Eddie Aikau – The Legend
Eddie was a direct descendant of Kahuna Nui Hewahewa, the highest priest of Hawaii in the early 1800s. Hewahewa retired to Waimea Valley later that century, taking up the role of caretaker of Waimea Valley, from the mountains to the sea. One hundred years later, Aikau picked up the family torch as caretaker of the Bay – its first official lifeguard. Eddie Aikau had a relationship with Waimea that would become legendary – saving countless lives and surfing for up to eight hours at a time.
The big wave surfing event in memory of Eddie Aikau began in 1984 as a local tribute to one of Hawaii’s favorite surfing sons. This event gathers the most skillful and dynamic big-wave surfers from around the globe, and only takes place if wave heights are in excess of twenty feet. The universal appeal and strength of “The Eddie” is a testament to the human spirit it honors and that we all seek to connect with: a life lived with passion, dedicated with meaning, and exited from heroically.
Waimea was deemed to be the soul of big-wave riding. In the late 1980s, when contest officials were in the midst of deciding whether to run the event in huge waves they were asking the surfers if they wanted to go out and surf, and one surfer looked out and said, “Eddie would go.” The phrase spread throughout the world on bumper stickers, posters, caps, and T-shirts.
Clyde Aikau says, “Eddie had a great life and we’re thankful for that. As a family, we’re so proud and humbled that after so many years, so many people still recognize him for what he did, which was to give the ultimate give of his life to try and save others.” Eddie Would Go: The Story of Eddie Aikau, Hawaiian Hero
Eddie Aikau – The Hero
Following his win of the Duke Kahanamoku Invitational at Sunset Beach in the winter of 1977, Eddie’s focus shifted. The Hawaiian cultural renaissance was in full swing and Aikau was feeling the pull to go deeper into the roots of his Hawaiian heritage. The cultural connection Eddie was seeking came in the form of the Hokule’a, a traditional double-hull voyaging canoe that was the symbol of Hawaiian pride.
The Polynesian Voyaging Society was seeking volunteers for a 30-day, 2,500-mile journey to follow the ancient route of the Polynesian migration between the Hawaiian and Tahitian island chains. Eddie leapt at the chance to be part of the crew who would sail Hokule’a by traditional celestial navigation. The Hokule’a set sail on a stormy afternoon in March of 1978, in strong winds that were whipping up heavy seas.
Not far into the journey, Hokule’a developed a leak in one of her hulls and eventually capsized during the night in the Moloka’i Channel. The crew hung on and hoped for a quick rescue, but after weathering the night, and with the physical state of crewmembers deteriorating, Eddie volunteered to paddle for help on a surfboard to the Hawaiian island of Lana’i, estimated to be 19 miles away. It would be the final rescue attempt of his life. While the crew aboard Hokule’a were later spotted by a passing plane and rescued, Aikau was never seen again.
“There was a lot of blame going on that the captain was responsible and so forth,” Clyde Aikau said. “I want to make sure that the captain knows that no matter what he did that day, no matter what anybody in that group did that day, Eddie would have found a way to leave the Hokule’a and go get help. That’s just the kind of guy he was.”
Eddie Aikau – The Surfer
Eddie Aikau was born on Maui, where his father would take the kids down to Kahului Harbor with his old redwood surfboard. The family later moved to Oahu in 1959, where Eddie and younger brother Clyde made themselves boards from marine ply and began surfing the Waikiki Wall. By the age of 16, Eddie had left school and was working at the Dole pineapple cannery, earning enough money to buy his first real board.
Aikau’s first experience in bigger waves came through John Kelly and Sammy Lee, who took him out to Sunset and then Waimea Bay. All the great big-wave riders of the day were out, but Eddie dominated the lineup from start to finish. Photos from that day appeared in Life magazine, and suddenly Eddie was a star.
Through the ’70s, Aikau cemented his reputation as the undisputed master of big Hawaiian surf, winning the Duke Classic at Sunset Beach in 1977 and scoring many other high placings. Aikau was one of Hawai’i's first professional surfers, ranked No. 12 on the inaugural ASP World Tour in 1976.
Where he really shined was in the big surf. “Eddie was born to ride gigantic waves,” Clyde Aikau said. “Surfing Waimea Bay, I would categorize him as confident, fearless and calculated. He didn’t like surfing the tour at all,” Clyde said. “The waves were small at a lot of places around the world, and big waves was his thing.”
After his death, “The Eddie” a big wave invitational was formed in his honor. The tournament has a precondition that open-ocean swells reach a minimum of 20 feet (this translates to a wave face height of over 30 feet). The contest only invites 24 big-wave riders to participate in two rounds of competition, and does not allow the use of jet skis to tow surfers into the waves. The event started in 1984, and is still considered the most recognized and prestigious big-wave contest in the world.
Some surfers become great, and few become heroes. Eddie Aikau became a hero and a legend.
Eddie Aikau – The Lifeguard
In 1967 Eddie persuaded the City & County of Honolulu to appoint him the first North Shore lifeguard. He was given the task of covering all beaches between Haleiwa and Sunset and saved hundreds of lives over the next three years. The roving patrol was then disbanded and Aikau was assigned to Waimea Bay, where no lives were lost while he was on duty.
The Aikau family was water-oriented; they were surfers, divers, sailors, and paddlers. Eddie had the water knowledge, and that’s what made him such a great lifeguard and surfer. Before and after his work shifts, Aikau would surf at Waimea Bay, especially when the waves were big. At the time, only an elite handful of surfers had the knowledge and courage to ride Waimea Bay when wave-face heights surpassed 40 feet. Aikau was at the top of the pecking order.
Long before Jet Ski and other personal watercraft became in vogue for assisting lifeguards, Aikau was paddling into giant waves and swimming through treacherous conditions to save lives. In 1971, Aikau was named Lifeguard of the Year. He was involved in hundreds of rescues over the next decade, many of them undocumented. He would make a rescue and when it came time to fill out the forms, he would say, “Nah, not important. The guy is alive, that’s the important thing.”
The last person lifeguard Eddie Aikau rescued at Waimea Bay was a young TV producer named John Orland, who had just wrapped up production on a TV pilot called the “Hawaii Experience,” starring Bob Crane from Hogan’s Heroes. He was rescued on February 19, 1978, less than a month before Eddie Aikau was lost at sea. “When people say Eddie is a hero, it makes us feel very proud,” says his younger brother Clyde. “Still, to this day, tears come down as I talk about it. But at the same time, it is very humbling to know that people still recognize the name Eddie Aikau.”
Greg Long Wins Eddie
Waimea Bay delivered an event of legendary proportions with waves up to 50 feet for the Eddie Aikau big wave surfing event. The massive surf over the last few days was the largest sustained swell to hit the Hawaiian Islands in 40 years.
A capacity crowd of over 25,000 packed the natural amphitheater of Waimea Bay to experience the pairing of Mother Nature and the men who ride her mountainous surf. The air was filled with salt spray, adrenaline, and wipeouts, and the surfers who put their lives on the line in honor of Eddie put on a great show.
Greg Long’s death-defying rides and steep drops down the face of giant waves, scoring a perfect 100 points on one of the waves allowed him to claim the victory. This is pretty incredible given that he rode Waimea for the first time this week. “I’m so happy just to be here, invited into the biggest event of big waves in the world with all my heroes. I look to those guys for inspiration and to be standing up here with Sunny Garcia and Kelly Slater is a dream come true for me.”
Long finished with a four wave score of 323, Kelly Slater (winner in 2002) placed second with 313 points, Sunny Garcia was third with 292, and defending Eddie champion Bruce Irons was forth at 275.
Long said, “It really is about the wave and celebrating the ocean. It’s what we do: go out there and ride big waves. The respect and camaraderie in the lineup you don’t find in too many places in the world, and this event really encapsulates everything that’s great about surfing: the friendships you make in the water and looking out for one another.”
In Memory of Eddie Aikau 25th Anniversary
The 25th anniversary of The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau big wave event is planning to get underway. This event only takes place if wave heights are in excess of twenty feet, and all forecasts are pointing towards one of the largest swells to hit Hawaii in decades. The last time the event ran was in December 2004.
Held in honor of the legendary Hawaiian waterman, Eddie Aikau, this event gathers the most skillful and dynamic big-wave surfers from around the globe. It is the world’s longest running and most prestigious big-wave invitational. The universal appeal and strength of “The Eddie” is a testament to the human spirit it honors and that we all seek to connect with: a life lived with passion, dedicated with meaning, and exited from heroically. Just 31 when he lost his life in an attempt to save others, his life story is now woven into the fabric of Hawaii.
The opening ceremony was an overwhelming tribute, complete with the original Hokule’a voyaging canoe in Waimea Bay in the midst of a 15- to 18-foot swell. The Hokule’a is a traditional double-hulled vessel that represents the original Polynesian voyage to the Hawaiian islands, and a symbol of great Hawaiian pride. It is also the same boat from which Aikau paddled for assistance in 1978, never to be seen again. Clyde Aikau, winner of the 1987 event, led the paddle-out of this year’s official Invitees and Alternates circling the Hokule’a and paying respects to Eddie.
Clyde is ready to ride on what he expects to be the swell of a lifetime. “Knowing that it’s probably gonna go, everybody’s real jacked, including yours truly. I really think it’s going to be a big one, probably the biggest waves ever for the event. I’ve surfed all the big waves that have come through here, ‘74, ‘69, and this one should be even bigger than that.”
