7 Fascinating Facts About Bermuda That Don’t Involve The Triangle

People usually associate Bermuda with the notorious Devil’s Triangle that has been the location of hundreds of mysterious disappearances. The Bermuda Triangle certainly seems like the most fascinating thing about the islands. However, there are several interesting facts about Bermuda that have nothing to do with it at all.

Bermuda is commonly thought to be the most mysterious islands in the Caribbean. However, the archipelago is actually closer to Nova Scotia (just 768 miles away) than Cuba (1,093 miles). The British Overseas Territory is easier to access from North Carolina’s Cape Hatteras, which is just 665 miles away. It isn’t part of the Caribbean at all.

Here are seven fascinating facts about Bermuda that have nothing to do with the Triangle.

1. Bermuda’s First Human Inhabitants Were Shipwreck Survivors

The islands were discovered by Juan de Bermúdez in 1505 although the Spanish sea captain never actually set foot on land. This means that the first humans who actually made it to shore were the passengers of the Sea Venture, a ship that ended up on the islands’ coral reef in 1609. By 1612, the population grew as the Virginia Company sent the ship called Plough to Bermuda.

So why did it take so long for people to actually live in the islands? That was probably because de Bermúdez thought Bermuda was home to terrifying demons.

2. The Demons Of Bermuda

Spanish and Portuguese sailors often passed the archipelago but refused to stop by and look around. Although this could easily be attributed to the treacherous reefs, sailors also claimed that they heard terrible noises coming from the shore. The noises reportedly sounded like screaming babies, leading to conclusions that the islands were inhabited by demons and sea monsters.

There were no babies or witches on the island. These noises were actually made by the Bermuda petrels, which are also called cahows. The endemic species of seabird can still be heard across Bermuda but nobody thinks of them as demons nowadays. The chaotic noise might also have to do with the pigs that were left on the islands by Don Pedro Menendez de Avila and his party in 1563.

3. Shakespeare And Bermuda

The Sea Venture shipwreck was big news in England and it somehow inspired William Shakespeare into writing a play set in a remote island. Although The Tempest is supposed to be set in the Meditteranean, the island in the play happens to feature very noisy birds and is populated by pigs. In addition to that, the play mentions a drink made of cedar berries which sounds like the beverage of choice for Bermuda’s early settlers.

4. Pocahontas’ Husband Was From Bermuda

We know that Pocahontas married John Rolfe and became the face of the Jamestown settlement. However, she wasn’t Rolfe’s only wife. Rolfe and his family were actually aboard the Sea Venture when it sank near the archipelago. His wife Sarah Hacker and the child he named after the islands both died and were buried in Bermuda. Rolfe survived and went on to marry one of the most well-known Native Americans in history.

5. The Ocean Is Always Just A Mile Away

If you look at an aerial view of Bermuda, you will find that it is shaped like a fishhook. The islands are rather narrow with an average width of one mile. This means that no matter where you are in Bermuda, you’re only just a mile away from the ocean.

6. The New Year Onion

Onions are a big deal in Bermuda. The crop used to be a major export of the islands in the 19th century until US farmers sold their own “Bermuda onions.” Nevertheless, the archipelago continues to celebrate New Year’s Eve with a massive party onion. The onion is dressed up in lights then dropped from the Town Hall in St. George’s Town Square at the stroke of midnight. The tradition continues until today.

7. The Shipwreck Capital Of The World

Although we still can’t explain the disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle, there is a reason why the archipelago has over 300 shipwrecks. Bermuda was formed from an extinct volcanic mountain range topped off with limestone. This is why it has miles of sharp reefs in every direction just below the surface. Pair this up with regular storms and ships just don’t stand a chance against the archipelago.