...you get an Orangeman in a grass skirt? No, you get George Freeth, often billed as the “first surfer in the United States”. Apparently, Georgie’s old man hailed from Ulster (one of the four Irish provinces having six of its nine counties now in Northern Ireland) and fell for a Wahine after he emigrated to Hawaii. The offspring of their loins turned out to be a rather interesting dude. As inscribed on a memorial statue at Redondo beach in California…

“George Freeth was born in Honolulu November 8, 1883 of Hawaiian and Irish ancestry. As a youngster he revived the lost Polynesian art of surfing while standing on a board. Henry E. Huntington was amazed at Freeth’s surfing and swimming abilities and induced George to come to Redondo beach in 1907 to help the building of “the largest, warm saltwater plunge in the world.”

George Freeth was advertised as “the man who can walk on water.” Thousands of people came here on the big red cars to watch this astounding feat. George would mount his big 8-foot long, solid wood , 200 hundred pound surf board far out in the surf. He would wait for a suitable wave, catch it, and to the amazement of all, ride onto the beach while standing upright.

George Freeth introduced the game of water polo to this coast. He trained many champion swimmers and divers. George was the “first official lifeguard” on the Pacific coast. He invented the torpedo shaped rescue buoy that is now used worldwide. On December 16, 1908 during a violent south bay storm, George rescued 6 Japanese fisherman from a capsized boat. For his valour he received “the United States Lifesaving Corps gold medal.”

George Freeth died April 7, 1919 at the early age of 35 years as the result of exhaustion from strenuous rescue work.”

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Posted by Beach Bum I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied; And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying, And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying. http://www.s-e-x-wax.com

Categories: Surfing