During every surf contest the Honolulu Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services teams are out on the beaches and in the water. They have some jet skis to assist in getting people in trouble on shore rapidly.

Yesterday during the Quicksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau event Natasha Torcuato flew a drone overhead and got this great video of half-a-dozen of them peeling back away from one of those monster waves (50-60 feet sometimes!) in order to avoid getting crushed. Discretion is indeed the better part of valor.