Behind the Lines: Deeper

What motivates someone to risk everything for a few seconds of paradise? Big wave surfer Andrew Cotton, along with some leading psychologists, break down the reasons people are drawn to activities where one mistake can mean serious injury or death.

To surf at the level Andrew Cotton does, he has to go far beyond his natural talent. Mental and physical training gives Andrew the confidence to surf the enormous slabs that he chases. This is his regimen for facing the giants.

When chasing huge waves, most of the variables are beyond the surfer's control. Andrew Cotton talks about controlling what he can with his equipment and the safety procedures he uses when he surfs.

The science behind tracking waves is a complex process. Andrew Cotton relies on surf forecasters and weather data to predict where and when the biggest swells are hitting. When one heads towards Portugal, he jams to Nazaré to be there when it hits.

"Apocalyptic" surf conditions in the North Atlantic are producing huge and hostile waves. But that doesn't stop Andrew Cotton, Barry Mottershead, Dylan Stott, and Hugo Vau from suiting up and dropping in.