I remember when I first got into surfing in the midst of my awkward teen angst in the 90’s, combing through the pages of surf magazines and always pausing on images of a goofy character in flamboyant wetsuits designed like comic book character outfits. This guy was either busting crazy airs or charging huge waves – both feats were pretty radical at that time and were pretty much in stark contrast to each other. He just seemed like he was having a blast doing all of it and was laughing the whole scene and the danger of his situations off. Shawn “Barney” Barron was one of my first surf heroes because of that wacky style and his creative antics, both in and out of the water. I never met Barney, but he is a character that made surfing fun and irreverent, there has been no one like him as far as I know and I am deeply saddened by his passing. Check out this tribute edit to Barney, one of Santa Cruz’s finest, taken too soon. Innovative aerialist, big-wave charger, artist, unforgettable character, was an integral part of Volcom’s early days who helped push the brand and style of what Volcom represents. Rest in peace, Barney, we will miss you.