The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1904-07-16
SOME REGATTA HISTORY.
The Bay Waveland Yacht Club Led
the Building Of Club Houses on
the Coast.

The New Orleans Picayune of Satur-
day morning contained this compliment
ary mention OF the Bay -Waveland Yacht
Club, all Of which is correct, and The
Echo glad ly publishes, as follows:
Once, some ten or twelve years ago,
up at Nicholson avenue, about two miles
to the westward of the present racing
ground, the biggest fleet or record con-
gregated in single race. There we're
upwards of fifty yachts sailing, ranging
from trim sea-goipg schooners to the
smallest catboat carrying the smallest
kind OF crew. 1t was that race which
really led to the organization Of the Bay
Waveland Club, and n couple of years
later thelhome, away out from shore on
the edge OF real deep water. was built
1t was the first clubhouse on the coast
ana the yachtsmen realized that old
conditions had changed. The days of
carrying demijohns OF water off from
shore to the yachts and pulling in to the
oathhouseS for stores had passed. The
advantages OF building with some few
OF the necessities Of life, such as a pipe
line from the shore which could furnish
good water to passing vessels, were re-
alized by every one on the coast. To the
Bay Wayeland Yacht Club is really due
the laying OF the foundation for the
present prosperity. When the club
here was built IL made racing on the
coast an absolute necessity The fact
that Bay st. Louis and Waveland would
nave to combine in regatta every year
created the rivalry so natural between'l
summer resorts and established racing on
sure basis everywhere between New
Orleans and Mobile. Then came the as.
soclation OF clubs which has brought the
racing up to its present standard. a
standard that will hold its own with anv
section OF coast in the country.
The enterprising little city of Biloxi |
saw the advantages, and even necessity
OF club building, and they were not
slow to build their comfortable home. |
ana Gulfport dropped in line, with |
magnificent establishment mile and |
quarter out in the sea, above the ONLY |
real casino in the South. Last summer |
the carpenters we're hard at work upon |
this new home, and it was not compiete |
when the regatta was held. This wear |
the club is furnished perfectly, bril- |
llantly Illuminated, and when the Yachts |
arrive there will be plenty Of electric
cars to carry the yachtsmen and their
stores from the growing city to the end
OF the long wharf.
All these conditions can really he
traced TO the construction OF the modest
club over at Bay ST. Louis, which an
chored the people of this section to the
custom OF giving annual regaGtas. They |
simply had to follow up the first years |
race: they could not abandon their
plant, and the others had to fall in be- |
hind the band wagon or get out of the |
show.
The same old-time yachtsmen who
made the building OF the clubhouse pos
sible are still the backbone of the YACHT |
ing interest in this section.
They have added new blood lately. and |
this has brought new interest and a big |
ger desire TO succeed. This year Com |
modore John A. Rawlins, at a meeting |
OF the officers, declared that the prizes |
should be much larger tnan any preyi- |
| GUS season. He took this step for the |
SIMPLE reason that last year the prizes
we're OF fair size and the club pulled |
through in great shape. This year he |
increased them and still raised the ne |
cessary funds. Considerable credit is |
due the Commodore for this success.
He has been greatly assisted in this
work by all the officers of the club.
which include such men as l.. H. Fair |
child, Vice Commodore; James v. Dun
bar, Rear Commodore; e. e. O'Brien, |
mayor Of. Bay st. Louis, Secretary:
Richard Mendes, Treasurer; w. +
Chapman, Fleet Captain; Charles Mar
shall, Official Measurer, and DR.. R. j |
Turner, Fleet Surgeon.
Tomorrow, during the regatta, Emile |
O'Brien, OF the Southern Yacht Club:
James Rea, Bay Waveland Yacht club.
and DR.. A. r. Robertson, Pass Chris
tian Yacht club will officiate as Judges.
while Hayward L. Burton, Southern; w,
w. Boullemet, Bay Wayeland, and
John Menge, Pass Christian will be the
| timers.
| The actual management OF the regatta
proper, aside from the financial matters.
has been looked after by r. T.. Pinac.
chairman; w. w, Roullemet and Emile
], o'BEien, of the regatta committee.