Surfer Mikala Jones died Sunday in an accident while he was surfing in Indonesia. He was 44. His daughter Bella made a post on Instagram about his death and paid tribute to her father, who was known for captivating photography he took inside the tube of waves.
"I’m not sure how to put this in words, but my dad got into a bad surfing accident and didn’t make it," she said in the caption for a gallery of images, including one of Jones and herself on a surfboard when she was a child. "Im happy he was doing what he loved the most.
Jones' father, dentist Dr. John Jones, told The Associated Press that the surfing veteran died when the fin of his surfboard cut his thigh and hit his femoral artery, a major blood vessel that carries blood to the lower body.
Life will never be the same without you. I miss you so much, I would do anything to get one more moment, even if it was us arguing and then laughing our asses off. Thank you for teaching me so many life lessons, and always being there for me."
“He was a humble artist. His pictures were incredible,” his father said. Eleven-time world champion Kelly Slater was among those who paid tribute to Jones on Instagram, writing in the comments for his most recent post, "Legend" with a heartbroken emoji.
Jones, who leaves behind wife Emma Brereton and daughters Bella and Violet, was born in Hawaii where he picked up the sport as a child and competed in amateur events, winning two national championships.
His father was also a surf photographer. Jones moved to Indonesia as an adult and traveled the world chasing waves to capture.
Jones amassed 55,000 followers on Instagram with his stunning photography, showing rarely-before-seen images of the inside of waves. His work was featured on the cover of magazines, including The Surfer's Journal.
“It’s like a disease,” Jones said in a feature by the publication. “But when you pull up at a spot you’ve been researching and the swell is there, the wind is right, and you’re about to paddle out to empty perfection, that’s what it’s all about. That’s where I get my fix. I love the travel.
I love the surfing. But right at the point where the two come together—for me that’s the best moment. That’s what I keep chasing.”