Bermuda - Restaurants

Press statement on Hurricane Igor by David Burch, Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Housing – Friday, 17 September, 2010

As I address you, we are just over 24 hours away from experiencing the beginning of what is expected to be the ferocious impact of Hurricane Igor.

We have all heard the reports from the Bermuda Weather Service that this storm will be a long and punishing one and the potential for injury and physical damage is great.

It is my sincere hope that you and your families take the remainder of today to finalise your hurricane preparations, by securing your homes, your property and ensuring that you have adequate supplies.

Earlier this morning the Emergency Measures Organisation met to get the latest update on Hurricane Igor and the status of preparations by the security forces and essential services.

I want to take this opportunity to assure the people of Bermuda that your Government is doing everything possible to ensure our preparedness prior to and post the storm.

There is no doubt that in the immediate aftermath of the storm, there will be a heightened level of activity with members of the public wishing to check on the wellbeing of their friends and family, and the status of their property.

I want to caution you though, that this will be a critical period of assessment by our Emergency Services personnel, such as Fire, Police and the Bermuda Regiment.

From a public safety stand point I am urging members of the public to refrain from travelling the roads to explore any damage that may have been caused. It will be imperative that a full assessment by our emergency teams is done as quickly as possible.

Let me take a few minutes to touch on some very critical points that residents should be aware of as the storm approaches.

• By late Sunday night, the worst of the storm will begin. It will be at its closest point of approach at 2:00 am Monday morning. We can expect sustained winds of up 90 knots and potential gusts of 110 knots.

The L. F. Wade International Airport is currently open, but it is anticipated that it will close late Saturday afternoon. It is expected to reopen on Monday following an assessment of the runway and the airport facility by the Department of Airport Operations.

• Weather conditions around the Causeway are being monitored. It is anticipated, that in accordance with established protocol, closure of the Causeway will be coincident with the onset of 50 knot Easterly winds. Currently that is forecast for Sunday afternoon. Once a decision is made to close the Causeway, the public will be notified in advance of its closure.

• Residents in low lying areas and who live along the water should be prepared for storm surge flooding and have already been contacted to make the necessary preparations to secure their properties.

• The Ministry of Culture & Social Rehabilitation has prepared and equipped the emergency shelter at CedarBridge Academy. As of 5:00 pm today (Friday), members of the public seeking shelter can begin making their way to this facility.

• The KEMH has reported all is in readiness. The Lambe Foggo Urgent Care Centre will be operational. Nurses and a physician will be on duty at the facility. KEMH ambulances will also be stationed at the facility. The St. John Ambulance Brigade is also deploying an ambulance in St. George.

• Hotels and guest properties are in hurricane preparedness mode and have contingency plans in place. The Bermuda Department of Tourism is monitoring the approaching storm and is continuously liaising with the Bermuda Hotel Association to ensure that visitors have the latest information.

• The Government’s Emergency Assistance Organisation (EAO) will be ready to assist once the storm has passed. Please call the EAO at 292-6325 or 292-6339, should you require emergency help after the storm.

• The Bermuda Electric Light Company and the telecommunications companies have contingency plans in place to begin restoring service following the passage of the storm should that be necessary.

• There is a partial embodiment of elements of the Bermuda Regiment, and those soldiers are asked to report to Warwick Camp as ordered on Sunday. All remaining soldiers should be on standby for possible embodiment after the storm.

• The Bermuda Reserve Police are on standby for embodiment.

• The Emergency Broadcast station at 100.1 FM is the official source for information regarding the Hurricane as necessary just prior to, during and after the storm.

• The EMO will meet again on Monday after the passing of the storm to further update the public on any developments.

• The Ministry of Education wishes to advise that all Government Schools will be closed on Monday during the storm and Tuesday to allow a full assessment of schools prior to reopening.

• At this stage Government Offices will close on Monday.

• Government House has advised that a Royal Navy frigate will be on standby off Bermuda during the storm and will enter port following to lend assistance.

Finally, I wish to take this opportunity to commend the residents on their strength of spirit and courage, during what can easily be described as a challenging time for our Country. I also want to commend – you – the media for providing balanced and accurate information on this storm and encouraging our residents to take the threat seriously.

In recent years, we have witnessed the awesome power of Mother Nature and the devastation that hurricanes inflict on countries and communities.

None of us will soon forget Hurricane Katrina which devastated New Orleans and areas along the Mississippi Gulf Coast and South Florida in 2005.

Closer to home, we’ve experienced our own challenges with the unforgettable Hurricane Emily – 24 years ago and Hurricane Fabian in 2003.

Following each of these disasters, we came together as one to assist in rebuilding our communities.

And it is my genuine belief, that should we sustain serious damage in the wake of this storm, we will rally together once again to ensure that our Island is up and running as swiftly as possible.

It is also in this spirit of unity that I ask you to be mindful of your neighbors, seniors in particular and look out for one another during this testing time for our Island.

I would now like to invite Dr. Guishard to the podium to provide you with specifics on the weather.

Thank you.

Press statement on Hurricane Igor by Dr. Mark Guishard, Director of the Bermuda Weather Service, Friday, 17 September, 2010

This storm is one that should be taken extremely seriously – as the Minister has already stated, the threat is high. A Hurricane Watch is already in effect. We at the Bermuda Weather Service, in consultation with the US National Hurricane Center, will be issuing a Hurricane Warning this afternoon. this Warning is issued whenever hurricane conditions are expected within 36 hours.

If there is any doubt, let me make a few basic comparisons – Hurricane Fabian in 2003 was a Category 3 when it made a direct hit on Bermuda – this storm, Hurricane Igor is also forecast to be at or near Category 3 intensity when it moves close to Bermuda on Sunday night.

Fabian had a wind swath at the equivalent time frame 2 days before the CPA, of about 110 nm in diameter. The swath of Hurricane Force winds associated with Igor is currently approximately 150 nautical miles across. The tropical storm force winds (otherwise known as gales in winter storms) extend some 500 miles across the storm’s diameter (Fabian’s were 350nm). So, not only is Igor of similar intensity to Fabian, it is actually bigger, making us an even more likely target. Make no mistake, even if the center of this system misses the island, we will experience significant impacts.

The current forecast is indeed for a direct hit on the island, the worst case scenario in these situations. Accordingly, we should prepare for sustained winds of on the order of 100 knots (115 mph), with gusts to 120 knot or 140 mph. Again, this is comparable to the wind speeds we experienced during Hurricane Fabian in 2003.

The baseline level of the water (without putting wind driven waves on top of
it) is what we refer to as storm surge, and it is expected to be on the order of 5 to 7 feet above the normal tide levels. high tides through the weekend are in the pre-dawn hours and early evenings, low tides are generally near noon and midnight. I must reiterate the comments of the Minister – if your property is prone to surge, then it will likely have some inundation during this event.

Analyses of the wave heights associated with Igor indicate that the maximum waves at the centre of the storm are in excess of 50 feet. Already we are starting to see large swells on the south shore in advance of the approach of Igor. Expect rip currents and battering waves on the reefline, and potentially dangerous surf at the beaches.

Rainfall is always of concern and isolated road flooding is to be expected.

Of course with all tropical systems, which are intensely rotating, there is the potential for the spin up of tornado activity, which we saw in both Hurricane Fabian, and in Category 1 Hurricane Emily in 1987. In recent years, we have seen tornado activity associated with outer rain bands – Hurricane Florence in 2006 and Hurricane Bill last year are examples of this. The point I am making is that even in advance of the worst conditions, we could see some severe weather affect the island several hours before the onset of worst conditions.

Regarding levels of certainty, computer models on which we base these forecasts have been not only consistent with each other, but also consistent through time, in saying that we will have an impact from Igor. However, one of the very reasons that we treat tropical systems with such caution is their ability to make sudden changes in track and intensity – hence, as with all tropical systems, there is uncertainty inherent in this forecast. We all hope and pray that Igor will veer a little further away than is currently forecast, but we must take all action now to prepare to safeguard life and property.

Please have a plan of action to protect your life, your family, your property and your business. If you have a plan, please implement it now – Saturday evening will be too late to make any further preparations – as I have already said in previous media statements, this is not the time to be complacent. Be safe and god bless.

A new restaurant has opened at the recently renovated Port Royal Golf Course, the venue for the PGA Grand Slam of Golf.

The 64 Degrees Bar & Grill is part of Claudio Vigilante’s Fresco’s Group and is named after Bermuda’s geographical location at 64 degrees longitude.

Australian head chef Troy Smith has previously worked with Vigilante at Aqua, Ariel Sands.

Other restaurants in the Fresco’s Group are Fresco’s, Silk, Opus, and Aqua (at the Surf Side Beach Club).

One of the best known restaurants in St George has closed.

The Carriage House Restaurant & Bar is the latest victim of the economic slowdown affecting the historic town.

In 2010 only one cruise ship, the Veendam, will call at St George. It will only spend one night there and, and as announced last month, will anchor at sea rather than dock.

Destination Dockyard returns to the West End of Bermuda tomorrow evening.

The annual summer series of Monday night street festivals at the Royal Naval Dockyard (King’s Wharf/Heritage Wharf) will run until August 10.

Evenings include a full programme of entertainment and things to do:

• Happy Hour 6 pm to 8 pm – ‘Taste of Bermuda’ – free samples of Dockyard Beer at the Frog and Onion Pub and Bermuda Craft Market
• The Main Event 8 pm to 10.30 pm – Live entertainment, glassblowing at Dockyard Glassworks, shopping at the Clocktower Mall (opening hours extended to 9 pm), children’s activities, Gombey dancers, and more
• After Hours– live music at the Frog and Onion (9 pm to midnight), Reggae Beach Party at Snorkel Park (10 pm to 2 am), and salsa dancing at the Bone Fish Bar & Grill (8.45 pm to midnight)

Destination Dockyard is hosted by the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Royal Caribbean International (RCI) and the West End Development Corporation (WEDCO).

A new restaurant has opened at one of Bermuda’s most famous attractions.

The Dining Room at Gibbs Hill Lighthouse opened last week. It is owned and managed by Odilio and Natalie Angeli, who also own Ristorante Primavera and the Rustico Restaurant.

The restaurant is situated on the ground floor of the restaurant in the space previously occupied by the Lighthouse Tea Room.

The first of this year’s series of Harbour Nights will be take place tomorrow on Front Street in Hamilton.

It will run from 7 pm until 10 pm and feature live entertainment, Gombey dancers, stalls offering local arts and crafts for sale, children’s activities, food stands, and more.

Ferries depart from Royal Naval Dockyard (Kings Wharf/Heritage Wharf) at 6.30 pm and 7.30 pm, returning at 10 pm and 11 pm.

Harbour Nights run every Wednesday evening until August 26th 2009. They are organised by the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by the Pickled Onion, Hog Penny, Flanagan’s, Café Cairo, Bermuda Bistro, Norwegian Cruise Line, the Department of Tourism, and the Department of Community & Cultural Affairs.

9 Beaches has received a glowing recommendation from a top US travel magazine.

The resort in Sandys Parish took first place in a list of the 10 Best Coast Eco-Resorts, published in the April 2009 edition of Coastal Living magazine.

One of the resort’s unique cabanas was featured on the cover and an article praised the main restaurant, Hi Tide, saying it ‘turns out some of the best meals on the island.’

A food and drink festival in Bermuda has been cancelled due to the current economic crisis.

The Bermuda Gourmet Getaway was scheduled to be held February 26 to March 2 2009 at the Fairmont Southampton hotel and other locations around the island.

A statement on the event’s website reads ‘Due to the current economic climate and, more importantly the effect on our various sponsors we have no choice but to postpone the 2009 event. The BGG will now be held on Thursday February 25th through Monday March 1st, 2010.’

One of Bermuda’s top chefs been invited to cook dinner at one of America’s most prestigious culinary institutes.

Derek Myers, Executive Chef at the Island Restaurant Group, will offer a Bermuda-inspired menu to members and guests of the New York’s James Beard Foundation.

Dishes on the ‘Flavours of Bermuda’ menu include Bermuda Fish Chowder with Sherry Peppers and Gosling’s Black Seal Rum, Grilled Bermuda Wahoo with Warm Bacon and Brussels Sprouts Salad and Bermuda Loquat Vinaigrette, and Dark and Stormy Brûlée with Rum Swizzle Sorbet.

The dinner will take place at 7 pm at The Beard House in New York on February 27 2009. For tickets call 212 627 2308.

The Island Restaurant Group comprises the Hog Penny Pub, Pickled Onion, Barracuda Grill, Latin, Rumbar, and Java Jive.