Civil and his family. Photo courtesy of his Givealittle page.
James Civil’s life revolved revolved around two things: surfing and his family. On Saturday, March 26, Civil had just finished competing in the 35th Annual Herb and Paro Surf Contest at Aramoana Spit in New Zealand when he decided to paddle back out for a free surf. According to his brother-in-law Homa Mattingly, the Kiwi was a brave and talented surfer and it was nothing he hadn’t surfed before.
“He loved the big, heavy, barreling waves,” Mattingly told Stuff. “[He] would often surf them on his own because no-one else was brave enough to enter the water.”
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According to witnesses, Civil dropped in on a big wave and was then pulled under. According to the New Zealand Herald, Civil was helped in from the water and given medical attention. Police, ambulance services, and a helicopter were called at 2:30 p.m. Despite their best efforts, they were unable to revive Civil. Civil’s wife and six-month-old daughter were on the beach when the tragedy occurred.
Lyndon Fairbairn, Civil’s friend and fellow South Coast Boardriders Association member, told Stuff that Civil was known known for his fearlessness and had won numerous surfing titles over the years. He saw his friend just 10 minutes before the accident happened.
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“Everyone’s just blown away,” Fairbairn told Stuff. “When it’s someone like Jamie, who everyone respects as a big-wave surfer, he’s in his 30s, he’s fit, healthy and to be taken — it’s a big shock to everyone.”
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