During the 1970s, the culture of major regattas for a select number of the Family Islands was strengthened. Cat Island was in that group of islands that presented social/sports sailing extravaganzas that complimented quite well the annual premier sailing event in Exuma.

I recall my late friend David Bowe being instrumental in promoting the Cat Island Regatta along with his Cat Island Club associates. An elite circle of regattas evolved to an extraordinary status. I refer to the All-Andros Regatta, the Long Island Regatta, and the North Eleuthera Regatta. Those events assisted the grandmother of them all in Exuma, in showcasing traditional workboat-style sailing.

The general economy, the high price of musical artists and other entities seeking to empower themselves financially from regattas, created a "slow-down" effect for the sailing spectacles, however. Like the tide, they ebbed. Now though, the Cat Island Regatta is rebounding.

At the tiller is Captain Patrick Strachan, the former boxer and noted realtor. Strachan is approaching his presidency of the Cat Island Sailing Club as he did his boxing career. He became champion of The Bahamas and did quite well against some of the best foreign opponents of his time. They called him "The Centreville Assassin" and with the portfolio that relates directly to Cat Island, he has proven thus far to be aggressive and proactive. He and his executive colleagues are presently preparing for the 59th Annual Cat Island Regatta.

The event is scheduled for July 31 to August 3 in New Bight, Cat Island. Strachan is particularly emboldened this time around because the 2015 regatta is in honor of the legendary regatta pioneer, the late Harold Herbert Lamont King.

"The late Captain Herbert King was a lifelong resident of Knowles, Cat Island, who resided in King Yard. Herbert and his brother Richard were seafaring men who built boats and were co-owners of the Sea Serpent and the River Queen, two sailboats that served Cat Island as carriers of passengers and freight back in the days before motor vessels came on stream.

"The first Cat Island Working Boat Sailing Regatta was staged on Thursday May 31, 1956. The sailors of Cat Island had participated in the event then called the Out Island Regatta in Elizabeth's Harbour, George Town, Exuma, in 1955. Captain Herbert and others envisioned hosting their own regatta. It was decided to stage the first regatta in Knowles, Cat Island, and all activities were centered at the government dock and the residence of Mrs. Eunice Strachan (Aunt Mize), Garth King's and my grandmother.

"The foundation for the event was the traditional regattas that usually took place in settlements as a part of the Emancipation Day celebrations. This first regatta brought together skippers who had sailed at the regatta in Exuma in 1955, namely Japhet King in The Hunter, Joseph Lightbourne in the Sea Queen, Emmanuel Larrimore in Miss Cat Island and Herbert King in Fear Not," informed Strachan.

The rest is a great part of the Cat Island legacy as the regatta has been a significant financial plank for the community ever since. Strachan and his colleagues are to be congratulated for maintaining an important element of Bahamian life.
The regatta culture is clearly essential to the further growth of the country.

(To respond to this column, kindly contact Fred Sturrup at sturrup1504@gmail.com)

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