Richard Jagoe, a shipping reporter, in 1874 imported a steam launch, Derwent to provide a service to the large steam ships which anchored in Holdfast Bay at Glenelg and Largs. These ships, to save time on their highly scheduled timetables, moored in the open bay rather than negotiating the narrow Port River. Mail and passengers had to be taken ashore in boats. A goverment vessel carried the mail and any official passengers, but for other passengers and their goods there was only the cargo lighters. Jagoe provided an essential service which was quickly acted upon by others. Many more 'beach boats' followed his Derwent.

Jagoe was a shipping reporter for the Register and the Observer and later for the Advertiser. He lived in the sandhills behind Semaphore and from there could see the ships arriving before anyone else. He would then row out to the ships and obtain the latest news from England and Europe: this was an important service in the days before the telegraph system, or telephones and radio. Jagoe earned the nickname 'Sandhills Savage' because he lived rough in the sand dunes but the closeness to the sea gave him a distinct advantage when time was important in being the first with the news.

He later built a home 'Rhiador' on the corner of Newman Street and the Esplanade.