I wish I had met Greg Noll, if for no other reason than out of pure self interest, because by all accounts he was an amazing storyteller with the experiences to back it up. If nothing else, “Da Bull” gave us one of the most iconic images in surf history, which will be every bit as stunning in another fifty years. There are many wonderful tributes to Noll: the Encyclopedia of Surfing’s Noll entry is comprehensive, and Nick Carroll’s obituary on Surfline is a must read, too. And of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Greg Noll’s eponymous surfboard label, which helped cement Los Angeles’ South Bay as the epicenter of surfboard manufacturing, and produced many memorable models over the years. Rest in peace Mr. Noll, and our thoughts go out to the Noll family.

Photo at the top of the page by Don James and via Honolulu Magazine