Video: Ralph Richardson On Charleston TV
Past Royal Bermuda Yacht Club commodore Ralph Richardson [pictured] told a South Carolina TV station the biennial Charleston Bermuda Race is poised to become a major money-spinner for both communities.
Mr. Richardson was in Charleston along with Department of Tourism officials and other Bermudians for yesterday’s [May 21] start of the race.
A fleet of 11 yachts are competing in this year’s event, almost double the number of entries which participated in 2009.
“I can see by 2015, $5 million could be spent at this end and at the Bermuda end,” Mr. Richardson told Charleston NBC affiliate WCBD TV.
The participation of Charleston native Stephen Colbert in this year’s event has earned the race global media coverage — and numerous plugs for both the race and Bermuda on the Comedy Central star’s faux talk show.
This 777-mile biennial contest, which began in 1997, was born of humble origins — the dream of two South Carolina sailors bent on creating offshore adventure for themselves and their friends.
With seven previous editions now in its wake, the event has matured, evolving from grassroots beginnings to become a fixture on the international sailing calendar and a celebrated spectacle for the media.
“Our hope,” said race organiser Bjorn Johnson, “is to make all the right moves so that the race will attract more participants and greater exposure as we move into the future. Eventually, we would like to see the race grow to become the premier offshore event in the Southeast.
In his estimation, one of the most important factors that will lead larger fleets in the future is the unique nature of this race.
“The Charleston Bermuda Race is really a special event,” said Mr. Johnson. “It has a genuine grassroots heritage. Not only does it continue a history between these two locales that extends back centuries, but it really has a flavor all its own.
“Yes, we’re very serious about safety, but we also advertise the race to all comers; essentially anyone with a seaworthy sailboat 30 feet long or larger. We’re actually one of the few ocean races that accepts both monohulls and multihulls. And that openness is simply part of the event’s DNA.”
Bermuda and Charleston share much more than nearly identical latitudes. Their conjoined histories date back to the 17th century.
After being colonised by accident in 1609, Bermuda became the birthplace of many of the residents who established one of South Carolina’s earliest colonies in 1670 –- Charles Towne.
William Sayle, one of that colony’s founders, initially sailed out of Bermuda. In the early 18th century Denmark Vesey — the former slave of a Bermudian sea captain who settled in Charleston — plotted and strategised his aborted uprising in that city. And later, during the Civil War, Bermuda became one of the primary trading partners for Charleston-based vessels which successfully eluded the Union blockade.
Since those early years, the connections between these two localities have deepened. For over three centuries, Bermuda and Charleston have been linked by maritime commerce. In recent decades, that bond has expanded in the form of the Charleston Bermuda Race.
“We see the Charleston Bermuda Race as one of the premier opportunities for branding and exposure for Bermuda as a world-class destination,” said Minister of Business Development and Tourism Patrice Minors. “Bermuda has a long history as an international sailing destination and this prestigious event, with its top-notch audience, provides an opportunity to showcase our tourism assets and continue a rich tradition.”
Along with the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, the Department of Tourism has been a supporter of the Charleston Bermuda Race since the outset.
One of the “tourism assets” referred to by Minister Minors is Goslings Rum, a product synonymous with Bermuda since James Gosling arrived in Bermuda and started his enterprise in 1806. Goslings Rum is also a longtime supporter of the race and, for the 2011 edition is a sponsor.
When the competitors in this year’s race finish the 777-mile passage and arrive in Bermuda, they will be feted at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.
On the veranda of the club, overlooking Hamilton Harbor, they’ll hear speeches from Bermudian dignitaries and swap tales from the race. And in the process, they’ll add their own chapters to an ongoing story about the longstanding ties between Bermuda and Charleston — a story centuries in the making.
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