Dorian 'Doc' Paskowitz: his words inspire millions of surfers | Photo: Paskowitz Surf Camp

Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz is a legend. The founder of the first surfing family was an avid surfer, health and diet promoter, doctor, and philosopher. Throughout his life, "Doc" shared his knowledge with the world.

He lived 93 glorious years and summers. Dorian Paskowitz touched hearts, inspired young and old with his magnetic eyes, and got diets and healthy habits into the surfing world.

The Jewish surfer enjoyed life to the fullest and encouraged everyone to follow their dreams with new attitudes towards work, body, and mind.

"Doc" is the guardian of the "Aloha" spirit.

Let's dive into the magical world of Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz through his most memorable quotes, thoughts, and reflections:


A real man is capable of controlling himself before he controls his children.

Big wave surfers are human beings that have powers. They are men of enormous gentility.

Death is not a stalker, always looking for us. Death is a scorekeeper tallying up how much we love life and how much we are willing to work for it. We die when we stop living.

God loves happy people.

Health begets Spirit.

Health is a presence of a superior state of well-being, vigor, vitality, and pizzazz you have to work for every single day of your life.

Health is survival. But survival with style and class.

I don't see myself as legendary. If you want a legend, talk about someone like Duke Kahanamoku.

I love to be called Doc.

I think it is easy to be a doctor. There is a hell of a lot more doctors than there are guys riding big Pipeline.

I'm one of the few dumb Jewish doctors.

It's easier to die when you have lived than it is to die when you haven't.

Keep surfing with "Aloha."

Love really makes the world go round, but sex makes love go round.

My favorite toy or game has been the ocean. My real passion is saltwater.

Once I learned to swim, I learned that there were waves.

Once you paddle out, Hawaii is Hawaii.

Our ultimate fate is life. Death is only the absence of life, just as cold is, but the absence of heat. We are dead only when the celestial fire of life vanishes. Our attention should always be focused on the job of living - the system, the process, the standard operating procedure we call life. We die because we decide to stop living. Not before. We don't fall off our surfboards - we jump.

Some of the most profound realizations that I came to about health did not derive from medicine but derived from surfing.

The greatest thing in life is health.

The real enemy is not fat but us. We are the misusers; we are the greedy ones. If we have no better sense than to purposefully destroy ourselves, it is no wonder that nature punishes us with vile diseases and calls in our maker long before their time. Nature remembers every extra bite of cherry pie, T-bone steak, fried chicken, and pizza.

The reason he [Duke Kahanamouku] didn't like me was that I liked him too much.

There is a wisdom in the wave - high-born, beautiful - for those who would but paddle out.

When I kept surfing, surfing kept me.

Wisdom comes from intent, experience, and finding courage.


Discover the best surfing quotes of all time.

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