Kyuball.com

Yesterday, one of surfings Legendary Hawaiian Waterman was found dead. Marvin “Carve’n Marvin” Foster was a great Pipeline charger and big wave hellman. Marv paved the way for many generations of Hawaiian surfer’s and showed all “what’s up” as far as surfing the North Shore was concerned. Besides his endless tube time at huge Pipe, Marv was known for going left at Big Waimea. Somewhat suicidal in my eyes, Marv did this frequently.

*I first met Marvin back in the late 80’s. I was still just a kid and really looked up to guys like Dane Kealoha and Marvin Foster. Many feared him and many loved him. He had the biggest heart of a true Hawaiian. I loved this guy for that.

*When I was about 19 years old, I would travel to Japan to surf in ASP surfing events. At the time, I was maybe 130lbs soaking wet, so needles to say I was a scrawny little Japanese kid. I was mistaken for a Japanese citizen by Australians and Californians many times. Many times Dane and Marvin would come to my rescue and nearly “knock out” these guys when they would hastle and pick on me during heats in a contest.

Once, on Nijima Island in Japan, I got into it pretty badly with a huge guy from Australia. I remember the both of us yelling at each other during our heat. We were so loud that everyone one the beach could hear the commotion. When I reached the beach I remember looking up the beach and seeing my good friend Wayne and Marv standing there looking at me. Marv put his arms out and simply said “what!! What’s going on”. Marv came up to me and put his arms around me and said “let this guy make the first move, I’m gonna be right there around the corner, then I’m gonna kick his ass”. Hehe, cool. Once this Aussie surfer saw Marv talking to me, he quickly came up to me,  appologized and told me he didn’t want any trouble. Lucky for him, because it would have gotten real ugly. For that, I was always greatful to Marv.

Couple of times, I surfed against Marv. Before each heat, Marv would psyche out and intimidate the other competitors. I on the other hand, would break his concentration on the beach and actually make him smile and laugh, with some stupid comment or something. I remember Marv laughing and telling me “fuck you” in a playful tone tough. I like to think that I could break that psyche out try, but we all know that I was just no threat to him in a heat.

Often times, Marv was on the wrong side of the law. Marv was  sent to prison for 18 months. Marv wrote me a few letters from prison and told me he wanted to move to California when he gets out and become a professional motoX rider. He wanted me to airbrush a crazy design on one of his helmets for him. I was finally able to repay Marv for all the love showed me. I painted a crazy demon helmet for him, he was gonna pay me money but I told him that this was the only way I could repay him. He was really greatful and stoked on his helmet.

Thank you marvin for being am inspiration to many and for blessing those that knew you…YOU WILL BE TRULY MISSED!!! REST IN PEACE!!!