Trunk Island

Paddy and Hannah O’Donnell generously flung open their doors to their home for us Salty Dawg folks in Bermuda. Melinda and Reinhart on the yacht Rockhopper (the same folks who welcomed us when we arrived in St George’s) arranged the visit. And on 28th May, they bravely herded all the Salty Dawg sailors together to catch the bus to BAMZ from where Paddy could collect us in his boat.

Arriving at around 1130, Paddy was waiting for us at the dock at the back of BAMZ. And in true nautical style, he first took the women over to the island, returning about 15 minutes later for the rest of us.

Trunk Island has been in Hannah’s family’s ownership for many years and it is the largest of the islands in Harrington Sound at seven acres. Recently, and this is good news, BAMZ has purchased an interest in the island and are conducting a number of ecological experiments on the site. They have also planted a large number of cedar trees in an attempt to build up the population following the blight in the 1940’s and 1950’s.  Scouts also used the island for a camp, and it also serves an educational role as a ‘living classroom’. This is also a nesting place for the Bermuda Longtail seabird. These birds can occasionally be seen swooping towards the rocks towards gaps in the hillside where they lay their eggs.

If that isn’t enough, the beaches around the island are beautiful, so it’s possible to choose a place to swim according to mood and weather conditions. So, there is a lot going on here. And as for the Salty Dawgs, we experienced a whole lot of generous hospitality. In the first photograph below (courtesy of Bill) from left to right are: Eve from S/Y Auntie; Reinhart and Melinda, S/Y Rockhopper; Me and the boss, S/Y Lady Jane; Helen and Liz, S/Y Alembic; Hannah and Paddy, hosts extraordinaire; and Bill, S/Y Alembic. And in the last photograph in this gallery, we have Captain Morgan.

Sunshine and Dark and Stormy

The O’Donnell’s showed us to their old colonial style veranda and treated us each to a large glass of Dark and Stormy prior to the lunch they had so kindly prepared for us. Delicious it was too. After lunch, we walked around the island and sampled some of the fruit from the trees. They have Bermuda cherries growing here as well as papayas in such numbers that they encouraged us to take them if we wanted them.

But like all good things, eventually, it’s time to knock it in the head. So, later that afternoon, Paddy shuttled us back to the mainland in his boat. And when the Salty Dawg folks were rounded up again, we ambled across the road to catch the bus back to St George’s.

Paddy and Hannah – thank you very much.