Nick Gabaldon lived most of his life in Santa Monica, Calif. There was nothing he enjoyed more than surfing. He taught himself how to surf at a 200-foot roped off stretch of Santa Monica Beach designated for African Americans only called the "Inkwell." By the late 1940s, Gabaldon began showing up regularly at Malibu, where he was accepted without question into the elite group of locals. Malibu Beach, some 12 miles north of Santa Monica, was developing into a cult hangout spot and the place to be for those who had the courage to ride the big waves. When he was unable to get a ride to Malibu he would often paddle on his surfboard the 10 miles from Santa Monica. Gabaldon was Californian's first black Surfing icon. He hung out with such legendary surfers as Bob Simmons, Joe Quigg and Matt Kivlin. In 1951, Gabaldon died when he crashed into the Malibu Pier while attempting a surfing move known as a "pier ride," or "shooting the pier." At that time, there was a south swell that came on, creating some of the biggest waves known in that area. His surfboard was found immediately. His body was found washed up on Las Flores Beach, further east of the pier, a few days later. Ironically, Gabaldon died six days after writing a poem for his college magazine about how violent and deadly the sea can be. In 2008, the City of Santa Monica dedicated a plaque on the stretch of Santa Monica State Beach called the "Inkwell" to honor Nick Gabaldon's contribution to the sport of surfing.