Oldest Wahine

Full Story on Wetsand

More intriguing than her lines of wisdom, which she wears beautifully, is the energy and might that this 81 year-old woman possesses.

It's not everyday you see a woman swinging a sledgehammer that equals more than half her body weight. In a stylish fashion, wearing a light blue bandana and pearl earrings, Eve Fletcher conquers the concrete slab that stands before her. Swinging her sledgehammer with flawless execution is the perfect metaphor to depict how Eve has approached life. With style and poise she achieved what we all strive for: the perfect balance of working hard and playing hard.

Next to the dismantled riprap that Eve loads into the trunk of her Subaru wagon lays her 9' single fin. Aside from her passion for gardening and landscaping she possesses another talent that very few participate in at her age. With five decades under her belt Fletcher maybe the world's most experienced female surfer. Staying true to her roots, just as she has for the last forty years, Eve makes the weekly journey from her eclectic yet modest Laguna Beach home to the line up at San Onofre where she is greeted with warm smiles and a well of respect....

I see her out at Sano Onofre a lot when I'm there and its hard to think of any other regulars who get the respect she does. I've never spoken with her except casual greetings in passing int he water. Always smiling and encouraging to all those around her in the water. I hope I'm able to continue surfing and being stoked into my 80s!