Goodbye Bermuda, hello Bethlehem.  Our great Bermuda adventure has come to an end and as usually is the case when you go on a trip, I find myself asking where did the time go?  As you can read from the writings of the players, we certainly did a lot during our time on this beautiful island.  Each and every member of our travel party, which included parents, friends, and siblings, had an amazing time and made memories that will last a lifetime.  While it was my third trip to Bermuda, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the players marvel at the pink sand beaches, explore the clear blue water, and bond in such a unique way.  I was also very pleased in the progress we made from game 1 to game 2. I am encouraged by what we did and excited for what we can accomplish when we actually have some practices!  We could not have had the experience we did without the help of our tour manager Cheri.  Her upbeat personality and enthusiasm for her job really rubbed off on the rest of us.  Our buses or vans were always on time and her connections on the island helped us get reservations for dinner, discounts on kayaking and even procure a pair of crutches.  No one wanted to leave, but in a few hours the field hockey class of 2017 will be arriving on campus and the entire team will be together for the start of the 2013 season.  I am hoping that the excitement from this trip will spread through the entire team and propel us to a successful season.  Opening day is in two weeks!  Time to get to work.

Coach Endler

Team photo pre game

We loved the resort at Grotto Bay

 

     As our last full day in Bermuda comes to an end, we reflect on the time we have spent here.  Today we enjoyed our daily team breakfast followed immediately by kayaking and paddle boarding right outside our hotel.  The water was clear and blue and all of the girls saw sea turtles.  A group of marine biologists were catching the sea turtles to do research on them.  Since the team missed our beach trip planned for yesterday, we visited Elbow Beach today.  Three hours of sun and 5 bottles of sun screen later, we made our way back to the hotel for our last dinner in Bermuda.  We walked and ate in the historical town of St. George.  Looking back on the week, it is amazing that we were able to visit 3 of the top 10 beaches on the island, snorkel, kayak, swim, play field hockey, laugh, and enjoy our time as a team.  Tomorrow’s departure will be bittersweet as we remember our trip to Bermuda and look forward to a successful season.

Coach Tasha

On the bus on the way to Elbow Beach

 

 Elbow Beach is awesome!

    

 

Today was one of the most challenging days thus far in this trip. It was storming all morning therefore our plans to go to Elbow beach, a very popular attraction, was switched to stay inside all day. For team bonding today, we played bingo with not only our own team but the entire resort. We had three winners during this time and although they have yet to receive their prizes, their winning spirit carried over to tonight’s game. Tonight we played against the U-19 Bermuda Federation team, where we defeated them after a tough battle. The score ended at 1-0, with Catherine Duffin scoring against the Bermudians. After the game, both teams celebrated with a lovely pizza party and some socializing. Each team got to interact with everyone and got to learn about their background and cultures. Everyone is looking forward to going to Elbow beach tomorrow, along with kayaking and paddle boarding in the morning. Tomorrow is the teams last full day on this beautiful island and everyone is eager to go out on our own and explore more of the culture from not only ours, but the locals perspective as well! Although our field hockey experience here in Bermuda has ended, there is still so much more to experience and learn from this paradise!

Photos: the rain stopped long enough to get a little beach time in the afternoon; game faces on before our match.

Taylor Holly ’15, Kelly O’Donnell ’16, Ely Vazquez ‘16

    

 

On the third day of Bermuda, following breakfast we took the ferry to the Royal Naval Dockyards. The ferry ride was breathtaking (literally if your mouth was open). In the open blue water you could really appreciate the pastel houses and the beauty of the island. After this lovely ride the team was able to split up and go shopping or enjoy more time at the beach. Those that took the time to shop were able to enjoy Rum Cake, Glassblowing, the mall, the Frog and the Onion, and much more. Those that enjoyed another beach day were able to snorkel and catch some rays, because today was beautiful, sunny, and hot. After riding the ferry back to St. George, the team took some time to get ready to go to dinner in Hamilton, the capital city. Most of the team ate dinner together at Flannigan’s and then the real fun began. We were able to attend the Wednesday night Harbor Nights event. Vendors lined the street and dancers and drummers drew a huge crowd. We really enjoyed immersing ourselves in the culture of Bermuda. After a long day, we returned to the hotel to play cards together before heading to bed to get ready for another long day ahead of us.

Valerie Male, Cayley Wise, and Meghan Pak class of 2015

No we are not in England, just the Royal Navy Dockyards; Enjoying the ferry ride.

      

 

Day two of our stay at Bermuda started with a heavy breakfast followed by a downpour of rain. However, this rain was not going to put a damper on our plans for the day. We darted in the rain to the tour bus, where we met our fabulous bus driver. Since we forgot his name we will refer to him as Chanel, a name inspired by the one lonely Chanel earring in his left ear. Although we were still getting used to driving on the opposite side of the road, Chanel’s aggressive driving led to a forty minute bus ride of fun and interesting facts about Bermuda. Since we don’t want you to jump on a plane and fly to Bermuda immediately, we will just let you in on a few facts about the Bermudian lifestyle. There are 365 islands that make up Bermuda. The main island is 21 miles long and 1.5 mile wide. The reason behind Bermuda being such an amazing place to live is because there are no slums, there is no income tax, no welfare, and food stamps; “If you don’t work, you don’t eat.” Bermuda College is free, however their houses cost an arm and a leg. After Chanel filled our brains with knowledge about Bermuda, we arrived at Horseshoe Bay Beach. The sand was soft and pink. The water was clear, blue, and warm. We had the opportunity to climb a cliff that overlooked the water. Although coach did NOT let us jump, we sadly had to eventually climb back down. We also were able to go snorkeling in the water and saw many tropical fish. We spent four hours at the beach, but unfortunately we had to leave, but it was to get ready for our game! Despite the ridiculous humidity and heat, we worked as a team and played well together. We all were very fortunate to play against a Bermudian team and enjoyed a big pasta dinner with them after the game was over. Check back in with us tomorrow to hear about our adventure at the Royal Navy Dockyards!

 

Catherine Duffin, Emily Marley, and Anna DeSimone class of 2015

Team gathers at Horseshoe Bay; after our game at the national stadium with the Bermudian Federation Team.

      

 

Greetings from Bermuda!! The Moravian College Field Hockey Team arrived safe and sound after a fairly pleasant flight. Although weather conditions were not as sunny as expected, the entire team was ecstatic to have arrived! After passing through customs we found our bag with ease and quickly departed for the Grotto Bay Resort. Once settling in all our rooms, the team prepared for dinner at the popular Swizzle Inn. It is in fact Bermuda’s oldest operating pub since 1932, the restaurant had a rustic touch and is known for their “Swizzlin Swagger Out” apparel.  After feasting at the Swizzle, the team returned to the Grotto Resort and had a mad dash to the ocean and pool area. The ocean water is a crystal clear blue and even with the cold rain pouring around us the water was still so warm. The fact that it was dark out and we could see our legs through the water was an amazing new sight for all of us.    We are looking forward to jumping on the huge floating slide in the ocean in the days to come! We then went to the pool where we played a childhood game of categories where we learned a lot of silly things about each other like favorite ice creams, colors, animals etc. We then ventured to the hot tub to wrap up the night.  After a few hours of bonding and relaxation, everyone returned to our rooms for some much needed rest after a long day of traveling! Stay tuned for more on our adventures in Bermuda!
Andrea Eck, Erin Gilbert, and Chelsea Grotyohann class of 2014

Photos: Pre flight at Newark Airport; Meghan, Val, Ely, and Kelly don't waste any time heading to the beach.

 

About the Trip

Some of the highlights: exploring the cities of Hamilton and St. George; ferry ride around the island to King’s Wharf; relaxing on Horseshoe Bay and Elbow Beach; playing games against the Bermudian Federation and National teams.