English version

Death of Sion Milosky at Maverick’s renews safety talks: Big-wave surfers, filmmakers discuss volunteer water patrol

By Stephen Baxter – Santa Cruz Sentinel (http://www.mercurynews.com)

As news of Sion Milosky’s death at Maverick’s ripped through the surfing world Thursday, some big-wave surfers and photographers raised questions about the risks of surfing giant waves and the prospect of Jet Ski water patrols at Maverick’s to help prevent future tragedies.

Milosky, a 35-year-old originally from Kalaheo, Kauai, Hawaii, was known as one of the best big-wave riders in the world. He died late Wednesday after surfing “the session of a lifetime,” according to Chris Killen of Capitola, a surf filmmaker who captured Milosky’s last wave.

Ken “Skindog” Collins of Santa Cruz said Milosky dominated sessions at Maverick’s on Monday and Wednesday, and he surfed from the early afternoon to about 6:30 p.m.

“This swell was really huge. It was one of those swells that was really spread out. It was hard to see what was going on with everyone out there,” Collins said. “(Milosky) had this huge smile on his face and just turned around and paddled into this 50- to 60-foot wave. That was the last time I saw him. The wave just sent him straight to heaven.”

Killen was driving a Jet Ski in the channel when he filmed Milosky take off on his backhand on a wave face he also estimated at more than 50 feet.

“He was really deep and he makes the drop, and the end section comes and just explodes behind him as he straightens out,” Killen said.

Milosky went down. The wave crashed over him. Killen saw Milosky’s board “tombstone” straight up from the tension of his leash as he was driven deep under water.

“He was riding an 11-foot board, and I could see maybe 3 or 4 feet of the board out of the water,” Killen said.

The next wave broke directly on the board, and Killen said he tried several times to find Milosky.

Killen asked Kyle Buthman — another Santa Cruz filmmaker and the only other Jet Ski driver in the lineup at the time — if he had seen Milosky. He said, “no,” and about 15 or 20 frantic minutes later they spotted pro surfer Nathan Fletcher waving his arms near the harbor.

Fletcher found Milosky’s body, Killen said.

“I’m looking over just devastated,” Killen said. “His head’s flopping and I could tell he was blue from far away. But I still have a lot of hope because … he’s Sion.”

On shore Killen started chest compressions and asked a woman on the beach to call 911. At 6:51 p.m. the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office received the call. Paramedics arrived and continued CPR.

LIVES LOST

Milosky’s death is not the first at Maverick’s.

Hawaiian surfer Mark Foo died there in 1994. Jacob Trette, a 30-year-old Orange County surfer, was knocked unconscious at Maverick’s in January and nearly died. A kayaker spotted him floating inside the break. He made it to the hospital in time and recovered.

Shawn Dollar, a Santa Cruz surfer who caught a wave after Milosky’s last Wednesday, said he and Killen want to raise money for a water patrol to be stationed at Maverick’s when it breaks. Photographers typically do double duty as lifeguards and shooters, and he said it is time for full-fledged support.

“We want to raise money to pay for, ideally, two to three Jet Skis in the water to create our own lifeguard crew out there,” Dollar said Thursday.

“I think it’s entirely necessary,” Killen said. “They have lifeguards at Capitola and there’s people spraining their ankles. At Maverick’s, you have professional athletes that are supporting their families, and they can’t fund that?”

The U.S. Coast Guard patrols the area, and roaming state parks lifeguards can provide assistance. The closest rescuers are at Pillar Point Harbor about a mile away. Assistant Harbormaster John Draper told the Sentinel last month that it can take longer than 10 minutes for staff members to suit up, board a Jet Ski and power over to Maverick’s.

At Pillar Point, only four of 10 staff members are certified in surf rescue, Draper said.

Photographers have driven Jet Skis at Maverick’s whenever it has been rideable and especially during big swells. However, non-government sanctioned Jet Skis are only legal there when the National Weather Service issues a high surf warning.

A lesser high surf advisory was in effect Wednesday, according to the weather service.

Shawn Alladio, who ran the water patrol at the 2010 Maverick’s Surf Contest, said she and others had been trying to work with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to refine its rules on Jet Skis at Maverick’s and in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

She said Dollar and Killen’s idea could work — with a few caveats.

“To put together a water safety team that’s not a volunteer group — that’s an in-depth discussion,” Alladio said. “I’m all for it, but there has to be an effective plan in place. There has to be support from NOAA.”

Mary Jane Schramm, a NOAA spokeswoman, said Milosky’s death was a “real tragedy,” but she took a hard line against the ability of Jet Ski drivers to save surfers.

“Frankly from the reports, it sounds as though they lost track of the body for a full 20 minutes despite the fact there were two to three skis out there. So the presence of the Jet Skis was immaterial,” Schramm said.

Alladio — who trains water patrol Jet Ski teams around the world — said training would be key for any new water patrol at Maverick’s. Schramm said she talked to Alladio and others after a NOAA Sanctuary Advisory Committee meeting in Half Moon Bay in February about the ongoing Jet Ski controversy. Surfers who support Jet Skis should work with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office and have that office sanction volunteer rescuers, Schramm said.

NOT WITHOUT RISK

Milosky had only surfed at Maverick’s a handful of times. He had been staying at Collins’ Westside home since Sunday. They surfed Maverick’s on Monday and Wednesday, Collins said. He and Milosky drew a map of the break to build Milosky’s knowledge of it, since his first turn at Maverick’s came in November.

While he may have been new to Maverick’s, his reputation preceded him.

The father of two young daughters was named the North Shore Underground Surfer of the Year in February. Surfing Magazine declared that Milosky surfed the biggest paddle-in wave in history on a huge, outer-reef left on Oahu a few years ago.

Milosky’s father moved to Hawaii from Santa Cruz 40 years ago, Milosky said in a February video interview with Tracks magazine. His wife took the red-eye flight from Hawaii to California on Wednesday night, Collins said. She was at Maverick’s on Thursday.

Surfers said they understand the risks and are realistic about any rescuers’ limits.

“I fully accept that we’re taking huge risks and sometimes you don’t come up. At the end of the day you’re going out there by yourself and you’re responsible for yourself,” Dollar said. “You have to be able to deal with situations on your own.”

Maverick’s regulars said since Hawaiian pro Shane Dorian’s near-death experience at Maverick’s a day after the Maverick’s contest last year, many surfers have worn neoprene life vests under their wetsuits with air canisters to inflate them.

Collins and others in the Maverick’s lineup Wednesday — including Milosky, Dollar and Nic Lamb of Santa Cruz — wore the vests. However, Dollar said that during a violent wipeout in the evening, the air canister strapped to his chest blew off.

“That was my backup,” Dollar said.

How to Help

Volcom started an online fund to help Milosky’s family online at Volcom’s website. A memorial paddle-out is expected in Half Moon Bay and in Hawaii in the coming days.

English version

Jacob Trette improving after Mav’s near-drowning

A surfer who nearly drowned after being pummeled and washed through rocks by a big wave in Northern California is expected to recover, hospital officials said Tuesday. A Stanford Hospital spokesman said 30-year-old Jacob Trette was in fair condition three days after he nearly drowned while attempting to surf Mavericks, a famous break about 20 miles south of San Francisco that has claimed a number of lives over the years.

Trette was rescued on Saturday by an Australian firefighter, Russell Ord, who was on a personal watercraft taking photographs of the surfers when a large “freak set” caught a pack of them too close to shore.

Recently, the surfer recounts near-death experience to Marcus Sanders (Surfline.com). Check few lines below:

I was on a 9′6″. It was the first time I had ridden it. I made it especially for Maverick’s and designed it myself. So I was super stoked. I mean, I rode it the day before, but I didn’t get very many waves. But Saturday I got really comfortable out there and I got a lot of waves. And everyone out there, I kind of let them know it was one of my first times out. So everyone was really nice and really cool.

I was getting really comfortable. Too comfortable out there. I was sitting right in the pit. Pretty deep, like, behind the rocks and in the middle of the pack, kind of. And I just got caught. A lot of people got caught on that set. And we all started rushing out to get over it. There was somebody behind me, and a couple people to the side of me, so I don’t know; I was worried about ditching my board and hitting someone. I just thought I could make it over, I didn’t realize it was gonna break already. Because it was offshore, I thought I could make it over and the wind would blow me over kind of thing.

I was paddling up the face and I said, ‘Oh man, if I don’t get over it. I’m gonna get on my board and stand up and get off.’ I should’ve just bailed my board, you know, and gone under it. It kind of caught me off guard and I thought I could make it. It just kept on standing up and standing up. I just thought I could make it. I was charging, going full speed.

The locals told me the rules at the beginning of the day: don’t ditch your board in front of anyone. If you’re going under a wave, try not to ditch it in front of somebody’s face or something. And it was really crowded. There were probably four or five people getting wiped out on that wave, so I was trying to prevent getting tangled up with anybody. There were so many boards just getting throttled. I didn’t want to get tangled up.

But now that I look at the footage, next time that happens, I’m just gonna ditch my board. But in the moment it was like one of those decisions you have to make in two seconds. And I made the wrong decision. It’s tough watching the video.

I was at the top of the wave and I get sucked backward, over the falls. The worst possible scenario. My head’s not even out of the water, I’m like, in the lip now, getting sucked backwards over the falls. I ended up hitting the bottom with my feet; I landed right on my feet. I was actually stoked, ’cause I got a chance to push off the bottom. So I pushed off the bottom and it gave me some extra speed to get through the foamball at the top. So I pushed off the bottom and did like, seven swims. Seven or eight swims. And right when I got through the top, the next wave just hit me. The next wave was just as big

After that, I believe the next wave just knocked me out. The wave itself just knocked me out, because I just remember blacking out. Just, BOOM, that’s it. It knocked me out. Somehow, I made it through the rocks. After four waves, I was pushed through the rocks. And somehow I have no scratches on me. I was pretty much in God’s hands.

My board was floating by itself, and then the kayaker saw something floating. And he yelled over to Russell, ‘Hey here’s the body.’ And then Russell already had Alex on the back, and then they grabbed me and put me on the back of the sled. And then the rushed me to the beach and resumed giving me CPR and try to get all the water out of my lungs.

My board’s really scratched up. Rocks everywhere. There’s dents on it. I’m pretty fortunate not even to have hit a rock. And not even have brain damage. I mean, I was in the water for eight minutes. And then they were starting to revive me after nine minutes, and then they finally got me breathing after like, 12-13 minutes. They thought I was dead, but they just kept on trying. I guess they held me upside down; they pushed on my stomach to try to get as much water out of me as they could, so I pretty much drowned. My eyes were rolling to the back of my head. I was blue. I’ve seen pictures and I was like, light blue. It was pretty ugly.

There was a nurse that saw all this going on the cliff, and she ended up calling 911, and she got through to the Fire Department. So the fire department showed up, and then they started doing CPR on me. I guess the fire marshal was like, a minute away, so he came really fast. And then after the fire marshal came, the helicopter came and then took me to Stanford. And then I woke up on Monday.

They put me in an induced coma in cold water to slow down the oxygen to my brain, I guess. To preserve my brain so I didn’t get brain damage. When I woke up, I knew that I was in the hospital, and my parents were looking right at me. And all I knew was something bad happened at Maverick’s. I didn’t know what, I just knew I almost drowned.

I didn’t even know what hospital I was in, but I remembered because it was Maverick’s. Because I’d been planning this trip for a month. I got the board shaped. It’s been my life-long goal to surf that spot. I’ve surfed a lot of other waves around the world. It’s just a spot that I’ve really been curious about, and I love to watch photos of. It’s just an unbelievable break. It’s huge and massive. It’s like the Waimea of California. So I wanted to charge the Waimea of California. I wanted to be part of the gang. Definitely got slapped in the face.

I do want to go back out there. I just want to make sure I’m mentally ready. I wasn’t wearing a life vest, but next time I think I’m going to wear a life vest. And I’m gonna make sure there are jet skis out there. Even if they’re out there illegally.

I mainly train just by surfing. I try to surf every day. I go to the gym, try to lift weights every day. I jog. But I should do underwater training. I mean, I hold my breath and stuff under the pool. But I should do some stuff that the big-wave surfers do, like hold the rocks under the water.

I go to Black’s once in a while, but I haven’t gone to Todos yet. I’ve surfed Teahupoo really big. I’ve surfed Puerto Escondido really big. But yeah, I really wish I lived up there because I’d be able to maintain my focus, and even my strength. Because I go back to SoCal and it’s so small. I was like, ‘this is so weak, oh my god!’ I just went out for my first surf since the accident in front of my house [at Capo Beach]. It wasn’t that good, it was just good to get back in the water.

Physically, everything’s cool. I kind of forget things. I have a little short-term memory loss. But it’s getting better every day. Sometimes I forget why I walked in a room, or little quick memories. Nothing-long term. But yeah, that’s definitely one thing that’s affected me a little bit.

It’s been kind of stressful. Just trying to get better, then dealing with the media too. I just feel like I owe it to everyone, ’cause the public saved my life. So I can take my time to thank everybody. Thanks to Russell Ord, and thanks to all the Maverick’s crew, and thanks for the firefighters, and thanks for that kayaker, and there’s just a list of people that I thank and I’m still thanking.

I’m so stoked to be alive because I have such a great family and I have so many friends. I kind of have, you know how some people have the charger in their blood. I always liked to do things that are big. I’m just kind of an active charger. But I wish things would’ve turned out better. I really do want to go back there. I better chill out for a couple weeks, though.

English version

Surfer in coma after Maverick’s wipeout

A Southern California surfer by the name of Jacob Trette was found face down in the water after reportedly being caught inside when a large set came through at Maverick’s. Trette was reportedly not breathing and unresponsive when found. Fortunately his rescuers, including a nearby kayaker and surf photographer Russell Ord, who was riding a personal watercraft, set him on his side so water would drain from Trette’s airway. After bringing Trette to shore, CPR was performed by emergency responders to help revive him.

“I had been shooting since sunrise, the sets had been inconsistent but really clean conditions,” says SC-based photog Nikki Brooks. “At 9:45am, a big set came through and most surfers were sitting more inside and deeper than usual.”

River O’Mahoney Hagg was one of those unlucky enough to be caught inside. “It was a big, clean-up set, everyone was inside,” he says. “I was pretty close to that kid. We were both paddling to get over it, but neither of us made it. I had a two-wave hold down and a broken board. Once on shore, we got him on his side and the water started coming out, he was still snoring.” Hagg was one who helped while waiting for paramedics.

The victim was found by a kayaker in the lagoon, and then picked up by Aussie photog Russell Ord — the only one on a PWC — and taken to shore: “I had been looking for him and I saw him before the rocks,” Ord said. “Then I saw him and zoomed over to the kayaker.”

Longtime Mav’s photog Don Montgomery explains: “When they brought him in, he was gone. The paramedics finally got a pulse before they life-flighted him out to Stanford. The last we’ve heard, he’s in a medically induced coma. But he was out for so long, doctors aren’t sure what kind of damage was done.”

As of Sunday at noon, word from Trette’s father is that his body is OK, but they’re unsure about his bran functioning.

Montgomery, for one, feels like the tragedy could have been averted. “This is all on NOAA’s shoulders,” he said. “They won’t allow boats out there unless it’s 20-foot. And today was 12- to 15-foot, but this one giant set came in…if boats were out there, that kid could’ve been saved quicker.”

English version

Jay at Maverick’s Big Wave event begins wait period

Most of the 24 invitees to the Jay — including nine from Santa Cruz — gathered outside the Oceano Hotel to pick their places in the lineup for the 2010-11 contest, formerly known as the Maverick’s Surf Contest. The day began with a touching opening ceremony honoring beloved Santa Cruz surfer Jay Moriarity, for whom the contest is named, and a paddle out and ceremonial surf ring in the calm waters by the reef break.

The official contest waiting period begins Wednesday and continues through Feb. 28. The invitees get to vote on contest-worthy swells. Once the majority picks one, they will have 24-hours notice to get to the break near Half Moon Bay.

“I don’t think people really know what an honor it is to be standing here among these 30 world-class guys,” said defending Mav’s champion Chris Bertish of South Africa as he stood board to board with contestants, organizers and surf community notables on Maverick’s Beach. “Jay is truly the epitome of what big wave surfing is all about. It’s about respect for others, the brotherhood of big wave surfing and to have a smile on your face every time you go out. I’m stoked to be here.”

Bertish ended up in Heat 3, along with first-time invitee Ryan Augenstein and perennial finalist Tyler Smith, both of Santa Cruz. Shane Dorian and Nathan Fletcher of Hawaii and Alex Martins of San Francisco also will surf in Heat 3.
Heat #1 (in order):
Shane Desmond
Anthony Tashnick
Grant Washburn
Ryan Seelbach
Kelly Slater
Mark Healey

Heat #2:
Kenny Collins
Jamie Sterling
Grant Baker
Zach Wormhoudt
Greg Long
Dave Wassel

Heat #3:
Chris Bertish
Shane Dorian
Ryan Augenstein
Alex Martins
Nathan Fletcher
Tyler Smith

Heat #4:
Carlos Burle
Rusty Long
Peter Mel
Shawn Dollar
Darryl Virostko
Matt Ambrose

English version

Surfers take over from Mavericks Surf Ventures…

A group of surfers and photographers won approval last night to take over management of Half Moon Bay’s famous big-wave competition, arguing that the event needs to be less corporate and more in touch with its maverick roots.

What began in 1975 with a lone local surfer, Jeff Clark, paddling out to ride monster waves that can break as high 50 or 60 feet, has grown into a competition known around the globe, with television coverage, corporate sponsors and $150,000 in prize money. That growth has caused tensions between many surfers and Mavericks Surf Ventures, the company that has run the competition since 2004.

“We were tired of seeing that ‘Super Bowl of surfing thing’ where it looks good on the surface, but underneath, you know it’s not working well,” said Grant Washburn, one of the world’s top big-wave surfers and a member of the group that persuaded the San Mateo County Harbor District to award it a permit to run the event this winter. “This is something we all want to be proud of.”

Under Harbor District rules, only one organization can hold the permit needed to host the annual Mavericks event, which takes place about half a mile offshore of Pillar Point Harbor and uses harbor facilities as a staging and viewing area. Last night, the Harbor District commissioners voted to award this winter’s permit to the new Hay Moon Bay Surf Group that includes Washburn and fellow big-name surfer Peter Mel; Clark’s ex-wife, Katherine; surf event organizer Darren Brilhart; and several surf photographers.

Harbor District General Manager Peter Grenell said safety was a primary issue for the commissioners. Last February, 13 spectators were swept into the ocean by two enormous waves that surged over the seawall where they were standing. No one was killed but several suffered broken bones. Critics said the bystanders should not have been so close to the action.

“[Half Moon Bay Surf Group] responded satisfactorally to all the concerns we had,” Grenell said, adding that the group’s finances appeared in order and it presented a sound organizational plan.

Speaking for the group at last night’s meeting, Katherine Clark, one of the original organizers, pledged that “I feel confident we can … put on the best event we’ve seen yet at Mavericks.” The new group now has to hustle to arrange an opening ceremony in coming weeks and be prepared to run the event as soon as Dec. 1. When the Mavericks competition occurs depends on when the waves are best – sometimes as early as December or as late as the end of February.

Keir Beadling, the chief executive officer of Maverick Surf Ventures, tried unsuccessfully to get the Harbor commissioners to delay a decision until November, to give him time to find common ground with the surfers’ group and possibly allow them to co-manage the event. Commissioners said they had granted such a delay in September and there were no signs of compromise. Before last night’s vote, Beadling said he might explore a lawsuit, citing trademark infringement and “wrongful conduct.”

Barracuda Networks, which previously financed the Mavericks Surf Ventures event, has pledged to work with the new management team and for the next three years fund what will now be called the Jay at Mavericks Big Wave Invitational.

By Jamie Hansen
Source: Peninsula Press