![]() ![]() It is commonly believed that his leash became entangled on the rocks, and that the furious current sweeping through the bay held him down and kept him from releasing himself from his board. The details are murky, but he was seen wiping out - and was even photographed doing so - before getting lost at sea. On December 23, 1994, Foo flew in from Hawaii to surf Maverick’s for the first time. “What was it like to walk on the moon, Mr. As recently as September, he wrote an article for Tracks Magazine, comparing his daredevil surfing to space travel. He scaled waves for the same reason rock climbers scaled mountains: because they were there. He kept hearing about the danger of Pillar Point and wanted to see it. He was known as the Joe Montana of Big Waves, and was a do-it-all: broadcaster, author, businessman, health enthusiast, traveler. The New York Times described him well:īut it was these same Maverick’s that attracted Foo, the 36-year-old surfing legend of Haleiwa, Hawaii. And instead of a simple introduction of another gnarly destination for surfers to flock to, the headlines brought a sense of awe that not even the longest tall-tales could have instilled.įoo was, after all, big wave surfing’s biggest personality at the time. Coinciding with the recent “discovery” of Maverick’s, his drowning made front-page headlines around the world, along with the introduction of this break. Mark Foo’s death might be surfing’s most wide-reaching national and international mainstream news story to date. The Moment: Foo drowns during his first session at the recently “discovered” break. Place: Maverick’s, Half Moon Bay, California For that, no amount of respect that will ever be enough. This is only to say that death was always in front of them, and they charged regardless, living their lives to what they deemed the fullest. ![]() This is not to say that anyone - family, friends, fans, or surfers - is necessarily ready for death. They live to climb these towering peaks, with hopes of summiting, but knowing that failure is, indeed, a very real possibility. Yet in big wave surfing, death’s inevitability accompanies a sort of passion only the select few who charge these behemoths truly understands. We do what we can to protect those who paddle and tow into the monsters, but nature is unpredictable, and no amount of inflatable vests will overcome the power and force of the elements. In a sport and pursuit like big wave surfing, death is, unfortunately, inevitable. And it is in this light we look back on six of big wave surfing’s most influential deaths. Yet when seen in the larger context of life - not life as in life and death, rather life as in this continuum of “being” which we’re all connected by - death is a mere tombstone, a marker that signifies the end of something, not everything. It is unrelentingly dark, unbearably heavy, and unapologetically final. ![]() A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” – Mark Twainĭeath. A good showcase for big brands and great sportsmen, but also the best way to remember one the greatest surfers ever.“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. The Eddie Aikau Memorial has been taking place at Waimea Bay since 1986, a Hawaiian big surf competition in which only surfers invited by the organisation can perform. I can get to land.” His body was never found. Eddie’s last words were “Don’t worry, I can do it. The day after the rest of the crew was rescued by an US Coast Guard ship. He insisted on going alone for help, but this time the task turned out to be impossible. But it was: only twelve miles south of the island of Molokai the boat capsized.Įddie, as usual, behaved like an hero and tried to paddle on his surfboard to the island of Lanai, 12 miles away. It was 1978 and Eddie was 31.īeing accustomed to monster waves, he may have though that crossing the Pacific Ocean on a canoe wasn’t very dangerous. So, when he found out that the Polynesian Voyaging Society was looking for volunteers to join a 2,500 mile trip to recreate the original Polynesian route between Hawaii and Tahiti, he jumped into it. According to younger brother Clyde, the legendary surfer Eddie Aikau was very interested in his Hawaiian roots. ![]()
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