“Follow The Spirits and Chase Those Demons”
(An old Tsunami saying)
On Saturday May 19, 2012, the family and friends of Eric Soares said good-bye and scattered his ashes as he had requested in the Pacific Ocean at Pillar Point, California. It was a beautiful day.
At around 11:00 Saturday morning about 25 kayakers gathered at the end of Princeton Road on the beach in Pillar Point Harbor. Tsunami Rangers Michael Powers and Jim Kakuk paddled our Trident X-3 towing Eric’s latest X-15 which he had named Antares. Eric’s helmet was duct taped to the bow of the Trident.
On land, Eric’s stepson Nick Wantz and Eric’s dojo brother Jeff Hansen carried colorful flags to the parking lot at Pillar Point beach where the non-paddlers gathered. Everyone then walked out to the beach to observe the ceremony.
At about 12:00 the kayakers launched. They paddled across the harbor, through the harbor mouth, and along the outside of the jetty to the lagoon at Pillar Point beach.
At the north end of the beach, the kayakers assembled in the water and the walkers assembled on the shore. The kayakers rafted up facing the beach. Eric’s empty X-15 was in the middle, with the Trident on the left and me on the right in my own X-15. I was carrying the ashes in a backpack. Moulton Avery, Eric’s friend from the East coast, was on my right. Also in the water was Eric’s nephew, Jake Soares on his surf board.
Michael and Moulton held on to my boat to keep the raft together in the light swell as I got out the shiny silver Illy coffee can containing Eric’s ashes and took off the lid. Eric loved his coffee. I held the can up in the air and released the ashes. They cascaded all over me and my boat, covering Moulton as well. Once again I held my arms up this time as high as I could and gave it another go. A cloud of ashes flew out like a banner over the raft of kayakers. Success!
Everyone held up their paddles and cheered. The cheers were echoed by those on the beach. Then the kayakers dispersed, some to surf, some to the shore to feast. Our friend Cory DeBattista’s barbecued chicken deserves a mention, as well as Sandy Emerson’s chocolate and raspberry Bundt cake. One last photo was snapped of the kayakers on the beach with the Trident and the rest of the day was spent enjoying the gorgeous weather.
It was simple, it was sincere, it involved surfing and it was perfect. Eric would have loved it.
Rest in peace Eric. You will always be remembered. Thank you very much for your huge contribution on the kayaking world.
What a great way to say goodbye. At about the same time, I was surfing on the other side of the Pacific, watching a rainbow appear in the middle of the sea. It made me think of Eric, it made me smile, and it urged me on as I paddled onto waves. Eric was and will remain a huge inspiration for my paddling. Rest in Peace mate.
Thanks, guys. FP, I love your rainbow story. Eric and I had so many magical rainbow experiences that whenever I see one for the rest of my life I will think of him. Happy paddling:)
A beautiful send off to a very special man. Thanks for posting this Nancy!
Ed, you are amazing. You did a fantabulous job with Reef Madness this year and your wit and humor are just what was needed in an MC. As I’ve said before, Eric attracted the best and you are one of them. Thank you so much for carrying on!
What a beautiful ceremony for a man who truly lived well. I will miss Mr. Soares greatly from the dojo days, and may his story continue to inspire for generations to come.
Peace and blessings to you and your family.
It was a memorable event and a fitting salute to Eric, a beautiful day on the reef with family and friends, the salty sea waters surging underneath us as we gathered together in his memory. It is difficult to say that he is gone, it feels more like “he is just away for a while”. Eric’s presence is still here with us, he was the Big Kuhuna of the tribe but we will carry on. In joy and in sadness I will always think of you Eric, peace and love be with you brother. Forever your friend – Jim.
Good bye Eric. I will always remember the great time we had in New Zealand. Patti and I will always remember you my friend. Rest in peace.
Hard to elaborate on what everyone has said, particularly what Jim Kakuk wrote. I felt privileged to be there, and it was a beautiful way to say goodbye.
Rest in peace, Eric. I may not have known him, but seeing these pics, it was really a very touching tribute from family & friends. How did you feel that moment you scattered his ashes? Must’ve been something.
OP, I felt satisfied that I had done what I promised Eric I would do and grateful that as usual our friends and family were there to help get the job done. With the first toss, Eric’s ashes dumped all over me and Moulton. My first thought was, “In death as in life, Eric’s all over me” and I laughed. True story. Then when I really heaved and his ashes went flying I was just so happy for him to go home to the sea.
Nancy, when the wind caught your first toss and ashes rained down on us, I was surprised, but also happy; it was a very moving moment that I’ll always treasure.
Incredibly touching account, with beautiful photos…thank you very much for sharing this, Nancy. There is no greater inspiration in the kayaking community than Eric, he is a true legend!
Tony M.
Moulton, it was moving but with Eric there was always that touch of humor XD. So it really wasn’t a surprise to me getting ashes up my nose; it was more like, “But of course…It had to happen this way!”
I too am really glad you made it out for the weekend. It was nice to meet you and put a face to the name. I was reading the post about Reef Madness last year and I believe you threatened to paddle. What happened? You couldn’t have had an easier day;) Maybe we’ll see you next year???
And how about you, FP? You were threatening to paddle too!
I didn’t know Eric, but I read about his death in Canoe & Kayak this edition. Then I found this post. What a wonderful life he lived, pueauinf hia passions,and what a wonderful tribute the ocean gathering was. It resonates with me, because my son, David Norell, died while competing in a triathlon (age 24) of an unknown serious congenital heart abnormality. We watched as one of his best friends took his ashes into David’s favorite wave on the Payette River in Idaho. If David had known of his condition, I know he would have kept on kayaking anyway. I loved how Michael Powers in C&K mag. summed up about Eric “His was a geat warrior spirit, and he richly deserved to die a warrior’s death.” My heart goes out to you Nancy, and the rest of your family, Rae Ann Norell, kayak mom.
Thank you so much for your comment and your good wishes, Rae Ann. I am so sorry about your son. I believe that if there is anything that helps in coping with tragedy it is knowing that our men died without compromising their lives. The warrior spirit is a rarity these days, but it lives on in our kayaking community. Stay strong, and thank you again.
Thank you, Nancy. Take CAre
About the race, Nancy- first let me thank Kenny Howell for taking the time to fix me up with a really nice boat, a P&H Aires, and all the trimmings so that I could be out on the water for the ceremony; without his help, I would have been standing on the beach.
The conditions, looking out from Michael’s house on Sunday, really were lovely, if a bit windy. I don’t have much experience paddling boats other than my Nordkapp, and although I really liked the overall feel of the P&H, I wasn’t able to get the back band properly adjusted after multiple tries, which made forward strokes a chore. I wouldn’t have wanted to paddle it that way for mile after mile.
Still, I can’t say for certain that I would have put in even if I’d had my own boat there. I’m a pretty conservative paddler, Saturday was the first time I’d ever paddled on the West Coast, I didn’t know the course, and I had no partner – it just didn’t feel right to me.
Of course, watching from shore as each boat came in for the finish, I was having second thoughts; maybe I should have gone out and done it anyway. FP was in Australia, so he at least has a lion’s excuse; mine, in contrast, seems more like a mouse’s. Next year I’ll come out early, get set up, check out the course, and get my butt out on the water. Maybe I can bring a few mates with me, and who knows, maybe FP can make it up from down under. That would be sweet.
Well, Moulton, I look forward to seeing you next year. I do know your boat wasn’t quite the thing. Bringing buddies is a good idea – it is better to have someone to paddle with I think. Rebekah Kakuk and I had a lot of fun just paddling out to the slot, hanging out for awhile to watch the racers, and coming back. Our excuse for not racing: Rebekah is recovering from a severe motorcycle smash and I had a massive hangover and a wonky rotator cuff from a skiing crash. She did say something about paddling with me in the Trident next year. Hmmm…
Far better excuses than I have…
It was a sublimely beautiful afternoon. I was so grateful to be there to witness the paddle, say good bye, see friends and meet friends. Nancy thank you for the great telling of the day. You know, I didn’t realize Dad’s boat was on the water, I saw his helmet but somehow missed the boat (haha).