Tiki Tribute for Jay Moriarty

We were comin' round the bend getting ready to check the surf at Pleasure Point in Santa Cruz, when Chongolia saw a carved log in the back of a parked pick up truck. We doubled back to check it out and sure enough there was a tiki being erected at Night Fighter Park.
The carver was there and I spoke with him a bit. Here is what I learned from him.
His name is Wil and he can be contacted through his site:
http://www.sctikis.com
He carved this tiki as a tribute to his friend Jay Moriarty, the young surfing pro who tragically drowned in the Maldives a few years back. More about Jay here:
http://www.surfline.com/surfaz/moriarty_jay.cfm
Wil had been working on it for the last two years and had to get permission from http://www.packyourtrash.com Also known as the Pleasure Point Night Fighters, a non-profit who maintains the park and host numereous beach clean-ups. They were totally cool with the idea and gave two thumbs up.
The tiki went up overlooking the ocean with very little fanfare only a few early morning onlookers. By the time I got back with my camera the 3 man crew was gone. Still the tiki looks killer, has a spectacular view of the point and is a wonderful tribute to a local hero. I am stoked to have a new tiki in the neighborhood. Here it is:

Chongolio

That is one fine Tiki, damn that is nice. I like it about as much as I miss Santa Cruz, and that is a bunch. One more spot I must visit on my impending SF area visit(to see that Tiki, was already going to Santa Cruz) Going to check that site now...

Well now that IS one nice Tiki. What is it 10 ft you think. Maybe another carver will show up on TC.

I think there is no better way to pay tribute to a lost soul. I am going to make my first carving from large trees from our grandmothers house that has been sold for demolition.

Great post Chongolio!
It's nice to see such a fitting tribute to Jay. He was a damn fine surfer and from what I've heard, a real nice guy. I'm sure his family must be touched.
How was the Point?
Aloha,
:tiki:

That is a bute!
Chong, next week I might be over your way.
What do you say we have a tale in the tikis presents to pay it's respects? I'de love to see it in person.
Unga

Chongo'

Reminds me of a very old surfer poem:

When old man Neptune's raising hell,
and the breakers roll sky high,
Let's drink to those that can ride that stuff, and to the rest that are willing to try...

A fine tribute indeed.

Hey, I heard about this carver when I was up there last month showing tikis & clothes at a surf trade show for adrift clothing.com at the Coconut Grove. Nice tikis, good story. Everyone kept telling me, he stopped carving... guess not. I'll check it out when we're up @ the Uke Fest coming up!

Hey all, thanks for all the replys.
Wil is now amoung our growing numbers See his first post here:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=7905&forum=1&4

Mcdougal, look me up when your in town and I will let you give you a small tiki tour of the area.

Benzart, Yeah I would say that tiki is pretty close to being a 10 footer. It may have lost a few feet when it was stuck into the hole.

Newtotiki, I feel the same way about art being a nice way to pay tribute to the people who have passed on that had influenced your life.

TikiRoyale, the point was standing up double overhead after this last round of weather that passed through up here. The water has simmmered down now to a more managable 6-8 ft but still pretty mixed up and choppy. I did find some nice pieces of driftwood that are being dried and prepped for carvin.

Unga, hey buddy, name the time and place and We will try our best to meet up with for some "tails." Also, if you see the Munktiki clan, let them know about Ukefestwest.

Bong, I like the poem where did you come across that? That would be a cool sign to have hanging in a surf/tiki bar.Here is a similar mexican proverb I picked up out of a longboard magazine:

Mar tranquilo hace mal marino.
(Tranquil seas make poor sailors)

Tikitony, I will be around Ukefest all weekend helping out. Let me know if you are able to get a vending spot and are going to attend. Maybe we can get a TC meeting together during one point of the festivities.

Chongolio

-- I believe that our Heavenly Father invented the monkey because he was disappointed in man."
... Mark Twain

Come explore http://www.lost-isle.com

[ Edited by: Chongolio on 2004-02-29 11:45 ]