Memorial "Paddle Out" to Honor Surfing Legend Dick Catri June 10 at Sebastian Inlet on Florida's Space Coast

Floating tribute to "Godfather of East Coast surfing," who was beloved ambassador of the sport

News provided by

Florida's Space Coast Office of Tourism

Jun 09, 2017, 09:15 ET

MELBOURNE BEACH, Fla., June 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- It is only natural that "the Godfather of East Coast surfing" will be memorialized at the surfing capital of the East Coast this Saturday morning. In many ways, Dick Catri made this surfing mecca what it is today.

In the Atlantic waters off Sebastian Inlet State Park, the June 10 "Celebration of Life Paddle Out" will honor Catri, whose name is synonymous with U.S. surfing – especially on Florida's Space Coast, where he helped propel the sport to new heights.

"The paddle out is such an important, time-honored ritual, there is no better way to honor Dick Catri and what he did for surfing and for this community," said Eric Garvey, Director of Florida's Space Coast Office of Tourism. "Many surfing heroes have passed through the Space Coast, but few will be as lovingly remembered here as Dick is. He was a trailblazer and ambassador of the sport and he put this area on the map for surfing, giving it worldwide acclaim and a personality all its own."

A true pioneer and renowned surfing competitor, Catri was inducted into the International Surfing Hall of Fame in 1966, following a series of impressive career wins and title achievements. Catri moved permanently to the Space Coast in 1964, and would later own several surf shops in the area. Here, he helped organize professional surfing contests, co-founding in 1965 what is now the Cocoa Beach Easter Surfing Festival. In 1996, he was a member of the charter class inducted into the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame.

Catri, who lived in Melbourne Beach, died May 15 at age 79 of complications following a series of strokes.

Media Contact:
Mary Eva Tredway
Butin Integrated Communications
404.317.0731
[email protected]

ABOUT FLORIDA'S SPACE COAST

Florida's Space Coast is a family friendly destination located 45 minutes east of Orlando. Encompassing Cocoa Beach, Melbourne and the Beaches, Port Canaveral, Titusville, and Palm Bay, it is home to the world's second-busiest cruise port and 72 miles of beaches (the longest stretch in the state), as well as 190,000 acres of wetlands and waterways full of habitat found nowhere else. Florida's Space Coast is home to NASA's Kennedy Space Center, where rockets still soar into orbit. For more information, contact the Space Coast Office of Tourism at (877) 572-3224 or visit www.VisitSpaceCoast.com.

Phone 321-433-4470
Toll-Free 1-877-57-BEACH

SOURCE Florida's Space Coast Office of Tourism