Surfing's Origins - Darrick Doerner
Part 1
I want to make a quick announcement about Addicted to Joy….it’s now FREE.
About a year ago I got a comment that said, “this movie should be free like surfing.” So, I give you all the gift of this movie. It’s given me so much, and I hope it brings you the same joy that it has brought me.
When I first met Darrick, it was very early on in the filming and I was left with the feeling that I had met a true waterman. Darrick grew up near the ocean, so let’s let him tell you:
Our relationship grew from that first interview. I never got the opportunity to meet Duke, Tom Blake, or George Downing who I feel were three of the greatest watermen who ever lived. I didn’t understand what the term meant until I met Derrick. Not only was he a big wave surfer, but also a lifeguard, and water safety expert. Derrick knows all too well how quickly a beautiful sunny day can quickly turn to tragedy. He taught me to never turn my back on the ocean for very good reason, and I’m forever grateful for the lesson.
Let’s take a look back and try to understand what it meant to be a waterman. You had to be physically fit, I mean really fit, because when you lost your board on a wipeout, you had to swim…yes, swim back to shore to get it. Even though Tom Blake invented the finn in 1935, it took until the mid 1960’s to invent the leash.
Before then, if you lost your board in the surf, it was time to swim. If you have ever tried swimming in 10ft surf, it’s a workout. If you look at the picture above, there was handle on the boards to keep from loosing them. Times have changed.
Born on March 8, 1957, in California, Doerner moved to Hawaii, where he became an influential figure in the surfing community. Darrick lives in Hawaii, and when we were filming on the North Shore, he invited me to stay at his home. I gratefully accepted. I had also planned on doing the water footage, and he quickly put me in my place telling me that I would most likely die if I tried…he was right. The photo below is the kind of surf we could possibly be working in, and I was in no shape to be out there. Thanks DD.
Darrick is best known for his fearless approach to big wave surfing. Along with Laird Hamilton (Bill Hamilton’s adopted son), he was one of the early surfers to ride the massive waves at Waimea Bay and the infamous Banzai Pipeline. Darrick related the story of the first big wave board to me one afternoon. Darrick and Laird were surfing the famed Jaws one afternoon, when he and Laird had an idea for a board that would work well in the giant waves. They took the problem to shaper extraordinaire Dick Brewer, and in one afternoon the three designed the first big wave boards. It’s amazing how quickly innovation came to surfing. Darrick is one of the pioneers in tow-in surfing using jet skis to tow surfers out to the big waves and rescue them when they need it. Darrick has saved countless lives since the beginning of tow in surfing. Here’s Darrick tearing it up.
DD has been such a guide to me, I’m gonna make this one two parts at least. Darrick has allowed me access to a world I never knew. His knowledge of the ocean and his friendship is beyond measure. I also got the chance to know his son Tiger and I’ll go into that relationship and experience next time. I hope you check out the film. DD has a big part, and it’s wonderful to hear it in his own words.
And remember, it’s free!
I’d like to thank you all for reading Wood Water Soul. We’d like to announce we have moved Addicted to Joy to a new streaming service, we have some very cool things planned for the future, (check out the shirts, and coffee cups, tote bags and water bottles )and we’re excited to share them with you. We will donate $1.00 of the sale of each shirt to SHACC Surfing Heritage and Culture Center.Please share this Blog with a fellow surfer, from or with a friend that needs so Joy in their lives. I invite you to watch, Aloha.