Bermuda has been billed as a “new destination for adrenaline junkies” in prestigious international newspaper The Wall Street Journal.

Freelance writer Charles Bethea visited the Island with his girlfriend and photographer Maria Lioy, who explored the Island adventure sports as well as other attractions.

Bethea, who has written for titles including The New Yorker, GQ, Esquire and www.espn.com, was helped in his quest by local psychiatrist Dr Grant Farquhar, who almost single-handedly created the deep-water soloing (unaided rock climbing) scene in Bermuda.

The 1,400-word feature aims to shed the “staid” image of Bermuda and present it as a destination for young thrill seekers.

One line reads: “Bermuda has outgrown its reputation as a haven for stuffy, knee-socked sorts. Luxury hotels and cuisine from chefs such as Marcus Samuelsson continue to draw a traditional crowd, but a new generation’s appreciation for the thrills to be had beyond the fairways are giving the island a new audience.”

The article comes under the headline, Bermuda: The New Destination for Adrenaline Junkies, and the subhead, “You can still go golfing on Bermuda, but this once-staid Island now offers big-thrills pursuits from rock climbing to mountain biking just a short hop from the East Coast”.

Mr Bethea told The Royal Gazette: “I picked Bermuda to write about after hearing, from a number of sources, that the Island is evolving into a more adventure-oriented destination.

“I became particularly interested when I read, online that deep-water soloing is happening there. I had to come check it out. I wasn’t let down at all. I only wished I’d had more space in The Wall Street Journal to talk about many of the other fantastic people we met.”

Wreck diving, jet-ski safaris, biking, paddleboarding and sailing were listed as activities to do, with mention of the America’s Cup.