The event, which has only been held 8 times in its history, was founded in recognition of the great Hawaiian surfer Eddie Aikau.ĭuring the 1970’s, Eddie Aikau was considered one of the best big wave riders in the world. However, from the devastation arose the community Eddie held so close, strengthened by its resolve to not only remember their hero, but celebrate him.The holding period has begun for the 30th annual “Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau”, a one-day big wave invitational surfing event requiring waves of at least 20 feet - wave face height over 30 feet– in order to be contested. The foremost champion of the newest state was taken from the community he loved much too early.
It was a tremendous loss for the surf community, but it was an even bigger loss for Hawaiʻi, and, tangentially, the United States. The ensuing search for Aikau was the largest air-sea search in Hawaiian history. He removed his lifejacket since it was hindering his paddling of the surfboard. Coast Guard Cutter Cape Corwin, Aikau was never seen again. In an attempt to get help, Aikau paddled toward Lanai on his surfboard. Although the rest of the crew was later rescued by the U.S. The double-hulled voyaging canoe developed a leak in one of the hulls and later capsized about twelve miles (19 km) south of the island of Molokai. An homage down to the watercraft, the manned Hokule’a left the Hawaiian islands on March 16, 1978. In 1978, a 31-year-old Eddie, weathered but energetic as always, joined the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s 30-day, 2,500-mile journey from Hawaii through Tahitian island chains, following the route once taken by then-Polynesian migrants. And as lifeguard and cultural ambassador, he was able to do that.Įddie at Sunset as he would want it: sharing a wave with his boys. Rather than hide Hawaiʻi from the rest of the world, he wanted to share its natural beauty, and teach everyone why it was so necessary to appreciate the native roots that were often ignored and cast aside by non-natives, namely developers in Waikiki. And while he himself embodied all the values needed to be among the North Shore’s best, riding the biggest and heaviest waves around with a intense passion for the pursuit, he wanted to help others do the same. Surfing is a very individualized sport: it’s an exploration of one’s own limits - physical, mental, and spiritual. What made Eddie different was, without a doubt, his selflessness. During a nine-year tenure as protector of the hallowed coastline, he attempted over 500 rescues. With a recognized prowess as a waterman, he was appointed lifeguard of the beaches between Sunset and Haleiwa, an appropriate role for the big wave surfer as he often swam into 30 foot swells. Born in Maui, his family moved to Oahu when he was 16, and shortly thereafter he was a North Shore local surfing the gnarliest breaks, his favorite being Waimea Bay. But before he went on the courageous rescue mission, his legend was already growing on the islands.
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