The 87-year-old was living in a Chevy Tahoe and trailer with his wife Mary and their special needs daughter. What are the odds that Pat Curren's passing happened on the same day the Eddie went? General. Filmmaker Bruce Brown later recalled their conversation. We thought it was maybe 12 feet. It was a three-bedroom, fully furnished place for $65 a month across from Ke Iki Road, . Top-10 most influential, surely. al. 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. When I learned of this, I instantly called some friends in the SoCal area to try to find him some space. Pat Curren Surfing Edited By Abby Brown Pat Curren Surfing Edited By Abby Brown AboutPressCopyrightContact usCreatorsAdvertiseDevelopersTermsPrivacyPolicy & SafetyHow YouTube worksTest. Finally, he just fell out of the chair with blood poisoning. A few years back, historian Matt Warshaw wrote, The camera loves Pat in a way that it loves few others in the sport, and he was good enough to occasionally play along with the filmmakers. How Do John Florence And Gabe Medina Both Lose At Full-Throttle Sunset? Pat Curren was one of surfing's most revered and mysterious figures. That was pretty standard in the industry. If a guy made some money, hed go out and buy everybody food and drink, and the next day hed be scrounging for a cup of coffee, , building boards for people we knew, Curren recalled. The meat, surprisingly, is beef-like due to the dolphin being a warm-blooded mammal and is delicious sauted in butter report fans, a method unavailable to the shark but perfect for humans seeking a delicious, protein-and-mercury rich treat. Like many surfers of that era, Curren had a style all his own. Couldnt believe how crowded it was. Today, August 9th, Pat turns 88 years old. Just tore the insides out of it. Lets check out some of them. Tanner Gudauskas and a fundamental Australian artifact. Muere Pat Curren El shaper, pionero del surf de olas grandes en el North Shore de Hawi y padre del tricampen del mundo de surf, Tom Curren, ha muerto a los 90 aos. He was 90. Pat Curren, legendary shaper and big wave pioneer, has died. They slept on the beach when all else failed, and occasionally got to rent an actual building. Pat Curren shaped surfboards and dove for abalone. Price, logistics, and more. Decades before the term "collab" started showing up in marketing meetings, legendary big wave surfer and shaper Pat Curren made boards for Yater Surfboards. His departure on the 22nd of January 2023, has added to a streak of disappointing losses within the field. Together in Mourning the Unfortunate Demise of Brazilian Legend. A lot of big-wave riders disagree on a lot of things, but I dont think any of them would disagree about this: to be good Waimea, it has to have more than size. By then the other guys had come in too. 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. I remember that we would drive by Waimea Bay. Two years later, in 1961, Pat had an amazing way of connecting with people, Jeanine continued. , stop, and look at the wave breaking off the point. Jenkins, 1995, p. 83. Curren peaked in his career around the 60s, embarking on his discovery-filled journey. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. 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. Brazillian surfer, Marcio Freire died doing what he loved. Greg Noll is most often given credit for being the first one to ride Waimea after Dickie Cross died there and Woody Brown nearly ate it there. If you get the biggest wave out there, youve won the day. Revered because of his talent. Although Gordon stated that on the night in question he revising for an exam he had failed, while the rest of his comrades were out dancing, he was . They gave you a chance at survival., Pat was putting rocker in his boards, which really set him apart, Fred Van Dyke, , was in that one strip of Masonite that recorded the rail curve of his rhino guns. Van Dyke, 1989, p. 33. Jenkins, 1995, p. 78. La Jolla, . Muoz mumbled, It didnt look too big anyway., Too peaky, no wall, said Curren. Curren was born (1964) in Newport Beach, California, the son of pioneering big-wave surfer and boardmaker Pat Curren, and raised in Santa Barbara. In a truly inspired moment, Curren created a surfers palace that came to be known as Meade Hall, . I must have mistaken her, I thought. In 1957, he paddled out at Waimea on a big day along with a group of other surfers. Pat disappeared in a cloud of fumes, headed toward Sunset, continued Van Dyke. He also works with philanthropic organizations such as the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center and the Positive Vibe Warriors Foundation. 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. Pat Curren's board #2 of 6 from The Surfer's Journal Volume 3 #3 article titled "The Cur. nd a three-board quiver from PANDA surfboards. A collection of technical articles and blogs published or curated by Google Cloud Developer Advocates. And now here I was, standing with Pat Curren, Tom's 18-year-old son, trying figure out how to get his dad out of the house and to the surf photo shoot at Uluwatu that he was an hour late for. The surf also comes up very fast, and when it does, the shore break is enormous. Subscriptions 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. 70 years and hardly a penny to show for it. From the fall of 1957 through the spring of 1962the first five seasons of Waimea Bays (post-World War II) historynobody rode the Bay bigger, better or with more calculated precision than Pat Curren. We run until the last man in surfing and a Surfival Champion is crowned. 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!. 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. And thats a big reason why he was so great., Im not sure anyone really knew Pat, Fred Van Dyke, ; theyd be so impressed and nervous, they could hardly speak to him. Known for being magnetic but near mute at times, Pat built a reputation for his quirky sense of humor and often mystifying personality. Does anybody teach anybody? Then I stopped, turned around and looked across the lot. I dont think anybody made a wave., . If people think thats not being successful in life, I have to disagree., , in that setting, is completely consistent with that attitude., I always saw him as sort of a Hemingway character, , so to speak, and I envy that sort of freedom, . Jenkins, 1995, p. 77. 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. To this day, Ive never seen anybody get bigger, cleaner waves or ride them so well. -- Peter Cole. Curren didnt really care about training, . Pat married Ellen Curren. The . He was famously patient, surfing far fewer waves at Waimea than many of his counterparts, but surfing waves that counted. He invariably got the one that everybody remembered, said Warshaw. He was hailed as a pioneer of the sport and has greatly contributed to its development in the country. A lot of California guys sort of brawled their way into acceptance in Hawaii, but Pat never had to do that. SURFERs Newsletter to receive stories like this straight to your inbox. Fred Van Dyke quoted. A former editor at Surfer Magazine, The Surfers Journal and ESPN, today he writes for a number of publications, including Picket Fence Media, Surfline and the World Surf League. Most days, weather and health permitting, he works on a template outside their small trailer, in the open air. Or a more impenetrable one. Sam George quoting Pat Curren. Without question one of the "Star of the Show" boards! The last I remember was seeing Pat ahead of me on the way out of a gigantic curl, while I was completely inside of the curl knowing that I didnt have a chance. And Pat had that over all of us. He is the father of Tom and Joe Curren and grand father to a bunch of charging grandchildren such as Lee Ann Curren. Fred has this opening up of Waimea in October of 1957. He has kept his life simple, focusing on the things that count. But time, as is generally the case, wore on for Pat. Pat Curren was born (1932) in Carlsbad, California, the son of a surveyor, and grew up in San Diego's Mission Beach. Pat Curren , one of surfings most enigmatic characters has passed away. It was about going for the biggest wave and hoping you didnt get killed. Heres What You Need, Six Exercises to Improve Your Surfing Today. News just in that the Californian shaper Pat Curren, a big-wave pioneer on the North Shore, and daddy to three-time world champ Tom, has died after a long illness. As a La Jolla youngster, Curren didn't start surfing until the age of 18, in 1950. The pride Pat has taken in his work which bears his name is evident to even those far outside the surf world. . Almost unbelievable. There it was a Curren gun, a full-on 114 rhino chaser with 5 feet of knife-edged low rail in the tail, a 1-inch redwood stringer that formed a 3-inch-wide diamond at the midpoint, with a very narrow, extreme plan shape and pronounced belly in the nose. Muirhead, 1962, p. 119. Born in 1932 in Carlsbad, California, Curren grew up mostly in the Mission Beach area of San Diego. He was a surfers surfer; a man who, for better or worse, lived his life the way he saw fit. In 1981, according to EOS, Pat Curren left the family and moved to Costa Rica. 0 coins. Pat Curren first visited Hawaii in 1955, and two years later was among the first group of surfers to ride Waimea Bay; the slim regularfooter wiped out on nearly all his rides, as did the rest of the half-dozen surfers out that day, largely because their surfboards were unsuited to the conditions. He didnt care about the act itself, called it overrated, no big deal, but, being a history teacher, it bothered him to hear the inaccurate versions go into the books. Advertise with us. According to Matt Warshaws Encyclopedia of Surfing, Curren was the most patient of the big-wave surfers, and would often sit quietly for two hours or longer waiting for the right wave. Jake Howard is a local surfer and freelance writer who lives in San Clemente. When we first surfed Waimea, Noll continued, we werent conscious of making history, other than on the level of that particular time. Sign Up, Sean Doherty on why a widely protested and formerly canceled oil exploration plan in Australia. Pat Curren was born (1932) in Carlsbad, California, the son of a surveyor, and grew up in San Diego's Mission Beach. Pat Curren's surfing roots were in La Jolla, where he began stand-up surfing in 1950, at the age of 18. Fred Van Dyke quoted. The first year, a handyman from Colorado won a thousand bucks (world champ CJ Hobgood placed second). Van Dyke, 1989, pp. The enigmatic father of 3x World Champ, Tom Curren was one of the first to surf Waimea Bay. The thing looked scary just sitting on the floor. Pat's surfing experience speaks for itself. The quiet stoicism and knack for putting themselves on the biggest, best waves of the day are hallmarks of both surfers. Pat Curren (1932-) will move on. After a series of unfortunate incidents in the surfing domain, another legendary surfer passes away. Picket Fence Media is a proud member of the SoCal Media Network. 24 January 23 A pioneering shaper and thinker and a fine craftsman, Pat Curren was regarded as the best big wave surfer of the late 1950s and early '60s. But not just any leather jacket this particular jacket belonged to Steve McQueen and was given to East Coast Surfing Champion Gary Propper. We could buy 1,000 board feet of balsa from, , but Cheney stayed back on the beach. He and Peter Cole, Some said Pat made a science of Waimea, that he was the ultimate craftsman, Nevertheless, all those who rode with him in those days remember Pat Curren as a quiet, brooding presence, . There may be a tendency to think someone else is sure to help out, so I dont need to. Never had a media following. Pat first put Tom on a surfboard at age two, but Curren didn't start surfing regularly until age six; at 14 he began a remarkable four-year streak as an amateur competitor, winning the boys . Before that decade was up, though, Curren would also hone his talents as a big wave rider. 78-79. He also began to take an interest in giving shape to the surfboard. Theres less than one week to sign-up for The Surfival League. His son is 3-times ASP World Surf Champion Tom Curren & Joe Curren is also a notable surfer. Toms the same. 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. Hes away from the takers, the people who want to grab onto your surfing shirttails and make a fast buck. (@surfival_league). rowjimmytour Tom Curren status. Theyd just fall apart. In the late 1950s and well into the 60s, Curren was thought of by most as the best big-wave rider there was. Although Pat Curren prefers to live his life well off the beaten path, existing in a virtual self-imposed exile, his impact on the sport still resonates today. Ricky Grigg quoted. Repost from @nobody_surf . Get new customers and drive traffic to your business. Point waves become impossible to make after the waves moved into deeper water, recalled Van Dyke. Supernaturally talented pro surfer from Cocoa Beach, Florida; a record-breaking eleven-time world champion (1992, 1994-98, 2005-2006, 2008, 2010-2011 ) who reinvented virtually every aspect of high-performance surfing. The views . Pat had 3 siblings: Margaret Curren and 2 other siblings. 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. His father, Pat Curren, pioneered big-wave surfing in Hawaii. 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. A year later, the newlyweds found themselves back in California, where Pat worked as a diver and a surfboard shaper. With Jeff Clark, Pat Curren, Darrick Doerner, Sarah Gerhardt. Fred Van Dyke quoted. Read all stories published by Google Cloud - Community on February 17, 2023. Comments are a Stab Premium feature. , 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. At 18, two years after dropping out of high school, he moved to La Jolla and began surfing; he later became an original member of the La Jolla-based Windansea Surf Club, the loudest and rowdiest group of its kind in the nation. 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. We got a big surprise when we got out there. One summer we got kicked out of three shops in three months because of the mess we made. That day we stopped and got out of our cars. A little bit of wind coming out of the valley, pushing the waves back, holding them up a bit.. Pat Curren was one of the first of the Californian surfers to charge the north shore of Hawaii, and conquer Waimea Bay for the first time. It has to have a certain look and feel. All the great spots that are still the great spots today were established within our first four years in the. Van Dyke, 1989, pp. , Nelson Surfboards. The guys that put no money down on their boards got theirs first. Tom, of course, would collect three world titles, and Joe is an acclaimed photographer. 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. Big wave trailblazer, Pat Curren died at the age of 90. I was not aware of the power of the soup, as I got air right after the impact of the soup which saved me from having a bad wipe-out., is a small bay surrounded by low rocky cliffs. The enthusiasm with which she addressed the work far surpassed what I would call the usual intrigue of a passerby. I actually began to walk back to the van as I reheard what she had said in my head. Jeanine Curren Bloom. It wasnt always glitter and gold, though. And, of course, son Tom influenced pretty much every aspiring surfer in the 80s and 90s. He was in a class of his own back then, the first guy to ride Waimea, . The elder Curren started surfing in California in 1950, at the age of eighteen. We were the first [of our group] in the water. Definitely not made for big waves. Revered because of his talent. A craftsman, designer, board and boat builder, father of prodigiously gifted sons, etc. Photo: Courtesy of SHACC. He along with a few other surfers of his time, anchored in the prominence of big-wave surfing from scratch. Jenkins, 1995, pp. A late, over-budget project delivered with zest and candor. , the waves have to break fifteen to eighteen feet before they start triggering on the reefs. Jenkins, 1995, p. 78. In 1988, he relocated to the southern tip of Baja, near San Jose del Cabo. The big guns surfer was 47. The fans hold nothing but love for the iconic athlete. His wife, Bev, Im going to paddle out and just look at it, said Greg. Pat Curren was one of surfings most revered and mysterious figures. Fue uno de los pioneros del surfing de olas grandes pero tambin del shaping de tablas de olas grandes. Last year, a butcher from Bondi won three-gees and a three-board quiver from PANDA surfboards. The waves in the Bay are almost flat for about 90% of the year. Both Tom and Joe would grow up to be surfers, one a world champion. In 1964, Tom Curren was born. An 87-year-old Pat Curren stepped from the car, and we shook hands. Fred Van Dyke quoted. 27 years after first exploring Alaska's coast, Josh Mulcoy returns to find a Watch the fourth and final episode of Torren Martyn's "Lost Track: Atla Recapping a historic day of competitive surfing, The epic biopic about the 2019 World Champ and Olympic gold medalist is finally here, Nic von Rupp and Nate Behl score all-time Ments, These 14 contestants are vying for $100K and a spot on the 2022 WSL Championship Tour, Egg Guru Devon Howard provides guidance on ordering a 7-foot-plus surfcraft, Money cant buy happiness, but it can buy cool shit.