Burra Jurra Surfing Programme

I have never commented on a site like this but I am clelpoed to do so here. I am a 54 year old surfer that lives in Irvine Ca. I started surfing in the 70 s. My heros were not football or baseball players they were Gerry Lopez, Rory Russel, BK, Jeff Hackmak, Rabbit, Shuan Tompson, etc. I taught my kids and all their friends to surf. We would go every weekend from the time they were little. Almost all vacations involved surfing. When I heard that Andy Irons had passed I was really hit by it. So why would a 50 year old out of shape has been really feel this loss? I know its cliche but the surf world is really so small. Which is why I am sharing this story I was in Kauai in the summer of 2004 or 2005 not sure exactly. I do know Andy Irons was the World Champ at the time. An unusual swell hit the north shore of Kauai in August and I happend to be at Pinetrees with my family. The surf was head high plus really good. Other than the surfers in the water we were pretty much the only people on the beach we were just going to surf for a while and hang out. My son was 11 or 12 at the time and spotted the board first with all the sponsorship stickers and then the signature black and white plad Billabong trunks running across the beach toward the water. It was Andy Irons running right by on his way to the water. (My son and I went out and bought those trunks the next day still have them.) My son was beyond stoked. He idolized Andy Irons, still does. He is 20 years old now and was in Kauai when Andy passed he called to tell me the news. He was devistated. The only thing I can really compare it to was how I felt when I heard John Lennon had died. Anyway back to the story My son got to paddel out that day and hang out in the water with his hero for a few hours even caught a few waves. He was so excited he stayed in the water until Andy got out. We got to sit on the beach by ourselves and watch Andy Irons put on a clinic. No big camera lenses around no crowds just Andy Irons and a bunch of other guys out in head high surf in the afternoon ripping it up with the Druary family sitting on the beach. It is one of my favorite life moments. Still have the photos we took that day. My son and daughter still talk about it. We surf at Trestles alot so seeing the pros out in the water is pretty common but us regular dudes don't end up in the water with guys like Andy Irons often. Some would think this is kind of silly but anyone who surfs knows how cool this was for me and my kids. Andy Irons never even knew we were there or that he had any impact on these folks from California that just happend to be lucky enough to be in a right spot at a right time. My guess is that there are a million stories out there just like mine people saying yea remember when we saw him or meet him etc. He will be greatly missed by the surfing community and I am sure by the people like you guys that were lucky enough to hang out with him. We got to for one afternoon. AlohaBob