Introduction – We were delighted to receive the attached latest update from our good friend and colleague, retired Chief Inspector Craig Morfitt, who served here in the Bermuda Police from 1984 – 2014.  Craig was an exceptionally active member of our Boxing team and a great believer in maintaining a high level of fitness.   CLICK HERE to read more about Craig’s life and career in our "Then and Now" column.

Since his retirement, Craig and his lovey wife Beverely have done more than their share of travelling to see the World, and they have spent much of their time riding on an array of motor bikes, all of which are far too powerful to ever be ridden in Bermuda. 

Craig has kept us informed about their travels, and during the Coronavirus epidemic he gave us some insights as to how he and Bev were surviving in Portugal where they had settled, although it’s hard to decide if Craig and Bev have ever really settled as the two are constantly on the move! CLICK HERE to read Craig's article on "Coronavirus insights from Portugal."

In this our latest epistle from Craig he brings us up-to-date on the last 8 years during which time he and Bev have settled in Portugal, but as Craig makes clear,  they are still much too busy to be bored”!

It is hard to believe that eight years have already passed since Bev and I took up residence in Portugal—and we are still loving our life here. We initially lived in Porto, but five years ago wemoved across the Douro River to Vila Nova de Gaia, which is still part of the Greater Porto area.

I smile when I recall people suggesting that I might get bored in retirement. The truth is, I’m far too busy to get bored! My weekday mornings usually begin with a fitness routine. When Covid closed the gyms, I switched to working out at home using an online programme, and I have stuck with it ever since.

I am also thoroughly enjoying motorcycling here. It is very different from riding in Bermuda, with its limited roads, lower speed limits and restrictions on bike sizes. 

Portugal has some wonderful roads, and I can be in the mountains within an hour of leaving home. The country is also a paradise for off-road riding, with trails available across much of it.

I have owned several bikes since arriving here, including a Honda Gold Wing 1800. My current road bike is a Kawasaki Versys 1000, which I absolutely love.

My riding has improved significantly since I bought it. For off-road adventures, I have a Honda CRF300L, which is ideal for my ability and the types of trails I ride.

For several years, I have been a member of Moto Club do Porto and greatly enjoy joining the club’s on-road and off-road rides. When I am not riding with the club, I tend to head out on my own.

Earlier this year, Paul Wright and I rode Portugal’s N2, sometimes described as the country’s Route 66. It runs from the north to the south of Portugal and makes for a very enjoyable multi-day ride. 

Anyone interested can read an account of our journey on my blog: Riding Portugal’s N2 Again, Eight Years Later. I have maintained the blog since 2011, so it now contains accounts of many of my travels. Bev and I explore Portugal whenever we can, occasionally venturing into Spain and farther afield as well.

Former Bermuda Police colleagues may also be interested in an article about my boxing days in Bermuda. It includes photographs, newspaper clippings and videos of several bouts featuring Bermuda Police boxers. You can find it here: My Bermuda Boxing Days

Since moving to Portugal, Bev and I have also taken up hiking. The country has beautiful scenery and an enormous network of trails, although we tend to avoid hiking during the hottest summer months.

In 2025, I started a YouTube channel, Roving Portugal and Beyond, to document my travels and activities. It certainly takes up a lot of my time, but I enjoy the creative process. It has been a steep learning curve, but I can see a real improvement in the videos compared with those I made when I first started.

This year brought yet another new hobby: freshwater fishing. After four months of fishing from the shoreline, I bought an inflatable fishing kayak so that I could gain better access to the rivers. It gives me another opportunity to get outdoors and enjoy Portugal’s natural beauty.

Bev and I also enjoy our Sunday drives, exploring different parts of the country and sampling the regional cuisine along the way.

So, between working out, motorcycling, hiking, fishing, day-tripping, blogging and making YouTube videos, I do not have many inactive days - and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

EDITORS NOTE -   Although we have previously published several articles about the early History of the Police Boxing Team  including "The First PRC Boxing Tournament - 1969 ". CLICK HERE to view it,  I had been hoping that someone would write a more extensive article about those magic years when the Police Boxing Section held not only the annual Evenings of Boxing, but also  competed in exciting Boxing Tournaments against overseas teams both here in Bermuda and abroad.   Craig has "taken the bull by the horns" and written just such an article about his involvement in our Police Boxing scene which is mentioned above, and which can be viewed at My Bermuda Boxing Days.  The photos below are from one of the many boxing matches featured in Craig's article which includes numerous photos and several videos of the non-stop action when our Police Team was in its prime.