Scuttlebutt: Scuttleblog - Sailing News and Commentary: J/22 Midwinters: Gulf Coast Update

(Past J/22 North American champ Greg Fisher of North Sails files this report on his way to the class midwinters in Texas - Part One of a Four Part Series)

Every away regatta starts out with a road trip. Some are boring and non-eventful (hopefully), and some are exciting and full of adventure. For me, the drive to Houston for the J/22 Midwinters was going to present something a little different and special.

Joining me was my 17yr old son Kurt for a little father-son bonding. Some may question how special it might be for Kurt sitting in a van for 18 hours. Some may also note that I truly know how to show my son a great time. But what would make this trip interesting would be our stops in Mississippi and New Orleans, and our firsthand look at how the areas are recovering from last fall’s Hurricane Katrina.

Kurt has grandparents and cousins who live, or I should say lived, in Bay St Louis, MS, where the eye of Katrina passed, and I have many close friends who sail out of Bay Waveland and Southern Yacht Clubs. We had seen the media photos and video of the terrible damage inflicted on these gulf coast towns, but it had not prepared us for what we saw during this trip.

Words could not describe the total devastation in Bay St Louis, MS and Waveland, MS. We

walked up to Beach Drive, which runs along the front of Bay St Louis, but it simply didn't exist any longer. It was completely washed out, and the ground where it stood was now a good 5-10 ft lower! When we managed to drive to Waveland, where it has been said the greatest damage occurred, there was simply not a house standing. There were slabs, stairs, a few walls… but nothing that would resemble a home. The extent of damage here extended at least a mile in from the beach.

When we entered New Orleans - specifically Lakeview where Southern YC is located - we felt we were entering a ghost town. There was an ugly water line as high as the second story on all the houses in the area. Some houses couldn't handle the water and collapsed. There was still no power in the area. We needed to dodge boats that still littered the roads leading to Southern YC. The SYC driveway still had 10-15 boats lying on top of one another... evidently waiting to be hauled away. The club’s structure was cleaned off the slab and only a fence with a sign earmarked where the building had been.

To say we were overwhelmed would be an understatement. It felt like it would be years and years- if ever- before anything could ever grow again in either area. But interestingly enough, that was not the sentiment we felt and saw when we talked to the local people. Their optimism was inspiring and impressive.

At SYC all the J/22's and R-19's are lined up on the dry sail pad, waiting for a generator to power up the hoists. There are floating docks with 420's lined up, anxious to start the season. The Dock master and Sailing Master were on site setting things up. They said within a month or two there will be a functioning 6,500 sq ft modular building that will be replaced with a new, beautiful club in two years. In Mississippi, Bay Waveland YC already has two trailers set up...the yard was cleared and I understand at least the social aspect of this extremely active club is still intact.

Overall, it was really remarkable how excited folks in this region were. I think a hotel desk clerk in Gulfport, MS summed it up best when I seemed surprised that they had rooms available. “Of course we have rooms,” she exclaimed! “We've been through a lot but we're open and ready for business. Come on down!"

More to come... Greg Fisher