PFtheblog

PAUL FIGURA-THE BLOG: Random shots, Behind the scenes, Monday coffee, photography tips and thoughts...

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A Celebration Of Life- Paul Figura

A Beautiful Life Lived Deserves To Be Beautifully Celebrated...

Join us on May 17th to honor the life of our dear friend Paul Richard Figura. We will be celebrating his life with a reception and paddle out at Hanna Park. More details will be posted as the event draws closer.

Please RSVP by May 2nd by clicking HERE

Attire: Recommend Hawaiian/tropical   

What to bring:  Sunscreen, hats.  If you surf, bring your surf board as we will do a paddle out ceremony at the end of the service. You can also bring towels or chairs to hang out at the beach. 

Venue: Dolphin Plaza at Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park, 500 Wonderwood Drive, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233

At Park entrance, please let them know you are attending the memorial service for Paul Figura. Entrance to park will be $1.50, so please come prepared.

Venue is indoor/outdoor. Light brunch and refreshments will be available. Program begins promptly at 10am and will conclude by 12:30pm. The plaza and refreshments will be available until 2pm.

Attire: Casual beach attire. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to one of the charities that Paul volunteered with:

Don't Miss A Beat

Friends of Jacksonville Animals

For out of town travelers:

Airport Information

Hotels: 

Between Downtown and Beach:

Hotel Indigo Jacksonville Deerwood Park, 9840 Tapestry Park Circle, 32246

Crowne Plaza Jacksonville- Riverfront, 1201 Riverplace Blvd., 32207

Extended Stay America, 1413 Prudential Drive, 32207

Near the Beach:

Holiday Inn Express Hotel, Jacksonville-Mayport Beach, 2040 Mayport Rd, 32233

Best Western Mayport Inn & Suites, 2389 Mayport Rd, 32233

Courtyard Jacksonville Beach Oceanfront, 1617 1st St. North, 32250

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Dream big, Meros shoot.

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Cold.

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One love series, Costa Rica.

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Monday coffee with Ashley. Jacksonville Beach.

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Tristan, Jax Beach.

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North Florida fun at Secrets.

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NYC.

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Outside the Billionaire Boys Club, NYC

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Monday coffee. Taylor in Puerto Rico.

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One love tip, NYC. 2013.

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Dress warm. NYC.

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In pursuit of the perfect day.

My shirt reads, “In Pursuit of the Perfect Day.”  Somehow assault rifles were not in my mind when I was having coffee watching the sunrise over the Indian Ocean.

photo:Tom Smith

May 2006 was my second surf trip to Indonesia.  This time to Kupang City, West Timor and heading out on a boat to surf off the island of Rote.  Preceding both trips, numerous people asked, “Why are you going there?”  “It is dangerous!”  “Are you afraid?” “ It is a Muslim country.” Mostly, if not exclusively, the comments were from people that don’t travel and had not experienced the numerous joys of an adventure.

Why do I go, because it is a tropical paradise with some of the best surf in the world without stifling crowds.  Sometimes however, Mother Nature does not cooperate and the ocean goes calm.  Card games, scooter rides and a visit to the local market are the norm to fill time.  On this day, we decided to explore nDana, a small uninhabited island with a spring fed lake on it.

Jamie Borders at Nembralla  photo:Paul Figura

nDana beach

Sounds amazing. It wasn’t. The short walk to the spring was not short, nor was the island uninhabited.  A few minutes after walking up the beach we were met by a dog, a little farther a local with a machete. Harmless enough, every kid in Costa Rica has a machete, right? A bit further up the path to the spring, the vacation hike turns in an adventure.

This is where we are escorted by a second local and then a third with an AK style firearm. For the next 30 minutes or so there is a tension in the air. We make it up to the lake which is really a small mud pit. Great, we are going to get killed seeking a mud pit.  It’s here that I think my friend Clint offers the man with gun a Coke. Now note, we do not know if this is Indonesian military, terrorists or just some guys in the woods shooting guns, but the mood just got way better. The gift may have worked with water, beer or vodka, but it was a Coke. Time for some photos and let’s get out of here.

Clint Burbridge and our new friends.

Come to find out later via broken translation, that these guys were working with the Indonesian government protecting the island from possible Australian acquisition. They were bored and happy to see us, though you would never have known.  That night, safe on the boat, under an amazing star filled sky, I realize it was a perfect day.

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Monday coffee with fitness model Kayla.

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Recent work for Mitchell's Fish Market restaurants. 

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Monday coffee with Marissa. 

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new work.