Experienced Surfer Dies In Hurricane-Related Waves Off Florida Coast

Reports the Daytona Beach News-Journal, a surfer not yet publicly identified suffered a head laceration while surfing in New Smyrna Beach this morning.

"It appears at this time that it was a death from trauma," Volusia County Beach Patrol spokeswoman Tammy Marris said. "It appears he went over a wave and might have gone head first into the ground."

The surfer's friends brought him out of the waves to the shore, but he had no vitals and wasn't breathing, Marris said. The surfer was pronounced dead just after noon.

Surfers flocked to the beach today, Marris said and the Hurricane Irene-related waves were "phenomenal" this morning along the Volusia Coast. The waves were 5 - 7 feet, she said, and 8 - 10 foot wave sets were rolling into Ponce de Leon Inlet.

WESH TV recently posted an update stating, "Volusia County Beach Patrol said the 55-year old man was standing in shallow water when a wave threw him head-first into the surf. Crews performed CPR on the man at the scene, but he later died at Bert Fish Medical Center."

RIP.

New Smyrna Beach man killed in surfing accident [Daytona Beach News-Journal] (Unrelated surfer-tribute photo H/T asbmag.com)