Also see our General Information for Visitors and print a checklist (PDF format) of things to bring for your stay at BIOS.
1. REACHING BERMUDA, CUSTOMS and IMMIGRATION
A valid passport (or notarized birth certificate or voter registration along with photo ID) and a return airline ticket are necessary to enter Bermuda. If you are bringing equipment with you (i.e., computers, lab gear, etc.) it will facilitate your clearance through customs if you have these listed on your institution's letterhead indicating that these will be returning with you upon departure.
2. MONEY
The U.S. Dollar is accepted throughout the island on par with the Bermuda Dollar. BIOS will accept traveler's cheques, VISA or Mastercard, cash, or personal cheques with a credit card. U.S. checks may be cashed in local banks but a fee is charged. Banking hours are normally 9:30 - 3 p.m.
3. GETTING TO BIOS
BIOS is prohibited by law from providing transportation to and from the airport, you should plan on taking a taxi to BIOS's reception building (about a 10 minute trip). The approximate cost is $8.00, not including tip (tipping on the island is typically 15%). After your arrival at BIOS, please see the receptionist as soon as possible so that you may be checked in. If you are arriving outside normal office hours (9am - 5pm), an envelope will be left for you at the reception desk. You will be provided with your room key, and directions, as well as additional information about BIOS.
4. ACCOMMODATIONS
Main Accommodations are in Wright. The first floor of this three-story turn-of-the-century hotel houses the lounge, kitchen and apartments. Our electrical systems are identical to the US (i.e. 110 V). The second floor has both apartments and rooms with private bathrooms, and the top floor has rooms with shared bathrooms. Interns and most visiting groups live in Wright Hall during their stay at BBSR.
Wright Hall lounge is an area where BIOS students and visitors watch television and relax. From the lounge, you can reach the kitchen area to the left, the porch dining area behind the back wall and the dorm rooms up the stairs.
Most meals are taken out on the back porch of Wright Hall, with beautiful views of Ferry Reach and Castle Harbour. There is a steady parade of boats through the waterway. If the weather turns foul, there is additional seating in the dining room. Wright Hall's back porch is a popular place to relax during coffee breaks, read or socialize with friends.
Stays of 30 consecutive days or more will be discounted 10 percent.
Room fees include use of the library, computers and wireless internet. Please use our facilities with care and consideration for others. All visitors are encouraged to bring their laptops with them to take advantage of our wireless internet.
OFFICIAL QUIET HOURS: Between the hours of 11:00 pm and 7:00 am, please respect the rights of others and keep noise levels down. No loud radios or parties.
5. HEALTH INSURANCE
Please note that visitors to BIOS are not included in any of BIOS's insurance coverage. You are required to sign a "Health Insurance Waiver", stating that you have adequate insurance to cover your visit to Bermuda.
6. TELEPHONES
Pay phone: located in a closet in Wright Hall between the lounge and dining room, and also in the new visitor housing block. Use these phones for collect or debit card long distance calls. You may also purchase cash calling cards from the reception desk. Contact the office if you cannot make your long distance calls on this basis. You can also use the telephone at the reception desk for charging long distance calls (during office hours only).
Courtesy phone: located in the Wright Hall lounge which allows you to make free internal calls and calls within Bermuda. Press the BIOS button for an outside line.
The main BIOS number is (441) 297-1880, which is manned between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. (Bermuda is one hour ahead of Eastern U.S.) If the person who is being called cannot be found, messages will be taken. On weekends and in the evening, the BIOS number will connect directly to voice mail where additional information is given, including an emergency number.
7. BERMUDA DRUG LAWS
If any person is found with marijuana or other illegal drugs in his/her possession upon arrival in Bermuda, they are held in custody, taken before court the following day, fined (usually heavily), and requested to leave the island immediately. Please note that Bermuda Customs and their canine assistants are remarkably efficient in finding drugs. In your best interest and that of BIOS, we would appreciate your full co-operation in avoiding such an issue. Prescription Drugs: Inform Customs of any prescription drugs you are carrying. You must be able to present a doctor's prescription for any medication).
8. MAIL
Incoming mail will be put in the appropriate marked mail box in the reception building. Please check your box daily as important messages may be left there, including any phone messages. Outgoing mail should be placed in the slot on the bottom left hand side of the mail boxes. Remember to mark envelopes to and from Bermuda "Air Mail". There is normally a Monday to Friday daily delivery to and from BIOS. Stamps and postcards are available from reception.
9. ANNOUNCEMENTS
These will be posted on the bulletin boards in Wright Hall's foyer and in the reception building.
10. WATER
Please conserve fresh water at all times. Water is a most precious commodity in Bermuda, as we depend upon rainwater collection to fill our tanks. Please take short showers - get wet, turn off water, lather up, rinse off! Do not run water freely when shaving or brushing your teeth. Ensure all taps are turned off after use, and report leaking showers or taps to reception immediately. After office hours, please call the emergency number.
Toilets operate on a salt water system, so you don't have to be conservative. Tanks fill slowly, as they are gravity fed.
11. SMOKING
There is NO SMOKING allowed in any of the buildings. If you smoke, please do so outside and use appropriate receptacles.
12. HOUSEKEEPING, LINENS and LAUNDRY FACILITIES
Sheets, pillowcases, blankets, towels and face cloths are provided, but volunteer interns are expected to clean their own rooms and do their own laundry. Please bring your own beach towel. Do not take our blankets, bedspreads, towels, etc. to the beach as tar can be a problem. If you need an old towel, please check with one of the housekeeping staff. Rooms will be cleaned weekly by BIOS housekeeping staff. Clean linens can be picked up at the housekeeping office at the east end of the second floor of Wright Hall. The best time is between 1:15 and 2:00 pm (staff are not often there in morning). Laundry facilities are located on the ground level floor of Wright Hall. Washers and dryers require quarters - U.S. or Bermudian - which can be purchased at the reception desk or from the change machine in Wright Hall.
13. DINING FACILITIES (1st floor of Wright Hall.)
Meal times are:
Breakfast 7.45 - 8.30 am
Lunch 11.45 a.m. - 12.30 pm
Dinner 5.45 - 6.30 p.m. pm
BIOS meals are served cafeteria style. Although there is no choice of menu, the food is wholesome and should appeal to all tastes. If you have special dietary requirements such as food allergies, or if you are vegetarian, please notify the housing manager, Jane Burrows, in advance of your arrival (fax info to 411-297-8143 or e-mail reservations(at)bios.edu). Weekend lunches are usually self-made pack lunches. Lunch ingredients are left out in the dining room until approximately 10am.
14. VENDING MACHINES and ICE
A soda machine and snack machine are located on the back porch of Wright Hall and all items cost $1.25. The machines accept American or Bermudian coins - some also accept US dollar bills. Free ice is available in the laundry room. A change machine is available in Wright Hall.
15. LIBRARY and COMPUTER ROOM
The library is located on the ground floor of Redfield Building and is open 24 hours everyday. A Bermuda Section contains useful information about all aspects of the island, including geology, history, flora and fauna. The computer rooms are inside the library and are also open 24 hours. There are both PCs and Macs with a variety of software and access to the Internet.
16. BIOS GIFT SHOP
The Gift Shop is located in the reception area of Hanson Hall. It is open daily from 10am to 4pm. Postcards are available from both reception and the gift shop.
17. WEATHER
In Bermuda, June to October can be quite hot and humid, with temperatures reaching into the '80s. Temperatures from November to May average between 50 and 70 degrees F but can spike to 80 degrees. Relative humidity is often very high. Fall storms can occasionally drop the temperature into the '50s and wind and/or humidity can make it seem much colder than temperatures suggest. Water temperatures are warm until November but are in the mid '60s December through March.
18. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION (the pink buses)
Fares: Based on division of Bermuda into 14 arbitrary zones (see bus map). Payment by cash is most expensive; payment by paper tickets (available at Hamilton terminal in sheets of 15 or individually at the reception desk) is the least expensive. Exact change is required when paying cash on the bus; bills are not accepted.
Bus Stops: About 0.6 miles from BIOS's main building (turn right at the gate onto Ferry Road, bear left over the hill and you will see the bus stops as you meet the main road). The stop to Hamilton/St. David's has a shelter across the main road, while the stop to St. George's is marked by a blue post.
Schedule: Buses to Hamilton and St. George's run every 15 minutes from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm Monday through Saturday. Check the bus schedule for route information and bus times.
19. NEARBY CONVENIENCES
The closest supermarket is Cousins, which is located about one mile from BIOS toward St. George's. Somer's Supermart is just past the main square (King's Square) on the left (open daily until 7pm; also open from 1pm to 5pm on Sundays). U.S. newspapers are found at Robertson's Pharmacy across from the St. George's Police Station (open Sundays 4pm to 6pm., in addition to daily hours).
20. MOPEDS
Auxiliary motor bikes are available to rent, or you can purchase a second-hand moped. BIOS receives a discount on moped rental through Wheels. If you decide to drive a moped cycle, drive defensively. "Road rash" can cramp your style considerably. Take care to drive slowly on wet roads and in areas where sand, leaves and oil have accumulated. The exit road from BIOS is often sandy and oily, so be especially careful there. Mopeds, however, are not essential, as public buses provide adequate transportation. A slower but cheaper alternative is to bring a bicycle as checked luggage. Note that there is no indoor storage, so you would have to bring your own lock and cover. Check with your airline for details about this.
Please remember to ride on the left side of the road.
21. CLOTHING, FLASHLIGHTS and PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM
A bathing suit is needed for BIOS's swimming hole and beach trips. A lightweight raincoat or poncho (or umbrella) is highly recommended because short tropical downpours can occur all year round without much notice. As BIOS is very casual, bring clothes you feel comfortable in. While spring/fall clothes are recommended for November - March, do bring a few things to accommodate the possibility for extreme temperatures. (Bathing suits, shorts, heavy sweaters or all-weather jackets for example). Some restaurants and places of entertainment are relatively formal - men sometimes require a jacket and tie.
Bring a flashlight for returning to your room or walking at night as BIOS is not well illuminated.
Film is quite expensive in Bermuda, so it's best to bring whatever film you may need.
22. FIRST-AID KITS, DOCTORS and HOSPITALS
First-aid kits are located in the hallway upstairs in the Redfield Building, in the dining room entrance, and in various labs. Pauline Hams in Apartment 8 is on call for medical emergencies in the evenings; during the day, notify the reception desk. The closest physician is Dr. Andrew West (office above Robertson's Drug Store in St. George's, tel. 297-0068). For emergency treatment and x-rays, King Edward Memorial Hospital is located near Hamilton on Point Finger Road, tel. 236-2345. Payment is required at the time of treatment with cash or credit card. Receipts will be provided for insurance reimbursement after the fact. (Please notify Lauren Yelle-Simmons, Operations Manager, of any problems or emergencies, home tel. 297-0530, cell: 235-3251).
23. SCUBA DIVING
Only qualified SCUBA divers are allowed to dive from our boats and use our tanks. There are no exceptions to this rule. You also must fill out requisite BIOS diver registration forms which require a medical examination. If you have any questions, please contact Alex Chequer, Dive Safety Officer, e-mail address:
alex.chequer(at)bios.edu
. Tanks, weights and belts are available at BIOS. Potential divers must bring the following equipment and diving certification:
Fins, mask and snorkel; timing device, regulator with pressure gauge; knife, buoyancy compensator, compass, depth gauge, wet suit (seasonal requirement), dive card and log book. An alternate air source is highly recommended.
If you will be carrying out scientific diving, you are required to have current CPR/First Aid and Oxygen Training.
24. GUESTS
If it is your intention to have guests visit during your stay at BIOS, please consult the reservations manager ahead of time. There will be a fee assessed for visitors occupying station housing.
25. PASSING WIND
The Passing Wind is a private social club at BIOS. You may consult the published PW Guidelines (copies are available at reception). All guests must be of legal drinking age (18). No high school or other secondary level students may be in the vicinity of PW when open during its normal hours. Tickets are available from the PW managers. Please respect the honor system, and clean up after yourself.
Generally the Wind opens at 5 p.m. on weekdays and closes whenever the last member leaves. Weekend hours vary.
REDUCED AIRFARE FOR BIOS STUDENTS
Student Advantage Travel Program - US AIRWAYS
- Student Advantage is the nation's largest student membership organization. Membership entitles students to savings of up to 50% at US Airways and retailers such as Tower Records, Foot Locker, Staples and more.
- Full and part-time undergraduates, graduate students and high school students who are at least 15 years old are eligible for membership.
- There is a membership fee of $20 per academic year (September 1st - August 31st) plus $2.50 shipping and handling. However, US Airways offers additional benefits, including a $20 discount off a qualifying US Airways ticket.
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