Jay Moriarity passed away on Friday 15 June 2001 whilst free diving on an O'neill photo shoot off the Maldives in the Indian Ocean.

He was a young man of wonderful qualities and a man respected for such a young age throughout every section of the sport. He surfed in the greatest waves the earth can produce and was recognised for his friendly smile everywhere he went.

In Europe he was highly respected for his treatment of young trainee surfers in England and France and he has left behind thousands upon thousands of surfers world wide who shall shed a tear for him.

I must say that when I was advised of the news on Friday it was a great shock that once again a sport that we love and enjoy has taken another life. I felt tears come to my eyes when I considered all who have passed away before him over the two decades that I have been involved with the sport I still find it hard to come to terms with the loss of any surfer not just the top professionals.

Jay Moriarity was a rare bread in that although he was seen as being at the top of the pecking order at Mavericks he was also seen as a general talkative man who cared what your opinion was and what your actual words were.

I feel for his family and I would suggest no matter who you are, you ride a wave sometime in the future for this man and his soul. When you take off on the wave whether it is 1ft or 25ft think of him and say "this one is for you Jay, rest in peace!".....

Rest in peace and forever live on, you are missed and will always be missed.

By Wes Baker - Oceanfever.net Chief Editor.

You can read a previous interview by Nine or nothin here.... God Bless You.