Ben touched the heart and soul of everyone he met,it is a sad day you will be missed.
Thank you for being such an inspiration. May your being instill us all to go forth and and fear nothing.
Very sad news, condolences to Ben’s friends and family.
Swaylocks has lost one of it’s best.
-Cam
my sadness in this is shadowed by the certainty that his contributions are forever frozen in the swaylocks archives, such that his works and words will inspire both swaylockers and swaylurkers for generations to come. he was more than a boardbuilder – he was an artist, and a true master in the art of living. and he will be greatly missed.
He’s riding the best waves of his experience w/ all the greats that have gone before us…And after the session, a surf movie starring Ben Shipman for all to watch…like a big surf party …that never stops…until you want it to.
Ben’s wave !(as Ambrose would say).Herb
Shapers never die…
…They just plane on a higher level.
Surfers never die…
…They just get a bigger stick ! Herb
ideas as with good deeds
and good council
are the rice kernels
of our species’ zenith
georges ohsawa said it aloud
one grain ten thousand grains.
when the kernel
is properly planted
and nurtured
it begets ten thousand ,in this case
IDEAS
GOOD DEEDS
AND GOOD COUNCIL.
as expressed here
all who have been effected can
affect the internal changes
to indeed make a better world
breathing is a gift
life is a miracle
memory is
the grain of rice
plant it
nurture it
and watch
the harvest
beget the overflowing
cornicopia of good will.
applaud the life ben shipman
shipmate and scholar
and good shipright.
build a board
help another
ride a wave
to the end
thake a deep breath
as you exhale say ben shipman.
…ambrose…
had I only known you better.
I never met or knew Ben but he was a member the our Swaylocks family and we will miss him greatly, Aloha. Kokua
Sad news.
My most sincere condolences for his family and friends.
I never knew Ben, and never changed emails with him, but every single person that talked about him had the words “nicest guy”, “gentleman”, “class act” and more on the message… No coments on his boards, of course.
It’s clear he’s the kind of guy that teach us a lot about life.
Rest in peace Ben, i’ll look for you on the ocean on my next session.
Coque.
Sad to lose a friend I’ve never met…
Be comforted that he will always be part of Sways and will suffer no more…
The spirit of Ben is in all of us…
RIP Ben…
Grant
one of the main creative vertebraes in the backbone of swaylocks
great shaper
great bloke
great sense of humour
friendly
encouraging
stoked even in the midst of his pain …an inspiration , for sure !
he will be very missed by me and , I’m SURE , everyone who had the pleasure of meeting him.
today i caught two waves in his honour on my bushfire fish , as a three fin bonzer
I will never forget the first words he wrote to me [in a p.m. at surfer forum ]…
" hi ! my nickname is shippy
my first name is ben.
just writing to say " hi ! " to a ben chippy"
[he was even a similar age to me ?! …eerie ]
it was definately a great intro to what became a regular writing friendship !
although we unfortunately never met face to face [the tyranny of distance] , I still count him as a good friend .
[oh that i could shape like him !]
and his sprays and swirls looked great too
Rest in peace , Ben , it has been a pleasure having seen your work and writings here , and at surfer forum
[he deserves at LEAST a page with photos in Surfer magazine , I reckon !]
my deepest sympathies , and condolences , and prayers go out to his family and close friends
http://www.swaylocks.com/…=Show+user%27s+posts
cheers
ben
Look, there goes a Golden ship passing my way…
…but it really didn’t have to stop…
…It just kept on going…
…And so castles made of sand…
… melt into the sea…
…Eventually.
See you at the pass partner.
Quote:
I never met or knew Ben but he was a member the our Swaylocks family and we will miss him greatly, Aloha. Kokua
Cleared the line-up for Ben
I was wondering why this was stickied. May he rest easy. I had the occasion of meeting Ben at one of the get together’s at Keiths. I was just watching people shape, and Mark had a blank and first time running a planer. It was cool. I think Ben had a notebook with all his notes for shaping. I remember seeing some boards and saying ‘this is some really dope (awesome) boards’. At the time saying ‘dope’ w/ my group of friends was the ‘in thing’. Later I found out they were his.
During the conversation with him, I was bumming because it was shortly after Clark, and prices of surfboards was high etc. And I was unsure of it all, also a beginner at surfing. But what I got out of it was inspiration, just as Herb says. I walked away with the feeling, “even if its gonna take lots of effort / time . . .” I can do it!!
I God called him . . .
They say the body is a temple, a physical place holder for the immortal soul. That death is just a passage, to release this. I know that each person’s life, is lived to burn experience into the soul, that each person’s existence is to fulfill some part in a greater plan that as individuals, in this life, we cannot see, but perhaps revealed to the soul when it leaves the temple.
But I’m scared to leave. This is all I know, is this physical. Though my personal experiences, I’ve seen the what is beyond, just a fragment, a cliche tip of the iceberg. But it is mainly unknown. I suppose this is natural, for the living are hardwired to survive, until the appointed time comes for you to leave. But its hard.
And so we are left with only good memories, and some bad ones too. But we know that you’d want us to live our lives. That the friendship you gave, you’d want us to grieve then live. That your mark of passing was not for us to start dying. But to continue living.
"Hey Ben, no need to ask for you to save a wave for the rest of us down here. I know its unlimited up there. Its’ been a long time, but I finally have one nearing completion. Just needs the fins and gloss.
Take care, yet you are in the Hands of the Creator who made all of us . . . you’re in the best care. "
Good bye and see you later
Quote:
S^!t,what?.. jeez! At least wait I am dead to say stuff like this. .
…
Ciao!
Ben.
Wow. I thought he was kidding when I read that a couple months ago. Bye, Ben.
Ben
I had the privilege of surfing with Ben on several occasions both in SD and at SA. I always enjoyed talking with Ben, admired all of his boards and his outlook on life. He was a kind and generous man who shaped boards with spirit.
May his spirit live on in all of us here at Swaylock’s and out at see.
…well, just found this thread
very sad
I didnt meet him in person, but crossing a couple of PM s about his boards and my boards
yes, he s one THEE guys here
RIP
Never got to meet Ben
but his board designs and art work were an inspiration
that green trash can recovery project
should be a textbook Swaylocks case study in recycling
You can rest now Ben
and surf to your hearts content
knowing that you inspired many people you never met
I met Ben many times…What an inspiration. I will see you at the Memorial on the 12th at Terramar. RIP Ben. A Life well lived…
-Scott
Ran into Ben at south Tamarack, sheesh couldn’t have been more than a year ago. He was so excited about the whole twinzer thing. Acted as if he had stumbled across something different with a certain placement. I listened briefly, we had a few words. He seemed as all was well. Looking back I wish I hadn’t scurried off. He liked to chat about boards. See ya on the other side Ben and we’ll have that chat. RIP brother.
You’ll be missed Ben, you’ve left a good legacy which is all anyone can ask for on this plane, good luck on the next, have fun and save me a spot in the line up.