As a kid on Maui's north shore, Ian Walsh would often hitchhike to nearby beach and reef breaks to surf. He'd ride anything, but when he first tackled a wave over 20 feet, as a teenager, he could imagine doing nothing else. In the last decade, Walsh has become one of the biggest names in the brutal, dangerous and thrilling sport of big wave surfing. But it's dedication to improving the preparation and safety of big wave surfers that might prove his lasting contribution to the sport. In his new film, Distance Between Dreams, Walsh chronicles one of the most epic Winter swell seasons to ever hit the North Shore of Hawaii. We talk to him about his desire to put his life in danger, and the wipeout that forever changed him.