Gov. Mark Sanford will fly to Bermuda on Thursday to greet finishers of the Charleston-to-Bermuda sailing race, but the governor's office is not releasing details of the flight, saying only that he won't be flying at taxpayers' expense.

A race organizer said Sanford will travel on a private plane as guest of Kiawah Island developer Charles "Buddy" Darby.

Darby is a competitor in the 777-mile boat race. He is also chairman of Charleston-based Kiawah Development Partners.

F.C. "Bunky" Wichmann Jr., chairman of the Charleston Maritime Commission, said the S.C. Maritime Heritage Foundation and the Bermuda race organizers will pick up the cost for Sanford, his wife and four children to fly to the event and stay for two nights.

Sanford is taking vacation time to attend the finish of the race. He will return to South Carolina on Saturday morning, said spokesman Will Folks.

Folks said the trip was not being paid for by a lobbyist principal and that it would be reported on Sanford's statement of economic interest.

"They asked him to come, so he's coming," Folks said.

Wichmann estimated the cost of the trip at about $3,500-$4,000.

Sanford will meet with officials from the government of Bermuda, Folks said.

Some Democrats in the Statehouse Tuesday didn't give the governor's trip much mind.

"The state is so broke, I could see Sanford leaving right now," said state Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charleston. "He inherited a major problem. I guess it would be a good break for him."