72-year-old Florida surfer loses life as Hurricane Lee pushes potential “100+ foot wave” toward eastern seaboard

Big Daytona.

Hurricane Lee, massive and wild, slowly churning in the Caribbean as a Category 3, has been on surfers minds for days. Last week, we learned that the beast might just push 100+ foot waves to Florida, exciting Garrett McNamara, Laird Hamilton and others who have made their names riding giants.

At that time, the storm was located some 650 miles off shore with crazy sustained winds and a big mean eye.

Now, Hurricane Lee is still out in the Atlantic, though has taken a northern turn striking fear, or envy, into the hearts of New Englanders who might just receive surf magazine cover-worthy bombs.

“On the forecast track, the center of Lee will pass west of Bermuda Thursday and Thursday night and then approach the coast of New England or Atlantic Canada late this week,” according to the hurricane center.

Still, while the generally placid waters off of Florida’s east coast didn’t necessarily rise to the occasion, they did become extremely dangerous, all rip currenty and nasty, even claiming the life of a 72-year-old charger seeking infamy.

According to Florida authorities, a Daytona Beach lifeguard spotted the man when he was about 100 yards away and became concerned when she noticed he had become “disconnected” from his board. She raced out to him though he became unresponsive once arriving to his side.

“He was removed from the water by multiple lifeguards,” Volusia County Beach Safety said in the statement. “Medical interventions were started,” though the measures were not effective and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

That was one of four cases of surfers being caught in rip currents and needing assistance.

Rip currents don’t have nearly the shine of a 100+ foot wave and it feels like Florida got ripped off on this one.

But back to New England?

Will heroes rise?

More as the story develops.