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Latest Update: June 16, 2001 by Ben Marcus

13:14 SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 2001 SISTER-IN-LAW JANE'S COMPUTER, LYNNWOOD, WASHINGTON

Here is the scoop on Ike the Cat (He's black and white, like Greg Noll's famous striped trunks, so his nickname is, of course, Da Cat), in a back and forth e-mail between me and Laura Noll. MY RESPONSES ARE IN ALL CAPS.

Hello Ben: Yes he was allowed in the house, in fact when Ashlyne had him in Santa Rosa he was not allowed outside.

WOMEN ARE WEIRD THAT WAY WITH CATS, I'VE LEARNED. THEY'RE AFRAID TO LET THEM GO OUTDOORS. MEN ARE MORE TRUSTING. I TRUST IKE. SO FAR, SO GOOD. WHEN I GOT TO MY BROTHER'S YESTERDAY, IKE WAS NOWHERE TO BE SEEN AND EVERYONE WAS PANICKING. BUT I KNEW HE'D SHOW UP AROUND DARK. HE DID.

When he came here he wouldn't go outside at all it was like he had that disease where people are afraid to go out.

I'VE HAD THAT DISEASE ALL MY LIFE.

I would take him out to be in the sunshine and he wouldn't like it at all. I had one other cat then. We had a dog Koa that he really liked, and he started going out in the yard a little when we got him.

HE'S A VERY PERSONABLE CAT.

He and the other cat tolerated each other, but werent good pals. Koa died when he was about 2 years old, and Ike became the dog. He stated going outside all the time, he'd follow you around the yard, meet you at the gate when you came home and started chasing the other cat.

I CAN SEE HIM DOING THAT. HE'S AN EXCELLENT CAT.

Then I got a persian cat for Christmas in 1999, and Ike didn't like that at all, and then the dog Kahu followed shortly after. He wasn't excited at all the new fur. He began staying out all night, and would love to still follow you around the yard, but felt uneasy around the dog. The persian didn't like either cat in the house with her, so she would chase them out.

THOSE PERSIANS. SPOILED ROTTEN.

Pretty soon Ike would go into the garage and stay there. I felt so sorry for him, but he just didn't want to be in the house any more. Before you took him he got along with Kahu very well, they would sleep together outside, and he would rub against him. He has always been very affectionate.

HE IS VERY AFFECTIONATE INDEED. HE LIKES EVERYBODY.

I can only remember him catching a few critters, but being very proud when he did. That's the story of Ike.

WE'RE ON OUR WAY TO MONTANA TOMORROW. YOU CAN READ ABOUT OUR ADVENTURES AT WWW.SACKLUNCH.COM. I'LL LET IKE WRITE PARTS OF IT.

Don't know if you heard but Jay Moriarity died in a dive accident yesterday.

I HEARD. UNBELIEVABLE.

A very sad tragedy. He and Pinch were very good friends and Pinch is still in shock, he was here working on boards with Greg when we heard. It sounds like all of Santa Cruz is in mourning. I still can't believe it. Life is very fragile.

YES INDEED. I'VE BEEN SAYING THAT I WISH I WERE AS GOOD A HUMAN BEING AS IKE IS A CAT. JAY IS AS GOOD A HUMAN BEING AS IKE IS A CAT. VERY PERSONABLE-FRIENDLY AND AGGRESSIVE AT THE SAME TIME. IKE IS A HUNTER. SO IS JAY. A TRAGEDY. BUT DIVING ALONE IS NEVER A GOOD IDEA, AND REALLY BREAKS ONE OF THE CARDINAL RULES OF DIVING. ESPECIALLY IN A PLACE LIKE THE MALDIVES. THANKS FOR THE SCOOP ON IKE. HE'S ABOUT TO BE A ROAD WARRIOR.

That was my back and forth with Laura Noll, and what I said about Jay and Ike is true. Jay really was one of the best people I'd ever known. No ego, just pure surf stoke and a hell of a lot of talent and guts. He got me thinking about my connection to Pleasure Point, and that got me thinking about the good old days, when I was as surf stoked as anyone, and Pleasure Point was our oyster. Maybe that's why I'm depressed all the time. I had such a good time surfing in the 70s and into the 80s, and nothing else has really compared.

I'm at brother Dan's now and fixing to go. I slept in because I watched two good movies last night: La Femme Nikita (the original French movie) and then L.A. Confidential, which was edited for TV but still a really, really good movie. That was the first time I'd seen Russel Crowe, and I was surprised when I found out he was Australian. The same for Guy Pearce. L.A. Confidential is one of those perfect movies where they get everything right: casting, dialogue, story, the works.

So now I've got to hit the road and head for Montana. Already running late. Locatelli and Metiver are probably out of there tomorrow, so I missed them. I wonder if Mike knows about Jay. Locatelli runs the O'Neil Surf shop in Santa Cruz, where Jay's wife Kim works. I have heard that all of Pleasure Point is in mourning, and it makes me want to be there. I sent an e-mail to Evan saying I would like to write Jay's eulogy for Surfing Magazine. Evan is trying to bring up the level of writing in Surfing, and I think I could do Jay justice.

And Jay was my second choice to go on the Kamchatka trip, after Brock. There is a message on his phone machine, asking him if he wants to go. Shit.

That's it for now. I'm lagging. It's time to hit the road.

 



TRAVELS WITH IKE
June 16, 2001
June 15, 2001
June 14 , 2001

NORTH COAST
March 14, 2001
March 11, 2001

March 8, 2001
March 4, 2001
March 3, 2001
March 1, 2001
February 20, 2001
February 19, 2001
February 18, 2001

February 17, 2001

February 16, 2001


ALASKA 2000
November 19, 2000
November 18, 2000
November 15, 2000
November 14, 2000
November 14, 2000
November 12-13, 2000
November 11, 2000
November 9, 2000
November 8, 2000
November 4-6, 2000
November 3, 2000
November 1, 2000
October 31, 2000
October 29, 2000
October 27, 2000
October 26, 2000
October 25, 2000
October 22, 2000
October 22, 2000
October 21, 2000
October 19, 2000
October 17, 2000
October 16, 2000
October 16, 2000
October 14, 2000
October 12, 2000
October 11, 2000
October 10, 2000
October 10, 2000
October 9, 2000
October 8, 2000
October 7, 2000
October 6, 2000
October 6, 2000
October 5, 2000
October 4, 2000
October 3, 2000
October 2, 2000
October 1, 2000
September 30, 2000
September 29, 2000
September 28, 2000
September 27, 2000
September 25, 2000
September 24, 2000
September 23, 2000
September 22, 2000
September 21, 2000
September 21, 2000
September 20, 2000
September 19, 2000
September 19, 2000
September 18, 2000
September 17, 2000
September 16, 2000
September 15, 2000
September 15, 2000
September 14, 2000
September 13, 2000
September 12, 2000
September 10, 2000
September 10, 2000
September 8, 2000

September 8, 2000

PHOTOS
October 1, 2000
October 1, 2000
September 27, 2000

 

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