Protect Our Wave(rider)s
Every year around this time, half the chargers from the surfing world seem to decend upon the North Shore of Oahu. This has always been the proving ground for global surfers, a bragging right and a right of passage. A chance to charge the biggest, heaviest and challenging waves on earth in front of cameras and cinematographers.
Last month, A Hawaii resident, Kirk Passmore, took off on a wave called Alligator Rock and never came back.
His father wanted the captured film made public as a reminder of the challenges and consequences of Big Wave riding.
This all happened the week before the annual Big Wave Safety Summit. The safety meeting was started in 2011 by Kohl Christensen and Danilo Couto, two big-wave surfers, as a way to honour Sion Milosky, who died while surfing Mavericks, a famous break in Northern California. Milosky’s death shook Christensen and Couto, each of whom has had several friends who have died in the sport.
Live like Sion. Photo: Ryan Foley
At the safety meeting, Brian Keaulana, a well-known Hawaiin surfer and safety instructor, commanded the full attention of novices and seasoned veterans. He urged the group to work together to create a measure of safety among the world’s most dangerous waves.
“Being a great surfer is easy,” he said. “Surviving is hard.”
Surfing is fast becoming a team sport, one with buddies, safety measures and training to prepare for the ultimate thrill.
We had a chance to catch up with Brian Keaulana when we were in Basque Country in the summer. He is convinced that safety is one of the biggest opportunities of Wavegarden installations. We have the opportunity to train a new breed of kids who are confident, safe and strong in the water. In a society that has become "risk averse" children are either becoming too scared to take risks or too wild to know how to assess levels of risk. Both are not good for kids.
We are excited to be working with RNLI, Brian Keaulana, Wavegarden and others to make a facility that will teach the next generation about water safety, confidence and rescue. We hope that as an island nation we can start to get kids re-connected to water, waves and the healthy opportunity it offers in a safe and engaging way.
Nick
Last month, A Hawaii resident, Kirk Passmore, took off on a wave called Alligator Rock and never came back.
His father wanted the captured film made public as a reminder of the challenges and consequences of Big Wave riding.
This all happened the week before the annual Big Wave Safety Summit. The safety meeting was started in 2011 by Kohl Christensen and Danilo Couto, two big-wave surfers, as a way to honour Sion Milosky, who died while surfing Mavericks, a famous break in Northern California. Milosky’s death shook Christensen and Couto, each of whom has had several friends who have died in the sport.
Live like Sion. Photo: Ryan FoleyAt the safety meeting, Brian Keaulana, a well-known Hawaiin surfer and safety instructor, commanded the full attention of novices and seasoned veterans. He urged the group to work together to create a measure of safety among the world’s most dangerous waves.
“Being a great surfer is easy,” he said. “Surviving is hard.”
Surfing is fast becoming a team sport, one with buddies, safety measures and training to prepare for the ultimate thrill.
We had a chance to catch up with Brian Keaulana when we were in Basque Country in the summer. He is convinced that safety is one of the biggest opportunities of Wavegarden installations. We have the opportunity to train a new breed of kids who are confident, safe and strong in the water. In a society that has become "risk averse" children are either becoming too scared to take risks or too wild to know how to assess levels of risk. Both are not good for kids.
We are excited to be working with RNLI, Brian Keaulana, Wavegarden and others to make a facility that will teach the next generation about water safety, confidence and rescue. We hope that as an island nation we can start to get kids re-connected to water, waves and the healthy opportunity it offers in a safe and engaging way.
Nick
