A second station for the Royal Bermuda Regiment Coast Guard was officially opened today by King Charles III.

Crews from the maritime enforcement unit were joined by junior musicians and other members of the RBR Band and Corps of Drums while residents turned out to look on as the monarch marked the moment at the Great Bay Coastguard Station, St David’s Island.

The site will offer immediate response times for operationally significant East End locations, such as fishing exclusion zones, eastern approaches to the island and the airport, which would take longer to reach from the existing base at Scenic House on Boaz Island, Sandys.

At the royal engagement this morning, the King also met RBR Junior Leaders and presented operational service medals to five soldiers who served for at least 30 operational days in disaster relief, humanitarian assistance, security or other emergency operations.

Major Jeffrey Patterson, the RBR Coastguard Commander, explained: “The reason for the coastguard station in St David’s at Great Bay, is to work with our partners – mainly Bermuda Radio, the customs department and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

“Being that our main station is at the west end of the island, our response times will be cut down and this gives us the capability to work with our sister agencies in close proximity.”

The RBR Coastguard conducted about 1,100 patrols in 2025, performed 101 search-and-rescue operations and supported the prosecution of seven illegal fishing cases that resulted in convictions.

A phased opening is planned for the east end station at the site of the former St David’s Post Office, which is expected to become operational this summer, staffed full-time by boat crews of two personnel.

Private Kyle Fisher, 32, a senior electrical engineer with iEPC Limited in his civilian life, created the electrical design for the Great Bay base.

In the operations room, Private Fisher showed the King how a bank of monitors display weather states, footage from key locations such as St George’s Harbour and the Camber at Dockyard, and data from an automatic identification system.

Private Fisher, a Devonshire resident and “Somerset boy at heart” who joined the regiment in 2025, said: “The King also asked if I got out on the water much and I told him that I was on one of his escort vessels yesterday, which he was quite happy to hear about.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience getting to escort the King on the water, then to come here today, to meet him in person, shake his hand as well, which was amazing. I couldn’t ask for anything better.

“I wouldn’t have had this experience if I wasn’t in the regiment and the coastguard. Even though I’m part-time, every time we come in for a weekend camp or a drill night, we are jam packed with learning.

“I joined the coastguard only in December and since then the experience level I have reached, operating vessels on the water, being able to navigate at night, I’m leagues ahead of where I was before.”

The King heard from other soldiers about the equipment used by coastguard crews, such as unmanned aerial and underwater vehicles as well as communications devices for operational support divers.

He unveiled a plaque at the base, which read: “To commemorate the official opening of Great Bay Coastguard Station St David’s (Royal Bermuda Regiment) by His Majesty King Charles III on 2 May 2026”.

Corporal Jokiya Trott, 36, was one of three cousins in the group of medal recipients, and received the recognition for service on multiple operations, including at the time of hurricanes Fay and Gonzalo and the Covid-19 pandemic.

The sanitation labourer from Smith’s, who has been in the regiment since 2007 and is in its Logistics Company as an armourer, was joined by his parents and his wife Mallory, who looked on as he was presented with the award.

“It was very special,” Corporal Trott reflected on having received his medal from the King. “It helped to bring together everything, all the challenging times I’ve spent on operations. It makes me feel proud.”

The coastguard station opening was among several engagements during the royal visit that involved the RBR, including a quarter guard that honoured the King at the airport for his arrival and departure, a parade and formal welcome in St George’s, and security details across the island.

Major Kenji Bean, who was the parade commander at the welcome event on Friday, said: “It was a very surreal experience and an unexpected honour.

“I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a short moment to be a part of our regiment’s history.”

He added that by delivering a successful parade of well-turned-out soldiers, the battalion sets a standard.

Major Bean said: “It shows anyone who is thinking about joining, you never know when the opportunity is going to arise to serve your country and shine. The troops were on the world stage for others to see the best and brightest of Bermuda.”

Thanking soldiers for their hard work over a three-day embodiment, regiment Commanding Officer Lieutenant-Colonel Duncan Simons told troops this afternoon that they had “risen to the occasion”.

“I would like to say a very big thank you, to all of you, for a job well done,” he added.