Karbo Karen - Hound of the sea: wild man, wild waves, wild wisdom

The author with his wife, Nicole, and a local participant at a Surfers Healing camp in Puerto Rico, where they had met a year earlier, April 8, 2011. (Nancy Hussy)

This book would not be what it is without the dedication of Karen Karbo. She took my vision and turned it into a reality. Im forever grateful for the countless hours she put in and for her faith in my story. Also, thank you to Karen Rinaldi, Hannah Robinson, Victor Hendrickson, and the rest of the publishing team at HarperWave for believing in what I wanted to share with the world and for all the time and effort it took to make this book the best it could be.

Thank you to my friends who had a hand in helping throughout the long writing and editing process. To Khalil Rafati, who inspired me by having the courage to tell his own story in I Forgot to Die. He was also one of my dear friends who took the time to read the finished manuscript and offer his thoughts. To Alex Von Furstenberg for lending us his picturesque Malibu beach house, a calm spot where we could focus on adding the finishing touches to the story.

Thank you to Rick Salomon, one of the most generous and caring people Ive met in my life, for believing in me even when I wasnt making the best choices and inspiring me every day through your sobriety and kindness.

Thank you to Mark Bell for always being in my corner and only a phone call away for the serious and not so serious moments of life. I aspire to accomplish even half of what you have done in business. And to Michael Vlock for literally changing the way I live my life. You have helped me focus on what is really importantmy family and having fun. Somehow you believed in me too and I am eternally grateful for that.

Thank you to all my friends who inspire me in one way or another to be either a better father, husband, or businessman. To not take myself so seriously and enjoy my blessings. To the Schlesingers for adopting my family and treating us like your own. The Redfords for being there for me during one of the most desperate times of my life. Stuart Parr and Allison Sarofim for their friendship and believing in me and helping with my current healing process. Reggie Barns and Jocylene Tracy, Michael Whalen, the Dawsons, the Farrers, and all the friends and families near and far, all over the world, who have taken me in during my adventuresIm forever grateful. My Chile family, my Peru family, my Tahiti family, my Indonesia family, my Australia family, my California family, my Japan family, my Hawaiian Islands families, and many more.

I have been so blessed in my life with amazing people supporting me it makes me sick to think I have forgotten to mention anyone who deserves to be on these pages. I pray that if I have forgotten anyone, which surely I have, that they know how much they have impacted my life and that I love them.

Thank you to Izzy Paskowitz who has changed my life in more ways than one and has also enriched the lives of thousands of children and their families. He deserves a statue! It was because of Surfers Healing that I found an emotional outlet and place to share my passion and also where I met my wife. Without Izzy my life would be on a completely different path. He also inspired me by having the courage to tell his story through Scratching the Horizon: A Surfing Life.

Thank you to Deepak Chopra for writing The Seven Spiritual Laws of Successit has had a profound impact on how I live my life daily. And to Kent Ewing for encouraging me to stay PCP and helping me sort the chatterbox in my head.

The town of Nazar and the country of Portugal deserve an entire book of praise. Thank you to Lowell Hussey for helping me make the website that helped Dino Casimiro track me down, and to Dino for hitting SEND on his first email. He could have reached out to anyone and I thank the heavens above it was me. To the town of Nazar for being a little hesitant but in the end welcoming me with open arms and making me part of the family. To the original team in Nazar for having the heart to go after your dreams. To Mama Celeste for always believing in me and taking care of me like I was her own son. To everyone in Celestes familyAndre Botelho, Ana, Vovo Cila, Maria Ana, Gil, Ricardo, Catarina, Julio, and all the other amazing humans.

A big thanks has to go out to all the charities I work with. Volunteering is a funny thing to me, because although you are giving your time to others, you walk away feeling so good that its like a selfish thing. I love all the work I do with the Red Cross, the Marconi Foundation, Heal the Bay, Surfrider, and most especially Surfers Healing. Its where I feel I can make a real difference in a familys life by sharing my passion for the ocean and waves. I commend Izzy Paskowitz for his dedication to enriching the life of autistic children and their families.

A million thank-yous to my partner, Andrew Cotton, surfing for Queen and Country. He is the most humble man I have ever met, and without him coming into my life I wouldnt have ridden some of my most magical and memorable waves. He is also responsible for putting me in the perfect spot on the historic record wave which single-handedly changed my life forever. Also to Hugo Vau and Kealii Mamala for being loyal and keeping us safe, and to Jorge Leal for capturing all the moments so we could share it with the world. Also to all my other tow partners and water safety support throughout the years: I have always said and still do to this day that you are only as good as your team. Thanks for being there.

To the people of Nazarthe body boarders, firemen, lifeguards, and police. The women with seven skirts. Paulo Salvador, Pedro Pisco, Paulo Caldeira, Guti Martin, and Sergio. To everyone in Nazar and Portugal who have welcomed us and gave us a second home, obrigado!

Im thankful for all the surfboard shapers who have supported me through my life. There are so many of you that have dedicated your time and energy to perfecting the shapes of the boards we rely on to enjoy the waves and do our job. Its a true art form and I am extremely grateful to all of you who have made a board for me. Roy Patterson believed in me in the beginning. Dick Brewer shaped a number of magical boards for me over the years and used to let me hang out in the shaping room. What most people dont know is he is the Kevin Bacon of shapingdirectly or indirectly every shaper in surfing learned from Dick Brewer, but he is too humble to ever tell you that. And now Carl Schaper, who has devoted his craft to perfecting all my shapes. And SPO, who put their heart and soul into making me the most perfect tow board for Nazar that I have ever ridden.

Gratitude goes to all the photographers throughout my career who have spent countless hours on land or in the water to capture the shot. Without you guys we wouldnt have a profession. So many of you have helped me over the years it wouldnt be fair to try and list you all in fear of forgetting someone.

Deepest thanks goes to my mother and father for creating me and bringing me into this world and providing me with the experiences that have made me who I am today. To my mother for forcing us to move to Hawaii, where I found my lifelong passion. And for both my parents for supporting me in whatever I do. To my brother Liam for always standing by my side, and to my other brothersMichael McNamara, Allan and Bill, Michael, BJ and Joel Welshfor doing the same. To Liam and Brandee for creating my nephews, the amazing Makai, Landon, and Ledgen who are carrying on the McNamara surf legacy.