“I’m into the ocean, I’ve always believed in its healing powers. It has proved therapeutic for people with physical and mental disabilities, for veterans returning from war, for everyone.” – Jack O’Neill
I owe a huge thanks to Jack O’Neill for setting in motion the evolution of cold water surfing. As a pioneer in the development of wetsuit design, he helped those of us who grew up near cold water locations experience the ocean in a new light. Due to his inventiveness vast swaths of aquatic terrain that were previously off limits became temples of exploration and obsession.
In the 1980s, when my friends and I mustered rides from willing moms, we would don rudimentary neoprene suits, and venture out into the icy surf in Northern California. While we also pored through magazines and eventually videos for a look at tropical locations, our only real experience in the water was made possible by O’Neill and the cavalcade of other brands that followed.
Although he was primarily known for pioneering a surf-specific wetsuit design in the middle of the twentieth century, O’Neill was much more than an inventor and surfer. He cared deeply about the ocean and sought to educate people about it. He founded the award winning O’Neill Sea Odyssey project in 1996 to teach kids about marine and watershed ecology. As it states on their website, “O’Neill Sea Odyssey provides a hands-on educational experience to encourage the protection and preservation of our living sea and communities.”
Regardless of how you measure his accomplishments and accolades, there is no question he will stand-out in history as a true legend and innovator within the sport. There will always be a benevolent iconic bearded man with an eyepatch, perched on the cliffs of Northern California, staring out like a captain, watching over the sea.
sources and links:
Bodley, Bruce Jenkins and Michael. “Jack O’Neill, Surfing Innovator, Dies in Santa Cruz.” SFGate. N.p., 02 June 2017. Web. 03 June 2017.
TeamONeill. “O’Neill CWC 2012 – Jack’s Heritage.” YouTube. YouTube, 10 Oct. 2012. Web. 03 June 2017.