Spirit of Bermuda

Hello Facebook friends, this is me – Melv.  In an unguarded moment I agreed to help in a fund raising event for a Bermuda charity that potentially involves me willingly or unwillingly ending up in Hamilton harbour in March – which is practically the middle of winter now global warming is changing weather patterns even here.

Really, can you see this amiable buffer dunked into the oily, smelly and …. Very chilly waters of Hamilton harbour?  I am sure that your better natures will come out with a resounding ‘No’ and that you will contribute big time to my ultimate safety and comfort.

Actually I think that’s how it works anyway.  Pay a lot and he skips a dunking, pay a little and in he goes.  Don’t pay and I think there was talk of being sold to the galleys if they have them any more… but I know that that’s not what you really want.  Is it?

The following is the official bit, logo + some vital information on the why’s and wherefore’s and in particular the how of actually ponying up the big bucks to help me miss out on that soggy and decidedly unhappy ending. So do please read it as opposed to skipping it and moving onto the more interesting bit at the end.

  

The Pirates of Bermuda have named me, MARK MELVIN, as a person of value and are conspiring to take me hostage!  My ‘Wanted’ poster is all over the Island and the pirates are demanding that I walk the plank.  I need your help to raise my ransom!  On Sunday, March 5^th, my fate will be determined at # One Car Park and Dock between 2:00pm - 4:00pm, so please come and show your support.

AS A DONOR, YOU HAVE A CHOICE!

Donate towards me walking the plank (SINK) into the chilly waters of Hamilton Harbour L

or

Donate towards my ransom (SAVE) so I am safely escorted off Spirit of Bermuda….dry!  J

Go to:  https://www.ptix.bm/pirates  

When you visit ptix.bm/pirates, you are not actually buying tickets, you are donating to SINK or SAVE (as many hostages as you like- it’s like a shopping cart).  Choose the hostage, enter the amount you wish to contribute, and click on SINK or SAVE, then hit the back button to go back to another hostage.  It’s easy, and it’s all in good spirit for a very worthwhile youth programme.  When you are done, proceed to checkout.  You will get a “ticket” as a receipt emailed to you.

PLEASE, Spread the word!

•               Bermuda Sloop Foundation is the organisation that runs Spirit of Bermuda and the learning expeditions on board Spirit of Bermuda at no charge to Bermuda’s public school students, taking an entire class of middle school students out on 5-day voyages throughout the school year, where the trainees learn the value of being healthy and the power of taking responsibility for oneself.  These and other character development  opportunities are in addition to the STEM based experiential activities that connect to the middle school curriculum. 

•               Their programme and the Foundation recently received the highest award from Sail Training International at the Tall Ships International Conference in Quebec, Canada:  for “Vessel Operator of the Year”, awarded to a sail training organisation, operating smaller vessels, that demonstrates excellence in ‘innovation’ and ‘best practice’ in sail training for young people.

•               Through vigilant fund raising, grant applications, corporate and private charters, and special Foundation events such as PIRATES OF BERMUDA, BSF is able to offer their programmes to Bermuda’s public school youth at no charge to the students, who may not otherwise be able to benefit from such an experience.  As many as 400 Middle School youth per year benefit from this programme.

•               Donations help to fund student voyage bursaries for school voyages and summer learning expeditions on Spirit.

•               Your participation and contributions are greatly appreciated by all involved with Spirit of Bermuda and the Foundation!  

The official stuff was pretty dull beside my preamble, wasn’t it? What it didn’t cover is some other interesting things.

First, a did you know.  Did you know that the Bermuda Sloop takes passengers on its trips overseas?  As in paying passengers.  There’s some particularly nice sounding ones this spring (after the March ending to this promotion) in the West Indies as it’s the 400^th anniversary of Antigua. Check out the website.

And the other thing is of course the America’s Cup this summer.  The sloop actually has received a bye into the play off final between Team Oracle and the winner of the Challenger Series so the final races will be between 3 vessels not the usual 2.  This is a Bermuda first for the America’s Cup (and OK I may have made it up, but it does sound fun!).

That’s it then.  I do hope you find it in yourselves to make a contribution no matter how small (although I hope its not too small) for this is a great charity and the sloop itself is a masterpiece of old engineering that showcases how we all used to get around before cars, buses, aeroplanes and space craft.  Much slower, so plenty of time to smell the roses and just kick back (if you’re a paying passenger anyway otherwise there was always the risk of a keel hauling).

Melv