Connected by Water | The Story Behind the Big Wave Safety Movement

After Sion Milosky died at Mavericks in 2011, the big wave surfing community was stunned. It was a wake-up call; with the surfing advancing faster than the safety system, something had to change. Later that year, Kohl Christensen and Danilo Couto got a group of surfers together on the North Shore, Oahu, and held a CPR course. It was the first unofficial Big Wave Risk Assessment Group meeting which over the next decade would evolve into a worldwide, 14-stop tour covering ocean risk management, CPR and AED training, medical intervention, spot analysis, mindful breathing, emergency action planning and water rescue, taught by some of the best emergency response trained big wave surfers in the world.

[mrdennis]

This is amazing. So glad Patagonia put this video out. As a neurosurgeon who is an avid surfing enthusiast I agree we need to have mechanisms in place to support each other. Like she said “it’s friends looking out for each other.” We can set this example in the water just like the Ironman events have lots of support. Great job. My heart goes out to all the deaths of our surfers, our brothers and sisters.

[ThePopeOfAllDope]

I’m a climber, but I enjoyed this video thoroughly.

[AdventureOtaku]

As a NOLS Wilderness First Aid instructor I can say a lot of this is what is taught in those courses. Obviously not the water aspects, but being prepared to act, knowing how to act to make sure you are safe, and the fact that most students will actually use these skills on a family member. Excellent work here.

[MatthewBrookKayaking]

So good to see such a sensible, didactic approach to safety in such a powerful, dynamic environment.

[andreykirsanov]

Super deep story and great efforts from all invilved! Cool edit and filming as well

[PakeSalmon]

This is awesome!
Love the humility, sharing the knowledge, & guiding the future. =)

[danielvogt]

Excellent!! Everyone that pushes the edge of the envelope should definitely be educated How to do first aid. That course is excellent and should be the norm.

[danodonnell]

Wisdom is power! Learn all you can! Mahalo ke akua!

[dudeonbike]

Read Susan Casey's "The Wave." A great combination of presenting complex wave and non-linear science and fearless, stud surfers who lost their sanity decades ago! Still at the top of my favorite book list.

[alastairbaldwin]

This was fantastic, what a great video!!

[COFR]

Back in 2013, I got caught in a two-wave hold-down in minor surf while visiting relatives in Seychelles. They were on the beach unaware and it couldn't have lasted for more than about 10 seconds but I tell you, I've never been happier setting foot on _terra firma_ and drinking in the sight of their faces. It was terrifying.

As I was being tumbled around underwater, not knowing up from down (eyes closed), wasting energy and oxygen frantically trying in vain to stabilise/re-orient myself against the overpowering undercurrents, there was no foreseeable means of escape. I was sure I was about to drown. The relief when my skin eventually broke the surface of the water ... man, I'll never forget it for as long as I live.

All of which is to say that I shudder when I imagine - by comparison - Sion's ordeal, which dwarfs my own by orders of magnitude. Those last 7 words at 1:39 are frankly nightmarish.

[markanthonymeaney]

This reminded me of my lifeguard days - really great initiative 👏

[jkassarian]

CPR should taught at school. We're trained and get a mandatory license to drive a car, we should all be trained to save lives.

[yvanpedron]

Vraiment intéressant... exemple à généraliser..

[gracie]

this was awesome
kinda got me emotional
😳

[green]

I did some of this in junior lifeguard was a ton of fun to learn

[BlackCoffeeGeneral]

First responders are not cops or fire fighters, it’s the people there.

[PinstripeJim]

CPR and stop the bleeding. This will save lives if people take action instead of taking pictures.

[dudeonbike]

Mark Foo's death at Mavericks in 1994 didn't teach the same lessons?
I truly dislike the phenomenon of the current generation thinking they're the "first" or the "most extreme" or "solving problems" that have been encountered for generations. Arrogance of the young.
That said, life saving measures & technology are definitely worth pursuing. Seems every big wave surfer should be wearing helmets & air bag technology to save lives. When that fails, THEN rely on CPR and AED's.