Hitty Apple had been planning for this trip all summer. At the last minute, Miss VanDroo became overwhelmed with all the housework and Bittys to care for. Hitty Apple suggested that she come along to Bermuda with her, if only for a bit of R&R. Miss VanDroo was reluctant to leave Hitty Maple with so much to do on her own, but in the end the Hittys insisted, and she came along.
“Best decision…EVER,” states Miss VanDroo.
Fresh off the ship, Miss VanDroo and Hitty Apple paused for a quick photo next to a Statue of Admiral Sir George Somers (1554-1610). Miss VanDroo explained the history to Hitty Apple:
“In 1609, Somers was made Admiral of the Virginia Company’s Supply Relief Fleet, which left Britain for the Virginia Colony of Jamestown. On July 25, 1609, battered by a huge storm, his ship the Sea Venture was wrecked off the reefs of Bermuda’s Discovery Bay. Somers and the other survivors were presumed dead by those who continued on to Virginia. Instead, Somers and others remained in Bermuda for 10 months. They built a church and some housing there. (Thus, the British came to occupy Bermuda.) And, goodness, by the time Somers and his crew arrived in Jamestown, the settlers there were starving. Their supplies saved Jamestown from being abandonned! Still, George Somers loved Bermuda so much, he asked that, upon his death, his heart be buried here. His body was returned to England.”
Hitty Apple found this story to be so romantic. A man in so love with his island. And of course, any time a Hitty (or friend thereof) thinks of a shipwreck, she can’t help but be reminded of Ancestor Hitty, who was shipwrecked and lived as a castaway for a time as well.
Back to the trip…
Hitty Apple is ever the Naturalist. She enjoyed the local flora:
The water in Bermuda is sooo blue.
See how blue? Check below. Yes, the color is the real deal:
Hitty Apple explains why the water in Bermuda is so absolutely, incredibly blue:
“When sunlight (which is made up of the entire spectrum of colors) strikes water, blue is the color scattered most by the water molecules. This causes more blue to be reflected back to the surface. (The sky is blue for the same reason.) The brilliant blue of Bermuda’s surrounding waters is due to the purity of the waters – they contain little organic matter, few organic waste products – as well as the white, white sand on the sea-bottom. The water here is mineral/nutrient deficient. “
Well, MissVanDroo appreciates all this Naturalist Stuff. But she wanted to shop! Earrings and charms were purchased at this store, an island favorite of their human chaperones:
Then, off to the beach. Why is Bermuda sand pink? (Really, it is more white than pink. But if you look closely, many of the grains of sand are pink.)
Again, Hitty Apple explains:
“The distinctive color of Bermuda’s sand is derived from a single-celled animal, called a foram, which grows in profusion on the underside of rocks. These animals have bright red skeletons, which, when the foram dies, are eroded by the waves and mixed with the other matter that makes up Bermuda’s sand (clam shells, snail shells, and coral — which are all white) to give the sand a slightly pinkish hue. We Maxwell Hittys LOVE pink, so this is the place for us!”
Hitty Apple found this sand conglomerate (below) and studied it while Miss VanDroo relaxed in her new, PINK beach chair (above).
And then, Hitty Apple wandered off to explore the local wildlife. She met this wild chicken. Bermudians consider them to be a bit of a nuisance. They destroy gardens, make noise, and have even caused several traffic accidents. Hitty Apple disagrees. To her they are quaint. Just look at this dear, sweet momma-to-many. Those chicks are so fluffy and sweet, and just perfectly Hitty-sized. What a dear little pet one would make! But maybe momma chicken read the Hitty’s mind and thought that she truly meant to take one of her chicks for a pet.
Because, suddenly, Momma Chick becomes fluffy and neck-less. And there isn’t a chick in sight:
Well, after such excitement, Miss VanDroo and Hitty Apple retired to their cabin. Night after night, such exotic creatures awaited their return. Hitty Apple found it shocking that each evening, the littlest of their human chaperones would immediately devour the poor creature’s eyes. Such horror!
Eye-devouring aside, it was a lovely trip for all!