Eddie Aikau Surf Contest

Tuesday, I went to the 2009 Quicksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau, the biggest- big wave surf contest in the world. The contest has been running since Eddie's death in 1978, but it is only held every few years because the conditions need to be right. The waves at Waimea Bay need to be 20 ft or higher, which measured from the back are 40 ft. Tuesday, there were 50 foot waves. Waves that Oahu hasn't seen since 1969.

Who is Eddie? Eddie is a big wave Hawaiian surfer and Waimea lifeguard who met his death heroically paddling out on his 12 foot longboard through 15 foot swells to a shore 20 miles away to save his crew. In 1978 Eddie volunteered to be a crewman on a canoe destined for Tahiti, the team's goal was to prove that the Polynesians had navigated to and from Hawaii using only the stars. On the first night the team met terrible weather and their canoe capsized, flooding their radio. Immediately Eddie volunteered to paddle his surfboard to Lana'i , but the captain refused. The next day Eddie asked the captain to go again, this time the captain let him go. The last time Eddie was seen was paddling away from the boat towards shore trying to save his crew.

The rest of the crew was rescued later after a flare they sent was recognized by an inter-island flight.

"Eddie Would Go" is a common phrase and bumper sticker in Oahu - it means go for it, and risk it all for your friends. Eddie was a hero, and that's why the biggest - big wave surf contest is held in his remembrance.