Somehow, he was inferior in his homeland. He was just a low-key native Hawaiian, living in a secluded house next to a Chinese graveyard, having fun in monstrous waves, and saving the lives of beachgoers. But he was never seen again.īefore his death, Eddie Aikau was the anti-star. On March 17, 1978, the boat capsized 20 miles west of Lanai, and the crew lost all provisions and telecommunications.Īikau decided to paddle his board toward Lanai to get help. The Hawaiian surfer lifeguard joined the Hokulea, a 60-foot replica of a Polynesian voyaging canoe, for a 2,400-mile sailing journey from Hawaii to Tahiti, using ancient navigational techniques only. The friendly yet shy regular-footer becomes a six-time Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship finalist and wins the event in 1977. He had a relaxed and unique bow-legged stance and rode giant waves with his arms often nearly fully extended. I fear to walk in the streets," the Hawaiian told a South African newspaper before flying home.Īikau was Waimea Bay's first lifeguard, and while on duty, he made over 500 and lost zero souls to drowning in the high surf. "The color problem in South Africa, man, is really heavy. So, Eddie stayed in a beachfront apartment alongside Shaun and Ernie Tomson. He was supposed to meet Bill Hamilton and Jeff Hakman at the Durban's Malibu Hotel, but the concierge didn't allow him to enter the building. In 1972, Aikau was invited to participate in the Gunston 500. In 1966, the Catholic-raised Hawaiian surfed Waimea Bay for the first time for six straight hours and caught over a dozen 20-foot waves. Eddie surfed and tamed Waimea Bay, one of the biggest waves in the world, better than anyone.īut, for a long time, he was just a dark-skinned, low-profile wave rider, unwanted in the ever-growing tourist areas of Waikiki. The pureblood Hawaiian defined big wave surfing's early days, especially in the 1970s. It has a meaning and a consequence.Įddie Aikau was a Hawaiian big wave surfer and North Shore of Oahu lifeguard. Until Johnson won the event in 1999 he was known only among the closely tied North Shore surfing community, but his breakthrough performance at the Eddie launched him into the big wave surfing arena, earning a great deal of respect far beyond Oahu's seven-mile miracle."Eddie Would Go" is one of the most popular and famous expressions in surf culture. WSL / Sofie LoucaĪikau will not be the only former event winner to participate in Heat 3, fellow Hawaiian Noah Johnson (1999 winner) will also paddle out at Waimea Bay. The younger brother of Eddie Aikau, the event undoubtedly holds special meaning to the North Shore local as the sole representative of the Aikau family in the contest. At age 66, Aikau will be the oldest surfer in the lineup of all 28 set to compete. Clyde Aikau - WSL / Kirstin ScholtzĪmong the most legendary competitors to participate in the event is Clyde Aikau, brother of the event's namesake and winner of the 1986-1987 waiting period. Following epic clashes in Heat 1 and Heat 2 at the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau, Heat 3 will feature a mix of young, old and in-between big wave legends.
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