Jack O’Neill will be remembered as a legend in surf history for pioneering the invention of a wetsuit specifically created for surfing. His willingness to research, develop, and evolve the design opened doors to vast stretches of ocean, and expanded the surfing population’s understanding of what was surfable. From the San Francisco Bay Area where O’Neill started out, to the central Californian coast, to cold water locations in Canda, Alaska, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Arctic, a new frontier opened up thanks to his work.
What seems like an easy and cliche experience today is only possible because of the momentum O’Neill helped build. Just this morning I put on an O’Neill wetsuit and rode a bike from a friend’s house to surf Pleasure Point. On the way I passed O’Neill’s former home. It was still peppered with flowers, cards, hats, flags, beads, and a variety of other creative tributes. The view from his iconic perch was expansive and awe inspiring. It was hard not to imagine him still in there, watching over the ocean.
Along with the launch of a massively successful business, O’Neill made efforts to educate people about marine life. In 1996 he founded O’Neill Sea Odyssey to create “a hands-on educational experience to encourage the protection and preservation of our living sea and communities.” The organization allows students to board a 65-foot catamaran and learn while sailing in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The Team O’Neill catamaran loaded with kids is a common sight from the surf in Santa Cruz.
In commemoration of Jack O’Neill’s life a local memorial paddle out has been organized. As it states on the O’Neill website, “The family of Jack O’Neill, O’Neill 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. 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 on Sunday July 9, 2017 starting at 11 a.m.”
Along with the local event, there are also many paddle outs planned for different locations across the globe. People in France, Holland, Belgium, UK, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and other parts of the world will be joining in the celebration of O’Neill’s life out in the water.
sources and links:
photo by Jake S.