A couple weeks back, I posted a story about local legend, who recently passed away, Fred Knapp. We had the ceremonial paddle out and gave Freddie the propper send off...we got in a circle and each told a story. I shared this story about Fred at Makaha, the day Greg Noll caught his infamous wave...
"It was a bunch of years back. I've got an early 60s Greg Noll Surfboard hanging on the wall in the shop. Fred got talking about Greg and how he looked up to his big wave surfing ability and how he visited Hawaii in the late 1960s. He said it was 1969 and he was in Makaha...they were getting hit with a huge swell. Only the best of the best big wave riders were out. He watched as Greg Noll paddled out and sat in the line up for a long time. He went on to tell me how he saw Greg catch one of the biggest waves he had ever seen! Freddie was referring to the infamous December 4th, 1969, where Greg Noll surfed what is still considered to be one of the biggest waves ever paddled into. Fred was there! He ran down the beach and retrieved the famed yellow board that was ridden that day and gave it back to Greg. He went home and came back to the shop with photos of the day and of the ride. There they were...I held them in my hands. You could see the wave and the surfer...he was there all right! Fred was a local legend and will be greatly missed."
A few days later, Fred's wife came into the shop to let us know she appreciated what we all did and to drop off this photo. She was going through some stuff and came across this shot that Fred took that day...I had goose bumps! Freddie was there...
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| Greg Noll...Makaha, 1969. photographer, Freddie Knapp |
