Sandys Parish

Named for early settler Sir Edwin Sands — that's how you pronounce "Sandys" — this parish is made up of several islands, including Ireland North, Ireland South, Boaz, Watford, and Somerset. The Royal Naval Dockyard on Ireland Island North is one of the district's most famous landmarks and well worth a visit.

Dockyard, which dates from 1809, was once the largest naval base in the western Atlantic. Today the complex houses a variety of boutiques, restaurants and unique attractions.

Queen Elizabeth II opened Dockyard's Maritime Museum in 1975. It's in an old six-acre fort once used to defend the Dockyard, and contains exhibits detailing many of the ships that have foundered on Bermuda's treacherous barrier reefs, including the Sea Venture, which went down in 1609, launching Bermuda's colonial age. It was from Dockyard that Britain launched the warships that attacked Washington, D.C., during the War of 1812.

Today the former military complex offers a wealth of less-martial amenities. Swing by the Bermuda Craft Market, which features the works of more than 60 local artisans. Follow Maritime Lane around the far end of Dockyard and you'll discover the Bermuda Arts Centre, where you can browse and chat with working artists such as painter Jonah Jones, sculptor Chesley Trott and jeweller Lynn Morrell. Then make your way across a moat bridge to the imposing Bermuda Maritime Museum, which features a number of nautical exhibits. You won't want to miss Dolphin Quest Bermuda, where you can swim with dolphins while learning the vital role we can play in conserving their marine home. There's also a Snorkel Park with water sports and activities to delight every member of the family.

Take a southerly route from Dockyard, through scenic Somerset. Smugglers once haunted this village, but today locals and visitors alike consider it a favourite spot for swimming and fishing.

The Gilbert Nature Reserve is located in nearby Springfield, boasting five acres of unspoiled woodlands and grounds on the site of a plantation house built in the early 1700s. Other historic sites in Sandys include the Anglican St. James Church of Somerset. A hurricane destroyed the church in 1780, but it was rebuilt nine years later on its scenic promontory, graced by a spire and sweeping entrance.

Scaur Hill Fort and Park are also on Somerset Road, offering visitors majestic views of Great Sound and Ely's Harbour. The British Army built the fort from the 1860s to the 1880s to protect the Royal Naval Dockyard from possible American attack. The park is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Somerset Bridge — the smallest drawbridge over the Atlantic — links Somerset Island with the main island. Dating from the 17th century, it's one of Bermuda's earliest bridges and allows only an 18-inch clearance for the mast of a sailboat. Here, you can also rent a Jet Ski or motorboat. From this bridge you can see Cathedral Rocks, a natural formation reminiscent of a medieval church.

Don't fail to visit the tiny, historic chapel at Heydon Trust, a bucolic, 43-acre preserve graced by rose gardens, stately Bermuda cedars and olivewood trees. The nuns who care for the chapel, which dates from the early 1600s, are famous for singing inspirational Gregorian chants.

The retreat is part of the estate of Dr. John Dalzell, who made his fortune in Bermuda after he was shipwrecked here on his way to Nevis. The chapel, once a labourer's cabin, dates from about 1620. It has been a place of worship since 1943.

Each day from 7 to 7:30 a.m., the chapel resounds with Morning Prayer; Holy Communion is offered each Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. In addition, visitors can enjoy the Sisters' chants on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 7:30 a.m., Wednesday and Saturday at 8:30 a.m., and Monday through Saturday at 3 p.m. These services are known as Lauds, a Latin term denoting praise and gratitude.

The sisters sing the Psalms in the manner prescribed by St. Gregory 1,400 years ago. The Latin chants are meant to nurture heart, mind, and soul.

Nearby is Hog Bay Park, which opened in 1997, offering 38 acres of trails, vegetable gardens, wooded hillsides, and more. The views from Sugarloaf Hill are worth the climb. If you like to spot birds, this is the place for you. More than 120 species have been sighted here, including orioles, purple finches, and rough-leggedhawks.

Echoes Of The Past

The inspirational sounds of ancient Gregorian chants fill the historic chapel at Heydon Trust.

The 43-acre Heydon Trust in Somerset, a registered religious Trust, is governed by a Board of Trustees and is set aside to the glory of God. During daylight hours, visitors can see its beauty for themselves. It is a tranquil preserve graced by rose gardens, stately Bermuda cedars and olivewood trees. Visitors take in awe-inspiring views as they picnic on the verdant grounds or stroll and meditate down peaceful paths.

Visit the tiny chapel at the Trust located on a heavenly hill overlooking the ocean and you can hear the three Sisters singing Gregorian chants, just as nuns and monks have done over the centuries.

The chapel resounds with Morning Prayer each day from 7 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. Holy Communion is offered on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. In addition, visitors may enjoy the Sister's chants on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 7:30 a.m.; Wednesday and Saturday at 8:30 a.m.; and Monday through Saturday at 3 p.m. The morning chant service is known as Lauds, a Latin term denoting praise and gratitude. For more information, call 441-234-1831.

The Sisters sing the Psalms in the manner prescribed by St. Gregory 1,400 years ago. They say the Latin chants are meant to nurture heart, mind and soul. One Sister enthuses, "Singing the chant today not only links us with the past, but with the increasing numbers of those who are chanting around the world today."

Many visitors are surprised that the Sisters have time to sing at all, considering all of the duties they perform. For one thing, they keep busy cleaning the chapel and regularly adorn it with seasonal flowers. Working with the Board of Trustees, they plant flower gardens, cultivate vegetables and care for the roses. The Sisters, moreover, care for the Anglican Cathedral Communion linens and clergy robes, sing in the cathedral choir, and sew altar frontals, vestments and linens. In addition, they lead a weekly Bible study group at a nearby nursing home and pay regular visits to seniors in the area.

There is a small cottage in the stone quarry next to the chapel and the Sisters are responsible for keeping it up for personal or group retreats.

The Sisters come from the Community of Jesus, an ecumenical organization based in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The community is composed of faithful members from many Christian churches, from Catholic to Pentecostal. Members support each other in their common beliefs.

"Chanting together," the Sisters say, "is one of the things that blesses us in our walk of faith. Chanting is a wonderful way of praising God."

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