Southern Breeze 2007 Fall Issue

D The Biloxi Schooner Glenn L. Swetman sails past flagship casino Beau Rivage Rock (above). 40 s o u t h e r n b re e z e . c o m TOURISTS SINCE THE “ BILOXI'S BEEN DEALING WITHVISITORS AND MAKING 1930S AND 40S—WELCOMING THEM FEEL AT HOME HERE, THAT'S OUR NICHE. ” His passengers eat up the spiel, but the real thrill comes when Captain Corrie pulls up the net and dumps its contents on the deck. Today’s catch includes angel fish, anchovies, a silver eel ribbon fish, a tiny flounder, and a number of squid, which demonstrate their displeasure by shooting ink at the delighted passengers. The Biloxi Shrimping Trip sails twice a day, seven days a week—down from a pre-Katrina high of seven trips, seven days a week, but according to Corrie, business is on the rebound. “It never entered my mind not to come back after Katrina,” he says, tossing a fish to a demanding seagull. “How could I leave? Biloxi wouldn’t be Biloxi without the Biloxi Shrimping Trip.” For visitors who prefer their seafood on a plate, there’s no better place than Mary Mahoney’s Old French House, the coast’s legendary courtyard restaurant. The famous eatery looks much the same as it has since the late Mary Mahoney and her husband Bob turned the centuries-old residence into a restaurant in 1962. The building, former slave quarters, and oak-shaded courtyard were originally constructed in 1737; the towering and newcomer Hard “Do you know the difference between a fairy tale and a fish story?” Captain Corrie Eleuterius asks. “One starts with ‘once upon a time’ and the other starts with ‘this ain’t no lie.’” If anything represents the soul of old Biloxi, it’s the Biloxi Shrimping Trip. Visitors have enjoyed this 90-minute excursion into the seafood-rich waters surrounding the city since 1954. Corrie and his wife, Virginia, have operated the Biloxi Shrimping Trip for 14 years. Their shrimp boat, the Sailfish, is the original vessel built for the trip by Captain Corrie’s uncle more than a half century ago. Photo albums on board showcase passengers sporting fashions from every era since the 1950s, catches ranging from shrimp to sea turtles, and shots of Biloxi before and after Katrina. As the Sailfish moves into the harbor channel between the mainland and Deer Island, an overallclad Corrie recounts the history of Biloxi, its manmade beach, and its shrimping industry, his narrative peppered with jokes. “What’s the definition of a Yankee?” he asks a couple from Minnesota. “Anyone who lives north of I-10.” http://southernbreeze.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Southern Breeze 2007 Fall Issue

Editor's Letter Contributor Gumbo Words & Notes Accessories Coastal Calendar Storefronts: French Flair in Fairhope Sweet Dreams: Smooth Sailing Art of Living: The Colors of Hope Fixtures: Shake It Up! Live Here: Filled to the Brim Our Backyard: Just Add Water Make Yourself at Home: Open Invitation Pierless Pleasures Always Biloxi Spirited Away Reef Madness Louisiana Love Cheers: Fall Freeze Dish: Java Servers Reader Services Chef's Table: The Kid Inside Let's Eat: Cornbread, Catheads, and Calas Last Bite

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