Bermuda Glass Bottom Boat Cruise from the Royal Naval Dockyard

The Royal Naval Dockyard, departure point of the cruise

The cruise departs from the Royal Naval Dockyard on Ireland Island, at the far western end of Bermuda. The British Royal Navy built this fortified base from the early 1800s, after American independence left it without ports on the Atlantic coast, and for more than a century it was its main station in the western Atlantic. Massive limestone storehouses, ramparts and the twin-towered Clocktower building still dominate the waterfront.

Today the Dockyard is one of the liveliest areas of Bermuda, with the National Museum of Bermuda in its old keep, craft shops, restaurants and the main cruise ship piers. From Hamilton, the public ferry takes about 20 minutes across the Great Sound, which makes this glass bottom boat tour easy to combine with a day in the capital. Arrive a little early to explore the historic buildings.

The Sea Gardens and Bermuda's coral reef

From the Dockyard the boat heads out to the Sea Gardens, a shallow reef area off western Bermuda. Bermuda's reef platform is among the northernmost coral reefs in the world, kept alive by warm currents that flow up from the tropics. Through the glass panels in the hull you see brain corals, sea fans, sea rods and rocky ledges, with parrotfish, sergeant majors, angelfish and blue tang moving between them.

Once over the reef, the crew gives an entertaining and factual commentary about the life of corals and fish beneath you, and explains why the reef that ringed the island has wrecked so many ships over the centuries. Calm, sunny days give the clearest views; the water around Bermuda is famous for its clarity. It is the best way to see Bermuda's coral reef without snorkelling.

The shipwreck of a Royal Navy gunboat

One of the highlights of the cruise is the wreck of HMS Vixen, an iron gunboat built for the Royal Navy in the 1860s. The ship was never a great success at sea, and in the 1890s it was deliberately sunk to block a channel into Bermuda's western waters. Its bow still rises just above the surface, and the rest of the hull lies in shallow water, clearly visible through the glass bottom.

Over the years the wreck has become an artificial reef, covered in coral and sponges and surrounded by schools of fish. Your captain tells its curious back-story, which many visitors find surprisingly funny, while the boat circles slowly for photos from the upper deck and the viewing panels. It is one of the most photographed shipwrecks in Bermuda.

Sea grass beds and Bermuda's green turtles

Before returning to the Dockyard, the boat pauses at nearby sea grass beds, a quiet feeding ground and a mid-Atlantic sanctuary for green turtles. Many of the turtles that live in Bermuda's waters are young ones that travel here from distant beaches and stay for years to graze on the sea grass before heading back to the tropics. Sightings are common but never guaranteed, as these are wild animals.

The crew watches for the turtles as they surface to breathe, and you can see them gliding over the grass through the glass panels. Please stay calm and quiet to avoid disturbing them. After this last stop, the boat cruises back past the Dockyard's historic walls, giving one more chance for photos of the waterfront before you step ashore.