This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)
Legendary Big Wave Surfer, Greg “Da Bull” Noll has died. In an Instagram post Monday, his son said he died of natural causes. He was 84 years old.
“It is with a heavy heart the Noll family announces the death of our patriarch, Greg Noll. Greg died of natural causes on Monday June 28th, at the age of 84. We invite all of our friends and family to celebrate his life by sharing this post and your stories, pictures and experiences through your preferred platform.
Aloha, The Noll Family“
Noll lived in Crescent City, Calif. and was one of the first — and arguably one of the greatest — big-wave riders. His contributions to the sport of surfing were far-reaching and inspiring to so many who came after.
Aside from his thrill-seeking passion on the water, he was also known for creating custom boards built with balsa wood.
In 1969, during a swell that uprooted trees and destroyed homes on Oahu, Noll surfed what was considered the biggest wave ever ridden at Makaha. In 2006, he was inducted into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame.
In a previous interview in 2004, Noll recounted one of the legendary waves he caught out on Oahu’s North Shore in October 1957.
“It took three years of watching Waimea Bay break before we were able to muster the courage to get out and give it a try. and I remember that day like it was yesterday. I had the honor of catching the first wave that was caught,” he said.