Why, the Eddie, of course!
What is the Eddie? It's the best big wave surfing contest in the world!
Waves have to come in consistently in at 20 feet, Hawaiian. This morning some sets had faces of 30 feet, but the sets were not consistent. At least 15,000 spectators streamed into Waimea Bay Beach Park before dawn in hopes that the Eddie Aikau big wave surf contest would be a go today. Unfortunately, it wasn't but the crowd still got to see some world class surfing.
The Eddie is named after a fearless and humble waterman who saved many lives as a lifeguard at Waimea Bay. In March 1978, Aikau paddled toward Lanai on his surfboard to seek help for his fellow crew members after the Hokulea double-hull voyaging canoe capsized in the Molokai Channel. It was the last time Aikau was seen. The crew members were rescued after a Hawaiian Airlines pilot spotted them during a flight. A massive search and rescue effort for Aikau was initiated but he was never found.
The surf event in memory of Aikau moved to Waimea Bay from Sunset Beach in 1986.
Part of the appeal of the competition is its rarity. Conditions have to be perfect and the contest has only been held eight times in the 25 years since its inception.
When you are in Hawaii and you see the bumper sticker that says, "Eddie would go!" Now you know what it means. :)
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