AQUATIC NOTES.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 236, 21 March 1885, Page 6

AQUATIC NOTES.

S. Dove in I ends taking the Maseofcte and accepting Mr Jones' challenge to sail the Dream. The race will eventuate shortly. Beach's beating- of Tom Clifford seems to have been a more hollow one than even that administered by Hanlan to the Illawarra giant. He was never once asked to pull,

but led with the greatest ease all through the race. Mr A. FI. Jones, being dissatisfied with the .result of the race against the Mascotte last time, when Dream sprung her boom, has again challenged Mr Weymouth to sail his boat a match for £20 or more. At the Tauranga regatta on Tuesday the 20-feet Open Boat Race was won byBailey's Ika, sailed by S. Dove. The 16---footers race was won by Bailey's Vie, sailed by W. Holmes. Young Logan won both the skiff races. Mr C. Bailey has notified his intention of presenting the winner of the Northern Wairoa Championship with a pair of pine sculls. What a pity Auckland is sending only one representative. The prize is well worth competing for, and our men would have a good opportunity of testing the rowing powers of the '.Northern leviathans. Local rowing men will hear with great regret the decease of Fred Clendon, one of the Wairoa whaleboat crew. Clendon contracted a severe cold through the exposure consequent of the capsize at Kaipara Heads, which la^t week took the form of severe bronchitis, and resulted in his death. By his gentlemanly, unassuming manner, he became a favourite with all whom he came in contact, and was looked upon as the coming rowing man of the Colony. Thus

the "Wairoa crew liave lost two men through, their late trip, and it is to be sincerely hoped that better luck will follow them next year. It is perfectly lovely the way Hanlan beslobbers every chap he waltzes away from in a sculling match, and the easier the win the more slobber. After he stopped at the front end of the procession with Tom Clifford, he told a reporter who interviewed him that "it was a good race." And when he siDeechified subsequently, he said, just once more, that " Clifford was the best man he ever met," as he had previously said of Laycock, Trickot, Beach, lioss, "Teenier, liosmer, Boyd, Elliott, and the Lord ouly knows how many more. Bah ! ifc is either a natural twist in favour of mendacity, or else carrying politeness and chivalry to a beaten opponent too doocid far. The yachts and open boats in the various bays around the harbour suffered badly on Saturday during the heavy N.E. gale. The Sybil dragged into Boylan's Bay, and had to be scuttled and filled with stones to save her. T!;o JMnsher went ashore at College Rock aud broke her bowsprit, besides sustaining other damage. The llita got in a very tight place, dragging right in to within a few yards of the breastwork by Wynyard Pier. Here she grouuded, as, luckily, the tide was not full at the time. Mr Thos. Henderson (her owner), Mr Bailey (her builder), with the Moores. Bell and Co., went aboard, took out a big kedge, and eventually got her off without much damage. The Arawa and Tawera also dragged some distance, and in several instances the fact of its being lowwater at the height of the gcile alone saved some of our smartest craft. The Violet, 16---footer, lying in Freeman's Bay, had cut her anchor rope on her bob-stay itll just as she took the ground at ebb tide only about two strands held her. Another ten minutes of tide would have seen her hard and fast on the loose scoria blocks on the Pattersonstreet works' facing. The Magic got a bad time against the breastwork near the watermen's steps, and broke her mast short off in the hounds. The Dream rode it out safely at her moorings in Glenburn Bay.