A poignant tribute has been paid to three Australian and American surfers who lost their lives while camping in Northern Baja California last May. The victims, Callum and Jake Robinson from Australia and Carter Rhoad from San Diego, were robbed and murdered at a spot known as Punta San Jose.
The memorial, unveiled on Wednesday morning, consists of three wooden statues standing on a bluff above the iconic surfing break. Each statue is about 6 feet tall and represents one of the victims, with their backs turned to the water. The design was chosen to symbolize unity and brotherhood among surfers worldwide.
According to Antonio Otañez, president of the Baja California Surfing Association, “In all the world we have a brotherhood with surfers, so we want to honor our brother surfers from Australia and the U.S.A. that’s the least we can do.”
The ceremony was attended by surfers, officials from both the Australian embassy in Mexico and the Baja California governor’s office, and other dignitaries.
Following the unveiling of the monument, a group of about a dozen surfers participated in a traditional “paddle out” to honor the victims. They sat on their boards in a circle, splashing water and sharing stories to remember their fellow surfers.
Otañez said that the victims’ families were aware of the memorial and the paddle out and expressed gratitude for the tribute being paid to their loved ones. The memorial is set to stand forever, serving as a reminder of the bond between surfers from different parts of the world.
Source: Border Report
