Horseshoe Bay: Bermuda’s Beautiful Beach with a Haunted Past

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒂𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑺𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒐𝒇𝑯𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒆 𝑩𝒂𝒚

Crashing surf, screeching birds, and terrified sailors. Here is why Horseshoe Bay – the world’s most beautiful beach – was once avoided at all costs.

Bermuda is world-famous today for its pink sand and turquoise water, but to early mariners, this tranquil bay was part of the terrifying “Isle of Devils,” named not for mythical monsters, but for a haunting symphony that could be heard even from the sea: the roar of the Atlantic crashing against the reef, in chorus with the eerie, bone-chilling cries of the Cahow seabirds.

It was a sound so unsettling that sailors believed the island was haunted – and bypassed it for centuries.

A must-see spot for beachgoers today, few people realize that Horseshoe Bay’s sandy shore is steeped in military history.

In the 1870s, Britain feared that the newly formed United States might use modern steamships to land troops on this very beach and march toward the Royal Naval Dockyard. As a result, the area became a soldier’s training ground throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In fact, the headland separating Horseshoe Bay from East Whale Bay still contains the ruins of old coastal artillery fortifications, which were part of a chain of defenses designed to prevent “amphibious landings.”

Also visible today is a 1.2-mile trail connecting Horseshoe Bay to Warwick Long Bay. This path winds through sand dunes and past Jobson’s Cove, which feels more like a secluded 17th-century hideaway than a public beach.

These days, Horseshoe Bay (in season) attracts large crowds of locals and cruise ship visitors, drawn to the loungers and pink umbrellas scattered across the sands.

But contrast that with 400 years ago, when it served as a lookout for ships, a military rifle range—and was haunted by the ghost-like cries of the Cahow.

• Learn More About Touring Bermuda: https://bermudaheritagetours.com/best-bermuda-shore-excursions/
• More Bermuda Stories: https://bermudianhistory.com/exploring-the-gibraltar-of-the-west/