From the dolphin show that used to be held at Blue Hole to the discovery of cave-dwelling misophrioids, this Hamilton Parish attraction has been a place of imagination, enchantment and mystery.

Discovered somewhere between 1905 and 1907, the Crystal Caves was the inspiration of the classic Fraggle Rock TV show (remember the Doozers?) and the backdrop of silent movie Neptune’s Daughter (and that scandalous one-pieced swimsuit). Crystal Caves continues to awe and inspire us today.

Boasting 1½ miles of chambers and a max depth of 70ft – with a total of more than 200 caves – it’s an extensive and complex cave system, with underwater passages, air-filled rooms and chambers.

Most of us were taught that the Crystal Caves were discovered when a game of cricket between two young boys, Carl Gibbon and Edgar Hollis, went awry due to a lost ball.

David Roberts, in an article entitled ‘Bermuda’s Secrets’ published in September 1984, provided more meat to the bones.

“A more reliable contemporary account indicates that a 14-year-old native named Carl Gibbon had discovered a cool breeze emanating from some rocks,” Mr Roberts wrote.

“He had pulled the rocks aside and, without hesitation, explored downward until he came to the huge main chamber filled with a lake, which he duly swam across.

“Gibbon’s father owned the land on which the entrance lay. A greedy neighbour walled shut the Gibbon entrance where it crossed his boundary, blasted a tunnel open on his own land, and began showing the cave to tourists.”

That “blasted tunnel” is the entrance we still use today.

Scientists have pointed to the rare nature of the caves – noting that the total volume of all the limestone caverns in the world may be no more than 10 cubic miles.

They have called for their beauty to be preserved due to its significant geological and historical importance.

Robert Power, a certified cave-diving instructor when a survey of the caves was carried out in the 1980s, noted it had “one of the highest densities of caves in the world”.

Mr Power chronicled caves through maps and photography for decades, resulting in stills that seem otherworldly in beauty.

He argued we should be proud of our ability to both preserve the caves and show them off to our visiting friends.

The Crystal Caves are a fine example of why we should take pride and care over our natural resources. Let’s revel in their glitz and glamour – but let’s also celebrate their science and history, so that their dark secrets can be enjoyed for generations to come.

The post Glitz, glamour, science and history appeared first on RG Magazines.

It was this Spanish explorer who happened upon our uninhabited paradise as he sailed from the Caribbean to Spain in the early 16th Century.

He never set foot on dry land on that first accidental visit but reported his finding to the Spanish when he got home. It turned out the Spanish didn’t think these little rocks in the ocean were worth the time and effort; they left them mainly untouched for the next hundred years.

Yet the name Bermuda stuck – meaning Juan de Bermudez boasts the longest running Bermuda legacy of all.

Born into a family of sailors in southern Spain in about 1450, de Bermudez was one of the first mariners to cross the Atlantic, shortly after Christopher Columbus’s historic voyage of discovery in 1492.

He helped form a European settlement on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, which is now Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Known for his sailing expertise, de Bermudez made numerous trips transporting goods – as well as slaves, according to some sources – from Spain to its new colonies over the next couple of decades.

On the way home from one of these voyages in 1505, de Bermudez’s ship, La Garza, was blown north by a storm towards an isolated archipelago that nobody knew about.

He approached the islands but was unable to land due to their dangerous ring of reefs. Further alarmed by screeching noises which he thought were spirits and demons, he beat a hasty retreat to Europe.

Those eerie sounds, we now know, were probably the shrill call of the Bermuda petrel, but in our early years de Bermudez’s story gave rise to the nickname ‘Isle of Devils’.

De Bermudez insisted the islands should be named ‘Garza’, after his boat, and that name is adorned on some maps from the early 16th Century.

Ultimately, however, the more exotic name Bermuda won out; perhaps they felt the ‘Garza Triangle’ didn’t have quite the same ring.

Historical details of De Bermudez’s life are inconsistent because he never kept a log. According to some documents, he returned to Bermuda in 1515 and left a dozen pigs for the benefit of anyone who might get stranded here in future. Other sources suggest he failed in that mission because those daunting reefs once again proved impossible to navigate.

Whether it was de Bermudez or someone else, though, pigs were indeed deposited here, and they played a key role in the early days of Bermuda’s first settlement.

In 1609, after Sir George Somers’s Sea Venture was shipwrecked a few hundred yards off the shore, the people on board became our earliest inhabitants.

The descendants of those hogs became a vital source of food for the new settlers, making such an impact that Bermuda’s first currency contained an image of a hogge and the coins were labelled ‘Hog Money’. The Hog Penny on Burnaby Street remains a lasting tribute to this day.

De Bermudez died in Cuba in about 1520.

SIDEBAR

Bermuda: What’s in a name?

A few of the things that Juan de Bermudez inadvertently gave his name to:

Bermuda

The world-renowned Bermuda Triangle

Our iconic Bermuda shorts

Bermuda grass

Our Bermuda sunset, our Bermuda beaches and our Bermuda culture

Have a Bermudaful day!

• Sources for this article include Huelva Buenas Noticias, The European Discovery of America, and archives of The Royal Gazette and Mid-Ocean News.

The post Our oldest legacy appeared first on RG Magazines.

It’s hard to argue with that. Wherever you go in Bermuda, be it a fancy restaurant, a bar overlooking the water, or the porch of someone’s home, you come across the enticing smells of delicious island cuisine.

Perhaps the most evocative scent – and the most hard-wired taste of home for locals – is freshly fried fish.

Its most famous iteration is in the much-lauded fish sandwich, a Friday lunchtime staple, and, for many, the true national dish of Bermuda.

The fish must be crispy, with a dash of both tartar and hot sauce. And the bread? It has to be raisin toast to be truly authentic, a quirk that surprises and – usually – delights visitors.

Cheese, tomato, lettuce and coleslaw are optional.

Opinions vary on where to get the best fish sandwich, with cruise ship visitors often making a pilgrimage to two of the main contenders: Art Mel’s Spicy Dicy in Pembroke and Woody’s in Somerset.

For locals, fresh fish bought roadside – or, better yet, caught yourself – and fried at home, can ensure the most satisfying sandwich of all.

Fish is the main character in another weekend dish loved by locals, but this time it’s salted, rather than fresh.

Codfish and potatoes is the perfect Sunday soul food to set you up for the day, a uniquely Bermudian dish that harks back to the days when the island was part of a trading route that ran from Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean up to Newfoundland, Canada.

The flaky fish at the heart of this dish, also popular in the Caribbean, can be an acquired taste, but it’s offset perfectly by the additional ingredients: fresh avocado, banana, boiled potatoes, and a sauce of your choosing.

Aficionados debate whether it’s best to have a piquant tomato sauce, a white roux with or without chopped eggs, or simply melted butter with chopped eggs.

Whichever you plump for – and whether you enjoy this at home or at a neighbourhood eatery – the end result will make for a beautiful, bright breakfast plate, packed with contrasting flavours.

Freshly baked johnny bread is a perfect accompaniment to codfish and potatoes, but if fish isn’t your bag, it goes well with plenty of other foods.

It falls somewhere between a bread roll and a scone, with sweet and savoury notes, and a lovely, dense, chewy texture.

Peanut butter and bacon between two pieces of johnny bread is a winning combination, but it’s just as nice toasted, with lashings of local loquat or cherry jam.

Mair Harris, in Bermuda’s Tea Time Treats, describes johnny bread – or “journey bread” – as an “old standby from way back” and a “time-honoured Bermudian favourite”.

However, don’t serve it with fish chowder, another much-loved local dish. Bermudians far prefer to crumble saltine crackers into this dark, flavourful soup instead.

Most fish works as the main ingredient here, be it rockfish, wahoo, or any reef fish, with offcuts likely to feature. Dashes of black rum and sherry peppers are mandatory.

Fish chowder is served all year round, for lunch or dinner.

Another seafood staple, mussel pie, is highly associated with Cup Match, Bermuda’s four-day national holiday in celebration of the emancipation of slaves.

If you go to the annual cricket game between Somerset and St George’s, which is played on the Thursday and Friday of the Cup Match summer holiday, you’ll find this aromatic delicacy for sale at stalls throughout the ground.

The freshly caught mussels are curried, as is the pastry crust, giving the pie an intense flavour which is not for the fainthearted, but which is Bermudian through and through.

That can also be said for shark hash, a pungent stew that is spicy, fishy, oily, savoury, and yet, given all that, surprisingly light.

Another Cup Match favourite, this dish is said to hail from St David’s, where it once featured heavily at Dennis’s Hideaway, a much-missed dining experience in the home of its titular chef, Dennis Lamb.

To make the hash, you have to boil the cream-coloured shark liver, which means you’ll be smelling it for days to come.

As Fred Ming helpfully puts it in his cookbook Island Thyme: “This is best done in a well-ventilated room, because of the odours released.”

Fans insist it’s worth the lingering aroma (or stench, depending on your viewpoint) for the amazing taste.

Herby or curried fishcakes, made from salt cod and potato, are a Bermuda Good Friday tradition, and are served on a hot cross bun, with bananas and beans on the side.

Whether you eat them before you fly kites on Horseshoe Bay, or after the fun, be sure to add a dollop of tartare sauce.

Just as fishcakes are always associated with Easter in Bermuda, cassava pie is essential at Christmas.

In Island Thyme, Ming makes his with chicken breasts, chicken thighs, pork and two whole cups of sugar. There’s nutmeg, thyme and even rum in there, resulting in an attention-grabbing side dish.

Ming explains that the use of cassava in Bermuda dates back to when the first settlers from England grew the root. He writes: “The largest supplier of cassava today is Africa, where it remains a staple.”

All that food requires a drink to wash it down and Bermudians have several favourites, with rum swizzle arguably number one.

Island Thyme includes a recipe for budding bartenders, which Ming optimistically says “serves 36”.

It has five cups of Barbados rum and five cups of Goslings Black Seal Rum or other dark rum, plus sugar, brandy, pineapple and orange juice, lemons, limes, and Angostura bitters.

Sweet and syrupy, this is the perfect cocktail for happy hour or a summer barbecue in your back yard – just don’t expect a clear head the next day.

The post A bite of Bermuda appeared first on RG Magazines.

But according to Isabelle Ramsay-Brackstone, Bermuda’s honorary consul of Canada, it’s very much a two-way relationship.

Today, roughly 10,000 Canadians call our island home — a connection rooted in more than four centuries of shared history between Bermuda, Halifax, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United Kingdom.

“Bermuda was always a transit hub between Canada and the Caribbean,” Ms Ramsay-Brackstone explained, pointing to the island’s long-standing maritime connections.

“The [cargo] line that used to feed Bermuda for the longest time came from Halifax. Only in 1981 did it move to Port Elizabeth in New Jersey.”

That a significant number of Bermudian students pursue higher education in Canada, and that the two countries share His Majesty King Charles III as their head of state, has strengthened the ties.

Cultural ties

Ms Ramsay-Brackstone believes it’s these deep-rooted connections and familial connections that continue to draw Canadians to the island.

“Because their parents went to school in Canada, because their family is in Canada; the ties are much more than academic — a lot of Bermudians have property in Canada; their father went to study in Canada and brought back a Canadian wife. There’s a lot of that in Bermuda. I have a ton of ‘Canadian babies’ who were born in Bermuda because of that.”

Her late husband, Kirby Brackstone, was a banker in Montreal, where they met.

“He came to Canada, found a nice French-Canadian bride and brought her back,” she said.

Still, she acknowledges that Bermuda isn’t the right fit for everyone.

“Bermuda does not cater to all talents. If you are an astrophysicist, you’re not going to be happy in Bermuda. But if you are a mathematician, yes; if you like to build trains, maybe not.

“What brought me to Bermuda when I started building a family is the lifestyle that it offered: it’s safe, the weather is certainly a huge factor and there’s a gentle way of life in Bermuda that you don’t find anywhere in the world. And when you can offer that to a young family, it’s the most wonderful thing on the planet.”

Common traits

Beyond all that, there is a deeper connection.

Ms Ramsay-Brackstone explained: “Bermudians and Canadians are peaceful, kind, generous people. Canadians and Bermudians are extremely welcoming. Canadians accept a lot of people from around the world, so does Bermuda, and we embrace how they enhance the fabric of our community.

“You see it on our restaurant menus, in our choice of music and garments. I think Canadians add a lot of diversity to our cultural fibre.

“Canadians go around the world, not necessarily fighting wars, but ensuring that processes happen in peace. And Bermudians are like that too.”

The Canadian presence in Bermuda is perhaps most obvious during Canada Day celebrations in July, hosted by the Association of Canadians in Bermuda at Warwick Long Bay, but smaller signs of that influence show up year-round.

“It’s putting gravy on French fries, singing [songs by] Celine Dion and Barenaked Ladies and Bryan Adams and celebrating our wonderful wealth of cultural icons,” said Ms Ramsay-Brackstone, whose company, Lili Bermuda Perfumery, creates and manufactures fragrances.

“Certainly, in my business, I still have quite a few suppliers in Canada. Canadians do very good quality things. The exchange rate for many years has been extremely advantageous from a business point of view.”

That influence is easy to spot, she added.

“You go around the shelves at your supermarket or at your drug store, there’s a lot of things that are made in Canada.”

The post Canada and Bermuda: A lasting connection appeared first on RG Magazines.

The management committee of the West Indian Association (Bermuda) proudly trace their roots to Trinidad, Jamaica, Dominica, St Lucia and, of course, Bermuda, and insist that every single one of the Caribbean islands is represented here.

Job opportunities have certainly been a draw — West Indians in Bermuda work as nurses, teachers and accountants, and can be found in policing, hospitality and many other fields.

Personal connections have also led them here. Members of the Association explained that many couples met while studying at university and returned to Bermuda together.

Their presence has left a lasting cultural impact.

“Caribbean nationals have woven their contributions into the fabric of Bermuda’s history and culture,” one member said, adding that a single article could never fully capture the scope of that influence here.

The contributions of Caribbean leaders in Bermuda are significant. Sir Edward Richards, originally from Guyana, became the first Black Premier. Dr Clarence James, whose father hailed from St Kitts, was Deputy Premier, a general surgeon and the first Black Minister of Finance.

From Trinidad came Edgar Fitzgerald Gordon, a National Hero of Bermuda, member of parliament and the founder of the Bermuda Industrial Union.

Dr EF Gordon’s leadership of the Bermuda Workers Association led to legislation in 1946 that allowed for the formation of trade unions.

Another Trinidadian, Choy Aming Sr, was instrumental in launching the Clayhouse Inn and co-organised the first Bermuda Day Parade in 1979. His Carnival-styled parade helped pave the way for Jason Sukdeo (Bermudian-Guyanese) and the eventual launch of Bermuda’s Carnival in 2015.

Jamaica is also strongly represented in Bermuda’s historical record. James “Dick” Richards arrived in 1903 with the Third Battalion of the West India Regiment and became the first Black man in Bermuda to own a hotel licence.

He also helped bring the first West Indies cricket team here in 1939. Victor Fitzgerald Scott, another Jamaican, led the then-Central School, which was later renamed in his honour. His son, Dr Victor Scott, was inducted as an Honorary Fellow of Bermuda College in 2013.

Women have played a pivotal role as well. Dame Pamela Gordon, daughter of EF Gordon, became Bermuda’s first female Premier in 1997. Hazel Christopher, originally from Jamaica, was instrumental in forming the Jamaican Association (Bermuda) and was honoured with a star on the City of Hamilton’s Walkway of Fame for her work as a champion of underdogs.

Retired Justice Norma Wade-Miller spent more than 25 years in Bermuda’s judiciary and was the first woman appointed as a permanent magistrate and Supreme Court Justice, later becoming Acting Chief Justice. She was named an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2016.

Other key figures include Shurnett Caines, a Jamaican who helped found the West Indian Association (Bermuda) alongside John Evans of Trinidad. Ms Caines has worked on residency rights, offender treatment, and was honoured with Her Majesty the Queen’s Certificate of Honour and as a Bermuda Day Grand Marshal.

The historical connection goes beyond people. In 1902, CH Walker and Company brought 230 skilled Caribbean workers to Bermuda under indentureship to support the expansion of HM Dockyard.

Even Bermuda’s cultural traditions reflect this connection. Cassava, a staple of our traditional cassava pie, was introduced from the West Indies in the 1600s. The island’s iconic Gombey performance style blends African, British, Native American and Caribbean influences. Similar rhythms and pageantry are found in the Bahamas’ Junkanoo and St Kitts’ Moko Jumbie stilt walkers, who have performed at Bermuda’s Gombey Festival.

The post Caribbean roots, Bermudian impact appeared first on RG Magazines.

From a young age, even though he had never visited the island, he knew the names of Portuguese Bermudians such as Johnny Pereira and Eddy DeMello.

He also has a family connection of his own: his late uncle, Antonio Andre, emigrated to Bermuda in the late 1990s to work in construction. His father later followed and still lives here.

Mr Medeiros first visited the island in 2021 and prepared by reading The Story of Bermuda and her People by WS Zuill and Patricia Mudd’s Portuguese Bermudians: Early History and Reference Guide.

Rumours based on fact

What really intrigued him though, were the rumours he had heard.

He explained: “People used to have these rumours how it was back in the day, ‘My grandfather came here on a steamship.’ ‘We were discriminated.’ ‘Women were not allowed.’”

He struggled to find detailed answers from easily available sources and so began his book, 175 Years of Portuguese in Bermuda, published in November 2024.

Wellknown events in the history of Portuguese ties to Bermuda are well documented – the 1543 Portuguese Rock inscription believed to be by adventurer, Theodore Hernando Camelo; the arrival of the first Portuguese settlers from Madeira on 6 November 1849 aboard the ship Golden Rule; the crucial role Portuguese immigrants played in revitalising Bermuda’s agricultural sector; and the different waves of arrivals throughout the 1900s, introducing the island to Portuguese culture.

But what about the rumours? How many of those turned out to be true?

“Almost all,” he answered. “The fact that Portuguese were considered a third race. The fact that women were not allowed to go with their husbands. How they were discriminated in some places.

“One rumour I found was true was a specific school just for Portuguese kids, Gilbert Institute. That’s a taboo that existed and I realised that it was true and very sad.”

Individuals who made a mark

Powerful quotes in the book include those from former United Bermuda Party politician, Tony Correia, who said: “My parents went through a lot. You couldn’t go to certain places, you couldn’t go to certain restaurants, you had to use the back door.”

Through painstaking research and extensive interviews, Mr Medeiros has documented what life was like for Portuguese immigrants and their descendants. Much is also made of their success, in spite of what many had to endure, and their lasting impact on Bermuda today.

He singles out D&J Construction founders, Johnny Pereira and Dennis Fagundo as “some of the most iconic symbols of success in Bermuda”, alongside Eddy DeMello who had such a “huge impact not in the Azorean community only, but in Bermudian culture and community as well”.

Mr DeMello’s father had worked on a farm for nine years, but returned to the Azores because Bermuda’s immigration policy didn’t allow families to emigrate to Bermuda. The family were able to emigrate together in 1949 and Mr DeMello’s lasting music legacy remains.

At 22, he took out a loan to buy the Music Box, where he was working, and expanded the business. In the 1960s he ventured into music production, working with, among others, the Talbot Brothers and Hubert Smith, who recorded the song, Bermuda is a Another World. He even brought Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder to Bermuda.

Another Azorean Bermudian who arrived as a child in 1949, was Luis Bernado. He went on to become a celebrated architect and president of the Vasco Da Gama Club, particularly well known for his award-winning floats at the Club’s Heritage Day.

Others of Azorean descent who he met or learnt about, and who left their mark on Mr Medeiros, include teacher, Portuguese rights activist and former chairman of the Portuguese Bermudian Organisation, Anna Faria; former attorney-general and minister of legal affairs, Trevor Moniz; and Fernance Perry, who arrived in 1926 aged three and famously turned the small Piggly Wiggly shop he owned into a supermarket empire, which is now part of the MarketPlace.

“When people think about Portuguese Azoreans in Bermuda, they think about landscaping, agriculture, but the fact is that our people were everywhere,” Mr Medeiros said.

Overcoming injustice

Initially, the Portuguese impact was predominantly economic, but this changed significantly in the 1960s. While some men had been able to emigrate to Bermuda with their families, it had been a difficult process, made impossible for some when the government formalised a policy that meant Azorean wives could not join their husbands in Bermuda.

Catholic priest and vice-consul, Fr Filipe Macedo, was instrumental in changing this. A native of Northern Portugal, Fr Macedo arrived in Bermuda in 1958 and fought for improved working conditions as well as the reunification of Azorean families.

“In 1968, that’s when it happened, the great opening of all these families going to Bermuda,” Mr Medeiros said.

“Then, of course in the 70s, you have all the culture and then in 1982, you have the agreement that finally ended discrimination against Portuguese.”

Lasting impact

It was the arrival of families that brought many Portuguese traditions to the island.

“If they had no family in Bermuda, they didn’t have much time to be in celebrations and having a good time. They were just working,” he explained.

“It was this coming of families to Bermuda that allowed Portuguese culture to spread and grow. That’s why you have Santo Cristo coming in the 70s. That’s why you have folklore groups coming in the 70s. Because in 1968, all of these families were allowed to come.”

While Mr Madeiros had been sad to learn about the discrimination many Portuguese immigrants had suffered, he ultimately felt pride.

“When I was interviewing people sharing their stories and sharing their tears, the work they had to go through, all of the sacrifices. Even to go through that suffering made me proud of my culture and my people. What Azoreans achieved in Bermuda makes me feel very proud.”

The post A proud Portuguese history appeared first on RG Magazines.

But as the years have rolled on, so has progress and St George’s has had to cope with the dual demands of preserving its heritage while also juggling the needs of a modern world.

But can the two work together in a mutually beneficial way?

Local businessman Dennie O’Connor believes they can.

“The truth about preservation versus modernisation isn’t about choosing one over the other – it’s about understanding their symbiotic relationship,” said Mr O’Connor.

Protecting our history – and looking to the future

The owner of The White Horse Pub and Restaurant in the Olde Towne added: “Historical authenticity isn’t just a nostalgic luxury; it’s an irreplaceable economic engine.

“When St George’s limestone walls tell stories of 400 years of history, they’re not just preserving the past – they’re creating value that no modern development could replicate.

“The most successful approach is one where modern amenities are thoughtfully woven into the historical fabric, like threads that strengthen an ancient tapestry without disturbing its pattern.

“In this way, preservation becomes not just about maintaining old buildings but about cultivating an asset that appreciates with every passing year – something increasingly rare in our rapidly modernising world.”

He added: “After all, anyone can build a new hotel or shopping centre, but no one can recreate four centuries of authentic history. That’s St George’s true competitive advantage in a world where authenticity is becoming the ultimate luxury.”

Meeting modern-day challenges

The challenges of balancing preservation and modernisation are complex, said Mr O’Connor, with practical challenges including: limited funding for maintaining historic structures; balancing preservation with modern amenities; rising costs of traditional materials and skilled craftspeople and climate-related challenges affecting historical structures.
He said a successful balance required prioritising structures based on historical significance, implementing adaptive reuse strategies that preserve historical character while allowing modern functionality, creating buffer zones between strictly preserved areas and flexible development zones, and involving local stakeholders in preservation decisions.
“In terms of footfall and economic value, the most valuable approach combines preservation and modernisation.
“Preservation should be viewed as an asset that adds value to modern development, creating a seamless blend where modern amenities support historical preservation,” added Mr O’Connor.

Making good use of our historic buildings

Dr Charlotte Andrews, the head of cultural heritage at Bermuda National Trust, said it was wrong to suggest that protecting heritage meant being against modernisation and that two could work together.

“Often, we think of heritage as a place, a thing, a time. But heritage is living, and I think St Georges is a perfect example of that.

“In fact, the value as a Unesco site is based upon being a continuously inhabited town with related forts, so a living town, a maritime town, a military town.”

She said that there were multiple layers of protection through planning requirements, St George preservation areas and listed building status.

“If the historic fabric just sits empty, and we have a lot of ruinous buildings, we should be interested in the conservation and preservation of that fabric. What’s a sustainable use of that site? What invites a new layer in its history?

“Who’s in that building right now? What are they doing? What’s their passion? What motivated them to restore it or rent it?

“So, you’re adding a heritage layer, it’s like an archaeological site. You’re adding another layer,” Dr Andrews said.

Managing change

One of the biggest modernisation issues is the installation of solar panels, which the Corporation of St George is treating on a case-by-case basis.

Quinnell Francis, the Mayor, said the Corporation was looking at how other Unesco world heritage were dealing with solar panels, but the general policy was that they should not obscure the historic nature of a property and not be visible from a main road.

She said the Corporation also worked closely with property owners to keep the historic wooden look or unique building features but by using different materials.

“We want to see people take pride in their properties, the historic value, the uniqueness of our architecture,” said Ms Francis, who added that the Corporation had collaborated closely with architects on solutions.

Sometimes, however, it is not about modernisation and sometimes it is just the way it looks now that is the main draw.

Ms Francis said: “Talking to visitors from the St Regis hotel, they have noted that walking into the town is a great way to see things.

“They have been able to walk around and enjoy the scenery of the town, enjoy everything, and they say ‘don’t change anything’.”

The post Modern life in an Olde Towne appeared first on RG Magazines.

The market can be fickle sometimes, running to this trend and the next. Business owners are oftentimes vulnerable to the latest global trends and phenomena and are subject to a small client base with very specific needs and wants.

That is why, when we find a business that has lasted for decades, we want to know how it has survived the test of time.

This question landed us at GB’s Auto, located at 15 King’s Street, better known as Gavin Black’s Auto, where we sat down with Gavin to talk about the business that has become a true legacy.

For more than four decades, GB’s Auto has been a trusted name for vehicle repair and service in Bermuda. Yet the story stretches back even further, beginning with Gavin’s father, the late Artie ‘Alpheus’ Black.

Commitment to community

Artie’s original business, built on hard work, honesty and a deep love for trade, became a cornerstone of the community. It is a legacy that still lives on today.

More than 11 years after his passing, Artie’s business continues to operate under the leadership of Gavin’s brother, proudly serving Bermuda with the same spirit that Artie instilled. With more than 70 years of family history behind it, the Black name has become a lasting symbol of perseverance, craftsmanship and commitment to community.

Artie’s vision was never just about repairing vehicles. It was about building trust and relationships. Even as the business grew, Artie never lost his personal touch. He made it a point to know his customers, understand their needs, and treat them like family. His principle was simple and powerful: do not want for your customers what you do not want for yourself. It is a philosophy that shaped not only his work but also his sons’ future paths.

Tradition of excellence

Clearly, the Black family knows how to keep legacy alive in their businesses.

Building on the strong foundation laid by his father, Gavin Black opened GB’s Auto 44 years ago with a vision to serve his community while continuing the family tradition of excellence. From the beginning, Gavin combined the lessons he learned from Artie with his own commitment to staying ahead of the changing needs of Bermuda’s drivers.

Today, GB’s Auto continues to operate proudly from 15 King’s Street with a seasoned team of technicians, many of whom helped lay the original foundation. Reflecting on the early days of GB’s Auto, Gavin recalls that it was not easy to establish a loyal customer base.

“Everybody was vying for their customers,” he said. “You had to work on a customer-to-customer basis.”

Move with the times

In an industry that demands constant evolution, GB’s Auto has stayed ahead of the curve.

“You cannot afford to be old school,” Gavin said. Over the years, the shop has embraced technological advancements, from computerised diagnostics to the increasing presence of electric vehicles on Bermuda’s roads. Today, GB’s Auto is working toward securing high-voltage certifications to meet the demands of the newest automotive technologies and to ensure the team remains at the forefront of the field.

The Covid-19 pandemic tested small businesses everywhere, and GB’s Auto was no exception. With island-wide restrictions in place, Gavin focused on supporting essential workers, particularly medical clients, by servicing their vehicles. With special permission to operate during lockdowns, the business weathered the storm by staying true to its commitment to community.

“In our own way, we survived,” Gavin said.

When asked about his secret to surviving, when so many others have closed their doors, Gavin did not hesitate.

“Not keeping up with technology can kill a business,” he said. The willingness to adapt and meet customers where they are, both mechanically and personally, has been critical to GB’s Auto’s enduring success.

The next generation

A plan is in place to ensure the family legacy continues: Gavin’s nephew has already stepped into the business, learning the ropes and preparing to carry the torch.

Yet Gavin acknowledges that the idea of legacy itself is evolving. It is not just about keeping the business in the family. It is about preserving the values of service, honesty and dedication that have defined the Black family’s name for generations.

Supporting the next generation of mechanics is another priority close to Gavin’s heart. GB’s Auto actively participates in Bermuda’s Department of Education’s work shadow programme, offering students from CedarBridge Academy, Bermuda College and Berkeley Institute valuable hands-on experience.

However, Gavin noted that attracting young talent to the trades remains a challenge.

“Many students do not gravitate to the trades because they are underpaid,” he explained. “It is a balancing act, trying to keep up with current times while providing customers with good prices.”

His advice to young Bermudians interested in the automotive industry is clear.

“Do not get into the profession unless you love it. Because you will encounter challenges, and you will ask yourself, why did you do it. But it is the love of the industry that keeps you going.”

GB’s Auto stands as a shining example of what it means to build a business on integrity, resilience and passion. In an era where many businesses struggle to survive beyond a few years, Gavin Black’s dedication ensures that the spirit of his father’s vision and the love for the work lives on.

Businesses like GB’s Auto are not just companies. They are community institutions. They remind us that true success is not built overnight or won by chasing every trend. It is built steadily, customer after customer, year after year, through trust, service and heart. As Bermuda continues to grow and change, it is places like GB’s Auto that anchor us to the values we cherish most.

And for that, we celebrate Gavin Black, his family, and the legacy that is GB’s Auto.

The post Driven by legacy appeared first on RG Magazines.

Bermudians have traditionally marked the day as their official start to the Bermuda summer, with many families making May 24 their first beach day of the year.

More recently, the Bermuda Day Parade has made a massive impact on our culture, and how we celebrate what it means to be Bermudian on this special day that has its roots in our Victorian past. Bermudians of all ages love Bermuda Day, and many of the traditions we partake in on the holiday have become rites of passage.

Whether you are committed to taking that first plunge into the – still – frigid mid-Atlantic water, or you’ve made it a personal goal to complete the Bermuda Day Half-Marathon, there’s something going on each year that will inspire you to move.

Proud parade

Valerie Byron is a vivacious sixty-something who will insist that you call her ‘Val’ almost immediately!

Val’s favourite Bermuda Day tradition is the always vibrant Bermuda Day Parade – which she has been marching in as a majorette for more than three decades.

“I’ve been dancing in the majorettes, off and on, for the past 35 years,” she said.

“I started with the St George’s majorettes, with Gilda Mello-Bean – my hero. I carry Gilda’s legacy with me when it comes to dancing. I was Gilda’s right hand, back then when we were in St George’s.

“Now we have the Ex-Artillery Club Elite Majorettes. We are all between the ages of 35, and our oldest majorette just turned 71 this year – and yes, she does her thing very, very well.

“It’s just a fun activity; it’s good exercise; it’s free – we just enjoy it so, so, so much.

“I think, next to Cup Match, 24^th of May is the biggest and best ever Bermuda holiday! Hopefully, we’ll be around to celebrate it all for many, many, many more years. And I only hope that it gets bigger and better every year.”

Family fun

She loves how Bermudians come together and have a lot of fun on Bermuda Day – especially on the streets during the parade.

“It’s just a special day. Bermudians, you know, we all get together and have a helluva time. It’s just a good family day. My experiences have always been very, very positive. I’ve always had a good time dancing and marching – I wouldn’t change or trade anything at all!”

Over the years, Val has noticed a change in the dance groups participating in the parade. Traditional majorette groups have lost ground to more modern dance troupes – but she welcomes all who have the drive to participate, because it all just keeps the special Bermuda Day vibes moving forward.

Pick your outfit

Canaisa Wolffe, 18, has been involved with one of those modern dance troupes, years ago. Canaisa is now a proud member of CedarBridge Academy’s Class of 2025, and will be graduating in a matter of weeks.

Canaisa cites our traditional Bermuda Day preparation ritual as one of her favourite annual rites.

“Starting before the parade – of course – finding the perfect outfit,” she said. “The best outfit, of course. It has to match the summer vibe.”

Now this is definitely a timeless Bermudian tradition for 24^th of May! Each and every one of us has, at one point or another, done the absolute most to ensure that we were decked out ‘just so’ for the annual Bermuda Day festivities.

Whether we laboured over our costume for the parade, or we just had to be the freshest and cleanest spectator on the street, the Bermuda Day fit was a major project at some point in every Bermudian’s life!

Beach time!

Canaisa names Horseshoe Bay as a cherished Bermuda Day destination for her and her family, adding that the traditional Bermuda Day dip in the Atlantic is a great custom if she doesn’t attend the parade.

Her enthusiasm for the parade, however, is infectious – and she insists that she will be attending this year.

“I love the festive vibes and just being with family and friends enjoying the floats going by, the dancers. I was dancing at some point in the parade, when I was younger. I danced in a group called Dynamic Revolution.

“The Gombeys are, like, one of the best parts for me too. I love summertime, so Bermuda Day kind of starts off my summer for me. And, again, just being around family and friends.”

For many Bermudians, the June 21 will never be the first day of summer – not as long as there’s a 24^th day of May on the calendar.

Making memories

Countless thousands of Bermudians have created special memories on Bermuda Day, and if you’ve ever participated in the annual parade, you’re sure to remember it fondly, regardless of the inevitable fatigue and possible foot pain by the end of the day.

“Being in the parade – and I think it was my first time too – I think I only performed once; and I enjoyed it,” Canaisa said.

“Even at a young age, I enjoyed it, because I was dancing with my friends, and my momma was there to support me.”

The day might be tiring and hot, but the memories are never bad. Whether you dance the afternoon away on the back of a big truck, don an elaborate carnival-style costume, represent your neighbourhood social club as a majorette, or just get a group of your friends together to dance in the street all day, the Bermuda Day parade is a place where lifelong memories will inevitably be made.

Bermuda Day means so much to so many people. Some years ago, a friend of mine ran the Bermuda Day Half-Marathon, met his girlfriend at the finish line in Bernard’s Park, and proposed to her on the spot – legend.

Swim, run, dance, march, or ride and wave – whatever you do, Bermuda Day is for you!

The post Bermuda Day! appeared first on RG Magazines.

And while unique quirks like our white roof tops, Bermy shorts and knee-high socks rightfully put a smile on our faces, this island is much more than those too.

Bermuda is really about its people.

Young people. Seniors. Bermudians who’ve lived here their whole lives. Foreigners who made Bermuda their permanent home. Guest workers who stay for a couple of years. Holiday-making visitors who mingle among us. Workers. Schoolchildren. Business owners. Loyal customers. It’s all of us.

As our interviews in this edition of RG Local Legacies demonstrate, just as people change over time, so does our culture.

We see this every year at our Bermuda Day celebrations.

The parade, with its iconic Gombeys and majorettes, brings a carnival atmosphere loved by one and all. Yet as individuals we also have our own traditions, old and new, whether it’s taking that annual dip in the ocean, running a half-marathon, wearing a new outfit while watching the parade, relaxing on the beach or simply watching Netflix on the couch with a cup of iced tea.

In our Bermuda Day feature, veteran majorette Valerie Byron and Horseshoe Bay-loving teenager Canasia Wolffe show that while May 24 might mean something different to everyone, it will always be a special day close to all our hearts.

The blending of our historical culture with our modern-day needs and preferences is a recurring theme throughout this supplement.

We shine a light on long-serving GB’s Autos on King Street, where manager Gavin Black preserves his father Artie Black’s community-based philosophy of building trust with his clients, while embracing technological advancements to ensure the firm doesn’t fall behind competitors.

At Bailey’s Bay Cricket Club – a club built by the people, for the people – president Stephen Outerbridge tells us of the continuing efforts to protect culture while empowering the next generation.

In the Town of St George, meanwhile, Dennie O’Connor, Dr Charlotte Andrews and Quinnell Francis discuss how they balance preserving their extraordinary history with the demands of modernisation.

One of the reasons for Bermuda’s relentless evolution, of course, is the influence of newcomers. Since the first settlement in 1609, people from all corners of the world have arrived and made their mark on the way we live.

Thanks to globalisation and our island’s role as an international business hub, one-third of Bermuda’s population today was born elsewhere – from 176 different countries, according to the latest Census.

We’ve got features on some of the countries who have made the biggest impact, from Portugal, including the Azores, from the Caribbean and from Canada.

Their thankfulness at being made welcome, and their pride at helping shape our island culture, suggest John Woolridge hit the nail on the head:

A brighter destiny will dawn for us.

As we blend our hopes and dreams.

And we live in peace as one.

Happy Bermuda Day everyone.

The post Our evolving culture appeared first on RG Magazines.