Summary With Springtime approaching, big wave surfers are shifting their attention to the Southern hemisphere but Mother Nature decides to send one more Winter swell to the heart of Northern California. Mavericks is located in the infamous red triangle, a Great White shark breeding ground with a deep water reef that comes up and goes down, easily producing fifty-foot waves. Local big wave surfer and businessman, Jeff Denholm, enjoys the downgraded, uncrowded swells that Springtime produces. After being in a tragic work accident, Jeff lost one arm but through resilience and perseverance, has become an inspiration to many in both the paddleboard and surf community as well as in his local community. Every year, Jeff, a handful of big wave surfers, and a number of volunteers participate in the Big Wave Safety Summit to learn life saving drills in and out of the water. One drill Jeff especially favors is extracting a surfer from the water using your own surfboard and body because it covers a situation that occurs frequently in big wave surfing. The Santa Cruz community hosts a benefit paddleboard race but because of previous back injuries, Jeff is unable to participate for the second time. But he supports his peers, especially Savannah Shaughnessy who he is training for the Molokai paddleboard race in Hawaii that he partook in years ago. Contest like these bring like minded people together, showcasing the positive impact individuals can make through shared struggle that might inspire others to do the same.

• Adventure