Ship's band buries memories in the sand
Members of the Norwegian Star show band, Nightwatch, buried a time capsule packed with many markers of life in 2012 at Warwick Long Bay on Wednesday.The group members decided to bury a time capsule to mark their final voyage to Bermuda in 2012, and were inspired by a Canadian-themed time capsule that one band member previously buried in Las Vegas.Band members Kevin Kyle, Kristy Van Camp, Vinnie Presite and Dave Currier all gathered and contributed interesting trinkets to the capsule, including a Bermuda Reference Map, a guitar tuner, many business cards from Bermudian restaurants and attraction sites and even a Royal Gazette newspaper.The group also threw in 12 American cents to symbolise the year 2012.Mr Kyle, Nightwatch’s bass player, packed his iPod shuffle into the capsule.“[The people who find it] can listen all my favourite tunes years down the road,” said the 40-year-old.Most of the band members included something that symbolised their role in the band.“I put in my drum brushes because that’s my occupation and it is what brought me [to Bermuda],” said Mr Presite, the drummer.Ms Van Camp, 26, included her ear plugs.“I put in my ear plugs because the band plays so friggin’ loud,” said the Barrhaven, Ontario native who is a singer in the band.“The band gets really excited and psyched up when the crowd gets loud and really into it, so I put in my earplugs to plug one ear,” she said. She explained that plugging one ear allows her to hear herself better when she sings.Pennsylvania native Mr Currier put something different into the capsule.The 44-year-old chose to include a Blockbuster card, explaining that it signifies how everything in life is moving to a digital medium.Regarding the time capsule, Mr Kyle said: “I hope that 100 years from now somebody finds it.”“It’d be pretty neat if a kid building a sand castle digs it up,” he added.Nightwatch, according to Mr Kyle, is categorised as a versatility band and plays various genres of music such as country, rock, and tunes from the 50s and 60s, among other styles.The members have been performing together since July on the Norwegian Star and don’t know whether they will be back to Bermuda after this last voyage.Mr Kyle cited that working in a cruise ship band is a great job that “allows you to see the world.”“You work four hours a day, if that,” he added.He further likened the job to that of a sixteenth century explorer, as the cruise staff gets to travel from port to port on a boat.When asked what was the best part about his time in Bermuda, Mr Kyle said: “It sounds cliché to say the people are so friendly, but they really are.”Mr Currier mirrored his statement, saying that he really enjoyed the friendly Bermudian people and the various beaches.Ms Van Camp listed riding on her friend’s scooter and cliff diving as her favourite aspects of Bermuda.“It’s so much fun because I’m not used to the other side of the road,” she said regarding the scooter.Mr Presite said that he loved the sunny weather and also the beaches. “In upstate New York there are no beaches and sunny weather is few and far between,” said the Utica, New York native.The Norwegian Star leaves Bermuda today.