Mavericks (location) - Death of Mark Foo

Death of Mark Foo

The next major event occurred on December 23, 1994. During a week of huge swells Mark Foo, Ken Bradshaw, Brock Little, Mike Parsons, and Evan Slater came on an overnight flight from Oahu, Hawaii's north shore to surf Maverick's. Such was a major event in the history of Maverick's – for reputable Hawaiian big-wave riders to travel to the U.S. mainland to sample the waves of this little-known big wave riding beach. However, the occasion is remembered for its deadly outcome. The popular and famed Hawaiian big-wave rider Mark Foo died while surfing Maverick's with the other Hawaiian visitors and local riders.

Foo's fatal ride occurred in late morning of the first day (December 23, 1994) of riding when (as revealed later on video film), on a late takeoff into an 18-foot (5.5 m) wave, Foo caught the edge of his surfboard on the surface and fell forward into a wipeout near the bottom of the wave. Foo may have been knocked unconscious by his surfboard in the thrashing whitewater of the 'wipe out,' been tangled in his 'leash,' (a cord that attaches to the board and extends to an ankle strap on the surfer's leg), the leash may have been caught in the rock under the surface of the water, or Foo may have gotten confused in the darkness underwater and failed to float or swim in the correct direction to the surface for air. After a short period of time, fellow surfers became aware that they hadn't seen Foo riding waves any more, and began urgently searching for him and his surfboard all around the Maverick's beach, nearby parking lots, and surfing water. A few hours later Foo's body was found washed toward the shore, floating just under the water surface with a piece of his surfboard still attached by the leash to his ankle. News of Foo's death traveled quickly to the far reaches of the surfing sport around the globe. Newspapers and watersports magazines covered the loss. Citizens of the Hawaiian Islands (Foo's home) and the surfing world mourned his death. The accident gave Maverick's deadly surf a new warranted but unwanted notoriety but also prompted the formation of the Maverick's Water Patrol by Frank Quirarte and Jeff Clark to protect big-wave surfers when they are performing in the dangerous winter surf.

In the surfing sport, Mark Foo's death has brought about a continuing discourse regarding the safe use on extreme waves of surfboard 'leashes.' Many in the surfing sport believe that Foo's surfboard leash may have caused or contributed to his death. The leash proponents defend the leash as a useful convenience and as insurance against losing the surfboard, a form of flotation device, in case of a wipe out, and the leash is a means for the fallen surfer to find one's way to the surface air by following the leash cord to the floating surfboard. Opponents argue that a leash can cause the surfrider to collide with his board in a wipe out, causing head injuries, and that the leash can also loop around arms, legs or the surfer's neck when underwater, and thus dangerously restrict movement to safety or strangle the surfer. Quick-release velcro tear-open-collared leashes have since become standard surfing equipment to address some of these dangers. The debates and concerns continue unresolved and these worthwhile discussions of water safety are, perhaps, the legacy of Foo's demise.