time, there was a south swell that came on, creating some of the biggest waves known in that area. Gabaldón's surfboard was found immediately, but it would be 3 to 4 days before his body was found washed up on Las Flores Beach, further east of the Pier. The coroner ruled that Gabaldón died as a result of drowning. Most of his Malibu-based surfing peers had attended Gabaldón's rosary. His funeral was held at St. Monica Catholic Church, Santa Monica. He is buried in Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery. Six days prior to his death, Gabaldón had submitted a poem for submission to the Santa Monica College literary magazine. It was entitled "Lost Lives" where he describes the sea as "capricious", "vindictive" and where men "do battle but still die." Some see the poem as being somewhat prophetic in light of how he died. The poem was published in its entirety in the now-defunct Santa Monica Evening Outlook. On September 7, 2007, officials for the City of Santa Monica announced plans to commemorate the stretch of Santa Monica State Beach called the Ink Well, and to post a plaque to honor Gabaldón's contribution to the sport of surf. The plaque was officially dedicated on February 7, 2008. References Further reading Books: Encyclopedia of Surfing by Matt Warshaw Magazine articles: Surfer Magazine, Vol. 24 #8, August 1983 The Surfer's Journal, Vol 14, #1 Early Spring 2005 Newspaper articles: Popular CC Youth Dies In Surf Tragedy,Santa Monica Evening Outlook, 6 June 1951 Grim Foreboding Stalks Through Lines Of Poem by Tragedy Fated Student, Santa Monica Evening Outlook, 14 June 1951 L.A. Then and Now: In 'Whites Only' Era, an Oasis for L.A.'s Blacks, Cecilia Rasmussen, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2005 External links Director of 12 Miles North, a documentary about Nick Gabaldon discusses the making of the film Article in Santa Monica Daily Press Newspaper September 10, 2007 Article about Nick Gabaldon News Story about Nick Gabaldon and Ink Well Beach Commemoration Photographs from the Ink Well Beach/Nick Gabaldon Commemoration Event of February 7, 2008 1927 births 1951 deaths American surfers Sports deaths in California Sportspeople from Los Angeles United States Navy personnel of World War II United States Navy reservists Deaths by drowning in California