Larry Haynes swam in some of the heaviest conditions. Photo:Jim Russi
On February 9, hardworking and lovable water cinematographer Larry Haynes passed away just after stand-up paddleboarding at Lani’s. His passing came as a shock to the North Shore community, as Haynes filmed himself surfing his final session on a GoPro, and just hours before, he was swimming at Pipe. Haynes had just worked the Eddie Aikau Invitational. Surf Cinematographer Tim Bonython said, “Larry was every bit of who he was right to the end. And that maybe is the best thing out of this tragedy.”
Haynes built an impressive portfolio over 30 years, including work for Chasing Mavericks and Fluid Combustion.
The WSL released a short video paying homage to Larry Haynes. In the video, the narrator comments on Larry’s good heart in addition to his long list of professional accomplishments, saying “Larry was renowned for his kindness and stoke with everyone he encountered whether they were multi-time world champions, to interns doing their first day on the job.”
Larry Haynes was known for his dedication to filming big waves, often spending hours on end at breaks such as Jaws, Maverick’s, Waimea, and Pipeline. I saw him in the Pipeline lineup a few times, and not only was he calm, but he was amicable, chatting and smiling no matter how strong the rip was. For him to talk to me meant a lot, and now I realize this was a common experience people had with Larry – his interactions brightened a lot of people’s days.
I reached out to people who knew Larry, one of them being photographer Matt Paul, whose memories mimicked my fleeting experience seeing Larry. He told me, “Larry never missed a moment. He was an anchor, in the literal sense while he was getting the shot in large surf and in the metaphorical sense that when you swam alongside him you felt the comfort of a guide, a friend, and a hero to help you navigate the chaos. And while so many memories of him seem to blend together into one, I’ll always remember his laugh and calm demeanor after a close call. Always focused but still able to quickly chat. True wisdom of the ocean, he had seen it all and still loved every bit of it.”
His Instagram page, @fluid_vision , is a gallery of beautiful videos of Backdoor, Pipeline, and Peahi, but also selfies of him grinning next to Stephanie Gilmore, Conner Coffin, and Kelly Slater. The surfers look as stoked as he does, and the comments are often filled with admiration: the words “legend” and “team” come up often.
Shortly after his passing, stories and memories came out of the woodwork, and everyone in the surf community mourned the loss. On Instagram alone, there were countless photos, posts, and long captions expressing sadness at Larry’s passing.
Photographer Jim Russi, who was with SURFER from 1979 to 2020, posted a heartfelt message to Instagram on Saturday: “Waking up this morning to the news of our dear brother Larry Haynes passing yesterday was the last thing I expected to hear. Larry was larger than life, the hardest working man in the business and yet always with his huge smile and infectious laughter, he would always push me past my limits in the water and all the while making me feel safe to be with him in the heaviest of situations for the last 30 years out at Pipe. His love for surfing, his friends and ohana will never be forgotten. You will be missed my friend. Love you brother.”
Surf photographer Brent Bielmann also posted a photo of Haynes, writing, “At a loss for words right now. I can still hear his voice and this just doesn’t seem real. One of the greatest surf cinematographers to ever do it. He’d suit up like an action figure and outlast everyone, he was invincible out there. You are truly gonna be missed by so many Larry! No one will ever be able to replace you. Rest easy my friend, until we meet again.”
I also reached out to Shannon Marie Quirk, big wave filmer and reporter. She told me she had so many stories she wasn’t sure where to begin. “It’s been a hard pill to swallow, I’m still in shock.” She said it was, “hard to reconcile with the way he passed, considering all of his near-death experiences in the ocean. I’ll never forget watching Larry and Peter Mel get bucked off the Jet Ski in massive XXL conditions in Puerto Escondido during the Big Wave Tour’s livestream. It must have been a 50-foot face, and Larry had his massive, heavy cinema camera rig. Somehow, they were both unscathed.”
Shannon, like so many who knew Larry, spoke of his enthusiastic storytelling. “Larry had a unique way of describing the waves he saw without even a word, but rather with his hands and iconic facial expressions. He had seen all of the best ridden waves in competitive surfing from the pit, so he was the ultimate storyteller.”
The man always worked with a smile, and a sense of wonder. Photo: Jim Russi
Surfers, too, expressed their sorrow. Kelly Slater wrote, “It’s hard to imagine a surfing world without Larry in it… always screaming us into waves and throwing good vibes. Gonna really miss this guy.” Nathan Fletcher said, “Extremely sad to lose one of surfing’s greatest water cinematographers, legend in and out of the water, Larry Haynes was an absolute unit. My brothers and I watched him swim six-hour comp days in Thurso, Scotland mid-winter when the QS used to be there, he documented nearly every major swell event in the Pacific, weather he was working or just because he loved being in the ocean, he was just out there every time shooting! Barking like a seal in the channel the first time @koarothman and I went to Maverick’s where there are great whites haha! Jaws, Pipe, Chopes, Fiji, he swam ‘em all! We will miss you and your love for surf, all the surfers and awesome footage, RIP and heart goes out to Larry’s family!”
Larry’s kindness and infectious joy extended beyond his time wearing swim fins. Larry was an avid surfer and stand-up paddler, and he shared that love with his daughter. The day the news came out, I stopped to pick up a board that was being repaired. Amaury Scognamillo, whose shop I stood in front of as pickups rolled by, scattering dogs and mud to the sides of the road, expressed great sorrow at Larry’s passing, speaking to how important he was in the community, and spoke of Larry’s daughter being a good surfer.
“He was a staple surfer at Sunset Beach, typically on his stand-up paddle board,” Shannon told me. “The last several years, his focus became helping his daughter learn to surf and I watched her progress to bigger and bigger conditions. He was her biggest fan and would film her waves as well. He was so proud every time he came into the beach and would want to show me the clip of his daughter charging as his face lit up with joy.”
Without question, the energy will be different in the water without Larry there, especially at spots like Pipe and Waimea. He worked hard, brought the best out of people, and captured the raw beauty of big waves. But perhaps most importantly, Larry brought a sense of happiness and authenticity to the water that is remembered and appreciated by all who were lucky enough to encounter him.
