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.

[@ThePopeOfAllDope]

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

[@AlaskaPirates]

🤣 I’m a human and I thought this comment was silly.

[@kikonoss123]

Of course a rock climber would be the first to state their sport as if anyone cares.

[@AlaskaPirates]

@@kikonoss123 🤣 it’s really pathetic.

[@ThePopeOfAllDope]

@@kikonoss123 if the subject of the video lies outside my personal interests, but I still enjoy it. Than that speaks on the quality of the video in a more meaningful way than just saying ‘I enjoyed this’. I did not say it to impress you

[@mrdennis1038]

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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@gracie99999]

and whatever else useful

[@andreykirsanov9551]

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

[@AlaskaPirates]

I took a WFR course, because I never wanted to feel like there wasn’t more that I could do in the field, if something happened. Love to see this training!

[@dudeonbike800]

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.

[@danielvogt9925]

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.

[@blakemcdonald6652]

These guys are legends!

[@PakeSalmon]

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

[@alastairbaldwin2904]

This was fantastic, what a great video!!

[@markanthonymeaney1914]

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

[@danodonnell9678]

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

[@gracie99999]

💯just makes things more interesting

[@gabymontero6]

So good!

[@gracie99999]

this was awesome kinda got me emotional 😳

[@tulipsontheorgan]

⭐️⭐️⭐️So awesome! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@C345OFR]

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.

[@green8054]

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

[@yvanpedron5255]

Vraiment intéressant... exemple à généraliser..

[@hugocarneiro940]

🔝respect !

[@BlackCoffeeGeneral]

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

[@gracie99999]

goodmpoint

[@gianlucatombari3237]

👍👏

[@benjaminhandel5573]

Kohl 🤙

[@gracie99999]

🤙🏾

[@christianwinkelmann8477]

@Denis Hecht

[@PinstripeJim]

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

[@AlaskaPirates]

🤦🏻‍♂️

[@dudeonbike800]

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.

[@benjaminhandel5573]

Did you watch the film? They ain’t young brah. Kohl had an accident this year where he needed this kinda of rescue measures. He is a Patagonia ambassador and used this platform to spread the word to unaware and ignorant fools like yourself

[@dudeonbike800]

@@benjaminhandel5573 I think the only ignorance exhibited here is your post. Too aggro, bro! Chill out like you're brethren. I'm saying this has been known for DECADES, so I'm a little disappointed that it's presented like it's something new. Per the video's headline: "After Sion Milosky died at Mavericks in 2011, the big wave surfing community was stunned." Really? The only people that would be "stunned" by a death at Mavericks would be naive newbies who know nothing about the sport's history. That's called ignorance. That Mark Foo wasn't mentioned is a major disservice to his life & legacy. That said, kudos to them for taking positive steps to improve safety and reduce mortality on the world's big waves.

[@PinstripeJim]

@@dudeonbike800 I agree. Mark Foo was a shock to the entire sport and made us realize what was possible.

[@AlaskaPirates]

What the fuck are you even talking about?🤣🤦🏻‍♂️

[@PinstripeJim]

@@AlaskaPirates you could eliminate "even" in that question and save yourself typing an entire word