The ocean is a dangerous place. That doesn’t just apply to deep waters or towering waves; some of the most treacherous places in the ocean can come where the water meets the land. Powerful currents can put swimmers’ lives at risk, turning what looks like safe conditions into something much more treacherous.
One swimmer witnessed firsthand the dangers of unpredictable currents. On the afternoon of New Year’s Eve, on a beach on Oahu’s northern shore, a woman found herself caught in heavy surf, unable to stand up in water that had suddenly become dangerous — and possibly life-threatening — territory.
Luckily, there was someone in the vicinity who knows the surf better than most — Australian surfer Mikey Wright. Wright was visiting the beach with family and friends (including his sister, World Surfing Champion Tyler Wright) when he saw the swimmer in trouble and quickly headed into action.
As The Guardian reports, the group saw the swimmer in trouble, at which point Wright (literally) leapt into action, jumping over a fence and sprinting into the surf. Wright made his way to the swimmer and brought her back to the shore, where a group of people helped both make it to land successfully.
Wright posted video of the rescue to Instagram — captioned “Hold my beer” — which makes for dramatic viewing. But it’s also a reminder of how dangerous the ocean can be, even in a seemingly innocuous place like close to shore.
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