LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i’s Sion Milosky, 35, died Wednesday while surfing at the famed Maverick’s surf break in San Mateo County, California. Milosky, originally of Kalaheo and currently living in Aiea, was a former professional longboard surfer and had recently become
LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i’s Sion Milosky, 35, died Wednesday while surfing at the famed Maverick’s surf break in San Mateo County, California.
Milosky, originally of Kalaheo and currently living in Aiea, was a former professional longboard surfer and had recently become a well-known charger of the largest waves on offer. He was in California staying with fellow Maverick’s surfer Ken Collins and had been surfing the renowned spot when he endured “a two-wave hold down,” according to the San Jose Mercury News, and drowned around 6:30 p.m. local time.
Collins told the California paper that surfer Nathan Fletcher went out to look for Milosky on a Jet Ski, eventually finding him 20 minutes after he had gone under, about a mile from the break.
It is the first reported drowning at Maverick’s, located in Northern California, since famed Hawai‘i big-wave surfer, Mark Foo, died on Dec. 23, 1994.
The San Mateo County medical examiner’s office was reached at 2:30 a.m. local time, Thursday morning, and indicated that the matter was still pending investigation. However, the individual was verified to be Milosky. He was pronounced deceased after being transported from the scene to a hospital.
The office originally said a cause of death would likely be available this afternoon, around 1 or 2 p.m. local time, unless further information was necessary via toxicology or other medical testing. However, when contacted again Thursday, a spokesperson said it was still pending investigation and details were only being released to the family.
Shortly after the news broke online, O‘ahu’s Coco Ho tweeted “Life is very truly fragile, I havent learned a lesson so much than this one. Rest in Paradise Sion Milosky. My whole heart to the family…”
Kaua‘i pro surfer Roy Powers tweeted “A true waterman and one of the best fathers I’ve every seen!!! God bless u and your family ! Rip Sion!”
Milosky is survived by his wife and two daughters.
In addition to surfing, Milosky made his living as a small-business owner, welding and building driveway gates. His company was called Custom Gates Hawai‘i.
In an interview with Surfing Magazine just this past November, Milosky discussed his upbringing and what brought him over to O‘ahu.
“I was born and raised on Kaua‘i,” he said. “I’ve been surfing all my life and even professionally longboarded for a while, and I’ve been coming to the North Shore (of O‘ahu) for over 15 years. I’ve always had passion for surfing big waves, but about 10 years ago, I took a break to raise my kids on Kaua‘i. Then I kept hearing how all my friends, the ‘Kaua‘i boys,’ were making an impact on the North Shore, and it got me thinking how I really missed surfing Pipe. So five years ago my family and I decided to become full-time residents here on the North Shore and, here I am, working and surfing.”
In early 2010, Milosky paddled into and caught what many witnesses and surfers deemed to be perhaps the biggest wave they had ever seen.
The feat earned him the Biggest Wave Award at Evan Valiere’s inaugural North Shore Big Wave Challenge. The exact location of his O‘ahu ride has been kept quiet publicly, but the act earned him the honor of biggest wave caught in Hawaiian waters.
“Hands down the biggest wave I’ve seen anyone paddle into,” said Shane Dorian, pro surfer from the Big Island, talking about the session with Surfing Magazine.
Billabong founder Gordon Merchant had a similar take when shown the ride.
“I was watching this day at my house and I would call this at least 30 foot Hawaiian,” Merchant said. “I would never have thought Sion was on that wave until I saw the email with the images. The biggest wave I have ever seen anyone paddle into.”
Surf photographer Daniel Russo chronicled Milosky’s search for the biggest wave he could find and echoed the others’ sentiments, saying it was “by far the biggest one anyone has paddled into this winter so far … maybe ever.”
Further information will be provided in future editions of The Garden Island.
