Jack O’Neil Memorial Paddle Out is an Unofficial World Record

Jack O'Neil, a man immortalized in surfing culture, responsible for inventing the modern day wetsuit and creating an endless summer for surfers around the world passed away just over a month ago. Surfers have gathered around the world for memorials and tributes to recognize the life of the surfing icon. The latest came in the form of a Guinness World Record-breaking paddle out off Huntington Beach. Over 3,000 surfers paddled out to form an unbroken ring and pay their respects to a man who changed surfing forever, and an even larger crowd of 5,000-6,000 gathered along East Cliff Drive.