If you’ve been following Koa Rothman’s YouTube series, “This is Livin'”, you’re used to seeing Rothman on the best waves of the day when Pipe is pumping. He almost makes it look easy.
It’s not.
In his latest episode, filmed during Pipe’s first XXL swell of the 2023/2024 winter, Rothman spends the majority of his 5 hour session taking closeouts and getting steamrolled by 8-foot third reef roll-ins.
At one point, he comes in to the beach with all intentions of calling it quits.
And then John Florence finds a diamond in the rough [see: 7:36].
“That was a spooky wave right there,” Rothman laughs to the camera. “Do I have to go back out? Nate just got a sick one, too.”
Rothman does, in fact, go back out.
Spoiler alert: Things do not get better. Rothman paddles back out and straight into a hectic closeout [see 17:05] that catches the best of the best Pipe surfers off guard, and sends them bailing, breaking leashes, and struggling to catch their breath afterwards.
It’s a terrifying set, and reminder of what Rothman and co have to go through all winter in pursuit of the waves of their lives.
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