« Aquaman » star Jason Momoa describes terrifying moment he nearly died surfing at Peʻahi when exhaustion overcame him.
Jason Momoa is known for playing « Aquaman » on screen, but in real life, he had a different kind of experience with the ocean.
The actor revealed he almost drowned during a harrowing 2007 surf trip off the coast of Maui, as he described the moment in chilling detail on Monday’s episode of the « SmartLess » podcast.
« I was doing this paddle, we went in at Jaws », Momoa said, as he referred to the infamous Peʻahi surf break known for its massive, deadly waves. « We paddled like 13 miles down the coast. You’re kind of almost a mile offshore, and then my leash snapped. We’re about seven miles into it and my leash snapped, and it’s so windy on Maui. »
Momoa, 46, continued to detail how the violent waves crashed around him, but his previous water training kept him afloat – for a while.
« I was trained pretty well, so I was fine », he said. « I took quite a few on the head. They’re pretty big, like 10-foot Hawaiian waves. But I’m probably half a mile at that point offshore. »
The Hollywood star added that he reached a breaking point during the surf incident, which was nearly fatal.
