On Saturday 21st September, 2024, the Strandhill & Sligo community of surfers came together to remember the life of one of their own, a guy who moved over from New Zealand to call Sligo home and embrace life here and everything that surfing here embodies. Pete passed away suddenly earlier in September doing what he loved, surfing with friends.
The paddle-out is a spiritual symbol of surf culture. It’s a traditional Hawaiian tribute to the life and legacy of people who passed away.
In most cases, the paddle-out is a floating memorial held in the ocean, a few yards from the shore, where surfers and other water sports participants honor someone they cherished.
And the Sligo community of surfers showed out in force. Over 100 surfers in a circle, remembering Pete, who touched all their lives in someway or another.
I was planning on paddling out of course, until a last minute message came across my account asking would I like to document the paddle out from aboard rescue helicopter R118, which is based here in Strandhill, and would be doing multiple flyovers as a way to honour Pete. I thought about it for a little bit and ultimately decided yes, it would be an honour to document the paddle out from the air, and that hopefully I’d be able to capture it in a way that it would be a lasting memory for Pete’s family.
Before I went up in the air with Rescue 118 for the Paddle Out for Pete, the coastguard guys asked me what I wanted to capture. Right away I knew the two shots I wanted – the paddle group in a circle with Strandhill & Knocknarea in the background, the key shot, then the group from above, on a longer lens. What I ended up with was so much more thanks to Mike & his fellow pilot just flying absolutely perfect letting me capture everything from the meetup at the National Surf Centre to entering the water at the slipway, to plenty of angles of the group circle in the bay, the splashing, the hugs. You’re disconnected from the group being in a helicopter above but we could feel the emotions even in the chopper.
Much like my Strandhill Folk portrait project, I really hope these images stand the test of time, and help keep the memory of Pete in our minds forever especially whenever we go for a surf off Strandhill.
RIP Pete, sleep well.