took this out of a book written about Jose Angel. Gerry Lopez explains paddling out to big second reef Pipeline when it was huge. he’d be out in the lineup and would see Jose paddling out from his house at Log Cabins. for those of you who surfs the north shore, you will know it is impossible to even make it past the shore break at log cabins, especially without a leash. Gerry goes on explaining how Jose would bodysurf over the falls on 20′ waves just laughing at them.
back in 1975, i will never forget the time we went to check out sunset beach after school. the waves were huge and closing out the channel. a tourist got sweep off the beach and got taken in the current way outside to the lineup. Jose said “wait here!” he jumped in his truck, went home to grab his surfboard, came back, paddled out, and saved the tourist. the helicopter came after and picked up the tourist, then asked Jose if he needed to get picked up too. Jose said “no thank you” and caught a wave in. i was only a young kid but already had a hero as my Step-father. i will never forget that day.
check out this video that was taken in the late 60’s early 70’s of Jose. back then, there were no sponsors and there were no contests. every body was surfing for the glory. no leashes and no high performance boards. it was pretty much man vs. ocean. watch Jose take off and do a backflip off a couple of waves at Waimea Bay. he was nuts!
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/44638686[/vimeo]
Gerry Lopez on Jose Angel
June 25, 2015 Hawaii Surf Report
OMG!
Good morning 6am.
South shore up!
Shoulder high at Ala Moana and perfect!
Diamond Head overhead and nice.
Trade winds at 15mph.
Super sunny and warm day. Lot’s of rainbows.
Going surfing.
Have a wonderful day!
Who is Jose Angel?
i was at pipeline the other day and seen this interesting sign right in the front of the walkway heading to the famous pipeline. seems like it’s been there for a while but i haven’t’ gotten a good look at it before.
walked up to take a closer look. it was a sign noting names of famous surfers that have died right there at pipeline, and also names of famous surfers that died on the north shore.
i was looking at the list of famous surfers that passed away. then i took a better look on the top of the list and noticed that someone had written by pen a name in. Jose Angel? who’s Jose Angel?
let me introduce you to Jose Angel. i can write a book about this wonderful surfer, waterman, teacher, diver, and father. a man that went missing after a diving accident back in 1975 and was never to be found. was known as the most fearless surfer and most respected waterman in the world. guys like Greg Noll and Eddie Aikau looked up too and had the upmost respect for Jose. the only surfer to do a backflip off a 40′ wave at waimea bay. the first surfer to get the cover shot on the very first issue of surfer magazine. Jose surfed big waves, wrestled turtles, killed sharks, saved many of lives, and most importantly, taught the next generation his waterman skills. now who is Jose Angel? Jose Angel was my step-father. like i said, i can write a book from my youth spending time on his boat, watching him hand line in fish, spearing ulna’s, watching him bring up 6′ branches of black coral, watching him roast lobsters on a bbq, watch him sitting as a principal of Haleiwa Elementary School, watching him save tourists at 20′ sunset beach, and the most memorable, remembering catching my first wave with him at haleiwa when i was only 7 years old. that was a very long ago but those memories will last forever in my mind. just looking at this photo of Jose pulled me back 40 years and made me feel i was right there again. i guess you can say that could have been a turning point in my life.
