Thousands of surfers come together to honour the late Jack O'Neill

Thousands of surfers came together in several locations around the globe to honour the life of the legendary adventurer and entrepreneur Jack O'Neill.

Surfers at O'Neill, the man behind the surfwear inspired brand O'Neill, led the honorary proceedings on Sunday and Monday, as simultaneous paddle outs took place in Australia, Canada, Portugal, England, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Japan and South Africa.

Fans of the brand felt there was no better way to honour the man who 'just wanted to surf longer.' "For all of us floating out here, some of the best moments of our lives have been spent in the water – waiting under the great dome of sky and catching that perfect wave that has taken us to where we need to be," said Shaun Tomson, a former world champion surfer and close friend of O'Neill and his family.

O'Neill has been credited with inventing the first neoprene surf and bodysurfing wetsuits prior to opening his first surf shop near Ocean Beach, San Francisco. Afterwards, he moved to Santa Cruz, where he opened his next surf shop, thereby coining the phrase. Since then the surf, snow and lifestyle brand has expanded across the globe to offer its products to wider audience.