Castle Harbour, Bermuda
Castle Harbour is a large natural
harbour in Bermuda. It is located between the northeastern end of the main island and St. David's Island. Originally called Southampton Port, it was renamed as a result of its heavy fortification in the early decades of the Seventeenth century.[1]
Geography
Castle Harbour is surrounded by
Hamilton Parish, on the western shore of the harbour, lies Walsingham Bay, the site where, in 1609-10, the crew of the wrecked Sea Venture built and launched the Patience,[2] one of two ships built, which carried most of the survivors of the wrecking to Jamestown, Virginia, in 1610. The Patience returned to Bermuda with Admiral Sir George Somers
, who died in Bermuda later that year.
There are many islands and beach areas in the harbour, and numerous subterranean waterways link its waters with that of
Harrington Sound in the southwest, notably Crystal Cave
.
Climate
| Climate data for Castle Harbour | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 20 (68) |
19 (66) |
20 (68) |
21 (69) |
24 (75) |
26 (78) |
29 (84) |
29 (84) |
28 (82) |
26 (78) |
23 (73) |
21 (69) |
23 (73) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 15 (59) |
15 (59) |
15 (59) |
17 (62) |
19 (66) |
22 (71) |
24 (75) |
25 (77) |
24 (75) |
22 (71) |
19 (66) |
17 (62) |
19 (66) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 110 (4.4) |
120 (4.6) |
120 (4.7) |
99 (3.9) |
110 (4.5) |
110 (4.4) |
110 (4.2) |
130 (5.3) |
130 (5.2) |
150 (6.1) |
120 (4.9) |
130 (5) |
1,450 (57.1) |
| Source: Weatherbase [3] | |||||||||||||
Castle Islands
John Smith's 1624 map of Bermuda, from The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles, showing Castle Roads
.Several of the islands were fortified in the early days of the territory, hence the harbour's name. When official settlement of the archipelago by England began in 1612 (unofficial settlement having begun with the 1609 wrecking of the standing militia.[4]
Initial fortification by the
Second World War by Bermuda's military garrison, with soldiers living in tents within its walls, watching over the channels with machine guns. Other forts built at the south of Castle Harbour included Devonshire Redoubt (1620) and the Landward Fort, on Castle Island, Southampton Fort (1620), on Southampton Island (originally known as Moore's Island and Brangman's Island), at the east side of Castle Roads, Old Castle, or Charles' Fort, (1615), on Goat Island, Pembroke Fort, on Cooper's Island, and Fort Bruere, on the Main Island.[4]
Other fortifications on Castle Harbour
At
Martello Tower. The island chain across the south of Castle Harbour is often referred to as the Castle Islands. Their fortifications are the oldest surviving English New World fortifications (due primarily to their having been constructed of stone, whereas contemporary English fortifications on the North American continent were built from timber and earth). They were also the first English coastal fortifications in the New World. As a result of their historical significance, they have been made a UNESCO World Heritage Site
, together with St. George's Town.
Castle Harbour is the only breeding ground in the world of the famous rare seabird, the Bermuda petrel or cahow.
The north of the harbour was altered considerably during the Second World War, when the US Army built a large airbase,
Bermuda International Airport
. This involved the levelling of Longbird Island, and several smaller islets, and infilling waterways and much of the harbour to create a land mass contiguous with St. David's Island and Cooper's Island.
32°20′50″N 64°41′14″W / 32.34722°N 64.68722°W
References
- ^ Rider's Bermuda: a guide book for ... – Google Books
- )
- ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Castle Harbour, Bermuda". Weatherbase. 2011. Retrieved on November 24, 2011.
- ^ a b Adventure guide to Bermuda – Google Books
- ^ Bermuda Attractions: Ferry Island Fort
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Castle Harbour, Bermuda.