BERMUDAPICTURESQUE

photographs by roland skinner

at a lance

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enefiting from its close proximity to the Gulf Stream, Bermuda evolved into a magically beautiful volcanic island unlike any other. Originally discovered in 1505 by Spanish navigator Juan de Bermudez, Bermuda remained unoccupied until the fateful grounding of the British ship Sea Venture while en route to resupply the fledgling colony of Jamestown, Virginia, in 1609. It is likely that this shipwreck and survival story inspired William Shakespeare’s play The Tempest. Ten months later, after building two new ships, some of the colonists con- tinued their journey to the New World while others chose to remain in paradise to stake a claim for England. Some of those families never left, and today the island remains a self-governing British Overseas Territory, proud of her British roots.

The island’s prime location 640 miles west of North America made Bermuda both a pillar of Atlantic trade and a strategic military outpost. Her natural resources and clever inhabitants made her a shipbuilding leader following the development of the revolutionary Bermuda sloop; versatile and fast, the ship spawned both a thriving maritime economy and the island’s legendary privateers. British, American and Canadian armed forces used Bermuda as a North Atlantic base from the Ameri-can Revolutionary War through the Cold War.

By the middle of the nineteenth century, as steamships replaced Bermuda’s sailing vessels on the key Atlantic trade routes, the island’s economy faltered, and Bermudians looked to agriculture for survival, achieving modest success. At the turn of the twentieth century, how-ever, Bermuda began to reinvent itself as a haven for North American visitors drawn by its mild climate and lush natural environment, and Bermuda’s lucrative tourism model remained the envy of the world for decades. Recent advances in technology, transportation and telecom-munications have fueled Bermuda’s growth as a leading global business center for insurance and offshore financial services.

While time and progress have changed Bermuda in many ways, her stunning natural beauty and allure remain intact. The island still boasts stunning vistas punctuated with exquisite pink beaches, brilliant turquoise waters, pastel-coloured cottages, sun-dappled paths, lush greenery and white limestone roofs...heaven, indeed!

“You can go to heaven if you want; I ’d rather stay in Bermuda,” wrote Mark Twain in the late-nineteenth century during one of his many extended stays on the island. Many visitors—and residents—still share his sentiments.

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© 2012, Picturesque Gallery All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright owners.

Published and distributed in Bermuda by: A.S. Cooper and Sons, Ltd.3 Queen Street, Hamilton, Bermuda, HM 11, 441-295-3961, www.ascooper.bm

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beautiful horseshoe bay

‹warwick long bay

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‹bermuda buttery and chimney

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gibbet island and flatts inlet

‹somerset bridge, world’s smallest drawbridge

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glowing sky at sunset

‹the day begins

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calm waters at turtle bay beach on cooper’s island

‹christian bay on the south shore

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returning longtails, a sign of spring

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stunning ocean views from port royal golf course

‹pristine fairways and greens at tucker’s point golf club

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fishing close to shore

‹netting bait, crow lane, pembroke

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flowers of bermuda (clockwise from top left): nasturtium, calla lily, iris, nasturtium, canna lily, oleander, bird of paradise

(clockwise from top left): lantana, bermudiana (the national flower),sprekelia, hibiscus

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st. george’s

‹yachts head through town cut

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bermuda’s enchanting architecture

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the unspoiled beauty of castle islands

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protected cove at the western end of horseshoe bay

‹secluded jobson’s cove, a popular swimming spot on the south shore

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hamilton harbour at twilight

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south shore beaches

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sweeping lighthouse view

‹gibb’s hill lighthouse, in operation since 1846

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bermuda fitted dinghies boast over 1000 square feet of sail

‹a sailboat race

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coastal scenes and glimpse of lover’s lake along the railway trail

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south shore beaches with their unique pink sand and dramatic rock formations

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paget marsh a brightly coloured lizard

‹a bridge at the arboretum in devonshire

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manor house bridge and dock

‹harrington sound reflections

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island in ely’s harbour, sandys parish

‹dingles island in harrington sound

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moongate at shelly bay at the end of a beautiful day

‹the island from above at sunset

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Roland SkinneR has been photographing Bermuda since 1958. His timeless work has been featured in magazines and galleries internationally and appeared on coins. He has a sixth sense for Bermuda’s many enchantments, from its beaches and bays to its homes and countryside. Bermuda’s finest photographer portrays the beauty, changing light and variety of an Island place like no other.

BERMUDAPICTURESQUE

at a lance

Picturesque Bermuda,Volume 1

Picturesque Bermuda,Volume 2

ALSo AvAiLAbLe in hArdCover:

Archival prints of Roland Skinner’s photographs plus an exciting collection of unique gifts are available online at www.picturesquebermuda.com. Worldwide shipping available.

PiCTUReSQUe GalleRYThe Design Centre, 129 Front Street East, Hamilton, HM 12, Bermuda(441)-292-1452, email: picturesque@ascooper.bm, www.picturesquebermuda.com