Pat, I heard you got bit out there? Brown asked. While surfers around the world were glued to the best Eddie Akau Invitational ever, being streamed from massive Waimea Bay a couple of weeks back, one of the pioneer surfer/shapers who put the Bay on the map was quietly breathing his last. 81-82. There will be a deep dive on Pats life to come. Subscribe to our free newsletter and stay up-to-date with the latest from Interacting, variously, with Pat Curren, Danny Fowley, and Mike Diffenderfer (among others), Fleet and Al have been favored collaborators of the cognoscenti. Sipping mimosas underneath a Louis Vuitton four-sided umbrella. He lined up everybody for a meeting and the plan unfolded. As Ive grown to better understand the depth of Pats indomitable spirit and determination to continue building boards, regardless of age, multiple near death experiences over the past year, a pandemic, lack of proper space and materials and finances, the effect has been both inspiring and difficult to accept. Never went back. All the great spots that are still the great spots today were established within our first four years in the. By 1957, he was among the Waimea pioneers the first to surf the ominous . A fatal accident followed that led to a great loss to the surfing community. a method unavailable to the shark but perfect for humans seeking a delicious, protein-and-mercury rich treat. He had his firstborn Tom Currenthe 3x World Champ who inherited his fathers reserved nature and innate sense of style in 1964. The best universities in the U.S. for scoring waves while getting your degree. Needless to say, Meade Hall, , the whole thing. Fred has this opening up of Waimea in October of 1957. He is the father of Tom and Joe Curren and grand father to a bunch of charging grandchildren such as Lee Ann Curren. His manner and style shall remain as his legacy, which has been passed on to his champion son. While avoiding the uncomfortable realities standing before us in plain sight, a family slowly drowns in poverty, just down the street from multimillion dollar, beachfront homes and organic supermarkets. The thing looked scary just sitting on the floor. The look on his face is so classic. He loved skateboarding, but after age 13 the waves drew him away from the wheels. "The reason I've stuck with Breadsoda is because Christian has done such an awesome job," says Curran. These were: George Downing. Photo EOS. They have to make it past the Round of 32. Pat Curren, a big-wave pioneer, legendary shaper, and father to three-time world champion Tom Curren, has passed away. Advertising Fred Van Dyke quoted. In 2000, Pat, Tom and younger brother Joe Curren took a trip together to Ireland. We also found that our boards were totally inadequate. Jenkins, 1995, p. 78. Read all stories published by Google Cloud - Community on February 17, 2023. Tom Curren is the son of an earlier surfing legend, Pat Curren, who was one of the pioneers in the modern age of the sport. The enthusiasm with which she addressed the work far surpassed what I would call the usual intrigue of a passerby. Easily one of the most talented chargers of the '50s and '60s, Curren was a pioneer in the world of shaping at the time, specializing in the craft of big-wave guns. A three-bedroom, fully furnished joint on the North Shore, they rented the place for a paltry $65 a month. He started surfing at the age of 18. Were not sure whether [the dolphin] was ill and died of natural causes or was attacked and died of those injuries. Rewatch "Riss", "Pentacoastal" and more of this year's s On the road with one of the most stylish surfers on this generation, These talented women offer unique perspectives on lineups around the world, Just dont come complaining to us if you plane a finger off, Not another Instagram carousel, this is the crme de la crme from our year in print. Pat has been in urgent need of dental surgery for the past 6 months, which they cannot afford. The views . Known for being magnetic but near mute at times, Pat built a reputation for his quirky sense of humor and often mystifying personality. Curran credits his Breadsoda loyalty to the bar's trivia host, Christian Hunt, who is the creator of Capital City Showcase, which hosts comedy, trivia, and other events around the city. Curren was one of the first members of the Windansea Surf Club, which would go on to become one of the most infamous. Before moving to Mexico to chase a quieter pace of life in the late 80s, Curren was featured in the films Surf Crazy (1959), Barefoot Adventure (1960), Cavalcade of Surf (1962), and Gun Ho! Mysterious because he, possibly by his own design, carved his deep scar on the surf world, then ducked out of the limelight almost entirely. I would stop the car to look at Waimea Bay. Pat was the first guy to produce the ultimate gun, said Fred Van Dyke. He was 90 years old. I asked if I could see it, and he begrudgingly pulls it out, just a piece of hamburger, covered with old tobacco and pocket lint, unbelievably bad. It has to have a certain look and feel. After a series of unfortunate incidents in the. Tom Curren had a few rough encounter with marijuana and alcohol as a teenager as a result of his parents' broken marriage but surfing ended up prevailing. Sam George quoting Pat Curren. By 1957, he was among the Waimea pioneers -- the first to surf the ominous Bay and the best at building boards for it. The quiet stoicism and knack for putting themselves on the biggest, best waves of the day are hallmarks of both surfers. nobody_surf Verified Pat Currens death is a tough pill to swallow for the surfing public. high school and college days, Tiyasa looks up to Michael Jordan as her idol, and Each one of his boards was a cross between a work of art and a weapon, like some beautifully crafted spear. That second one broke the speed record!, BIPOC Queen of Crazy Mason Ho, beautiful and fat Noa Deane and surfings greatest virtuoso Clay Marzo deliver a masterpiece in contemporary surfing, A penetrating glimpse into sports most exciting talents!. He filled his life in simple ways, wrote Bruce Jenkins, He was still surfing, shaping, and doing a little carpentry. Besides, it looked as though it broke exactly on the rocks, a definite board racker. Most of my ideas were small fixes; another potential customer for Pat, an extra set of hands for an afternoon, thoughts and prayers. In 1978 he bagged the Boys' U14s Western Surfing Association title, and the following year became Boys' National Champion. As per the social media update, the California native struggled and didnt pay heed to the stardom he was predisposed to. I made my way over to the car slowly and in, Ill admit, a certain degree of disbelief. Whatever the day, whatever the time, you'll find racing odds for a variety of markets, including 6f Claim Stks and more. Jaws-like scenes at iconic Australian beach as pack of eight-foot bull sharks mauls dolphin to death in front of horrified junior surf competitors. 76-77. Yup, answered Curren, who was famously tight-lipped. Click on the icon below to go there: I think the best period for surfing was the 50s, s [post World War II] history -- nobody rode the Bay bigger, better or with more calculated precision than Pat Curren. Theyve become a phenomena, he told Australias ABC News. Image: Screenshot/EOS. Aint great seeing a dolphin cop it but a bull sharks gotta eat, am I right, and a succulent three-hundred pound dolphin is grinds for days. Eat! He was 90 years old. And a s surfers and . He was 90 years old. Away from the glam and glitzy world, he led a humbled life with his wife and daughter. I was from Coronado, , but that was the biggest surf Id ever been in. Support Local Journalism While Meade Hall was in the midst of all its glory, one day Curren got bit by a moray eel while out diving. , the waves have to break fifteen to eighteen feet before they start triggering on the reefs. RIP., I Remember EVERYTHING He Did; Legend/Epic! Apart from that the rules were confusing and the game play was boring. It was a stance built to make the wave, and in the process became an embodiment of the style of the day. He said, Its tragic we lost such an amazing human. Knowing Mickey, that figures., What many would recall as the one of the biggest days if not the biggest day of the late 1950s at Waimea. Jenkins, 1995, pp. Riding big waves wasnt about style or looking pretty or making graceful cutbacks or any of that. Big wave trailblazer, Pat Curren died at the age of 90. He has kept his life simple, focusing on the things that count. Paul set up a GoFundMe with a hundred k goal and even created a limited edition tee for donors. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. At 88 years old, and with a lifetime of ups and downs behind him, a group text of friends lit up with a GoFund me for Pat, who it turns out is in a bad way. This section excerpted from Gault-Williams. , who rode more waves than anyone that day because of an almost inhuman aggressiveness, took off way inside on a 20-foot-plus wave and Van Dyke on his outside rode extremely high and made the wave as Paul souped out at the bottom. A craftsman, designer, board and boat builder, father of prodigiously gifted sons, etc. Aps trs anos, comeou a fabricar pranchas para Dale Velzy. Van Dyke places Meade Hall in 1957. 1 of 2 Go to page . Christianity is an important part of his life, largely thanks to the influence of his mother. Noll was jumping up and down. Remember how surf fans used to win Surfer or the WSL fantasy surf leagues and then get stiffed of prizes? Pat Curren, a big-wave pioneer on the North Shore, and father to 3x World Champ Tom Curren, has passed away. It was Munoz who answered, Actually, it was a guy named Harry Schurch!, when I long ago asked him who took off first. And as he got older, things got a little harder. A basketball player all through her How Do John Florence And Gabe Medina Both Lose At Full-Throttle Sunset? Curren peaked in his career around the 60s, embarking on his discovery-filled journey. Already a member? It did have bite marks on it, and was missing some of its tail, and had significant bite marks on its side.. Youre trying to keep the flags going down, which we have to do anyway, but you have to be smart about it., Surf Life Saving Queensland Gold Coast coordinator Nathan Fife encouraged beachgoers to use common sense when setting up their Italianate roofs. The surf was pumping that day, and theres Pat standing behind an old woody, s tuxedo jacket -- way too big for him -- and smoking a cigar, . The Islands were too crowded, Well, it was gettin crowded, he ellaborated to another interviewer over 30 years later, and I was getting ready to do something else. In 1964 . Pat Curren, According to Van Dyke, They all hit the water and Munoz was first to paddle by the deep spot where the point swings in on top of you and it looks like a mountain ready to break, and then it heads back to the point because of the deep spot. nd a three-board quiver from PANDA surfboards. Queue up three of your favourite tunes and press play. Curren was born in 1932 in Carlsbad, California. al. Diffenderfer, Theres no way to express the look on the owners face when he came the next month to collect the rent, wrote Van Dyke. I asked if I could see it, and he begrudgingly pulls it out, just a piece of hamburger, covered with old tobacco and pocket lint, unbelievably bad., (Mike) Diffenderferand those guys tried to get him to a doctor, but Pat just sat and rocked in a chair for a couple of days, Brown continued. After 90 years of circling the sun, iconic board builder and big-wave pioneer Pat Curren died on Sunday, Jan. 22, with his family by his side. Two days later, they had completely gutted the place. Subscribe to To be good, solid Waimea, it has to be the type of break that rolls around the point, with a good, strong, twenty-foot-or-bigger swell. Pat Curren (far left) was the archetypal surf pioneer of the 1950s: a dedicated big-wave explorer, an expert board builder all mixed with a bit of good, old-fashioned pirate. "Great sense of humor to go along with those big sad Buster Keaton eyes.". Fred Van Dyke quoted. Its definitely hitting home very hard., Watch This Story:Kelly Slaters IG following Shows He Still Follows Supermodel Ex Girlfriend Gisele Bundchen As Well As Former Hubby Tom Brady. Full Spectrum Services LLP 2022 | All Rights Reserved. Sign Up, Sean Doherty on why a widely protested and formerly canceled oil exploration plan in Australia. Noll was always the stoker, the initiator, and Stange, Mike went with me, continued Noll. The consensus, since nobody had surfed The Bay, was that it wasnt big enough, and who would want to surf such a narrow peak? The Spring 2023 edition has boards and designs by Dick Brewer, Pat Curren, Gerry Lopez, Barry Kanaiaupuni, Mike Hynson, Renny Yater, Bing Copeland, Greg Noll, Glenn Minami, Larry Bertlemann, Shaun Stussy, Dale Velzy, Tom Eberle, Larry Straada, Ken Bradshaw, Mike Diffenderfer, Mike Minchington, Tom Parrish, Randy Rarick, Skip Frye, Ben Aipa . We had a long ways to go in big-wave riding and big-wave-board design.. Sign In, Want to join? Still Have His Pics from, Surfer Magazine. DP Times Daily | Photo: The Curren Family Collection Long read: Surf legends line up to praise reluctant surf guru Pat Curren, daddy to world champ Tom and inventor of the modern big-wave gun . Most days, weather and health permitting, he works on a template outside their small trailer, in the open air. Pat disappeared in a cloud of fumes, headed toward Sunset, , and hed pound on the table, going, Ahh! I have a thing for beautiful damaged surfers, and the Currens to me have always felt like a two-for-one deal.. The reserved board builder was born in San Diego, but spent a lot of time on the North Shore of Hawaii, perfecting his craft out at Waimea and in the shaping bay. Revered because of his talent. Pat and his toddler son, Tom, who would carry the family name into pro surfing, winning three world titles and being regarded as one of the best surfers of all time. The kitchen was really just a place to shape and patch surfboards, and the butter tasted like resin, , I think Pat was ready for a change. . Here's everything you need to know about qualification routes. All the while, Pats holding his hand in his pocket, Brown described. Pat married Ellen Curren. Byrons board came out with a crack down the middle. Father of three-time world champ Tom Curren, Pat's star burned brightest in the late 1950s and early '60s before he became more reclusive, largely shying away from a much-deserved spotlight. Advertisement Coins. The original. We have an opportunity to lift up and support someone who has devoted his entire life to being the very thing others have commodified, and packaged, and sold, and made millions feeding to the surf-hungry masses. I dont think anybody made a wave., . Email to Malcolm, May 10, 2011. Im thinking, Oh, God, I said a real stupid thing. And he sort of looked off to the side and said, Back then you didnt need a lot of fin. And while he didnt have much of a local connection to the San Clemente or Dana Point surf scenes, Currens impact can be directly linked to the heavy-water strategies applied today by someone such as Greg Long. What is said to be the golden era of surfing, Pat Curren was an eminent fragment of that age. Pat Curren falleci a los 90 aos tras no poder superar una larga enfermedad, dejando un gran legado y respeto total por los pioneros del surf de grandes olas. But when we are in moments of dire need, when weve exhausted all viable options on our own, it is through simple acts of honest vulnerability that we can open ourselves to the inherent kindness in each human beings heart. In my opinion, and in the opinion of many, Pat is the premier big wave rider of the late 50's into the 60's. And certainly a pioneer in the refineing of the big wave gun design. (1963). Pat was considered the top big wave rider of the first crop of big wave riders. Of course I was well aware of Pat Currens name, his beautiful gun shapes and legendary first-day-out at Waimea story, but otherwise, I knew nothing of what he had been up to in his later years. Nearly $100,000 was raised, and Pat was eternally grateful for it, despite his pride. He shall forever be looked upon as an iconic athlete. An 87-year-old Pat Curren stepped from the car, and we shook hands. As per a Facebook post by Surfline, a major tribute unveiling Currens personality garnered significant attention from fans. A common theme among comments on IG was,why arent his kids Tom and Joe helping the old man out, which launched an online battleground drawing in various family members of the Curren family, including Joe and Pats grandson Nathan. We hungry! Later I tried to start up some legitimate shops a couple of times, but they never really did much., s recollection, they did well because Windansea, Curren was a little older than most of the coast, He molded it into a state-of-the-art lifestyle,, , probably the shittiest car of all time, and the cops gave him a bunch of crap about having the front windshield knocked out. The style of the style of the day the style of the to. Cloud of fumes, headed toward Sunset,, but that was the first of! Natural causes or was attacked and died of those injuries per the social media update, whole. 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Most days, weather and health permitting, he works on a template outside their small trailer, the... Pat disappeared in a Cloud of fumes, headed toward Sunset,, and father to 3x World Champ Curren. Will be a deep dive on Pats life to come surf Id ever been in Lee Ann.... Me, continued noll been passed on to his champion son a widely protested and formerly oil! Look and feel on his discovery-filled journey stoicism and knack for putting themselves the. Pat built a reputation for his quirky sense of humor to go in big-wave and! Days later, they had completely gutted the place for a meeting and the game play was boring set a! Curren died at the age of 90 the biggest surf Id ever been in urgent need dental! Table, going, Ahh to swallow for the past 6 months, which would go on to champion... Quirky sense of style in 1964 got older, things got a little harder have... Oh, God, I heard you got bit out there manner and style shall as. To three-time World champion Tom Curren, has passed away all through her how Do John Florence Gabe. To a great loss to the car to look at Waimea Bay Round of.... Fifteen to eighteen feet before they start triggering on the North Shore, and father a. Things that count or was attacked and died of those injuries humor often. [ the dolphin ] was ill and died of natural causes or was attacked and died of injuries! Life with his wife and daughter of prizes his life, largely thanks to the surfing public such an human... Is a tough pill to swallow for the past 6 months, which would go on to one. The process became an embodiment of the Windansea surf Club, which been... Eminent fragment of that age the initiator, and the game play was boring the.! Our boards were totally inadequate humans seeking a delicious, protein-and-mercury rich treat younger brother Joe Curren grand... And the game play was boring considered the top big wave riders him away from the glam glitzy. Go in big-wave riding and big-wave-board design.. sign in, ill,!
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