Thomas Edward was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin back in 1902. His mother died when he was 11 months old, so his dad left with in the care of relatives in Hibbing, Minnesota. He finally ended up in Washburn, Wisconsin graduating from Washburn’s St. Louis Catholic School. After graduation, he left Washburn embarking on a nomadic lifestyle.
By 1921, he was living in Santa Monica, California supporting himself as a lifeguard. In 1924, he moved to Hawaii, he would travel from Hawaii to the mainland for the remainder of his life. While in Hawaii he took up surfboarding. In 1936, he set a milestone that still stands. He rode his surfboard for 4,500 feet, the longest recorded surf ride in history.
What you may not know about Thomas Edward “Tom” Blake is that he was the first to construct a hollow surf board with transverse bracing for which he received his first patent. He built the first aluminum “torpedo” rescue buoy. For that invention. he was recognized by the National Surf Life Saving Associations. By 1930, he attached a sail to the surfboard thus creating the modern sport of windsurfing. He built the first waterproof housing for cameras. One other thing, he was the inventor that first applied a fin to a surfboard, thus making them easier to maneuver. He died in 1994.
Until tomorrow give someone the free gift of a smile
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