Legendary Waterman, Mark Cunningham - Lifeguard, Body Surfer Extraordinaire, and Environmentalist

Mark Cunningham image - Honolulu Star-Bulletin

I had the pleasure of recently meeting legendary waterman and bodysurfer Mark Cunningham at Surf Expo in Orlando while in the DaFin booth. A soft spoken, tall and fit man, Mark ended his stellar 30-year Hawaiian lifeguard career in 2005, most of which was spent on the North Shore of Oahu with a very special breed of watermen. His list of former work colleagues is a veritable “who’s who” of Hawaiian surfing lore: Buffalo Keaulana, Eddie Aikau, Darrick Doerner, Rell Sunn and Tiger Espere. And while Cunningham himself has achieved legendary status, he’s done so in quite a different way. Aside from being the man who spent most of his days on the tower at Ehukai Beach Park, a.k.a. Pipeline, he’s earned a solid reputation as one of the world’s extraordinaire bodysurfers.

Now he has committed himself to promoting the “Keep the Country Country” and other causes such as “Defend Oahu Coalition” A man well respected throughout Hawaii for being a true waterman!

Be sure to check out Mark's amazing new movie about bodysurfing “Come Hell or High Water” with awesome scenes filmed at The Wedge, Pipeline, Teahupoo, Waimea Bay and more.