MILE-HIGH REGATTA
The labor day doings at Lake Arrowhead, Calif., shown here and on the following pages, are the climax of a year-long round of fun at one of the most attractive resorts in the U.S. The lake itself, laid down like a long mirror among the pines and cedars of the San Bernardino Mountains, is 83 miles out on the highspeed throughway from Los Angeles. All around its 14 miles of shoreline, steep hills dotted with chalets plunge to the edge of the glass-clear water. The lake and the land around it are all privately held, bought up in 1946 by the Los Angeles Turf Club, Inc. and parceled out to business and professional men, Californians who love quiet living and know how to enjoy it in style.
Arrowhead operates as a resort all year round. On winter weekends and over Christmas vacation the hills play host to kids on skis and toboggans, while on the valley floor skaters glide around on an artificial rink. But summer is the big season, when the residents enjoy an endless series of interfamily tennis tournaments, sailing races, water skiing and topnotch fishing for the Kamloops and rainbow trout with which the water is generously stocked. Climax of all the fun comes on Labor Day weekend, when the yacht club stages its annual regatta and costume parade. Everyone in town takes part in the three-day pageant, which features the Commodore's Fleet Review—an aquatic parade of colorful and original floats—and sailing races every day. Some of the Lake Arrowheaders, like Film Star Dan Duryea, spend a whole season getting their costumes ready and jealously guarding their plans for the parade. Well-heeled as the participants may be, however, there is no inclination to turn the regatta into a gold-plated extravaganza. "We stress the fun of participating," says Commodore Dell M. McDaniel, "and keep the expense nominal. It's the fun rather than trying to outdo your neighbor that counts."
Rounding buoy off Palisades Point at the west end of Lake Arrowhead, teen-age skippers jockey past committee boat.
Hoisting balloons up mast of 12-foot Rainbow Skimmer, 10-year-old Mike Parker readies boat for Fleet Review parade.
Hiking out onto leeboard of Class C scow Seabiscuit, Diane Peschelt, 17, battles to keep flat-bottomed 20-footer upright, as Skipper Roland Kleger heads for windward mark.
Lying out to windward, 9-year-old Dennis Parker jockeys Rainbow Skimmer to first place in kids' race, with brother Larry as crew.
Dropping out of race with broken mast, crew of 18-foot Flattie makes emergency repairs while waiting for towboat.
First prize for originality in Commodore's Review parade went to Rusty Honsaker and boat Leakin' Lena.
Second prize in fleet review was won by boat with Dogpatch motif featuring gun-toting Nancy Jo Collins as Li'l Abner's wife Daisy Mae.
Second prize for costume in scows went to Skipper Lou Purmort, Crew Teri Purmort and Mary Jo Hegener (right, on leeboard). Catboat is local nickname for Class C scows.
EIGHT PHOTOS
GEORGE SILK