The Southern Jewish weekly. [volume] (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1939-1992, 1940-02-02

covered bay then surely that was
what we thought we were seeing.
The races were scheduled to begin
in an hour.
"Races ?" we queried.
Sure" Harry answered. "Ain't
you ever heard of the Frostbite
Derby?"
Thought that was just a gag"
we cOuntered.
Gag, hell" resumed Harry.
Get in that boat"
THOUSANDS OF
ENTHUSIASTS
The "frOstbite derby" wasn't
held that day. "TOO much ice' the
referee had ruled. Nevertheless,
the official decree didn't keep
those iceberg shippers from their
joy rides. A stiff wind was blow
ing and our boat just zOOmed in
and out of the great flOes. Oc-
casiOnally we would hit a cake of
ice that cracked against our sides
as if it would splinter our little
vessel but Harry navigated SUI
perbly. We were of little help.
Our lashes were frozen. Our
mouth so stiff we could hardly
answer Harry's query whether we
were enjoying the ride. 1t was
cOld!!! The cold of Lake Placid
at seven below was like a fireside
scene in comparison. Difference
in the air." said our skipper, but
even our nOstrilS were frozen as
sets so we couldn't smell the dis
tinctiOn.
How we got back to the pier is
still one of the mysteries of the
deep. We have a faint recollection
of being hoisted like a chunk of
solid ice from the boat to the
dock and being trundled from the
wharf to the car. It was only
afterwards that we really learned
about Harry.
Harry MendOnca, a Portuguese
Jew who traces his ancestry back
to the Lisbon Jews of the earth
quake days, is considered one of
the abIest winter sailors in the
sport. He and hundreds of 9th
ers in the New York area are
grouped together in an all-yea1
sailing club.
Like Jim Farley's men on the
postways nothing stops these ba-
bies. Years ago these water en-
thusiasts learned that sailing was
grand fun at all times of the
year and a. little sub-freezins
, weather was no deterrent to a day
on the bouncing main. The sum
mer regattas had been great fun
The winter races could be just
as much fun and so the "Frostbite
Uerby" was created. It caters tt
boats of all sizes, classes, and ped
igrees. A little thing like numb
toes or frozen hands was so much
fun and an occasional ducking
was something to get hysterical
about. "Frostbite Derby is their
own term for it and the guys are
funny. Yeah, really funny!
Thousands in the cOld-Wate1
ports of the East are members OF
the "frOstbite" league and in
Harry's club of seventy-three
members, eighteen are jewish
otherwise, completely sane. The
sporting pages devote hug e
spreads to their activities and the
neWsreel companies cover each OF
their events. Much to our sur
prise we learned it was a leading
sporting event and that like all
such events a good sports editor
should cover them.
Maybe we're getting old and we
can't stand the gaff-but as sure
as you're reading this Harry is
certain to call us the next Sun
day that it dawns clear. He's
absolutely positive that he heard
us exclaiming enthusiastically a.
bout our last ride and he's sure
that once we steer his old boat
in a regular 'frost-bite' race well
be sold forever. So help us, il
he does get us out on that. ice.
specked Bay once again we'll grat
the helm and sail her smack tt
Bimini or Biscayne Bay dowr
1 I,lorida u1av Boat rideSl Fun