Jack O’Neill’s paddle out promises to be a very big one. Photo: Dan Coyro/AP
When wetsuit pioneer Jack O’Neill died on June 2nd, it was a massive blow to surfers everywhere. He was, after all, the man who almost single-handedly made it possible for surfing to expand to all corners of the globe. He was 94 when he died, and he lived a life devoted to adventure. Nowhere else is mourning more than Santa Cruz, the place he called home since 1959.
His house at Pleasure Point has become a shrine for surfers to pay their respects to the legend. Flowers, notes, and pictures adorn the property, and a paddle out is planned for Sunday, July 9th, in Santa Cruz.
O’Neill’s house has become a memorial for surfers everywhere. Photo: Calvin Men/KAZU
“The family of Jack O’Neill, O’Neill Wetsuits and O’Neill Surf Shop would like to extend a heartfelt ‘Thank You’, to all who have reached out with thoughts, prayers, sympathy, remembrances, stories, and pictures since the passing of legendary waterman Jack O’Neill on Friday, June 2, 2017,” the family said in a statement. “In response, we would like to invite everyone to join in a paddle out and day-long celebration of Jack’s life and adventures at Jack’s favorite beach, Pleasure Point, in Santa Cruz County,” the O’Neills said. The paddle out will be held on Sunday, July 9, 2017 starting at 11 a.m.”
Those wanting to make a memorial contribution in Jack’s honor are encouraged to send them to the O’Neill Sea Odyssey, a program founded by O’Neill in 1996 to teach children about “the marine habitat and the importance of the relationship between the living sea and the environment.”
