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“Blue Journey Dangerous Waves”

Bruckner Chase returns to American Samoa with NOAA national weather service for beach and ocean safety film project and program development — the “Blue Journey Dangerous Waves” film series.   [courtesy photo]
Source: NOAA media release

Bruckner Chase, Uila o le Sami, who swam from Aunu’u to Pago Pago in 2011 is back on island as part of a National Weather Service Ocean Today expedition to create an educational film series on beach and ocean safety that will focus on the unique hazards around the island.

This innovative project with the National Weather Service is the first time the agency has taken beach and ocean safety to specific areas and focused on creating place specific protective factors.

Chase is the ocean safety expert for the project and the host of the series that will release a “Surf Zone Safe” introductory film along with specific pieces for American Samoa, the East Coast, Pacific Northwest, Southern California and Hawai’i as part of Ocean Today’s Full Moon initiative that will be available for safety and educational uses around the world.

The project finishes filming on Sept. 25 in Leone.

Bruckner will be on-island until Oct. 2 speaking with various schools, government agencies and village groups to explore ways to continue contributing to empowering those in American Samoa while also enhancing the safety, well-being, and health of everyone in community.

Chase is a globally recognized expert in ocean and aquatic safety and conservation, with extensive experience working with lifeguards, ocean athletes, race directors, and first responders from around the world including Poland, Denmark, and Australia.

Since his last trip to American Samoa in 2013 he has become one of the top surf lifesaving athletes and watermen in the world. He is the only American to win a medal at the grueling Australian Coolangatta Gold Surf Lifesaving Iron Man. In 2016 he competed in the Lifesaving World Championships finishing in the top ten in every event in which he competed. He is the Technical Director and Surf Lifesaving Ambassador for Red Bull and their Surf and Rescue Professional Championships. Most recently he competed at the USLA National Championships helping the East Coast’s Monmouth County win the team championship. He is the Masters Team Coordinator for the USLA and a special advisor for the upcoming 2018 Lifesaving World Championships to be held in Adelaide, Australia.