![shmoo surfer shmoo surfer](https://assets.surfinginaustralia.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2020/11/15135355/CedarLeighJones_AOSPMOD2_11152020Smith3561-1080x675.jpg)
#SHMOO SURFER FULL#
A few months later best friend Sunny attempted to take his own life, surviving but now requiring full time care. Last year he lost his wife and long-time soulmate, Lisa. Living in Cronulla, he eventually began working with Surfing NSW as their General Manager, running contests and delivering his daily “Shmoo-one-two” surf reports online. He moved to Australia with wife Lisa in 1999, and they had son, Brandon soon after. With surfing booming, Shmoo was everywhere. Post-tour, Shmoo became the voice of surfing through the 2000s as a commentator and broadcast host. The pair made the final together that year at Bells. He said, ‘Shmoo, what are you doing? Come back to Hawaii.’” Sunny Garcia took him back home, whipped him back into shape and got him back on tour in ‘95. I hit the bottom off a big one and remember waking up one afternoon and Sunny was there. I wasn’t surfing and I was close to 90 kilos, which for someone who’s four foot tall is a lot of weight. I was counting penny rolls to go down to 7-11 for a hot dog and cigarettes, but I always had money for beer and everything else. “I was living in California and there was a three-month period where I partied every night.
![shmoo surfer shmoo surfer](https://d3qf8nvav5av0u.cloudfront.net/image/07a87dcf0f32538a76f457b078fe285c.png)
It got in the way of the partying.”Įventually he burned out and dropped off tour in ’92. Shmoo laughed when he described his tour dynamic this way, “It was a nuisance to compete. Along with close mates like Rod Kerr, Matt Hoy, Dog Marsh, Pottz, Gerr, Sunny Garcia and Sonny Miller, they surfed fast and partied faster through the late ‘80s. Five minutes in his company and you simply became an extra in the Shmoo Show. He was deadly in the beachbreaks that made up most of the tour at the time.Īlways quick to take the piss out of his short stature, Shmoo compensated with an overdeveloped personality. He surfed like he was dancing to a soundtrack in his head. Shmoo surfed fast and surfed with his hips. Shmoo emerged from Hawaii in the mid-80s as a South Shore counterpoint to the macho North Shore vibe. In Hawaii, in Australia and right around the world, surfing has lost one of its great characters and warmest souls. This is going to be an incredibly tough day for a lot of people. No details provided here, which might tell you enough for now. Privately however – and particularly in recent days – he didn’t always feel that way. From his days on tour in the ‘80s as the “dancing Hawaiian playboy”, to a successful comeback after “the wheels fell off”, to life in Australia with his family and a career that kept him in the surf and in touch with his huge circle of surfing friends, Shmoo wore his luck for all to see. John Shimooka would be quick to tell you, “I’m lucky as a motherfucker.” He didn’t need to though.