The Eulogy of Jack Prodanovich , By Carlos Eyles

I wanted to share this special eulogy with the readers of the Underground Waterman , every time I read this it gives me the chills , I still remember hearing it for the first time . It was at the Jack Prodanovich Memorial,words cant describe how moving it was , it’s a moment I will not soon forget . I hope you enjoy

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Back in 1954 things were very much different than they are now. The sea and men were as different as the sea and men are today. Back then heroes were authentic real people not caricatures out of the television. They were accessible and earned their reputation in real ways; they fought big wars, sailed big seas and climbed big mountains without the civilized world backing them up. No GPS, no cell phones, hell, no real gear to assist the climb or the dive. The physical unknown world was rapidly disappearing yet individuals aspired to conquer that which had never been available. Two men conquered Mount Everest in the same era that Jack and Wally on the Pacific Coast of California were descending to depths on a breath-hold that was unheard of and hauling out fish larger than themselves. Their efforts when first recorded appeared Herculean and defied belief. But when asked of their incredible achievement, so far removed from what anyone else was doing, they would, as authentic heroes did in those times, illicit a humility for their deeds and an enthusiasm for their newly discovered world. A world that now seems to have all but disappeared from the landscape of our present culture. And it was this utter realness of them and their achievements that magnetically drew me ever nearer to the hunt in blue water. Yet, unlike Hillary and Tenzing who climbed the great mountain they were afforded neither fame nor scarcely any acknowledgement for their achievements. If any of you had ever spoken to Jack or Wally you know that their life’s work, though triumphant, was never about them, it was always about the sea or the next dive. They lived in relative obscurity to the world at large and in accordance with such men they could have cared less, for they were on the hunt, not only of fish but of new territories that at the time were as remote as the peaks of Everest, making those same depths today accessible to everyone here.

They were the first, and to the first must go all the accolades, for they must forge through physical and psychological barriers that those before could never muster up. And to those ever-after, once the way was known, have only mere records to break, much like footnotes in an already written novel.

Jack’s passing marks the end of an incredible era. A time in men and a time in nature that we will certainly never see again. It was, in retrospect, a glorious time, and without question a time to embrace within each of us. Jack’s gift of the sea was precious, and if any part of it resides in you, protect it, cherish it, pass it on to your sons and daughters. Never loose sight of it. In many ways it is the greatest gift you will ever receive.


We all sit here today in deep gratitude to those men awash in a debt that can never be repaid. It is not asked to be repaid. Yet begs to be repaid. How can we honor the gifts bestowed upon us by Jack? For these words today will eventually vanish into the ether of time, yet each of us is, in a very real way, is carrying the legacy of these two remarkable men. We can only honor their gift to us by honoring the sea itself; there is no other way. Each of us is a voice of the sea. So when fouled and abused and betrayed by civilization the sea cannot speak for Herself, thus we are obliged to speak for Her and support Her in all ways, politically, spiritually, and physically. In the doing we honor Jack and Wally as we honor ourselves by taking only what we can use, and encourage others to do likewise. As free diving spear fisherman, we are closer to those spiritual elements of the sea than any human ever will be or has been, thus the responsibility to support and maintain her is directly on you and on me. I for one am proud of the responsibility, and would want to align myself with no other group. As Jack and Wally honored the sea so must we honor them.