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Bay Head Yacht Club

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111 Metcalfe St

Bay Head, NJ 08742

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The queen of Jersey Shore yacht clubs. Relaxed yet elegant, formal yet friendly, BHYC offers the best tennis/pickle courts, cuisine, and dockage around. Spectacular views of Barnegat Bay from the upper deck makes it a special place to enjoy cocktails especially at sunset. Remember it's private so you need an invitation from a member. If you receive one, don't pass it up!

Wedge salad

Was a guest this weekend and had a great time!! This is truly a great venue for a wedding or bridal shower! The beautiful views out the back deck are gorgeous! The staff was very kind and I loved that they had valet service as well! Would recommend if you are looking for a venue in the area- of course as a guest I can't comment on pricing/flexibility or what how it is to work with them but I felt as a guest they had a beautiful space and overall fun venue!! Also bathrooms were very nice!!!

If you like filet mignonette order it here. Menu is very good, service excellent, location superb. Definitely go!

Amazing venue; went as a guest this weekend to a fabulous concert on site . Have dined there before and enjoyed it immensely- Food superb, waterside views spectacular , boats gorgeous and one kicking sailboat racing program as well as trove of clay tennis courts . Plenty of parking - need to be member or invited guest ( which I was) super fun and just the perfect ten night .

Some great concert at BHYC South side Johnny and the Asbury Jukes !

Went for pasta night, was ok, nothing to write home about. Great view, great wine!! The staff was young people from different colleges with their college on their name tag which was nice to see. The place was amazing. Amazing bar, amazing floors, amazing place in general.

Pasta night

This is a very good place to eat if you are a member at the club. The food is excellent but the prices are a little high. The workers are always nice and willing to lend a hand. Over all a great place to grab a bite if you are a member at the club.

The bridge leading to the tent

Had a Saturday dinner in the Merrick Center and it was good. Service was good not great and food was decent. The setup, however, is great. There were a good number of people and a good atmosphere.

Went for lunch at the snack bar, and the food was really good. The specials are special for sure. It was very empty at 3pm, but still some people there. You have to be a member to eat here.

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Bay Head Yacht Club

bayheadyachtclub.org

111 Metcalfe Street

Bay Head , NJ 08742

(732) 899-2000

The Bay Head Yacht Club was established in 1888 in Bay Head, New Jersey. BHYC members were active participants in early sneakbox and catboat racing on the shallow waters of Barnegat Bay. In 1914 the club was a founding member of the Barnegat Bay Yacht Racing Association. That summer a BHYC sailor won the first BBYRA championship. Since then Bay Head sailors have won 175 championship flags in classes ranging from E Scows to Barnegat Bay’s splendid wooden A Cats.

Today the Bay Head Yacht Club has a vibrant membership of 850 families that enjoy active sailing programs.  The Club is proud to continue its leadership in the sport of sailing. The Club is located at the northern terminus of Barnegat Bay in New Jersey where several sailing Olympians and world champions have competed.

“Bay Head Yacht Club is proud to support the National Sailing Hall of Fame as a Founding Member. For over 120 years this sort of leadership has been central to the mission of our Club,” said Commodore Austin T. Fragomen.

The Bay Head Yacht Club was established on September 8, 1888 “to promote yachting and rowing and to foster athletic sports upon the water”. Bay Head was then emerging as a popular seaside resort that attracted prominent families from Philadelphia and New York. The first clubhouse was built in 1889 on pilings at the head of Barnegat Bay. The modest building was surrounded by marshes and reached from land by boardwalks. In 1893 the clubhouse was moved 100 yards east to its present location and in 1928 the current clubhouse was built to accommodate a growing membership.

BHYC members were active participants in early sneakbox and catboat racing on the shallow waters of Barnegat Bay. In 1914 the Club was a founding member of the Barnegat Bay Yacht Racing Association. Bay Head Commodore John V.A. Cattus was elected the BBYRA’s first commodore. That summer O.G. Dale of BHYC won the first BBYRA championship in his 20’ Sneakbox “Arran”. Since then BHYC sailors have won 175 championships in classes ranging from E Scows to Barnegat Bay’s splendid wooden A Cats.

Bay Head has had many prominent sailors in its history including Slade Dale, winner of the Cruising Club of America’s Blue Water Medal for 1929 for a cruise to Cuba and back in “Postscript”, a 23’ cutter designed by Dale himself. Also Sam Merrick, champion E Scow sailor, who managed the U.S. Olympic Sailing Team to its best showing ever: an unprecedented three gold and two silver medals in 1984. Sam was honored later that year with US Sailing’s most prestigious award, The Nathanael Herreshoff Trophy.

BHYC’s campus is a “key site” in Bay Head’s historic district. It includes two buildings separately listed on the National Register as “contributing structures” within the historic district: our clubhouse and the boat shed, formerly known as Dale’s Yacht Basin, on Lake Avenue. Our facilities suffered significant damage during Superstorm Sandy. We have completed repairs on everything but the clubhouse. Plans for its restoration are underway and we hope to re-open the clubhouse in 2014.

Quick Links

Getting Here

The Sailing Museum & Hall of Fame

365 Thames Street

Newport, RI 02840

401.324.5761

[email protected]

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Things To Do In Bay Head, New Jersey: A Secret at the Shore

Upscale yet down-to-earth, Bay Head shares a zip code—and a location at the north end of the Barnegat Peninsula—with the well known shores of Point Pleasant Beach. But the two places can seem a world apart: Whereas Point Pleasant Beach is full of motels, bungalows and boardwalk amusements, Bay Head exudes more of a yacht-club vibe.

Indeed, the Bay Head Yacht Club (est. 1888) has been a center of the town’s social and recreational life for generations. Yet the ambience in this undiscovered spot on the Jersey Shore is tranquil and gracious rather than snobbish.

And at under three-quarters of a square mile in size, Bay Head is compact enough to visit without a car. 

DIY Exploring

Perhaps the most distinctive building is the Grenville, a bubblegum-pink Victorian hotel (opened in 1890) with broad conical turrets, scallop shingles and multiple gables. Download a walking tour guide from the Bay Head Historical Society that highlights some of the older residential and commercial buildings as well as notable architectural elements and places of community significance over the years.

Even more properties and details are included in the National Register of Historic Places’  document on Bay Head , also available at the historical society’s website. A  map with four different walk routes can be found on the Bay Head government’s website.

The Automobile Museum, meanwhile, displays about eight vehicles at any given time from its collection of hundreds from all eras, along with toy models, books, accessories and memorabilia. A short distance from these museums is  Loveland Homestead , a 19th-century house where the Bay Head Historical Society showcases facets of local history and lore.

And Bay Head has an unofficial fourth museum, inside the house at 666 East Avenue—where L. Ron Hubbard wrote  Dianetics , the book that laid the foundation for Scientology, while a tenant in 1949-50. The house is owned by Scientologists, and upstairs they’ve restored his rooms and set up a retrospective exhibit; knock (or they’ll just come to the door) if you’re interested in visiting.

Where to Eat

Bay Head has two fine-dining restaurants,  Charlie’s and  Theresa’s South . Charlie’s serves various Angus steak cuts and elegant fish dishes but is also popular for cocktails, burgers and raw bar and has outdoor seating on a deck overlooking Twilight Lake.

Theresa’s offers both creative and classic takes on Italian specialties, as well as fish, seafood and beef dishes.  Dune Grass Cafe is a casual spot for breakfast, lunch and ice cream. You can also dine in the restaurant at the Grenville, which features a brunch buffet on Sunday. Be sure to pay a visit to  Mueller’s Bakery , a local legend that’s been around for ages.

Best known for crumb cake (they even sells bags of the “crumbs”), Mueller’s makes a vast assortment of cookies, cakes, doughnuts, cupcakes, breads and—what I think they do best—fruit-filled pastries. 

Where to Stay

The Bentley Inn B&B features 21 rooms decorated in inviting color schemes, with country quilts on the beds. About half the rooms have private baths and some are smallish, but there are ample common areas, including a wraparound porch on the second floor, a front porch and a comfy living room.

Convenient amenities provided for guests include beach towels, outdoor showers, clothesline for wet swimsuits, a communal refrigerator and round-the-clock coffee and tea. At breakfast, you get waitress service and a menu offering five choices ranging from eggs to waffles.

The Bentley is a block and a half from the beach; the only place not within easy walking distance is the train station, about a mile away at the other end of town. Regular rates run $255-$345 a night in summer, dropping to $135-$195 after Labor Day (check Groupon for off season deals).

Insider Tip

As might be expected of an affluent community, Bay Head has several gourmet grocers and boutiques. A special shop is  ReFind , which sells artwork by local artists (including the owner) plus jewelry, clothing, housewares and furnishings.

Much of the merchandise is handcrafted, and some items are made from found and recycled materials—hence the store name. ReFind also hosts workshops and sponsors arts-related public events.

Getting There & Getting Around

NJ Transit trains run hourly (for the most part) from New York Penn Station to Bay Head, with a transfer at Long Branch; total travel time, about 2½ hours. Roundtrip fare is $33.50. Take your bicycle with you, or rent from  Ready to Roll —though you can walk pretty much everywhere. People don’t bother locking their bikes in Bay Head.

Featured image courtesy of Sarah Knapp

All additional photos courtesy of the author

Adrienne Onofri is an arts and travel journalist and a licensed NYC tour guide. She is the author of the books  Walking Queens: 30 Tours for Discovering the Diverse Communities, Historic Places, and Natural Treasures of New York City’s Largest Borough  and  Walking Brooklyn: 30 Tours Exploring Historical Legacies, Neighborhood Culture, Side Streets, and Waterways .  

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• TESTIMONIALS

Bay Head Yacht Club Wedding with Nautical Decor

This Bay Head Yacht Club wedding had all the elements of a memorable celebration you’d want: a waterfront venue, perfect weather, a sandy beach nearby, great food and music, and the love of the bride and groom.

About Nik and Cara’s Love Story and Wedding

Do you know the kind of bond you have with siblings and best friends from childhood? There’s a commonality in growing up in the same town at the same time that no one outside that circle and your city can really understand. Unbeknownst to them, Cara and Nik’s love was solidified by the bonds of teenage high school days. And years later I’d be the lucky one to capture their Bay Head Yacht Club wedding photos.

Though they weren’t high school sweethearts, they fell into a wonderful familiarity and love after being serendipitously re-united while running into each other out one night in New Jersey, just over the Manhattan border. They’re currently living in Philadelphia, but their loyalty to their home state of New Jersey coupled with a lifelong love of the beach equated to a no-brainer for their wedding venue: Bay Head Yacht Club, where the groom grew up sailing during each summer as a kid.

Nautical touches were woven in throughout the day, and their romantic, entertaining reception ended with one amazing outfit change and a bright send-off.

Getting Ready for their Bay Head Yacht Club Wedding

They each got ready in nearby homes; Nik grew up going to Bay Head each year to summer at his family’s beautiful beach house, so, naturally, that’s where they got ready.

Cara and her girls got ready at a rented vacation home just blocks from their venue.

I absolutely love this photo of Cara and her bridesmaids! They were looking gorgeous in their floral blue robes….and came upstairs and suddenly saw her gorgeous pair of metallic gold glitter Jimmy Choo heels looking oh-so-fine on a beautiful white table, posing for a photo sess with me.

Nik got ready with his groomsmen at his family’s home on the beach (complete with nautical flags, too, I might add!). The room the men got ready in at Nik’s family home was incredible; it was custom-made for his parents’ grandchildren, Nik’s nieces and nephews, and had bunk beds, a boat bed, white painted wooden walls, a compass on the ceiling, a porthole door leading into it and nautical rope framed mirrors…just to name a few specials details!

Their Nautical-Inspired Wedding Day Details

They decided to exchange personal sentiments in vow books before the ceremony and to recite more traditional vows in front of family and friends. Cara got Nik special cufflinks with their wedding date stamped on them for a groom’s gift.

Soft touches of the ocean were woven into the day from the Ropes bracelets Cara got each bridesmaid (a personal favorite, which I also adored from their engagement session ), to their pale blue dip-dyed letterpress wedding invitations, to the colors of the argyle socks Nik got his groomsmen (along with unique monogrammed pocket watches).

Reliving Cara and her bridesmaids helping her get ready in these Bay Head Yacht Club wedding photos remind me of how dreamy the situation was.

The room was sun-drenched, and their Amsale bridesmaids dresses made me think of green beach glass. They helped her into her sweetheart neckline wedding gown, she tearfully read Nik’s vows to her, and we were on our way to Bay Head Yacht Club (with her beautiful gold glitter Kate Spade clutch her brothers got her, which means they’re obviously the best brothers!) to photograph some special portraits of her.

Cara wore a skirt  on top of her dress for a surprising look for her reception. She wanted to surprise Nik with this second fashion look too, so I took photos of Cara without the skirt before Nik arrived for their first look; we were careful to put the overlay tulle skirt back on before he saw her.

The Bride and Groom’s First Look at the Bay Head Yacht Club Wedding

They opted to do a first look (which I always support and encourage), and we headed to the area underneath the yacht club so we’d be shielded from the hot sun. It was perfect and private.

The architecture of Bay Head Yacht Club is tiered. The ground level has these incredible rusted columns I instantly gravitated towards for a good amount of their photos because it was so dreamy.  The wooden shingles were also an amazing backdrop, and I love how you can see the water below the structure peeking through in some spots. And we were literally on top of the water.

Beautiful fall-colored bouquets were created for the bridesmaids and Cara; her bouquet added to her complete “bridal” look as she tapped Nik’s shoulder to turn around to see her. It had seeded eucalyptus, antique roses, and red dahlias. Her bouquet was wrapped in special rosary beads. White rose boutonnieres were accented with fragrant rosemary for the men.

As Cara walked to see Nik for the first time that day, complete with her low-back gown and low-bun hairdo, I captured a photo of her reflection in the window. It’s one of my favorites of all the Bay Head Yacht Club wedding photos from their wedding.

We slowly moved into photos with their wedding party and family, using all the levels and interesting outdoor spaces available for a Bay Head Yacht Club wedding. Everyone looked so amazing! The colors Cara and Nik picked for their wedding were spot on for a fall waterfront wedding in New Jersey. 

Bay Head Yacht Club Wedding Waterfront Ceremony with a Boat Exit

Bay Head Yacht Club wedding photos mean more than one location! They have the option to hold your ceremony in a nearby waterfront location that literally brings a dock into the space. This is what Cara and Nik opted for.

It was time to walk a short way to the ceremony location after family photos to the “Dale Building,” a converted boathouse next to the yacht club. The aisle was spectacularly lined with ficus trees, and a white runner was placed for the wedding party to walk down the aisle.

They exchanged vows as Cara’s cousin, Liam, officiated. After they sealed the deal with a kiss, they were on their way to their party in style: a vintage boat from the 1950s (with Captain Perry!) took them to the dock where they would join cocktail hour.

Arriving at their Bay Head Yacht Club Wedding Reception by Boat

As most guests walked from the ceremony location back to Bay Head Yacht Club to start the celebration for the evening, Cara and Nik hopped on a boat to arrive in style!

Their wedding party was awaiting their arrival on the dock and cheering them on as they stepped onto it to join their cocktail hour.

Escort cards double as guest favors – each one had a sea glass wine charm attached to it. Tables were decorated in several fashions: the head table was lined with eucalyptus garland, tall candelabras had fall flowers climbing up its arms, and other tables had low, broad sprawling centerpieces echoing the bridesmaids’ bouquets.

There was romantic candlelight everywhere that glows in their Bay Head Yacht Club wedding photos. Nautical white rope balls held gold table numbers that matched their save the dates, with an illustration of diagonal flags. Gold flatware was at each guest’s place setting. The icing on the cake, so to speak, was bistro lighting strung across the rafters of the grand hall.

They danced their first dance as guests fondly looked on. (I love that photo of their moms, Joanne and Alva, watching their kids enjoy their reception!) The evening was filled with the love and energy of family and best friends as Nik’s siblings served as Toast Masters and performed skits and scripts they meticulously crafted for their little brother’s wedding reception.

Cara looks great in anything she wears, and I love that she changed into a white romper for a sweet send-off. Doesn’t it remind you of early cruise days and the classic black and white photos you’d see of couples waving goodbye to friends on the docks? Well, this picture-perfect, deserving duo was waved away with glow sticks! What a bright getaway.

It was truly an honor to photograph Mr. and Mrs. Kappy’s Bay Head NJ engagement photos , then their first day as husband and wife. Meeting their family and friends and working with them along the way was truly memorable. May their marriage always be smooth sailing!

Bay Head Yacht Club Wedding Vendor Team

Venue: Bay Head Yacht Club / Florist: Katydid Floral Design /  Cake designer: Mueller’s Bakery  / Invitation suite: Swell Press Paper / DJ: Chris Garrow from Unforgettable DJs  / Hair stylist: Jennifer Best / Makeup artist: About Face Makeup by Valerie / Officiant: Liam O’Rourke / Wedding dress boutique: Kleinfeld Bridal, designer Anne Barge / Bridesmaid dress boutique: Bella Bridesmaids, designer Amsale / Videographer: Aiko Roudette / Bridesmaids robes: BHLDN  / Groom’s suit: Enzo Custom suits / Groomsmen suits: J. Crew / Lighting: Fabrico Events LLC

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Bay Head Yacht Club is a private club offering beautiful facilities for member and member-sponsored celebrations. One of the oldest yacht clubs in the United States, BHYC has hosted wonderful parties in spectacular surroundings for over 125 years, with unparalleled views of Barnegat Bay, attentive service from our dedicated staff and the special flavor of historic Bay Head, nestled between the ocean and the bay.

BHYC offers different venues to reflect your party's style and guest list. The Club’s Ballroom accommodates large receptions and cocktail parties. For more intimate settings, consider the Ward Room, Barnegat Room & Flying Bridge or the Olson and Rogers Rooms, all of which offer great views and comfort. Whatever the occasion, BHYC is dedicated to excellence and strives to ensure that you enjoy your event as much as your guests, from the first planning stages to the end of the evening.

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Reviews of Bay Head Yacht Club

• Quality of service 5 out of 5 rating 5.0
• Average response time 5 out of 5 rating 5.0
• Professionalism 5 out of 5 rating 5.0
• Value 5 out of 5 rating 5.0
• Flexibility 5 out of 5 rating 5.0

Unsurpassed!

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Bay Head Yacht Club

Welcome to Bay Head Yacht Club

...where the sun is shining and the skies are blue., anchors aweigh.

The story of how our club came to be situated on its superb site with expansive views of Barnegat Bay can now be told from the handwritten pages of our original minute book.

Since our earliest days, Bay Head Yacht Club has always enjoyed strong sailing programs aimed at ably serving our family-oriented membership, as well as furthering the sport of sailing. That strength continues today with a nationally renowned Junior Sailing program, healthy, competitive intra-club and inter-club racing fleets, and a commitment to our sport.

Weddings and Events

BHYC has hosted wonderful parties in spectacular surroundings for over 120 years, with unparalleled views of Barnegat Bay, attentive service from our dedicated staff and the special flavor of historic Bay Head, nestled between the ocean and the bay.

Location and Contact

Nestled between the ocean and the bay, Bay Head Yacht Club offers unparalled views. We are located on Barnegat Bay in Bay Head, NJ. To contact the Club, please call 732-899-2000.

Start Your Journey

Bay Head Yacht Club is one of the oldest yacht clubs in the United States and has hosted wonderful parties in spectacular surroundings for over 120 years. 

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Gerald ‘Jerry’ Divers, founder of the Bank of Tampa, dies

• Justine Griffin Times staff

A. Gerald “Jerry” Divers, credited as the founder of the Bank of Tampa, died Friday. He was 88.

Divers was known across Tampa Bay for his contributions to the community, serving on dozens of professional and philanthropic board of directors from the Tampa Museum of Art to the Florida Association of Blood Banks.

Divers began his banking career at The Exchange National Bank of Tampa in 1961. He was the bank’s commercial lending officer, head of the trust department and eventually became the executive vice president and director.

He was the president of the Flagship Bank of Tampa. In 1984 the bank was sold to SunTrust, and because of that sale, Divers and a group of local investors purchased the Independent Bank of Florida. The name was changed to the Bank of Tampa to reflect the owners’ intention to serve Tampa’s local business and professional community. Divers served as president and CEO of the bank until 2008.

“Because of Jerry’s patient, kind, modest and effective leadership, The Bank of Tampa became a steady and well-respected institution,” said Corey Neil, the current president and CEO of the bank in a statement. “We are all better for having known him.”

The Bank of Tampa grew to become the largest community bank headquartered in Tampa Bay, according to the media release. During his many years in the industry, Divers served on the boards of 10 banks and was a director of the Community Banks of Florida.

Divers grew up in Clearwater and attended St. Petersburg College before graduating from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in banking and finance. He also attended the U.S. Navy Officer Candidate School and served four years at the Naval Air Station Cecil Field near Jacksonville and aboard a ship in the Western Pacific Ocean.

After serving in the Navy Reserve for 15 years, he retired with the rank of Lieutenant Commander, according to a media release.

He received many accolades for his work in Tampa Bay over the years, including the the Small Business Leader of the Year award from the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and the H.L. Culbreath Profile in Leadership Award. Last year, he was named the Tampa Metro Citivan’s 2023 Outstanding Citizen of the Year.

“Jerry’s legacy goes well beyond The Bank of Tampa,” Neil said in a statement. “He was passionately active in the Tampa Bay community through service to his church, and was generously philanthropic with his time and talents.”

For more than 20 years, Divers served as president of the Southwest Florida Blood Bank. He served on the board and also as an officer of the Florida Association of Blood Banks. He served on the boards of the American Blood Commission in Washington, D.C. and as chairman at the Berkeley Preparatory School in Tampa for 17 years. He was chairman of the board of the Tampa Museum of Art and The Spring of Tampa Bay. Divers was also the president of the West Coast Florida Public Broadcasting.

In addition, he served on boards for the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, the United Way of Greater Tampa, Tampa General Hospital Foundation, the Children’s Home, the Lifelink Legacy Fund, the board of advisors of The Home Association and the Hillsborough County Bar Association Foundation.

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Divers was also involved socially in a number of organizations in Tampa Bay, including as president of the University Club of Tampa and as treasurer and a member of the board of the Tampa Yacht and Country Club, a member of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, and the Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club.

He was a member of the St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church more than 50 years where he served for many years as a member of its vestry and senior warden.

Divers was the father of Alan G. Divers Jr. and Brett D. Divers, the latter who continue to remain involved in the The Bank of Tampa as members of the board of directors.

Justine Griffin is the economy and growth editor. She can be reached at [email protected].

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