What really happened to Eddie Aikau? In her inspirational new children’s book, “Eddie Wen’ Go: The Story of the Upside-down Canoe,” former Hokule‘a crew member Marion Lyman-Mersereau imagines what Hawai‘i’s ocean creatures saw when the voyaging canoe capsized and the
What really happened to Eddie Aikau? In her inspirational new children’s book, “Eddie Wen’ Go: The Story of the Upside-down Canoe,” former Hokule‘a crew member Marion Lyman-Mersereau imagines what Hawai‘i’s ocean creatures saw when the voyaging canoe capsized and the heroic Aikau went for help. Illustrated in lavish watercolor by Melissa DeSica, the 64-page hardcover book tells the story of the journey from the canoe’s launch to the crew members’ rescue.
The Hokule‘a had embarked on its second open-ocean voyage in the late-1970s. Bound for Tahiti, the crew utilized the skills of a trained Hawaiian navigator. Just six hours into the voyage, high winds and rough seas capsized the canoe in the Kaiwi Channel between O‘ahu and Lana‘i. Eddie Aikau, a famous big wave surfer and North Shore lifeguard on O‘ahu, volunteered to paddle a large surfboard to the island of Lana‘i, about 10 miles away. Some 22 hours later the crew was sighted by an airline pilot and rescued. No sign of Eddie was ever found.
Lyman-Mersereau helped build the Hokule‘a and was a crew member on its fateful journey in March 1978. In 1995 she wrote an article published in Honolulu Magazine titled, “Eddie Would Go,” which inspired the book by the same title, authored by Stuart Coleman. This is her first children’s book.
The book’s companion read-along CD puts voices to Lyman-Mersereau’s colorful cast of characters — including a wise grandmother whale and her curious grandson, a sassy young dolphin, a tough, pidgin-speaking shark and a free-spirited ‘iwa (frigate bird). The wild sea creatures tell the story of Eddie’s fate with liberal use of Hawaiian words and phrases.
Each of the older animals take their turn in relating their part in the tale, the events they saw, or the family lore handed down about the “upside-down canoe” and the brave human whom went for help.
Together the animals come to a conclusion about what happened to Eddie, as well as remind the reader to live courageously and use their own gifts to be of service to others.
Currently a middle school social studies teacher at Punahou School, she has been sharing the story of the Hokule‘a and Eddie Aikau for 30 years. Writing “Eddie Wen’ Go” allowed her “to resolve the experience and have it told in a way that would be creative and fun, yet meaningful.”
The companion CD also features original compositions by slack-ke y artist Danny Carvalho. Meet the author and hear the sea creatures come to life in the voices of Hawai‘i residents Beth Kauwe, Maika Scott, Kaimalino Andrade, Laola Aea, Danny Lyman and Kaiwi Lyman. The event takes place at 11 a.m. tomorrow at Border’s Books and Music. Lyman-Mersereau will be available to answer questions about the Hokule‘a and details of the incident.
