“It always takes somebody to guide the way,” original Floridian surf star Gary Propper once said of **** Catri. I met him at an East Coast Hall of Fame induction at a Surf Industry Association show at the Orlando Convention Center in mid 90s. Him and Greg Knoll were the Tribal Elders, both kind, gracious and eloquent. He bequeathed my then 9 year old daughter with a shell necklace for her efforts volunteering for Surfrider. A very public generous display of affection from a giant of our little realm. What struck me later was his ability to parlay his love of surfing into his own self contained business empire. He had a castle of a house across the street from Spanish House in Sebastian, and the keys to the kingdom wherever he paddled out, anywhere in the world. He was like the Paul Brown (coach and owner of the Cleveland Browns) of East Coast surfing - the branches of the grand Aloha Tree that he was includes them all, from the Ninja Turtle Man Gary Propper, first East Coast Pipe Master Jeff Crawfish, Mike Tabling (MTB), Greg Luhr (now working for NASA making space age ceramic surfaces) to Todd Holland to Matt Kechle to Kelly. Shaggs Surf Shop in Indialantic was the ground zero that Mr. Catri built. A life well lived. RIP Uncle ****!!!
