On January 5th, Pipeline and Backdoor were about as pristine as they gets. Not scary big, but good, clean fun. However, that evening an inexperienced surfer tempted fate at Pipe, wiped out and nearly drowned. Thanks to the quick action of his fellow surfers and the North Shore lifeguards, his life was spared.
A handful of lifeguards credited Gavin Sutherland for his bravery under duress because Sutherland started the CPR process in the lineup until they could arrive. Without Sutherland's quick action, it might have been too late.
That afternoon has haunted Sutherland ever since so he did the only thing he knew to get it off his chest. He wrote it down. Here is his recount of the near drowning at Pipeline.
Source: Read the Full Story
