Sports Illustrated magazine writer Leigh Montville was in Bermuda this week, writing a story about the Dreamward cruise which featured several National Basketball Association stars.

The Sir Charles and Friends cruise -- as in Charles Barkley of the Phoenix Suns -- was missing the most important ingredient when the guest of honour, Barkley, failed to show (see Sport, page 23).

The story will still appear in an upcoming edition of the magazine, but it's not known whether Montville will add one comment he heard from a shopkeeper when he purchased a cricket bat to adorn his office wall back home in Boston.

"She told me Bermuda was a nice place to visit but that I wouldn't want to live here,'' said the red-haired Montville, making his first trip here.

Montville, however, had his own impressions of the Island. "This place is great,'' he said. "Are you guys looking for a sportswriter?'' *** The pursuit of objectivity is every reporter's creed, chased with exuberance, excitement and passion every day.

But just how far is a journalist going to go to "get the other side?'' Well that was one question high in the mind of Labour Minister the Hon. John Irving Pearman this week when he received a telephone inquiry from a Royal Gazette reporter at 10.23 p.m. after Government's blue collar workers voted to strike on Tuesday night.

As the reporter prefaced his questions with the usual courtesies, Mr. Pearman, usually the paradigm of stoicism regardless of the circumstances, was plainly unimpressed.

"What time of the day is it where you live? What's the big news that you have to call me at this hour of the night?'' But on hearing the news of the strike vote, Mr. Pearman shifted gears immediately. He fired off a quick response and sent the thankful reporter on his way.

*** Second guessing a tropical storm isn't a breeze.

Days before Chantal's great, swirling mass was due to sweep by the Island, weather service reports were pouring out the fax. Maps plotted her course at regular intervals.

But trying to get a straight answer from those weather experts was tough.

Chantal probably won't touch Bermuda, we were told, but then again she might.

She may die down overnight but on the other hand she may intensify...she was expected to hit the Bahamas but then she veered away...she was headed straight toward South Carolina but changed course...

The night before Chantal was to reach her closest point to the Island we were told to expect stormy weather overnight and into the morning.

The worst would be over by the end of the day, they said.

So some cancelled early morning appointments -- others opted for alternative transport. Instead, Bermudians awoke to blissful sunshine and light breezes.

An effort had been made to cut through all the uncertainty and get back to basics. Alternative weather expert Mr. Dennis Lamb stationed at Dennis's Hideaway in St. David's was called in.

Known for his faith in shark oil as the ultimately weather forecaster's tool, when asked, Mr. Lamb co-operatively consulted his supply.

"It's looking pretty clear,'' he replied helpfully. "Ask me again in 24 hours.'' Just a touch too late -- Chantal was expected to have done her worst by then!