Tragedy struck once again at Maverick's–a challenging surf spot 25 miles south of San Francisco–yesterday, taking the life of Sion Milosky, one of Hawaii's up-and-coming big-wave chargers.
Milosky, 35, had been surfing for several hours, successfully riding a few of the choice waves of the day, which were ranging from 18 to 20 feet, when he took a fall. The surfer is believed to have been held under by two waves as he apparently drowned.
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Nearly two months ago, Jacob Trette, a San Clemente surfer, nearly died when a rogue set wave caught a pack of surfers in the lineup by surprise. Trette got the worst of it, getting thrown over the falls before being found unconscious floating in the water. Miraculously, Trette made a full recovery after being put in a medically induced coma for a few days.
Milosky's body is said to have been found by Nathan Fletcher–of the famed Fletcher clan of San Clemente–about a mile from the break, near the mouth of the Half Moon Bay harbor.
Milosky was a professional longboard surfer before shifting to big-wave surfing. Last year, Surfing Magazine awarded him the North Shore Underground award and $25,000. He is believed to have paddled into the largest wave anyone had ever paddled into, catching a “30-foot Hawaiian” (which equals roughly 60 feet) at an outer reef break in Hawaii.
Milosky grew up on Kauai and is survived by his wife and two young daughters.