When Indonesian surfing royalty Mikala Jones passed away earlier this month, he left a gaping hole in the community. His sad and untimely demise came as a shock to everyone around the world, as the beloved surfer died due to unnatural circumstances. A freak accident while surfing along the coast of the Mentawai Islands is what took the life of the revered 44-year-old surfer. The incident took away a pioneer from the world, as no one rode the waves as Mikala Jones did.
Jones had a reverence for the water that hardly anyone else would be able to match. His love for water was not associated with world titles or championships. No, for the Indonesian surfer, the sport was all about the waves. The peace he found while at the heart of a barrel was what he wanted to spread among his fellow humans. His astounding videos and his amazing photos are a gift he left behind for us. Recently, a special video giving an emotional tribute to the fallen hero surfaced, reminding us of the greatness we lost.
Remembering the surfing icon Mikala Jones
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The immersive experience that Jones was able to provide his viewers was unmatched. He would often venture out to the ocean with a GoPro, and capture himself in the middle of the waves. With the prowess that Mikala Jones exhibited while surfing, and no other sound but the waves curling around him, the experience was sublime. For someone who gave us the gift of breathtaking views through his videos, a tribute in the form of a video montage seems appropriate. The video montage, posted by Surfline, reveals Mikala Jones in his element.
The surfer is seen riding the waves, and his words have been included in the video, describing why he does what he does. Jones is heard saying, “Technology is evolving, and I’m evolving with it. I’m stoked to show people visions they can’t see normally. To get that full circle reflection…it’s definitely a different world out there.” And there is no better point of view than to experience the ocean from the iconic surfer’s perspective. In each and every clip included in the tribute, one can see exactly how happy the Indonesian was when he was out surfing the waves.
His wonder at nature’s miracles is palpable through the screen, and his passion for surfing is infectious. The montage was edited by Robbie Crawford, a surfing photographer and wave artist who was involved in several projects with Mikala Jones. According to Surfline, Crawford said, “When everyone else was trying to track trends, Mikala was figuring out the future — and it takes a lot of work to do something nobody’s done before.” The legacy of the gem we lost is something to be celebrated each and every day.
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Tributes to the fallen hero
The news of the horrific accident that took away this surfing legend’s life was shared by his daughter on Instagram. Mikala had relocated from Hawaii to Indonesia years ago and was surfing in Mantawai Islands. While riding the waves, a mishap occurred and the fin of his surfboard gave a 10 cm long puncture to his femoral artery. As a result, Jones bled out, which ultimately led to his death. His family was devastated by the news, and his daughter said, “I’m in so much disbelief right now, this doesn’t feel real.”
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Surfing legends from all across the world sent their condolences and remembered the pioneer through words and memories. His daughter was inconsolable after his passing, and in the emotional Instagram post, she added, “I wish you were still here with us right now. I will always be thinking about you dad”. Mikala Jones might have left us all behind and moved to heaven, where he is probably surfing. But, his memories will forever stay entrenched in the hearts of the millions of people he has touched with his art.
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