JBay ..Glorious!

J-Bay Turns On — And Marky Paarman Shows Us What Grit Really Looks Like

In this pumping J-Bay session, absolutely firing on all cylinders, I bring you over 30 minutes of raw, unfiltered footage, captured on Sunday, June 1st, 2025. The video kicks off in dramatic fashion, featuring none other than South African surf legend Marky Paarman, 66 years young, pulling into an absolute screamer — only to get unceremoniously clipped by the lip near the tube section at the end of Supertubes.

Now, if you know anything about J-Bay, you know that the end section of Supers isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s arguably the heaviest part of the whole point — dishing out some of the most perfect tubes, but equally capable of handing out serious punishment. And on this wave, it did just that.

But here’s where the story hits a little deeper. Mark, a cancer survivor with only 30% lung capacity, doesn't just face heavy waves — he faces every set with the kind of courage most of us can only aspire to. For anyone, a wipeout like that would be intense. For Marky, it's a survival story playing out in real time.

As fate would have it, just moments before he took the hit, I managed to grab a still frame that now proudly sits as the thumbnail for this video. It’s a fitting tribute to a man who’s earned every bit of his legendary status — not just for his surfing, but for his indomitable spirit and his example of what it means to truly live life to the fullest.

I’ve been filming J-Bay sessions for the past 18 months, and I can honestly say: Mark, you’ve been a massive inspiration. Thank you.

Enjoy the session — it’s a special one.