30 Miles at the Ben Did Go 8.0 Fundraising Event with Daniella Spina

On September 16th, over 100 prone paddlers departed from Catalina and finished at Newport Beach, California – a 30 mile trek done on the knees or stomach, using hands to propel a board through a lot of salt water.

That’s 30 miles in one day, filled with aching muscles and hours spent in the elements.

But while there are plenty of prone paddling events around, this one was more than just an athletic challenge. Named the Ben Did Go 8.0, this annual fundraising event was held by The Ben Carlson Scholarship and Memorial Foundation in honor of Ben Carlson, a heroic Newport Beach Lifeguard who died during a rescue in 2014.

To say the event is awesome is an understatement, and that’s why 22-year-old Daniella Spina completed the paddle for the third time in a row this year.

Rocking her Protean “Ben Did Go” hat, the Laguna Beach Lifeguard and EMT completed the tough paddle with grit, honor, and gratitude—and definitely more grit—after raising almost $2,300 for the event on her own.

Daniella first participated in the Ben Did Go 6.0 back in 2021 and was welcomed into the waterman community with open arms. “The waterman community is one that is close-knit, shown by the warm welcome, love, and open arms given to me by all the guys doing the Ben, even being the only female planning on doing the paddle,” she says.

Like many, she spent hours training in the months leading up to the event. Her motivation? Safety, preparation, Ben Carlson, and her connection to the ocean: “The ocean is an entity that called to me before I even knew what that calling was, so any chance to be around her to surf or paddle her waves, dive her depths, swim her waters, and fish her shores is an opportunity I will readily jump on. Training was a way to connect with the water, to motivate and ready myself for the crossing, to keep my head straight regarding the reason we are doing the crossing, and to say hello to both Ben and others I know who have since returned to the sea.”

Things got hard as the miles stacked up, but mile 15 brought a special moment of gratitude, thanks, and love shared by the watermen. They were asked to gather, look at the sky, and send thanks to Ben. Struggling to understand the magnitude of what they accomplished, Daniella says, “We really were in outer space, and what better time to give thanks, and say hello to all of our friends and family we have lost in the past? What better way to honor them, to honor Ben, to show them our love, than to have a surfer circle mid-channel, to send water into the sky, and to be connected to all of it?”

The final miles hurt, but the welcome at Newport Beach was filled with cheers, a fly-over by the Coast Guard, and, of course, celebratory beers. It’s a scene Daniella hopes to see for years to come, as she says, “This event marks the life, love and memory of Ben Carlson and his heroic actions on that  fateful day back in 2014. Until my arms fall off, I will be doing Ben Did Go paddles far into the future.”

Donate and learn more about The Ben Carlson Scholarship and Memorial Foundation at their website: www.bencarlsonfoundation.org. 

Looking for a Protean hat to protect you on your next paddle or outdoor adventure? Check it out here.