Charleston to Bermuda race
Conversations at the Charleston to Bermuda race send-off party were light and breezy, much the way racers hope the conditions will be on the water for the 777-mile sail over to the British outpost. Guests dashed into the Hibernian to avoid the rain that fell steadily at sundown, and they were met by a dozen lively Goombay dancers in the foyer. Dressed in colorful costumes that were capped off by towering two-foot headdresses adorned with feathers, the dancers who flew over from Bermuda for the event imported their island culture, as did the Goslings Rum purveyor.
Guests filled the second-floor ballroom, and earnest well-wishes were overheard throughout the night. While Charleston to Bermuda is a competitive race, the ocean is a powerful force not to be taken lightly, and participants know that the real success is getting to the destination safely. However, I expect robust ribbing and gloating at the awards dinner hosted by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club next Saturday night.
In total, 18 boats that range in size from 36 to 70 feet are participating in the biennial regatta, which is a function of the S.C. Maritime Foundation. While crews navigate their way to the finish line, the Charleston Maritime Festival will captivate the attention of land-locked pirate wannabes. From tours of the Tall Ships to a family boat-building workshop, there are loads of activities at this free festival. I hear that scores of modern-day pirates in full regalia will infiltrate the peninsula this weekend, so be on the look out for a wandering Blackbeard or Anne Bonny.
There won’t be any Fete Set or Spoleto blog updates for a week, but you can still virtually track my whereabouts: anyone interested in following the progress of the C2B fleet will be able to track the boats by logging on to the event’s website www.charlestontobermuda.com and clicking on the iboattrack.com link. Daily updates will also be posted on the site. (I’m aboard Luna Danns!)
