nope, didn’t know him personally, only in passing… seems like I would run into him everywhere. we were about the same age. always a smile and a nod, gentleman in the water, smooth longboarder, and obviously a charger… one of the ‘good guys’. then, out of nowhere, freediving? he lived through this kind of stuff:
and freediving got him? I guess when It’s your time, It’s your time. looking at that shot makes me wonder about those '90’s Rhino chasers. too little foam? too much rocker? seems like a lot more/bigger waves are being made now.
anyways, can’t believe it’s been 10 years and it still feels like he is conspicuously absent from the lineup… I read somewhere recently that his wife took a trip to the place where he died and dove to where he was. how heavy is that?
After I moved away from SC, I went back for a visit. He was working a shift on the floor at Oneills on 41st. As part of his sponorship he had to do a few days a month in the shop. A great rep for surfing as a whole and missed terribly to this day by the SC and Capitola locals. From flippin' pizza at Pleasure Pizza to world famous at his age with incredible class and Aloha.
i'm not sure who we are talking about here,but as far as free diving goes..............i've come close to dying a few times.
shallow water blackout is a ambush killer.(if this is the case)
after about 4 min.s under you break a barrier that gives you the feeling that you don't need as much air...............before you can say ,"boo" you're starting to see things and the world gets very still..................my dad pulled me up from a few blackouts in the water.
Other surfers and top notch freedivers have died like Jay over the years…they get so focused, so discplined, they
overcome instinct and keep on holding their breath until they just black
out
I had the pleasure to spend a day with Jay a few months before he died…Jeff Clark, old friend, gave me a call one morning and asked if I wanted to drive the second ski while they did some tow recon north of Mav’s…up to then had only met Jay in passing a couple of times…by the end of what turned into a memorable day, I was just knocked over by Jay’s positive energy, sense of humour and pure joy at just…being
Jay’s death just rocked everybody who knew him, especially Jeff, who loved
the guy like a brother…Jay truly was a bright light in all the best
ways.
Amen. I lived in town for a few years, everbody loved that boy and probably no one more than his young wife or his coach/friend "Frosty". He was indeed an amazing young man. PS lcc you and I probsbly have alot in common. Hope to meet you on the North Coast sometime.
Don’t think anybody smiled more. First time I shared a lineup with him, was surfing by myself, he shows up with a buddy, paddles right up to me in the lineup and says “Hi, I’m Jay, what’s your name”, beaming a big, positive smile…
went to Tahiti once with a couple of younger hot rods, stayed with a local they were friends with, first time we pulled up to the lineup in the boat, he said make sure to paddle up to each surfer, introduce yourself, and shake their hand before you even try for a wave…what a great way to keep the tension at lowest possible…Jay had that spirit without having to be in Tahiti…
Yea, McDing, Frosty the charger, decades of patrolling Scott’s and Moss, for many years now on one of his longboards, regardless of size…
speaking of the North Coast…just returned from an early morning session at Gas Chambers, then swung flies on the Stuc’ for a bit on the tide change, hoping to tag a springer…it’s far from paradise up here, but close enough for an elder slowly winding down…
