A pithy comic strip about life, love, lust and puthy cats.

Est. 1985

Extra, Extra!

Sea Fever

By Jimmy Johnson

June 12, 2006


This from 2006, 15 years ago this week. This is the first in a little series about Arlo’s well-established fascination with sailing. Remember, click on the link (the date above) if you’d like to see the entire series. I know what many of you are going to say. Or would say if the “comments” were working, which they still are not. You’d say, Well, didn’t Arlo get a boat? What happened to it? I’m not sure what has happened to the boat, but letting Gus bequeath it to Arlo was the worst mistake I ever made in the strip. A dream, a yearning, in an individual is universally relatable. Boats are not. It would change everything to have Arlo go from wanting a sailboat to sanding rub rails. Oh, sure. Boat people would love it, but, believe it or not, we are vastly outnumbered. Maybe I’m wrong. Comments will be back as soon as I can get them back. I apologize.


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143 responses to “Sea Fever”

  1. Matt Avatar
    Matt

    Letting Gus bequeath the boat to Arlo was not the worst mistake you ever made in the strip… :^)

  2. Steve From Royal Oak MI Avatar

    In 2020, didn’t we wish ALL comments, outside of this blog, we t into moderation?

  3. Steve From Royal Oak MI Avatar

    Wet went….I guess they mean the same.

  4. Sideburns Avatar

    JJ, I see that your site is hosted by Earthlink. Long ago, when they were first getting started, I did tech support for them. Alas, as time went on, their standards started to drop, and within a year or two after I left in the second round of layoffs, it was no longer a company that I’d have wanted to work for. Things change, and not always for the better is all I’m going to say about that.

  5.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Not to wish misfortune on anyone, but isn’t the boat docked in a hurricane-prone area? It could be lost at sea (while Gus, the kids, and the area’s population all remain safe) and Arlo could return to dreams of the sea… maybe even a few dream sequences of the boat dashed upon the waves, meeting Arlo’s mermaid, and going down to Davy Jones’ locker.

  6. David from Granbury Avatar
    David from Granbury

    Not to wish misfortune on anyone, but isn’t the boat docked in a hurricane-prone area? It could be lost at sea (while Gus, the kids, and the area’s population all remain safe) and Arlo could return to dreams of the sea… maybe even a few dream sequences of the boat dashed upon the waves, meeting Arlo’s mermaid, and going down to Davy Jones’ locker.

  7. RayRay Avatar
    RayRay

    No Big mistakes Jimmy. I know many people that own boats and never take them out of their cover. So the fact that Arlo doesn’t ever mention his is pretty much real to life for so many people.

    1. TruckerRon Avatar

      I’m a frustrated amateur astronomer. When it’s clear out at night, I have orchestra or choir practices to get to. Or wildfires to the west and south of my valley make viewing impossible. Last year we had over 1,000 human-caused fires in our state, plus a bunch more by lightning. The last time we were able to do a group activity was one we sneaked in back in November.
       
      From time to time, I dust off my telescopes and daydream about moving somewhere better… if only I could identify it AND afford it!

  8. Bryan Avatar
    Bryan

    Malaria or dinghy fever?

  9. curmudgeonly ex-professor Avatar
    curmudgeonly ex-professor

    Just in case this works, “Hi, everyone!”
    .
    My MBH is now scheduled for corneal surgery in about 7-8 weeks. Cataract surgery did not help her vision; extra laser work on the new lens made it worse. The cornea surgeon promises he will make her vision worse yet (!), but, months down the line, she may get back good vision. It’s her only chance to see decently, so no more decisions will be made.
    .
    I remembered my only gf aside from my MBH. That really nice gal just turned 80 on Tuesday. Difficult for me to imagine her at that age; I pray she has had a satisfying life. No plans to attempt contact…. [y’know, snoozing schnauzers, dozing dachshunds, etc.]

  10. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    They could sell the boat and apply the proceeds to the kids’ business.

  11. curmudgeonly ex-professor Avatar
    curmudgeonly ex-professor

    Didn’t Janis give Arlo a small boat quite a few years ago at Christmas? That one’d be easier to work with, methinks. Agreed, the large boat from Gus isn’t in their lifestyle and, as they age, is less likely to be so. For that matter, in one sequence, didn’t Arlo build a boat (finishing inside the house)? With three vessels under his command, he may require a naval rank!

    1. Ghost Avatar
      Ghost

      Yes, Arlo was gifted with a small craft. Which blew down the street in a storm. “Grab my dingy!”

  12. Rick in Shermantown, Ohio Avatar
    Rick in Shermantown, Ohio

    I have two dreams:

    Drive a Corvette.

    Ride in the cab of a locomotive.

    1. Mark in TTown Avatar
      Mark in TTown

      Riding in the locomotive cab is fun. I went to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga years back, and lucked out to be able to ride in the cab of one of their steam locos on the short trip. I had to pay extra but it was worth every bit of it.

      1. Rick in Shermantown, Ohio Avatar
        Rick in Shermantown, Ohio

        Thanks for the tip!

        I now know where I want to go this summer or fall. It will be somewhat nostalgic, considering that I was last there exactly fifty years ago.

  13. Steve From Royal Oak MI Avatar

    All those years we’ve accused Jimmy of looking in our windows. Per today’s strip 6-18-2021, we realize it’s bloody that has the insight to our souls

    1. curmudgeonly ex-professor Avatar
      curmudgeonly ex-professor

      Ludwig?

  14.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    JJ- Talking about bringing things back – How bout Gene & Family?

  15. Ghost Avatar
    Ghost

    Ref 6-17-21 retro cartoon:
    They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
    These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. – Psalm 107:23-24

  16. curmudgeonly ex-professor Avatar
    curmudgeonly ex-professor

    Guess how much it costs to replace the springs on my garage door…both, of course.
    .
    Guess how I know this.
    .
    Pfui! [but the system does work now]

  17. Galliglo from Ohio Avatar
    Galliglo from Ohio

    So glad to see that the comments are working – YAY JJ !!!

  18. Rick in Shermantown, Ohio Avatar
    Rick in Shermantown, Ohio

    That’s odd. Mark in TTown replied to me, and I replied to him. For some reason, my comment is now awaiting moderation.

    Is that common?

    1. Mark in TTown Avatar
      Mark in TTown

      As of a few days ago, all comments are going to moderation, waiting on JJ to have a chance to release them. It’s not intentional on his part, and he hasn’t discovered yet why the site is doing that. So go ahead and post, but they will take a while to appear.

    2. Galliglo from Ohio Avatar
      Galliglo from Ohio

      When I posted my above comment, it immediately went into moderation. Don’t know when it released – this is the first time I have been back.

      1. Galliglo from Ohio Avatar
        Galliglo from Ohio

        Now THIS comment is in moderation! And… my name keeps going away – not saved.

  19. Bill in Paducah Avatar

    Cleaning out my bookshelf. Even though they’re going for $599.50 at Amazon, I have two copies of Beaucoup Arlo&Janis I would be willing to ship to a true fan for the cost of postage (say $10). Bought some extras when it was published to use as gifts, but these two copies were left when I ran out of friends that were ‘worthy’. And these are autographed by the man himself! Email me at hwlentz at iCloud dot com if interested and we’ll work out details. Limit one per customer, earliest emails win!

  20. Kathleen Giacobbe Avatar
    Kathleen Giacobbe

    6/17/21 had to Google the Spanish translation. And the cat understands Spanish? Too funny!

  21. Bill in Paducah Avatar

    Both books have been claimed,

  22. TruckerRon Avatar

    We’ve gone a bit over 48 hours since the last post I can see (Bill in Paducah). So, I ask again:
     
    1… 2… 3… Is this mic on?

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