On the Bright Side

And so after a brief and much needed nap, I continued on with my Thursday.  I scooted back to the Hamilton Princess, sheepishly looking at my bright pink toenails as I approached the group waiting at the Princess Marina.  I got a hug from Steve and from about 5 feet away I saw Dev's smile twitch into an almost smug grin as he greeted me with "nice toenails."  He then proceeded to show me the several hundred amazing photos he got of longtails on his adventures over the past few days, but since I was so happy to have him back on the island this week I repressed the urge to push him and his camera full of amazing photos over the ledge and into the Atlantic.  Fear not, I would never do such a thing, and if anything, Dev is one of the photographers who inspire me to try pick up my camera in the first place...the other's being my niece Jaycena and my brother Jerry.  I am motivated by taking pictures of my world in a way that is maybe not the most artistic sense, but in the simple way I see it at the moments it catches my breath or calms my soul.  Or sometimes in just documenting some of the dumb things we do.

Like this, the gorgeous bride to be in the fading sunlight over the water, next to a large Dev foot and leg...things like this lack of awareness to composition will forever render me an amateur...but...it's life as i see it!

I was greeted by many more friendly faces, some I knew from years ago, some from a few short hours ago, and some brand new but smiling all the same.  Our Thursday evening was a sunset cruise for the wedding attendees aboard the Bright Star II, a big old sailboat.  Bright Star, bright side, either way I was now on it and ready for a lovely evening.  I claimed a spot on the bow of the ship (aka the pointy end of the boat at the captain explained to all of us non-nautical folk) alongside Lisa and Jessie, where Steve and Louise promptly declared us "deck fluff."  Deck fluff would be those on the boat that prefer to sit there and soak up the day on board without doing anything helpful or useful, other than beautifying the craft with our presence.  Keith and Dev and Craig joined our fluffy little contingent not too long after.  To be fair, the Bright Side sails with a father daughter crew of 2, and didn't need us to do anything, and still had time to mix cocktails for us, so I didn't feel too guilty.

All aboard outside the Hamilton Princess

Keith roaming across my view and therefore captured on film.  Once everyone on board had a drink and their camera, we were good to go

Steve...the groom and former Captain of the Cactus, the rogue Newfie of the Bermuda seas

Louise, the lovely bride to be

A sunset cruise in Bermuda is a pretty nice way to enjoy an evening and make a few new friends and catch up with old ones.  I relaxed into my cushion on the bow and tried to snap photos of people as they crossed my path.  I did try to warn them they would be in the blog, and hopefully they will enjoy seeing their smiling mugs online and that I didn't miss anybody in the consent gathering process between rum swizzles.

Jessie and Craig

The Dev flew in from Qatar

Nadine from Newfoundland

Lisa came in from Boston for the wedding

Louise and Kim from Vancouver

Sun setting on the sail

Steve's oldest childhood friend Chris from Newfoundland

And there was a whole half boat full of other people but they did not cross my lens on the bow of the ship, so there are just a few more sunset pictures before the end of this blog.  I will get them before the week is out...I hope.

At the close of another day in Bermuda

Dev kinda looks like a cardboard cutout here...which gives me an idea for the lab at work

After that it was off to La Trattoria, who greeted us with a bit of smile worn over a grimace as a table of 16 walked in 45 minutes before closing.  But we got good food and record fast service!  And thus ends another of the last of my days in Bermuda.