Settlement of Bermuda - St. George's, Bermuda - Human Migration Monuments on Waymarking.com

A 20' high obelisk made of stone blocks commemorates the 300th anniversary of the settlement of Bermuda and honors the founder of Bermuda, Admiral Sir George Somers.

In 1609, Sir George Somers was appointed as Admiral of the Virginia Company's Third Supply relief fleet and was sent to the Jamestown colony in present day Virginia. On June 2, 1609, he sailed from Plymouth, England on the Sea Venture, the flagship of the seven-ship fleet. The ships encounter a storm on July 25th and were separated. The Sea Venture began to leak rapidly. On July 28th he spotted land, what is now Bermuda. He had to purposely drive his ship on a reef to prevent it from sinking. All of the 150 people on board were able to safely reach shore.

While ashore, the crew and passengers built a church and houses. This was the beginning of the settlement of Bermuda colony. Admiral Somers oversaw the construction of two small ships, the Deliverance and the Patience, from local timber and the wreckage of the Sea venture. They then and sailed to the original destination, the Jamestown Colony, to deliver much needed supplies. Thus enabling the survival of the colony.

The plaque contains a bas-relief sculpture of Admiral Sir George Somers above his ship the Sea Venture which is shown foundering on a reef. Below is the following inscription:

Bermuda had no indigenous population when it was discovered nor when it was settled by the British 100 years later. Today it has a population of over 70,000 people.