“I wish I could give you one last hug. I wish I could tell you again how much I love you and thank you for being the best dad…”
The surfing world is in shock, understandably, after the premature death of tuberiding maestro Mikala Jones, whose POV images from inside impossibly perfect caverns, have captivated surfers and photo editors for years.
His daughter Isabella Lokelani Jones paid tribute to her Dad in a moving post on Instagram.
“I’m in so much disbelief right now, this doesn’t feel real. I love you so much dad and i wish i could give you one last hug. I wish i could tell you again how much i love you and thank you for being the best dad. I wish you were still here with us, you weren’t supposed to leave yet. This is too soon. I know you are in a good place now with nana vi, and your friends. I wish this never happened and we could just wake up and go surf together tomorrow morning.
I’m not sure how to put this in words, but my dad got into a bad surfing accident and didn’t make it. Im happy he was doing what he loved the most. Life will never be the same without you. I miss you so much, i would do anything to get one more moment, even if it was us arguing and then laughing our asses off. Thank you for teaching me so many life lessons, and always being there for me. I wish you were still here with us right now. I will always be think about you dad ❤️ i love you so much, thank you for everything ❤️ fly high 🕊️ ur a fucking legend.”
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A roll call of surfing luminaries including Mark Healey, Kamalei Alexander, Taylor Steele, Tia Blanco, Griffin Colapinto, Shane Dorian, Laura Enever and Lyndie Irons paid tribute below the line.
“A truly special and amazing human,” wrote Healey.
Mikala, who was forty-four, was no stranger to putting himself in danger as he charged waves across the Indonesian archipelago.
In a 2012 interview with Nathan Myers, Mikala recounted his near-death experience at a remote reef.
“I got sucked over the falls and landed on my board…I may have gotten knocked out for a moment, because the next thing I remember is touching the bottom with my feet. I don’t know…all that happened pretty fast.
“With my feet on the bottom, I got a push straight up. I still hadn’t opened my eyes yet, so when I reached the surface I looked around and everything was just going in circles. I barely got my head up for air and I saw the next ten-footer barreling down on me. I managed to scream ‘help’ and then Boom, the lip landed right on me. Underwater everything was going in circles. I grabbed my leash and started to shimmy myself up. I don’t know how long I was under, but I got up just before the next wave hit. Again, everything was going in circles. I yell out again, ‘Help!’ and then the third wave hits me. This was about a 6-foot double-up, and this was the gnarly one.
“I’m underwater doing summersaults and I can’t figure out which way is up. I try to find my leash and I can’t do it… I’m underwater, looking for my leash, looking for the bottom, but everything I see is just spinning in circles. And by this time, I actually felt the fifth wave pass over me. And at that point, I was like, ‘Are you kidding me. I’m going to drown.’
“And then suddenly I’m out of my body. I’m actually looking down at myself. The surface of the water is only two feet above me, but I couldn’t figure it out.I hear my daughter’s voice, ‘Daddy, come home.
“And then I came to. I don’t know how, but suddenly I’m out of the water. I went from watching myself drown — literally going ‘glug, glug, glug’ — to suddenly standing on the reef, like angels pulled me out of the water. Next thing I know, the sixth wave hits me and I just bear hug my board. Everything is still spinning and I just go summersaulting along the reef hanging onto my board as tight as I can.
“I was literally seconds away from drowning. After that I just layed on the beach coughing up water, with bubbles coming out of my ear. And the waves were just pumping. I was bummed to miss the rest of the swell, but I guess that’s better than going home in a bodybag.”
That barrel picture is unbelievable! Rest in peace brother.
Really sad.
I Derek Hynd’d myself when I was 21. I can barely see and am legally blind (edit: in that eye), but the eye itself saved by a firefigher/paramedic on the beach so I don’t need a glass eye or shell. After my injury I spend some time doing basic first aid and CPR training. I figured I owe it to the universe. I’m crew on a boat that has coast guard inspections so it gets updated every year or two.
I also just signed up for a “stop the bleed” training later this month. Will probably buy a tourniquet or two to keep in my car or surf bag. Probably am more likely to use it after a car accident but who knows.
https://www.stopthebleed.or…
Incredibly sad. Someone needs to invent some kevlar/neoprene jammers to prevent this kind of injury in the future.
No words, just very very sad.
Very sad news – shared many adventures in Indonesia and The Philippines with Mikala, he will be missed,
Jeffrey Mikala Jones, surfing in the Mentawai Islands
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For he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.
Growing up in Manhattan Beach produced many valuable memories…Kindergarten, grade school, high school, reunions, and Thanksgiving…
That “native’ culture produced a rare combination of Tradition, Comraderie, and just plain Good Times…and just good plain people…
Tradition was imposed on us little gremmies by our parents, teachers, acquired mentors, and the pure exaltation of being in the ocean with perceived heroes…
Manhattan and Hermosa beaches were, in the early 1960s and 70s, frequented by aspiring surfers, sailors, and movie stars…
None of the assorted mentors of that era were bound or desired to be stars…which left us to either be surfers or sailors…ultimately we mentored each other…
Davey chose to become the sailor…and he had his share of surf idols to idolize…
Many of them are here today…
There were few known sailing idols…which separates Davey from the rest of the pack…
He was on his own…”runnin’ with the pack…and never looking back!”
I’ve been told that Davey was closing in on the 1-million mile mark for distance sailing; an extraordinary element of those voyages is that Davey was racing…
That’s not a reach, that’s a fact…
Comradrie was a part of the local scene…
Just like today at 1st Street.
Good Times are what we have and share…that’s why we share today…
I was thrilled to have spent a plain Thanksgiving with Davey Glander and Chris Henry (Paso Robles) in 2006.
To Big D love Bird
let’s meet at the oarhouse for darts!
Which 1st street you referring too?
follow the smell…your cookin…
https://scontent-sjc3-1.xx….
Fuck, that’s harsh but at least he died surfing- I hope his family will pull through, 44 is pretty young.
Great Surfer!