A Living Legend Gone Too Soon – Graham Howes 1987-2025
Wed 10th Sep, 2025 @ 3:31 pm
There is so much to say about Graham, yet somehow, the words don’t seem to do him justice. He was one of those characters you had to meet, and he touched so many people’s lives. He was a larger-than-life character who wanted to live life to the fullest, both on and off the water. As I’m writing this, I still can’t quite believe the news about his passing is true. I am sure many of you are reading this and feeling equally affected.
Graham has been a cornerstone of the kite scene in Cape Town for what feels like forever. No trip to Blouberg was complete without seeing him on the water, the beach or at one of the many parties he organised. His brand, Dirty Habits, became synonymous with how he lived his life, fast, loose and full of fun.
His passion, drive and attitude made Dirty Habits a huge success, and with it, he built a community and crew that stretched across the world. Graham was such an easy-going guy to become friends with, especially if you were in his home town. He would go out of his way to ensure you had the best time possible, and he genuinely made you feel like the centre of his universe during your time together.
A stalwart of the big air scene, which suited his gung-ho style of riding, Graham was a regular at the King Of The Air events. More than this, his afterparties outshone the official offerings and were the place to be when the sun set over the horizon and the competition was over. He made friends with everyone he met; it didn’t matter who you were or what you were doing, if you were in his orbit, he wanted to take you under his wing and show you a good time.
I was fortunate to hang out with Graham every time I went to SA in recent years, and saw him on beaches around the world at various events and product launches. He always had the same infectious smile and a twinkle of mischief in his eye. He will be sorely missed by everyone.
He was an incredible athlete on the water, scoring rider contracts with numerous brands over the years and, most recently, working with his best mate Nick Jacobsen on The Jacobsen Project. Looking back at his career, his riding, and some of the stunts he pulled, it’s impossible to see how his mark on our sport will ever fade.
I doubt our memories of him will ever be far from our minds; mine certainly won’t. He’s the sort of person that, even if you had never met him personally, you felt you knew him just from his presence within the sport. One comment on social media really struck a chord with me: “I have never been this upset before about someone I have never met” – Well said, Sam Chilvers.
Legends never die, but for the rest of us left behind, it’s goodbye for now. Graham’s funeral is being held on the 13th of September at Elkanah High School, 85 Sunningdale Drive, Cape Town and will be live-streamed for his friends around the world.
All of us here at the magazine are absolutely devastated by the news, and our sincere condolences go out to Graham’s family, loved ones and friends.
RIP Graham Howes
#livelikegraham
Wed 10th Sep, 2025 @ 3:31 pm
