Bermuda
History
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At the apex of the Bermuda triangle |
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The Bermuda TriangleBermuda, located 750 miles from New York, is one of the most remote places on earth. Apparently no one ever set foot here until European explorers arrived in the 1500s. Treacherous reef-filled waters gave rise to the earliest tales of the dreaded Bermuda Triangle. Early sailors called Bermuda the "Isle of Devils" because they were so menacing to navigation. More than 500 ships piled
up on the protective barrier reefs that ring Bermuda. Wreck diving here
is quite good. The Bermuda
Underwater Exploration Institute tells of some of the treasure found
here. Bermuda takes its name from a Spanish explorer, Juan de Bermudez, who landed in 1503. However, he failed to claim the land for Spain.
The islands remained up for grabs until 1609 when British Admiral Sir George Somers, on his way to Virginia with supplies badly needed by the colonists there, happened to run his flag-ship aground on a reef. This accident ultimately led to permanent British settlement in 1612 on what was officially known as "Bermudas" or "Somers' Island." To amused islanders today, the Bermuda Triangle is most familiar as a seafood dish consisting of a split broiled lobster that forms the top of the triangle, with a small beef fillet at the base.
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