As Tropical Storm Harvey barrels down on Bermuda, Government has temporarily cancelled the ferry service and restricted the bus service to certain parts of the Island.

Last night the Bermuda Weather Service said that Harvey was expected to pass within about 15 miles of the Island at 10 a.m. today, packing winds of nearly 60 miles per hour with gusts of 70 miles per hour.

The Emergency Measures Organisation, headed by Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Randolph Horton, announced last night that there were no plans to close the Causeway, but the Bermuda Police Service and a detachment from the Ministry of Works and Engineering will conduct regular assessments to ensure the Causeway remains safe for vehicular crossings.

Mr. Horton said bus routes 10, 11, 1 and 3 are curtailed with service terminating at Grotto Bay.

Bus services originating in the East end of the Island will not commence until a full assessment of the Causeway has been done.

Should the winds increase, a determination will be made and the public have been asked to stay tuned to local radio stations for updates.

All other bus routes, including route 6, will operate on their normal schedule.

“I want to reassure the public that the Government is keeping a close eye on this weather system. However it is important that people pay close attention to the advisories in the Press and use common sense at all times,” Mr. Horton said.

the Minister advised travellers who planned to leave the Island today to check with their airlines prior to setting out for the airport.

Services at the airport have been disrupted in that two Delta flights due in today - from Boston and Atlanta - have been cancelled.

Four of yesterday's arrivals from the US and Canada were also cancelled. Air Canada 942 from Toronto, both Continental flights from Newark, New York, and the US Airways flight from LaGuardia, New York were all cancelled.

Air Operations Manger Michael Osborn said that no word had been received by 5 p.m. last night of any other cancellations - either arriving or leaving Bermuda.

The British Airways flight this evening is still on schedule, but travellers have been advised to contact the airport before the time to confirm.

Meanwhile in Hamilton yesterday three cruise ships remained berthed at the harbour along Front Street.

The Zenith, which was supposed to make her way to St. George's, tied down at Shed Number Seven and is scheduled to leave at lunchtime today.

By 6.30 p.m. last night, no word had been received as to whether or not cruise ships would be leaving, or not.

Meanwhile the Horizon, also in Hamilton is scheduled to depart at 12.30 p.m.

The Norwegian Crown is berthed at Shed Number One and the Captain was to decide today whether or not to move to Dockyard.

The Grandeur of the Seas left Dockyard early yesterday morning as opposed to late afternoon to stay ahead of the storm.

Harbour Radio reported last night that cruise ships were still on schedule to leave Bermuda at their given times.

If you made your way to Gorham's yesterday to stock up on emergency supplies, you would have left almost empty-handed.

Following the power outage on July 15, Gorham's in particular, was left with empty shelves and has been unable to restock in time.

Sales floor manager Gregory Nisbett said yesterday that the store was one of the few companies to have power during the blackout, which meant that by 7 a.m. that Friday, people were lined up outside the store to stock up on batteries, gas and other emergency supplies.

But he said many panicked and bought more than necessary.

“It takes time to get things back in stock,” he said, adding that there were various factors one needed to take into consideration,” he said.

Mr. Nisbett such companies such as Bermuda General Agency and Somers Distributors, which supplied Gorham's, were also out of stock.

Adding that another delay was the time-consuming process the goods had to go through before reaching shelves.

“We may get imports into Bermuda, but it takes longer to get them from the dock to us then it would overseas to us”, he said.

When asked if the current storm caused “panic shopping” Mr. Nisbett said people were always looking for supplies like lanterns, flashlights and batteries.

Flashlights, lanterns and cooking gas were some of the items campers out along the South Shore had no shortage of.

While many spent the afternoon tying down equipment and packing away items standing outside their tents, at Chaplin Bay, Kenneth Scraders was not going anywhere.

“If it gets bad we'll simply tie things down and wait it out,” he said.

Mr. Scraders and his two sons have been camping at Chaplin Bay every summer for the last 23 years. But this time, they're attempting a record 13 week stay, having set up camp on May 20.

“We do this every year and yes, we've been through a storm or two,” he said.

Mr. Scraders is just one of about 35 campers at Chaplin Bay and besides cleaning up and tying items down, no one appeared to be packing up to leave late yesterday afternoon.

“It's just a bit of wind and rain,” Quentin Caines and his neighbour “W” Wilson said as they packed away their garden furniture. They have also been at Chaplin Bay since May.

Mr. Caines said he would simply tie things down if need be and “wait it out”.

“Some people come to picnic here and they can leave if they want, but we're serious campers and we're staying,” he said.

The Department of Parks will be monitoring both beaches and camp sites along the South Shore today and said they would advise campers to pack up and go home if they thought they were in danger.

Acting Director Craig Burt said rangers had been out most of yesterday putting advisory boards up at most beaches and had visited various camp sites.

“We'll just keep an eye on things,” he said.