Jamie O’Brien and Ben Gravy have once again taken on the infamous Skookumchuck Narrows in British Columbia, Canada—a powerful tidal surge known for its unpredictable and dangerous whirlpools. Though often mistaken for a river wave, the Skookumchuck is actually a strait formed by ocean waters north of Vancouver.
In their latest trip, things took a risky turn when one of their cameramen got caught in one of the notorious whirlpools. He was briefly submerged after his board was yanked away and only rescued by a jet ski. “That was way scarier than any ocean wave,” he said after the incident, vowing to stick to filming going forward.
Once the tide intensified, Jamie and Ben paddled out, catching waves together and even experimenting with a foil board. Despite the sketchy conditions, they managed to score what they called the best waves of the trip. “We were shredding, going back and forth,” said Jamie. “It was super gnarly, super hard to ride—but also super fun.”