Peter Davi, brother, father, and friend to many died on December 4, 2008 doing the thing that he loved to do the most – surfing. Peter died by drowning having first sustaining head and chest injuries, probably from being dashed against jagged rocks by powerful waves at the surf break known as Ghost Trees in Pebble Beach, California. He was 45 years old.
Peter was a renowned, and respected, big wave surfer having spent many years proving himself in Hawaii. He was known for his size, power, and fearlessness earning him the title “The Prince of Big Wave Riding”. He gained prominence at big-wave spots on the North Shore of Oahu, including Banzai Pipeline, where respect is hard won from local Hawaiians. And he was among the first to ride the huge winter surf at Ghost Trees.
Peter was truly unique in his style and approach to the sport and was always willing to pass on his love and passion for the ocean to the many people that he came in contact with over the years. If you grew up surfing in the area and you wanted to test your mettle on Hawaii’s North Shore, Peter would help out – having lived there for years, he’d make a phone call and a pipeline legend like Liam McNamara would pick you up at the airport.
A certain old-school mentality was clear in Davi’s approach to surfing. He hated the hype associated with the big-wave surf scene – he didn’t like helicopters, cameras, or personal watercraft – and instead of taking Sea-Doo tows into waves like most everyone else, he paddled.
Peter was born in San Francisco, January 5, 1962 and lived on the Monterey Peninsula where his life revolved around the sea attending both elementary school and high school in Monterey. He began surfing as a teenager and was a professional surfer until about 2000 when he turned to fishing.
In the surfing community around Monterey and Big Sur, Davi was regarded by many as a kind of unofficial mayor. At 6 feet 3 inches and 240 pounds, his duties sometimes included maintaining order and safety in the surf. With a combination of intimidating size and charisma, he seldom had to do more than ask people politely to behave.
But Davi was also respected for his courage and his skill in riding big waves. In the early 1990s, he was among a clutch of surfers to ride regularly at a treacherous spot called Mavericks, 100 miles north of Monterey at Half Moon Bay.
A fourth-generation commercial fisherman, he came from a prominent Sicilian-American family in Monterey. In a 2004 article about the tradition of sardine fishing in Monterey Bay, Davi told the Oakland Tribune that he first fished commercially as a teenager while visiting family members in Sicily.
Peter was also a part of the rich tradition of the Monterey fishing industry. He carried on the legacy left by his father, Anthony James Davi, and his grandfathers, James Davi and Pietro Maiorana.
Peter had worked for many years as a commercial fisherman, most recently on the local fishing boat the King Phillip. He also possessed a rare affinity for all things connected to the ocean. An avid jade collector, Peter would often turn these findings into unique and amazing pieces of art.
In February of 2002 Peter received a certificate of appreciation for his heroic rescue efforts at Carmel Beach. Always connected to his family and friends he had become a person truly admired and loved by all who had the good fortune to know him. Known for his generosity and kindness of spirit, this gentle giant of a man will be greatly missed.
On the day Peter perished he dropped in on a massive storm surge, one of the biggest swells of the decade. It was a 30-foot west swell at 20 seconds. In layman’s terms, a 60-foot wave!
He is survived by his brother James A. Davi and son Jake.
Peter was a renowned, and respected, big wave surfer having spent many years proving himself in Hawaii. He was known for his size, power, and fearlessness earning him the title “The Prince of Big Wave Riding”. He gained prominence at big-wave spots on the North Shore of Oahu, including Banzai Pipeline, where respect is hard won from local Hawaiians. And he was among the first to ride the huge winter surf at Ghost Trees.
Peter was truly unique in his style and approach to the sport and was always willing to pass on his love and passion for the ocean to the many people that he came in contact with over the years. If you grew up surfing in the area and you wanted to test your mettle on Hawaii’s North Shore, Peter would help out – having lived there for years, he’d make a phone call and a pipeline legend like Liam McNamara would pick you up at the airport.
A certain old-school mentality was clear in Davi’s approach to surfing. He hated the hype associated with the big-wave surf scene – he didn’t like helicopters, cameras, or personal watercraft – and instead of taking Sea-Doo tows into waves like most everyone else, he paddled.
Peter was born in San Francisco, January 5, 1962 and lived on the Monterey Peninsula where his life revolved around the sea attending both elementary school and high school in Monterey. He began surfing as a teenager and was a professional surfer until about 2000 when he turned to fishing.
In the surfing community around Monterey and Big Sur, Davi was regarded by many as a kind of unofficial mayor. At 6 feet 3 inches and 240 pounds, his duties sometimes included maintaining order and safety in the surf. With a combination of intimidating size and charisma, he seldom had to do more than ask people politely to behave.
But Davi was also respected for his courage and his skill in riding big waves. In the early 1990s, he was among a clutch of surfers to ride regularly at a treacherous spot called Mavericks, 100 miles north of Monterey at Half Moon Bay.
A fourth-generation commercial fisherman, he came from a prominent Sicilian-American family in Monterey. In a 2004 article about the tradition of sardine fishing in Monterey Bay, Davi told the Oakland Tribune that he first fished commercially as a teenager while visiting family members in Sicily.
Peter was also a part of the rich tradition of the Monterey fishing industry. He carried on the legacy left by his father, Anthony James Davi, and his grandfathers, James Davi and Pietro Maiorana.
Peter had worked for many years as a commercial fisherman, most recently on the local fishing boat the King Phillip. He also possessed a rare affinity for all things connected to the ocean. An avid jade collector, Peter would often turn these findings into unique and amazing pieces of art.
In February of 2002 Peter received a certificate of appreciation for his heroic rescue efforts at Carmel Beach. Always connected to his family and friends he had become a person truly admired and loved by all who had the good fortune to know him. Known for his generosity and kindness of spirit, this gentle giant of a man will be greatly missed.
On the day Peter perished he dropped in on a massive storm surge, one of the biggest swells of the decade. It was a 30-foot west swell at 20 seconds. In layman’s terms, a 60-foot wave!
He is survived by his brother James A. Davi and son Jake.
National Public Radio News |
For more info contactJames A. Davi JamesDavi80@gmail.com |
From Peter Davi |