KING Island's surf king, Jeremy ``Wire'' Curtain, died last week, aged 58.
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Wire, credited for highlighting King Island as a surf destination on the international surf scene, had been suffering a chronic heart condition - an illness that prevented him for more than 15 years from entering his beloved chilly Bass Strait waters.
He had hosted a slew of surf luminaries, including Kelly Slater, Miki Dora, and Derek Hynd, and musicians Eddie Vedder, of Pearl Jam, and classical violinist Richard Tognetti over his 40 years surfing and observing the breaks over the island's coast.
Wire started surfing King Island in 1964 on a home-made board.
He had amassed a knowledge of up to 30 breaks almost a decade later, which included internationally unique break, Martha Lavinia that peeled both ways.
These waves became a reason for internationally famous surfers, and lovers of surf, to visit the island - Wire once telling a surf journalist that Slater would regularly call him to ask about the conditions.
A succession of heart attacks forced Wire from the water during the late 1990s, only several years after word of King Island's offerings spread through the national and international surf fraternity.
The third-generation King Islander turned to his loves of film, music and art, capturing the island's unique breaks on film and its landscape in paintings.
News of Wire's passing was noted on social media during the week.
Slater tweeted on Thursday: ``All my thoughts go out to good friend Jeremy ``Wire'' Curtain's friends and family who passed away in his sleep last night. Thank you, Wire, for 10yrs of friendship and memories. You were a legend and a good man. King Island (and life!) can't be the same w/o you.''
Sean Davey, a former Tasmanian now internationally renowned surf photographer and longtime friend of Wire, posted on Facebook last Thursday: ``My pal, Wire slipped away quietly in his sleep last night, surrounded by a lot of love. He wouldn't of wanted it any other way. As he would always say `I'll catch ya later' Rest in peace now, my mate. You'll always be with me.''