Discover Bermuda’s Great Sound
Bermuda’s Great Sound is a natural treasure for those who love being on the water. Experience it for yourself.
- Natural Wonders,
- Sailing
Filling in the southwestern scoop of the island’s distinctive fishhook shape, the Great Sound forms a natural harbour that hosts everything from cruise ships and sailboats to sea life.
The Great, Calm Sound
The Great Sound is bordered by land on three sides and open to the North Atlantic Ocean. Most cruise ships arriving in Bermuda dock at King's Wharf in Royal Naval Dockyard, which sits at the entrance to the Great Sound. Little Sound to the south and Hamilton Harbour to the east are also part of this body of water.
A coral reef stretches across the entrance to the Great Sound from the Dockyard to Stovell Bay, forming a natural barrier that helps buffer the waves and currents of the Atlantic Ocean. This is why the Great Sound is praised for its relative calm compared to the island’s outer shores.
Many small islands dot the Sound, especially toward its eastern half: Hawkins Island, Long Island, Marshall Island, Hinson Island and Darrell's Island are just a few. You can sail around the islands on a boat charter, or rent a pontoon boat or jet ski to go island-hopping on your own.
Sail It
With Bermuda's temperate year-round climate and the Great Sound's near-perfect sailing conditions, getting on the water is the way to go. Of course, Bermuda offers abundant options when it comes to on-the-water adventures.
See It From Land
Prefer to stay on land or want to see the Sound from above? Here are a few photo-worthy vantage points.