All in a day’s work for the Hawaiian Water Patrol. Photo: YouTube//Screenshot
When it comes to lifeguards, there ain’t none like the ones who work on the Hawaiian Water Patrol. It’s a job — more of a calling, in fact — full of people who risk life and limb in service of those who enter Hawaiian waters, and it’s not a small one. Every year, North Shore lifegaurds alone save thousands of people. Hawaii has the second-highest drowning rate in the U.S., second only to Alaska.
“It’s been said that if you were able to harness the energy from a single wave, it could light up the city of Honolulu for a week,” said Lt. Dave Wassel, a 20-year veteran of the Hawaiian Water Patrol and legendary surfer. “If you’re in the wrong place, wrong spot, that wave hits you and it’s lights out.”
It’s not an easy gig, not by a long shot. The Hawaiian Water Patrol must constantly be training. Constantly updating their skills. Constantly in the ocean, staying aquainted with her many moods. That’s why Billabong partnered with the Hawaiian Water Patrol to make KIA’I KAI, the film you see here.
“Year after year, this team of elite watermen dedicate themselves to ensuring surfers safety during Hawaii’s most extreme big wave sessions,” the Billabong team wrote. “KIA’I KAI takes you behind the scenes of this esteemed group, diving deep on their decades long history and highlighting how they approach the world’s heaviest waves.”
