David Charbonnet was born a waterman, growing up along the coasts of the United States as his father served as a Navy SEAL. He surfed popular beaches of San Diego and Hawaii. They moved to Texas when his dad left the military, and David kept the tradition alive by surfing in the Gulf.
“When I was old enough, I’d grab a few friends and drive 24 hours to San Diego just so we could surf and come back,” he said.
In 2006, David followed in his father’s footsteps by enlisting in the Navy to become a frogman. Although he was colorblind — typically a disqualifier for SEAL training — a Vietnam veteran and colorblind admiral within Naval Special Warfare expressed sympathy and approved a waiver.
He joined BUD/S Class 278 in 2009 and was later assigned to SEAL Team 1. David was seriously injured in a parachuting accident in 2011, which left him paralyzed from the waist down. A two-year recovery process required him to learn how to live — and thrive — from a wheelchair.
“For a long time, I didn’t get back into the ocean because I thought it was too painful,” David said. “We took a family trip to Sunset Beach in Hawaii and I sat in the surfzone at first. Then I threw my kids on some longboards and belly-rided the shore breaks.”
Still, David felt a void that belly-riding alone couldn’t fill.
Until a teammate David served with told him about One More Wave. He watched a video of professional waveski riders catching waves. In the seated position, with a paddle for steering, David believed it was the ideal fit to complement his background in kayaking.
One More Wave provided David with a custom waveski. He hasn’t surfed much yet — but he’s had a pretty good excuse: training for and competing in the 2025 Yukon 1000, the longest kayak endurance race in the world.
“It was an amazing experience,” David reflected afterward. “Unfortunately, an injury caused us to stop 400 miles in — but it was a proper challenge that really pushed us.”
David lives in San Diego with his family, conquering new challenges with a smile on his face.
Story by Matt Fratus.