I was really stoked to see Greg in August (2000) at San Clemente. It made me flash back on some of the times I've seen Greg in the past. I remember a day of giant surf at the Redondo Beach Breakwater around December, 1957. Massive, 12 - 15 foot peaks rebounded off the rocks. I can still see Greg crouching low, traversing a huge wall and finally being eaten alive by the vicious shore break. Years later, in January, 1964, I saw Greg pushing the limits again at Waimea Bay. Today he sells posters of that ride. Anyway, a rogue wave, over 30 feet, erupted from the depths, as the wind shredded the crest. Greg spun around, paddled like a fiend and barely started down the face -- wearing his classic black and white striped trunks -- he jumped to an extra wide survival stance and was hurled into the blender as white water churned across the bay. The first time I met Greg was in the late 1950's. I was surfing with friends at Isador Reef, near Ensenada. Greg was there with some buddies camping out and yelled for us to come over for some 'eats'. We went over and were amazed to see a huge pot, full of fresh lobster which Greg had just speared as we were surfing. Wow. We were totally stoked. The truly incredible thing I learned about Greg Noll at that moment was his genuine Aloha Spirit. Besides being an awesome surfer, Greg is a natural giver. And, whatever is going on around him, is fun.

Muchas Gracias, Kemp Aaberg

One day, during the winter of 1960, the surf broke about twenty feet at the Redondo breakwater. Greg and I and a few of our friends had been out riding a few big waves the previous day. In fact, one of our rides appeared in an early issue of Surfer magazine. The following day, the swell was huge. We couldn't get off the beach, so everybody backed out. Everybody, that is, but Greg. He went out inside the breakwater where the boats were moored, then paddled out and around the jetty to get to the break. On the way out around the jetty, a giant set came and almost caught Greg between it and the seawall. He just made it over the top of the wave. Had it broken, it would have slammed him into the seawall.The set was so big, it rolled over the seawall and tore a number of boats loose from their moorings. It had to be twenty feet. He finally made it to where the peak was breaking. After about forty-five minutes, another giant set came. He paddled for one of the bigger ones, caught it and rode it half a mile back to the beach as we all watched from shore. Greg had put himself in a very precarious position along the breakwater jetty. But he was very determined to ride the wave, come hell or high water. When he was that determined, he usually accomplished whatever it was he'd set out to do.

Sonny Vardeman