MEET OUR TEAM

Hawaii Heavy Water Training instructors are all residents of the fabled North Shore of Oahu who share a passion for the ocean.  We consider the ocean our backyard and have experienced the calmest to the most extreme conditions.  Meet our team of experts who are CPR, first aid, lifeguard, EMT and NASBLA certified.  

KEN BRADSHAW - LEAD INSTRUCTOR

An iron-willed big-wave surfing pioneer from Sunset Beach, Hawaii; winner of the 1982 Duke Kahanamoku Classic; often credited as the first surfer to ride a 40-foot wave. Bradshaw was born in Houston, Texas and immersed himself in the sport of surfing after moving to California in 1969; three years later he landed on Oahu's North Shore, a raw but game big-wave hopeful, and in 1974 he rode his first 20-footer at Waimea Bay.  

Tow-surfing with the PWC, reconfigured the big-wave game in the early '90s, and after resisting the change for a year or two, Bradshaw then threw himself enthusiastically into this new mechanized version of the sport. He was instrumental in creating the ground rules and laws for the sport of tow-surfing in the state of Hawaii.  Regarded as well past his big-wave prime, the 45-year-old Bradshaw surprised everyone on January 28, 1998, when he was towed into a wave at Outside Log Cabins on the North Shore estimated to be between 40 and 45 feet (or about 70 feet from trough to crest), bigger than any wave ridden to that point, and unmatched until 2001.  Ken has thousands of hours in the some of the extreme ocean conditions in the world.

BRENDAN SHEA - CO-LEAD INSTRUCTOR

Brendan has spent most of his life in and on the ocean. As a graduate from the California Maritime Academy he pursued a career in Hawaii with Hawaiian Tug and Barge and later the Dole Corporation navigating the rough channels between islands on tugboats. When Dole ended it's pineapple run between Lanai and Oahu Brendan took a job with the City and County of Honolulu Ocean Safety Department. He quickly realized his passion and calling. This led him to a highly successful run as one of the state's best ocean athletes. He successfully competed in international lifeguard events and won numerous paddling races for many years. 

He was selected in the early 90’s to participate in the development of the department's use of the PWC as a lifesaving tool in Hawaii. The operating of and rescue techniques with PWC’s in high surf was developed in Hawaii. These techniques have become standard for lifesaving agencies around the world. Brendan's involvement from the onset of this program has provided him with thousands of hours of PWC experience. He is now one of Oahu's most senior rescue craft operators on the North Shore. He has saved countless lives over his 25 year career and continues to help teach the departments new rescue craft operators.

KIRK ZIEGLER - INSTRUCTOR

Kirk Ziegler, a Laguna Beach, California native, grew up surfing and playing competitive water polo. While finishing his degree in Chinese at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and playing collegiate water polo Kirk started to gain interest and respect for Hawaiis ocean conditions. It only seemed natural that a career in lifeguarding would help him further his knowledge of the ocean. Kirk is now a veteran lifeguard on the North Shore of Oahu and has been patrolling the infamous shoreline as a PWC operator.  He has worked in some of the biggest conditions the Pacific Ocean has to offer.  In 2016, Kirk played a key role in the safety of the competitors during the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational.  A highlight of his career, Kirk was selected as water patrol for President Obama's family while vacationing in Hawaii.