Mikala Jones Dies In The Mentawai Islands
Hawaiian surfer Mikala Jones has died in the Mentawai Islands.
As reported on Stab, 44-year old Mikala severed his femoral artery and suffered significant blood loss. No other details are known at this point, other than Mikala was staying at Awera Resort, positioned close to Telescopes and Icelands. Surf conditions were reportedly excellent, with strong 6-8ft surf on offer following several months of quiet, intermittent Indian Ocean activity.
Growing up on the North Shore, Mikala shunned a career on the tour and instead alternated surf seasons between Hawaii and Indonesia. Mikala was best known as the master of deep-in-the-barrel POV videos, such as this one from Nias almost a decade ago.
Comments
Tragic.......... RIP
Sad news. Gone way too soon RIP
RIP. My condolences to his family and friends.
A life lived full.
Condolences to family and friends.
Great surfer and gentleman, he lived the dream.
RIP.
Untimely and tragic loss. Condolences to his loved ones.
That's full-on.
RIP.
jesus what a shame. it takes 2-6m to bleed out from this so hopefully it wasnt too painful and he wasnt alone. much love to all the family and friends. .
tragic news, condolences to all involved.
Oh man thats sucks, heart goes out to his family and friends.
It puts things in perspective of how dangerous surfing can be especially over shallow reefs.
With all respect i wonder where he passed, wave out front is where i cracked ribs and punctured my lung and isn't a heavy wave just shallow, further up the reef at Ombak Tidur can be super heavy when big though as can the real Suicides left over the channel.
A mate based at Tua Pejat reckons it was a lesser known right, South of Telescopes. Board inflicted wound after being rolled on a set wave. Over in a matter of minutes.
So heavy and so so sad.
Oh okay i think i know the wave, if the place im thinking its rarely surfed a hell man only short dry reef slab that breaks in front of a dry reef/rock shelf.
Yeah super sad.
Reading some articles they think it may have been from his fin rather than a reef encounter.
Oh okay, wow and that could happen to anyone in any waves...so sad.
Condolances to the the Jones family and everyone that knew Mikala.
Very sad and a fin chop as opposed to a reef hit wouldn't surprise me. A mate got stabbed in the thigh by his own fin out at 2ft Noosa and it just missed his artery. Still a very serious injury and it went very deep, but he was very 'lucky' not to hit an artery and only end up with a heap of stiches.
Doesn't need to be a heavy Indo reef to just get unlucky.
A true legend who always let his surfing do the talking. RIP and condolences to his wife and family.
Very sad indeed. A great surfer and a good man as well. If it was a fin chop, a little reminder to smooth off the edges of your fins. ;(
Blunt off that trailing edge especially. And wear something more substantial than boardshorts. Not the first time this has happened up that neck of the woods. Condolences to all involved.
Is this actually a thing? Serious question.
Yes! It's a Specification for most Surf/Sport organizations
SLSA ~ Composite Surfboard specifications date back to at least 2012
Only 1 fin is permitted.
Min radius 25mm
Leading Fin edge 3mm > Trailing Fin edge 2mm even thicker for Nippers 2.5mm.
Nippers are more lively flickin' legs about > Wipe out & remount more often.
Short/Long boards may be declared ineligible to be used in Comps if it is deemed to be dangerous to either the competitor or other competitors in the event.
https://lsv.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Surf-Craft-and-Surf-Boat-Specifici...
School Surfboards : No Surfcraft with 'Sharp Edges' are to be used!
ISA Surf Schools : Operators must use Soft Fins!
https://isasurf.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/ISAOBLIGATIONSOFaregister...
Pretty much whole of Society restricts Learners & Youth access to these pure evil razor edged Fins.
Reckon that be for a pretty good reason...
fuck, bloody fins! sorry to hear this bad news , shocking. RiP old mate MJ !
What a shock. I never knew Mikala, but had surfed around him a bunch at Watu about a decade ago. Such a positive, friendly human who surfed so beautifully even in difficult surf - it's hard to imagine he could go like this.
I’ve wondered how an outside thruster fin would go with the last half inch rubberised for a little flex
With all due respect, Companies with the stiffest fins & strongest boxes should probably look into it. A very sad&tragic accident...Aside from dulling the edges of fins (proven to actually Increase performance) Theres scope for a springsuit just for the tropics made from Dyneema or similar, silky, thin, sunproof & bulletproof material........RIP MJ
This is tragic.
How many of us have had stiches, 8, 15, 20, more ? But have missed vital arteries ?
3, 4 literally knife blades ready to inflict damage to our soft skin. On wipeouts its pure luck that these weapons miss us.
And he rode the barrel so deep. Getting hit by the shocky hard, and at speed......
How unlucky can you get. Way way too young. RIP
So sad to hear.
Feel for those that were on the scene at the time. Traumatic.
His family and friends must be devastated. Sounded like a top shelf bloke.
That gopro pic of him threading that sunlit barrel is iconic.
R.I.P legend
The sunlit barrel shot struck me too.
A very special point in space and time few humans experience - captured forever. Sad, but a pure and unique legacy and memory.
What a tragedy, guy doesn’t sell out his discoveries. Goes about this life in what seems an honourable fashion. Young family left behind. Chaos theory. Swap him out for any number of shitbags
Very sad news - will miss an old friend, we shared some memorable adventures in Indonesia and The Philippines.
Pioneered the most memorable pov tubes on the internet.
Met him once in the Banyaks. Really nice guy. Low key, happy and he ripped. Very sad.
Very sad indeed for all his family.
When in the Ments, I wear a ‘short John’ for added floatation and protection of most vital bits. A somewhat cheap way of providing surety. AW
Never understood why someone would surf dangerous waves in a remote place without any head or body protection. Just asking for trouble
In 2016, he gave me a few grub screws in a somewhat known right in Sumba for my fins so I could surf the next swell (he keeps all kind of spares) , then proceeded to surf the heavier faster hollower right further up the reef on a solid 10ft 17 sec period swell. Nicest guy to be around. RIP mate. Condolences to his family and friends.
I also copped a fin to the ball sack 2 weeks ago through my wetsuit. Went to shore, dropped the wetsuit to see blood down my leg...luckily wasn't as deep as I'd feared, but jeez I also was surfing a remote spot alone. Going to sand back all my fins before my next surf.
Hit them hard Blunt is best
Take the Fin Tips off Mitchell Rae Switchblades Style / H4 FCS
http://outerisland.blogspot.com/2013/01/press-release-january-2013.html
Unfortunate choice of name for a fin, and with the rake on some of those they look as dangerous as any I've seen, tip or no tip.
Very sad & made more harrowing knowing Mikala has previously suffered severe fin cuts.
His dad speaks of Mikala nearly drowning with outta body experience!
His Father (Dentist) has now confirmed his son died from severe fin slash.
Mikala's Dad :
"I tried to get the kids to wear Helmets, Wetties & Safety gear...but they're stubborn you know!"
"Surfers are often told to use sandpaper to dull the edges if their fin is too sharp!"
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/hawaii-surfer-known-for-filming-inside...
Was hesitant to post this link without any fin slash being confirmed...doesn't make it easier to share!
Here Mikala speaks of previous fin slashes to his face.
Pipe had nearly taken a life of REEF Rider Evan > in hospital
Next day 1st wave Mikala snaps leggie sees Kai...Man, I got kids..not goin' out there!
Off the Wall Mikala takes off on a Double Up Slab & gets pretty heavy
Being in 2 minds to pull out or stick the lip...
Says it wasn't the Reef nor the board but thinks it was his fins > resulting in deadly fin slashes.
Warning : Images of Mikala with Full Frontal Bloodied open face fin slashes & stitches...
Mikala shared his full story here...
https://www.theinertia.com/surf/mikala-jones-gets-21-stitches-to-the-fac....
Yeah, that’s a tragic story, and by all reports a lovely bloke.
No coming back from a cut to your femoral artery. If it happens while you’re on an operating table they might be able to save you, just. Someone above said 2-6 minutes. From what I’ve read it’s much quicker than that even.
I have Mitchell Rae’s switchblades. Will give them a good rub down before heading out next.