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Breaking: Hawaiian surfer Makai McNamara seriously injured at Pipeline

"If it's your time to get hurt, it will happen no matter what. Even if you are wearing full body armor, when it's your time it's your time.”

Just in from the North Shore is news that Makai McNamara, older bro of Eddie Aikau winner Landon McNamara, son of Pipe Master Liam McNamara and nephew of tow-lord Garrett, had to be revived on the beach at Pipe after a wipeout.

Details are sketchy but in clean six-to-twelve foot waves, Makai took off an insider, it drained almost dry, and, likely, Makai hit the bottom or his surfboard, knocking him unconscious. A fire fighter gave the twenty nine year old CPR until lifeguards arrived.

In an interview with the WSL a few years back, Makai McNamara was respectful of his linage but keen to drive down his own path.

“My dad and uncle have definitely made a good path for me, but you can’t just think you’re the man because of someone else’s accomplishments. It used to affect me a lot more because I felt like I would always get the raw end of the deal, but feeling bad for yourself doesn’t help anything. Now, all of their accomplishments in surfing give me motivation to do better. Like how my dad won the Pipe Pro and Pipe Master trials many times, it just makes me want to do the same things and beyond!”

When asked if why he didn’t wear a helmet like his bro Landon he said,

“I get asked this a a lot, and it kind of trips me out. Landon goes on the craziest looking waves I have ever seen and has some of the craziest wipeouts I have ever seen so I hope he keeps wearing a helmet! As for me, I’m kind of a scaredy cat but I try not to think about wearing or not wearing a helmet and focus on making the waves I go for. I do believe that if it’s your time to get hurt, it will happen no matter what. Even if you are wearing full body armour, when it’s your time it’s your time.”

More as it comes.

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31 Comments
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justiceminister

Death wishes can come true at any moment. If that is what is desired. It’s all part of the game on the NS. Like jumping off the GG bridge but with a better statistical survival rate.

Stick man

Makai Mcnamaraca Great Again?

Jack English

Like father like son
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…

notsurfingtoday

That is so massive.
Is it pipeline? Doesn’t look like it, too thick and square. Although it probably is because of context.

Surf Coach/Great Human

Didn’t think so either but it is. Below is from Liam’s instagram under the same photo.

liam__mcnamara Back in 95 – The wave of a lifetime came my way and I was blessed with the opportunity to catch it!
It was morning after the @wsl Pipe Masters! The one that of course @kellyslater won and @markocchilupogot second!
That swell was dropping but still 6-8 foot of left over west the new swell was rising! 13 feet 20 seconds was the 4am buoy report! I knew we had a few hours before it was going to close out! @twakita59360 myself and a few of us sat there looking at the most craziest 10-12 foot double ups doubling up on the old 6-8 foot west swell!
I looked @twakita59360 and said “let’s go”
@kellyslater camr out a bit after us also after winning the Masters the day before!!
Well we got out and after about a hour it started to get supper sketchy! This wave came st me it was not second reef but just a hair outside first reef! There was this crazy looking 2 in one double up! I started to paddle for it and I was on the top wave that was like 8-10foot and as stumbled to my feet (I get up slow one step two step they called me) I started to take the initial drop but as I came down the face I was going over a step as the 2 waves turned into 1 wave!
Well I rode the thing and had no idea what was behind me at the moment!
There was this camera man @photoenglish
He had never shot pipe and he had a film old school camera that took 1 photo at a time!
He got 1 shot!! @tedgrambeau was out of film !There were no other water camera men out it was the kinda day the experienced camera men did not go out !The next day I was parked at pipe in the pipe right away where I always parked (between the now volcom houses)
I had no idea there was a photo of the wave abd was not even thinking about it!
Then jack English walked up like a puppy dog wagging his tail with a big smile!
I looked at him and he said can I show you this!
It was a oversized slide abd he showed me it and I was thinking holly shit!!
Then one of the kings of surf photography Don KIng walked up and said let me see! He looked at the shot and said”that’s the best shot I’ve ever seen at pipe!!

Shredy Kruger

Makai is in an induced coma. Prayers 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

JSC

“If it’s your time to get hurt, it will happen no matter what. Even if you are wearing full body armor, when it’s your time it’s your time.”

Sorry he got hurt but this statement is complete rubbish – the kind of fatalistic drivel used by religions to justify their power and control.

If you don’t want to get hurt surfing Pipeline – don’t go out. Simple.

Otto

You’re the only one bringing religion into the mix.
The statement is rather innocuous. That is, until you insert your personal animus against faith

tim_nelsen

“We will keep the kooks out and make surfing great again. get well Makai!”
Don Bongino

snapper

Man Pipe is a young man’s game man…best lifeguards in the world!

Skippy

i tried to wear a helmet (in gland, mostly shoulder hopping) but it effs with your ears and your balance, life is the gambling

Barrelled

Used to wear one of the OG Gath helmets in Tahiti and Fiji. It’s a lot like wearing a hood in cold water. Feels really weird at first but you get used to it and grow to feel odd without it.

Sean Connery

How do you make the oval face tan go away?

Barrelled

Only pull the hood when completely necessary!

KnostMalone

Always pull out!

Antipodes

I don’t mind them, I wore one in pretty much every surf when I went to g-land last year and put them on surfing on shallow reefs and heavy beachies. It can be a bit weird duck diving but apart from that I don’t notice any other performance issues.

Beef & Beer

Bummer for him and his family.
Gnarly work by the rescue crew.

But criiiikey mate, this “when it’s your time, it’s your time” stuff seems a bit blimmin’ out there.
Putting your life in the hands of ‘universal powers’ (or whatever ya wanna call it) with minimal safety considerations ?
I realise it must be very overwhelming to be at a place like Pipe (where I’ve obviously never been) especially with all the added social pressures of family success and friends etc to do well, but heck “when it’s your time, it’s your time” just seems a bit gung ho considering the dangers.

I’m glad I didn’t grow up there…

tim_nelsen

dis surf photo provided by junior lifeguards…
all present raise your hand…and keep compressing on the victim’s chest…
save the other one for paddling your ass half off~

another life saved!

ValiantScorn

Two moments of celebration:
1.) Ol boy made it
2.) The videographer understood the assignment, 100%!!
3:12

mike m

:11, the lifeguard pulling his shorts up, then deciding they were riding too high, so pulling them back down….decisions.

ValiantScorn

It’s the little things….

deeks

Some of these cunts really charge super heavy waves. Utmost respect

Barrelled

That is fucking heavy shit to see. North Shore lifeguards are legends.

Jin

Fucken oath, boys deserve a beer after that one. Gnarly

Firelipe Torpedo

Pipes had a hungry season. Hope he makes a full recovery

Rich Marx

Injuries have always happened out there but I wonder if there’s anything that has made this year more dangerous. Did the prior swell push a lot of sand on the reef or something?

Adult Learner

Crowd is the answer you are looking for

Tom

Maybe the new normal is to surf pipe wearing full body armour – be some hold downs for sure only wim hof breath workers to survive

Otto

Is getting revived at Pipe the newest Tik Tok challenge or something?

Preston

Is being a dick your only gear?

Otto

I’m gearing up to laugh at you at 3,000 rpm’s.


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