BEN DID GO DOCUMENTARY - CROSSING THE CHANNEL

Every summer, a powerful pilgrimage happens off the Southern California coast. Hundreds of prone paddlers—some veterans, some first-timers—set out on a 30-mile expedition across open ocean. Their destination: the beach in Newport. Their mission: to honor a hero.

Ben Carlson was a Newport Beach lifeguard who gave his life saving another. The paddle, the community, the cause—each stroke taken in the Ben Did Go event is a living tribute to his legacy.

Filmmaker, Braden Archinuk set out to capture the story behind the paddle. What began as simple curiosity—“How are these people paddling 30 miles balancing full-time jobs and families?”—quickly evolved into something deeper. The resulting short documentary, CROSSING THE CHANNEL, isn’t just a film about endurance. It’s a story about remembrance, resilience, and a community bound by something greater than themselves.

“I followed a group of paddlers known as the Prones Brigade,” Braden says. “No plan. Just a camera and curiosity. As I got to know them—their motivations, their struggles—it all led back to Ben. That’s when the film took shape.”

Shot over months of training, long mornings, and ocean miles, CROSSING THE CHANNEL is as much about the paddlers as it is about the purpose. Fathers, daughters, lifeguards, first responders—all united by water, grit, and a single hero: Ben Carlson.

FLORENCE is proud to support this project alongside the Ben Carlson Foundation. Because the ocean, like the people who commit themselves to it, reveals who we are and what we stand for.

“Together we were able to make an epic yet emotional short documentary that I hope inspires people to participate in the Ben Did Go...heck even I plan on doing it some day.” says filmmaker Braden Archinuk.

We invite you to watch CROSSING THE CHANNEL and learn more about the event, the Foundation, and how you can be part of it—even if it’s just showing up to the beach to cheer them in.

Learn more and donate to the Ben Carlson Foundation.

See more photos from the 2024 Ben Did Go Channel Crossing.