HANALEI — The surfing community waited patiently as a massive winter swell was predicted for last week. If the waves reached a minimum of 20 feet at Waimea Bay, O‘ahu, the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau would take off.
HANALEI — The surfing community waited patiently as a massive winter swell was predicted for last week. If the waves reached a minimum of 20 feet at Waimea Bay, O‘ahu, the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau would take off.
A large winter swell arrived on Thursday, but after watching inconsistent sets that brought occasional 20 footers, contest organizers decided to postpone the event. The waves are forecasted to reach 10-15 foot today, and 8-12 foot on Sunday.
Meanwhile Hanalei Bay on Kaua‘i’s North Shore was going off, with giant and wide-open barrels on offer.
Arguably one of the most prestigious — and feared — surf contests in the world, the Eddie has only ran eight times in its 26-year history. Californian Greg Long won the contest’s last edition, in Dec. 8, 2009.
In March 1978, the Hokule‘a voyaging canoe capsized at approximately 12 miles south of Molokai. The Hokule‘a crew travels without instruments, like in Hawai‘i’s ancient times.
Crew member Eddie Aikau, a famous big-wave rider and North Shore lifeguard, paddled on his surfboard toward Lanai to seek help. The U.S. Coast Guard rescued the rest of the crew, but Aikau was gone forever. The search for Aikau is said to have been one of the largest in Hawai‘i’s history.
The last day of the holding period for the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau is Feb. 28. Organizers will only hold the contest if the waves are 20-foot plus.
