Andrew Blauschild
“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” ― Thomas Campbell
The surfers of Montauk have earned recognition on the world stage for cultivating talent, rivaling a reputation for being a tight-knit community. The paradox of being territorial of the waves yet supportive of one another was unmistakable this August with the recent and sudden passing of Montauk surfer Andrew Blauschild.
Drew experienced cardiac arrest after an evening session at Northbar this August, and his abrupt passing is a reminder of how fleeting life can be as well as how members of the surf community impact one another. Those that knew Drew from the water were shocked and devastated, surfers that did not know him well regularly saw him in the line-up or shooting photos on the beach. “I have surfed with him since I learned how to surf almost thirty years ago, he was someone you would see catching wave after wave when it was tiny or a hurricane,” according to a year-round surfer.
“He was salty and intuitive, had a great laugh and was one of those Montauk surf characters that I am going to miss,” noted by a summer surfer at Ditch. A fixture on the beach and a year-round resident (outside of global travel), Drew’s last day was doing what he adored the most, surfing. “He was surfing a break he loved at sunset, with a crowd of his friends, the day of a full moon, what surfer wants anything more as their last session,” a local instructor wondered.
An accomplished photographer, he documented the culture of surfing locally and around the planet. A Bronx and Brooklyn native, his work and legacy lives on through images he shot through his lens, capturing why we all love to surf and the aura around it. Drew’s work has been featured in The New York Observer, The New York Times, and many other outlets, capturing landscapes and the art of surfing only the way a surfer can by highlighting his connection to the ocean. “I was featured in Surfer’s Journal, I’m good,” Drew once shared with a friend in the water.
“The pro-surfers Drew used to photograph loved shooting with him because he could capture the essence of the session not just a surfer on the wave. Not many photographers can create an actual image that conveys the energy of the moment,” Greg recalled, another Montauk surfer and good friend to Drew.
Drew’s passing hits the Montauk surfing community hard as a reminder of being a part of something bigger than we are, that those in the line-up are part of the joy we find in surfing, and how important it is to never take a day (or a session) for granted. Live on in peace Drew, your smile, energy and simply your presence will be greatly missed.
