anyone else because we were all living through the same conditions.

Simpler living

Despite the inconvenience, I also remember a surprising sense of freedom during those times. Normal routines disappeared, and life slowed down completely. Without television, computers, or constant distractions, families spent more time together. People sat outside talking for hours. Children played games outdoors until dark. Neighbours visited one another more often. In the wee hours, when it was too hot to sleep, and no internet to doom scroll to, I picked up a book and read with the aid of a flashlight. In a very real way, hurricanes force people to reconnect with simpler living, and that’s not a bad thing.

Of course, I do have hurricane memories that are not about ‘hardship’. When my son was a newborn – in late 2014 – another storm passed through Bermuda. I remember taking a picture of him asleep during the height of the wind and rain. I posted it online with the caption, “Was there a storm?” because he slept peacefully through the entire thing without a clue about the chaos outside.

Another memory that makes me smile happened after a more recent storm in St George’s. The Causeway was closed again, so we could only explore our parish. Once the weather calmed slightly, we drove around St David’s just to assess the damage and see how the area had fared. Trees had dropped fruit everywhere across the roads. Avocados, coconuts, oranges – they were scattered all over the place.

We ended up filling an entire garbage bag with avocados we found lying in the street. It felt almost surreal, driving around collecting ‘street fruit’ after a hurricane. But moments like that capture Bermuda perfectly. Even after a storm, people find ways to turn hardship into adventure.

When I think about hurricanes now, I do not immediately think about destruction. I think about family. I think about survival, adaptation and community. I think about cooking outside, sharing stories by lantern light, checking on others, and finding laughter even when life becomes uncomfortable.

Hurricanes have taught me that people are more resilient than they realise – and that human connection will always be more important than personal comfort.

In Bermuda, storms are not only weather events; they are shared experiences that bring people together. For my family, hurricanes became times of bonding, adventure and learning how to live humbly for a while.

I’m not the only one with memories like these. Across Bermuda, countless families have their own stories of candlelit dinners, sleepless nights, cleanup crews and unexpected moments of joy after the wild winds have become gentle breezes once again.

The post Hardship – but a sense of freedom appeared first on RG Magazines.

Most of us only think about storms when one is heading towards us and we start to make preparations to stay safe.

Yet each of these everyday activities contributes — even on a tiny scale — to the climate change that may influence the strength and behaviour of hurricanes affecting Bermuda in the future.

The overwhelming majority of scientists agree that human activity is driving climate change.

The fossil fuels we burn for our air conditioning and vehicles are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, while beef is one of the most emissions-intensive foods in the world.

Those emissions drive global warming, including increased sea temperatures, which increase the potential for stronger hurricanes.

Andy Moore, a natural catastrophe modeller at Arch Reinsurance, explained that waters near the ocean’s surface have warmed significantly globally and in the Atlantic Basin over the past 20 to 30 years.

The same is true for Bermuda: the oceans surrounding the island are about 0.75°C warmer now than in the late 1900s.

Mr Moore said: “All else being equal, warmer oceans provide additional energy to hurricanes, giving them the potential to become stronger.

“The warming we have seen thus far has raised the maximum potential intensity of storms in our vicinity around 5mph.”

‘New normal’

Francis Kredensor, Bermuda Weather Service’s deputy director, said while there was “no clear signal” on climate change having an impact on the number of hurricanes, we may already be seeing overall tropical cyclone intensity and associated rainfall increasing.

He said many interconnected factors went into hurricane frequency and intensity, so it was hard for researchers to “definitively” say that any changes to date were due to the overall effects of climate change.

“But the fact that two-thirds of Atlantic hurricane seasons since 1995 have been assessed as being ‘above normal’ or ‘extremely active’ points to us being in a new normal, whatever the cause,” he added.

Climate Central, an independent group of scientists researching climate change, tracks sea temperatures daily on its Climate Shift Index.

Data from the index in mid-May gave the ocean temperature around Bermuda as 22.4°C, which was 1°C hotter than usual for the date.

The index suggested climate change made the unusually warm ocean conditions “at least three times more likely”.

Mark Guishard, chief operating officer at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences and the author of the 2022 report Climate Change and Bermuda, said oceans absorbed around 90 per cent of the excess heat produced by human-induced warming.

“At Bios, we’ve been monitoring the warming of the surface of the Atlantic Ocean near Bermuda for over 70 years,” he said.

“Future model projections indicate that upper ocean warming will accelerate in the coming decades.”

Does the evidence point to more intense storms reaching Bermuda in future?

Dr Guishard said: “The energy available to support hurricane development is accumulating.”

Mr Kredensor said the single biggest factor affecting storm intensity was ocean temperatures so “all else being equal, as waters continue to warm, stronger storms are increasingly likely and they’re likely to reach further north”.

Mr Moore agreed. He said: “The Atlantic Basin has already seen a significant trend in the proportion of Atlantic hurricanes that become major hurricanes [category 3 to 5] and this proportion is forecast to increase further.”

He said the heightened risk was also expected in Bermuda and was detailed in a 2024 government report on climate change by Smith Warner International Ltd.

That study concluded that Bermuda’s future would “likely be characterised by more intense hurricanes”, bringing higher winds and greater rainfall.

It said a likely increase in rainfall rate of between 20 and 33 per cent was projected, particularly near the hurricane’s core, by the century’s end.

Mr Kredensor said: “There is increasing confidence in research pointing towards climate change causing increases in overall storm intensity going forward, as well as heavier rains associated with tropical cyclones.”

Bermuda is ‘exceptionally vulnerable’

The Government has acknowledged the challenges posed by climate change, including warmer seas.

Former home affairs minister Walter Roban said in November 2024: “Though Bermuda’s contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions is minimal, we find ourselves on the front lines of climate impacts.

“Like other small island and developing states, Bermuda is exceptionally vulnerable to climate impacts.”

The Smith Warner study cited figures from a 2021 report by ocean climate scientist Samantha Hallam and others, which analysed tropical cyclone intensity and potential intensity in the subtropical Atlantic around Bermuda from an ocean heat content perspective.

The authors found the maximum wind speeds for hurricanes in Bermuda had increased 30 knots from 1955 to 2019. They measured an average increase of 7.7 knots per decade from 1980 to 2009.

The Smith Warner report noted that “in recent years, Bermuda has experienced several significant storms that caused widespread flooding and damage”.

It said 2014’s Hurricane Gonzalo caused “extensive damage” and the same year saw the “first season in recorded history to feature two hurricane landfalls in Bermuda”.

No one can say exactly what Bermuda’s hurricane seasons will look like in 10, 20 or 30 years’ time — but the evidence suggests we must prepare for stronger storms.

Dr Guishard, in his 2022 report, said one more major storm per decade in our region was projected by a few modelling studies.

The Smith Warner report flagged up the “necessity to revise building codes to address this escalating threat in the medium to long term”.

Kim Smith, executive director of Bermuda Environment Sustainability Taskforce, said we could all do our part on climate change but the threat we face needs both individual and collective efforts.

“What we need from the Government is for there to be a national policy and action plan for the mitigation of and adaptation to climate change,” she said.

“In the absence of that, we might just be shooting in the dark.”

The post Warmer seas, stronger storms? appeared first on RG Magazines.

The company was founded in 1987 when David Rowntree recognised a gap in the market for offering aluminum products to replace wooden windows, doors and shutters.

He combined his last name and his wife’s maiden name, Conyers, to produce the company name.

Today, the thriving business has a purpose-built showroom and warehouse on Cemetery Road in Pembroke.

Known for its professional, efficient and friendly service, TreeCon sells window, door and shutter products, and is a popular supplier to residential and commercial property owners, architects and contractors.

Assistant manager LuVince Cann said TreeCon is dedicated to providing the best products at the best prices.

“We have systematically chosen our suppliers to ensure that they meet our requirements for reliable and cost-effective products.

“Bermudians are very demanding with their wants and needs when it comes to their homes. They demand a quality product that accentuates their living spaces. We have been meeting those needs for nearly four decades.”

TreeCon is the only company in Bermuda offering products by PGT Innovations, the largest American manufacturer of impact-resistant windows and doors.

Mr Cann said: “Hands down, they deliver the best in storm protection by using impact glass in their windows, sliding glass doors and French doors, which is a process where two panes of glass are connected by a vinyl interlayer and baked to create an almost impervious windowpane.

“That, coupled with either an aluminum or vinyl frame (also known as PVC), creates a superior product that is perfect for Bermuda. Not only is it strong, it provides a layer of security that will help keep you safe by making it more difficult for burglars to break in.”

Impact windows can help reflect outside heat and regulate temperatures inside your home.

“Glass tint on impact windows is a very effective way to reduce energy costs and save money on your electricity bill. Impact windows also dramatically reduce outdoor noise.”

TreeCon sells a variety of folding doors, also known as folding glass walls, or accordion-style doors. Available with an interior veneer wood finish, they come in various colours.

Mr Cann said: “This product is quite popular in Bermuda as it provides safety and accessibility.”

Vinyl garage doors, meanwhile, are strong, made for Bermuda’s climate, and customisable in various styles and colours.

Two other types of hurricane screens are available: insect screens and shade screens.

“They are durable, cost effective, available in several screen colours, and they last a long time in the Bermuda environment,” Mr Cann said.

TreeCon also supplies glass railings.

“We can fit out your entire balcony, pool area (wind break), living area, garden – and even your entire house – with customised glass enclosures,” Mr Cann said.

He said canvas awnings are a popular, affordable option to bring shade and provide outdoor comfortability.

“They are stylish, and available in your choice of canvas colours in solids or stripes. The awnings are very stable structurally, another benefit.”

Retractable screens for protection from the elements, including flying debris and insects, are also popular.

Mr Cann said: “The Dreamscreen, for which we are the sole provider in Bermuda, is an affordable option to achieve these goals. The screens are retractable, durable, and there is an option for a motorised horizontal screen that spans up to 20 feet.”

TreeCon also supplies a wide variety of swinging doors in both aluminum/steel and PVC and has a wide range of locks and handles from premium brand, Schlage.

Mr Cann added: “If something is not available on island, we will source it for you.”

The post Shelter from the storm appeared first on RG Magazines.

For more than three decades, Bermuda has played a huge role in helping the world cope with the unpredictable devastation wreaked by hurricanes.

In turn, this has helped Bermuda build a crucial pillar to its economy by establishing itself as the world’s risk capital.

The historical roots of our global (re)insurance market stem from Hurricane Andrew, which hit South Florida as a catastrophic category 5 hurricane in August 1992.

In Andrew’s aftermath, eight highly capitalised property catastrophe reinsurers were established in Bermuda, offering much needed capacity, particularly in a Florida insurance market where prices were rising sharply.

These include RenaissanceRe, which has since grown to become the world’s fourth largest reinsurer, and Partner Re, which likewise continues to be an important global participant.

As a global leader, Bermuda’s reinsurance market consistently grew over time, enhancing its relevance and helping to close protection gaps for some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. For example, following the devastating hurricanes of Katrina, Rita and Wilma in 2005, the market grew substantially.

Today, Bermuda consistently holds about one-third of global reinsurance capacity, and is a premier hub for catastrophe reinsurance, Insurance-Linked Securities and most recently, InsurTech companies. According to the latest figures, the island’s internationally respected, independent and integrated financial services regulator, the Bermuda Monetary Authority supervises more than 1,200 (re)insurance companies managing $1.9 trillion in assets.

Someone who experienced much of this exciting period of growth firsthand was Stephen Weinstein, the founder and CEO of Mangrove Property Insurance, whose career began at Wall Street in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew.

In between those roles, Mr Weinstein has two decades experience as a senior executive and

was an executive committee member at RenaissanceRe.

Mr Weinstein is also a past chair of the Bermuda Business Development Agency, where he guided important strategic initiatives to support Bermuda’s position as a premier international financial hub.

“Over my career I have seen Bermuda build decades of strength in natural catastrophe risk management,” Mr Weinstein said.

“As a market, Bermuda has invested in a superior understanding of climate-driven perils like tropical windstorms.

“Consistently following disruptive natural catastrophes, the Bermuda market has responded quickly. No one understands the risks of hurricanes and other extreme weather events better than the experts in the Bermuda reinsurance market, and no one has a better track record of honouring their claims promises than the companies here. The historical default rate in Bermuda’s third-party market is literally zero.”

Helping vulnerable communities rebuild

“Bermuda is the best place in the world to capitalise, operate and domicile global business-to-business technical strategies,” Mr Weinstein said.

“As a global leader in property insurance and reinsurance, Bermuda plays a vital role in helping to close the protection gap for some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.”

As former chair of the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, Mr Weinstein knows about the importance of protecting the natural environment.

“Bermuda has been leading on climate for 400 years and had the first-ever piece of legislation passed in the western world to protect an endangered species, for sea turtles in the early 1600s,” he said.

“Today, part of what BIOS does is share the results of its research with the Bermuda’s (re)insurance market as a public good but also to enhance the market’s understanding of hurricanes.”

BIOS’ chief operating officer, Dr Mark Guishard, expounded further upon on the important partnership between Bermuda’s scientific community and its global (re)insurance market.

“BIOS has been engaging with the local risk market for over 30 years, since Hurricane Andrew’s devastating impact led to questions about storms and climate,” Dr Guishard said.

“Through our science/business partnership, the Risk Prediction Initiative, we’ve focused attention on trends and variability of hurricanes, severe weather and winter storms.

“This has led to meaningful breakthroughs that have resulted in adjustments of views of risk, and updates to catastrophe modelling methods.”

The Bermuda/Florida Trading Partnership

This is one of the most important trading relationships in the world and is estimated to be valued at

approximately $60 to $65 billion annually.

Mr Weinstein said: “I have no doubt the post-Andrew Florida homeowners’ market would not exist without Bermuda. But I think the reverse is true, in that Bermuda’s market leadership begins with

its unique access to the world’s peak risk, which is Florida Property.”

In 2025, Mr Weinstein became founder and CEO of Mangrove Property Insurance Company.

“We launched Mangrove in part to reflect a partnership ethos with reinsurers, particularly Bermuda-based reinsurers,” he said.

“We reflect in our very name that we put down roots in both of my homes. Mangroves are resilient, adaptable, and essential to the protection of vulnerable coastlines.

“These unique trees thrive in challenging conditions, saltwater, shifting tides and low-oxygen

environments yet they grow strong, stabilise the shoreline, and create safe havens for life to flourish.”

“It’s part of our core identity and competitive advantage that our leadership team has unique strong relationships with some of the world’s leading reinsurers, who are disproportionately resident in

Bermuda,” Mr Weinstein said.

“The part of my strategy that I have the most conviction in is, I know our partners in the reinsurance

community will support us.

“In our inaugural year, we bought more reinsurance than any Florida start-up ever, and we believe we bought deeper in the tail with real protection than any Florida home-owners carrier.

“We are trying to reflect both the expertise of the Mangrove team but also the information we glean in partnership with our reinsurers.

“When Mangrove rebuilds a home in Florida, we want to build-back better. Our white labelled Grove Repair Solution is structured to reflect both excellent claim service as well as the insights that we glean in part from our partnership with reinsurers including Bermuda reinsurers.”

Mangrove Insurance has been approved by Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation to provide property and casualty insurance to Florida homeowners.

To learn more, visit www.mangrove-fl.com.

The post Helping vulnerable communities recover appeared first on RG Magazines.

But as storm awareness increases – and technology becomes more advanced – many of us have stepped up our game in recent years.

Jonathan Gaugain, the owner of J&S Home, which makes and sells shutters, said: “People are calling ahead of time, in the off season, so they’re ready for hurricane season.

“Some people are even buying storm shutters for their whole house. They want to close it all up, perhaps putting the shutters on the entire south side of their home, or maybe on their whole second level instead of closing a traditional shutter.”

The long-running family business in Elliott Street West, Hamilton, is Bermuda’s first and only manufacturer of motorised shades, vertical blinds, roller shades and exterior storm shutters.

The company makes its own hurricane roller shutters, whether manually controlled or motorised, from its in-stock inventory.

Mr Gaugain, who also owns JAG Construction, said: “We buy the raw materials direct from a factory in the United States and assemble the storm shutters here in Bermuda. Other companies get the shutters assembled away and it adds cost.

“We can also do it way faster. You can get the storm shutters from us in two to four weeks from the time of ordering, depending on our workload.

“That quick turnaround time is our biggest advantage – and we are offering the same product at a lower price. So, we have an advantage in two areas over everybody else.”

J&S also offers traditional-style aluminium colonial shutters, awning shutters and clear hurricane panels. While the roller storm shutters are Category 4 hurricane-rated, the storm panels are not.

“Those clear panels are nice and they work, and we can supply them if an owner wants them. Unlike the roller shutters, though, you have to have somewhere to store them. For convenience, security and privacy reasons, the roller storm shutter is probably best.”

J&S also offers storm protection services, an annual check-up that ensures that storm shutters are ready to provide protection when the time comes. As the shutters are manufactured here, J&S Home has a vast inventory of spare parts should the need arise.

Mr Gaugain said: “It’s best if you’re proactive about taking care of your storm shutters. We can come out, oil them, and make sure nothing’s broken. That way, when a storm does come, you’re ready to go.”

Evolving with the times

Innovation has been the driving force behind J&S Home for seven decades.

Starting out as a carpentry shop in Royal Naval Dockyard in 1950 as Jeffery and Sons, the company progressed through several iterations and locations – a hardware store on Front Street in Hamilton, a dry cleaners in North Hamilton, and a move to Shelly Bay during the 1960s which saw it become the custom blind manufacturer and retail store that continues today.

In 1991, David Jeffery – the third generation of the family to run the business – took over management before purchasing Jeffery and Sons outright. He introduced custom roller shades and exterior storm shutters to the company’s manufacturing line.

Mr Jeffery died in 2010, and the company has since undergone a transition to a more modern business, sporting a 500-square-foot showroom and new product lines including fibreglass pergolas and custom closets.

Four years ago, the company made one more move from rented space on Cemetery Road in Pembroke to its own premises at Elliott Street West.

Now rebranded as J&S Home, the company’s three staff operate from a sensitively restored historic cottage located just steps from the eastern entrance to Bull’s Head Car Park.

The book, Hamilton Town and City, part of the Bermuda National Trust’s architectural heritage series, says the building was built by merchant and Mayor of Hamilton, William Thomas James, who owned the property in the mid-1800s.

Mr Gaugain, who is the stepson of Mr Jeffrey, bought the building about five years ago from businessman Kenneth DeFontes.

In addition to housing a modern showroom, the building features a 1,200-square-foot manufacturing and storage space.

Blinds, shades, pergolas

Aside from storm protection products, the company’s vertical blinds, which have been a best-seller for 30 years, and roller shades, have proven particularly popular with both residential and commercial property owners.

“We were probably the leading supplier of vertical blinds in the commercial sector for many, many years. We’ve done jobs like HSBC and Bank of Butterfield. We did the entire Butterfield building with verticals. We’ve always had a good product. They’re practical, affordable and durable, and we have provided good service.

“The same goes for the roller shades. They’re really durable, and you can easily clean them. We’ve done a lot of them in the hospital because they have anti-fungal and bacterial ratings. Roller shades have become our biggest seller.”

Of the company’s new product line of fibreglass pergolas, Mr Gaugain said: “Being made of fibreglass, the pergolas are like a boat. They keep their colour, require no maintenance, and are strong and attractive.”

Protect your home

RG Hurricane top tips

• Check for damage all-year-round, not just in hurricane season. Fix problems as soon as you spot them.
• Maintain roofs and gutters. Get a professional to look for cracks and seal them to prevent leaks.
• Block rainwater drains to prevent debris getting into your tank.
• Ensure doors and windows are locked. If they don’t lock properly, secure with a screw.
• Secure outdoor items so they don’t become projectiles.
• If you don’t have shutters, board your windows and doors with material at least half-an-inch thick. Drill them into place, but do not drill directly into the glass frame.
• Secure gas tubes and cylinders by anchoring them upright to a rigid structure using straps or chains.

The post Shutting out the storm appeared first on RG Magazines.

While headlines focus on categories and numbers, those who have lived through these storms know that their true power lies in the experience itself: how they sound, how they feel, what they take, and what they leave behind.

In Bermuda, hurricanes are remembered not by statistics, but by the stories they leave in their wake.

My own first real experience of hurricanes was Hurricane Emily in 1987.

At that time, I worked for a captive management company which was headquartered in Detroit, Michigan.

We closed our local office early that day and everyone went home. Right in the middle of the hurricane, I received a call from head office. The woman told me that she wasn’t getting an answer from the office.

So, I explained that we were in a hurricane and I was at home. Not to be outdone she declared that she could not hear any strong winds, especially if it was a hurricane.

Fair point – however as luck would have it (or not) at that very time we were experiencing the eye of the hurricane, hence there was absolutely no noise. Even the birds outside my window were hushed. Emily was a direct hit on the island.

To this day I’m not sure she believed me.

Hot nights without power

In another serious blow, I will never forget the impact of Hurricane Fabian in 2003.

By then we were living in Hamilton Parish, and we had a lovely lady who lived next door. A most talented schoolteacher who lived on her own. So, as neighbours do, we invited her over the first night we were without power.

Needless to say, we had every excuse to partake of an alcoholic beverage (vodka as I recall) because tea, coffee, even a cold juice, were not available.

We were thoroughly convinced we were doing right. And while I haven’t drunk much (if any) thereafter, including to this very day, our one-night party turned into nine nights – in fact 220 hours to be precise.

We say outside, even though September was hot (even worse inside), on our balcony overlooking Shelly Hall and beyond, all the way to Dockyard.

Thankfully, our beverage of choice helped to combat the annoyance of watching the rest of the neighbourhood, and for some distance, get their power back, one by one, night after night. Each night for the nine nights, we kept convincing ourselves that it is “getting closer”.

Worse than the jungles

We had good friends back at that time, who lived across from the hospital, in a slightly hilly area. Apparently, the same hurricane blew the windows of their house out at both back and front in the middle of the first night.

He told me: “Bill, for a few years I served in the British Army in several tough places around the world. From astonishing heat in the Middle East to jungles in the Far East, to typically English rain. But I have never been so scared as I was that first night. There was nothing I could do.”

The wind and rain were coming in the front side of his house, blowing straight through and out the back side, taking everything in its wake.

“While I never served in heavy combat in the Army, there were many skirmishes now and again and I honestly believed they were the most frightening times of my life. Until I was faced with Hurricane Fabian.” A not-forgettable time of life.

Community spirit

Hurricane Franklin, in 2023, caused enormous damage not only to the Crawl Hill gas station itself but heavily impacted the entire community.

The station took the full brunt of the winds from the ocean right across the street and severely damaged the large metal canopy that covers the gas pumps. The result was that the remaining structure was deemed to be a serious structural risk. It had to close and did not reopen until early 2024.

According to Joe Marable, the station’s operator, while the long closure was a clear and frustrating struggle in terms of rebuilding, the loss of revenue was catastrophic.

“It took us over a year to get back on our feet and in some respects, we are still not back to full strength,” he said.

Mr Marable, however, added: “Throughout the ordeal, the community supported us immensely. Neighbours would sometimes just swing by to say hello and make sure we were on the mend.

“It is sometimes hard to fully appreciate how the community relies on essential services such as gas stations across the island.”

In other words, the impact of severe storms is not just what happened during the storm, but in many cases, throughout the time it takes to rebuild not only the physical damage but the knock-on effect to other people and the emotional toll.

It is abundantly clear that advance warnings of impending storms and the advice to have essentials like food, water, plywood perhaps, tools, tarpaulins and some form of light in the house or business premises is critical to support people, property and perhaps above all, emotions.

Predicting localised damage is almost impossible, but being prepared is clear, simple and essential.

Many years ago, I was speaking with an insurance executive who had visited Bermuda many times. He said he couldn’t figure out why an island in the middle of the Atlantic, only 20 miles long, can be battered so severely by major hurricanes.

How does it even find the island? he asked.

After I had tried to explain that hurricanes typically follow a standard path emanating from the Caribbean, travelling over warm waters, sometimes skirting the Eastern Seaboard and then normally barrelling north-east, there is no doubt that Bermuda is always on the lookout.

I asked him: “Do you accept that Florida can easily, sometimes regularly, be hit with hurricanes?”

“Of course,” he replied.

“And do hurricanes move north, not south?”

“Yes,” said he.

I rest my case.

The post Hurricanes that shape us appeared first on RG Magazines.

“Even if you skip one milking, it can get really bad,” explained McLaren Smith, 35.

Mr Smith is one of the owners of Westover Farm in Sandys, the family farm where he grew up, and, in addition to their dairy herd, they also have sheep, goats, and a wide variety of vegetables and grains.

On the day we meet, his 40 sheep are all pregnant, and he is expecting about 60 to 70 lambs within the next two months. His dairy herd consists of 17 cows – 16 Holstein Friesians and one Jersey cow. He is hoping to increase this herd to about 60 or 70 milking cows.

Like everyone else, when a major storm threatens the island, it’s all hands on deck securing the farm infrastructure.

“We make sure all the roofs are fixed, properly tied down. We’ve got to cut the trees away from the wires,” he said.

The livestock not be under these roofs. With the exception of the very young calves, he lets the animals out into the open fields where they take care of themselves and each other.

“They all huddle. They’ll move around the field as a herd,” he explained.

For the sheep, he added: “If there’s any young stock, they’ll put young stock in the centre and all of them will surround them, and they’ll take turns going in the middle. The cows tend to do the same thing, but they’re big animals, so they’ll just find a spot in the field and hunker down for the night and they’ll move around as the wind changes.”

Any calf of three months old or younger cannot remain outside in these conditions because their bodies haven’t developed enough to handle it, and the constant wind could make them sick, or worse. Instead they will be brought into the milking area, where they can be shut in securely.

While hurricanes are far from ideal conditions for dairy cows, they only have a minor impact on milk production, and this isn’t caused by stress, but by the fact that they are moving around a lot.

“They’re not able to lay down so we will see a slight decrease in milk, the next milking. But, once the storm’s passed, then you’re back up. So, we’re only looking at one milking where the milk will actually decrease,” Mr Smith said.

Nervy times

The process of getting them milked during the hurricane can be quite stressful for the farmer, especially as cows do not like being in the holding pen during a storm, while waiting to be milked. They will run around in circles and kick, so he said he just has to get it done as quickly as possible.

Once the power goes, a generator fuels all the equipment and gets the milk cold.

In addition to bringing his dairy herd in to be milked, Mr Smith also needs to bring the sheep in to be fed and has to walk the fields, checking the animals and making sure the fences are still up.

“We don’t want to put them in barns because if anything happens to the structural integrity of the barn, then they could injure the cows,” he explained.

Does he ever feel nervous about being out in a hurricane? “Yeah, I had a piece of roofing fly across my head a few years ago and I didn’t see it until it went past me.”

Taking a dip

Mr Smith has witnessed his fair share of storms and, without wanting to tempt fate, his animals have been kept safe so far. This doesn’t mean he hasn’t had worries or surprises, such as after one hurricane, when they woke up to find almost all their sheep had jumped into the ocean.

“I was probably about 16 years old when that happened,” he recalled. “It wasn’t hurricane force winds, but it was still pretty strong, and we went to check the sheep and they weren’t there. When we looked in the water, we could just see little white heads in the water.”

Amazingly, and in spite of the weather, none of them drowned, thanks to Mr Smith and his Uncle, Richard Bascome Sr.

“I had to jump in the water and swim them in, one by one. That was fun,” he laughed.

His uncle was on the rocks, hoisting them up. Back then they had around 60 sheep, with all but 10 going for a swim.

He can’t be sure exactly why the sheep did that, but something likely scared them. Either that or, he joked, “maybe they were hot and went for a dip”.

On another occasion, both their hay barn and main barn blew away. The main barn landed in a field, but the hay barn was never found and had to be completely rebuilt.

While he has been able to keep his livestock safe during all these hurricanes, unfortunately the same can’t be said for the vegetable side of the farm, which is managed by his cousins, and for which the timing of Bermuda’s hurricane season is particularly cruel.

“Hurricane season is prime planting season, not prime harvesting season,” he said. “That’s when everything’s in the ground so when storms hit, they normally hit when plants are young and you just have to refit and refix.”

In advance of the storm, they will harvest whatever they can and then prepare the crops as much as possible.

For cassava, for example, this means cutting the leaves so there’s nothing for the wind to catch. For everything else, he explained: “You just have to mole them up, which is bringing soil closer to the plant to hopefully keep them steady. It’s a gamble, but that’s all you can do.”

The post The farm must go on appeared first on RG Magazines.