“Eddie Would Go” – Why Hawaii Celebrates Eddie Aikau

Eddie Aikau was the primary lifeguard to work on Oahu’s North Shore. He grew to become a browsing legend and native hero earlier than sacrificing his life to avoid wasting fellow Hokulea voyagers within the 1970s. Right now, he’s honored all through Hawaii as a logo of aloha and Hawaii traditions. 

Hawaii has a singular tradition that’s brimming with its personal tales and way of life. And, Hawaii additionally has its personal set of real-life heroes – legends who influenced the islands and dwell on via their inspiring accomplishments. 

Considered one of our favourite “native heroes” is Eddie Aikau. Nonetheless, this nice surfer’s affect extends past the native areas of Hawaii. He competed the world over and introduced with him a trademark Hawaiian spirit and willpower, representing his house islands proudly. 

You’ll probably hear about Eddie Aikau whilst you’re in Hawaii, so now’s an awesome probability to find out about this hero and why he’s such an awesome image of the aloha spirit. 

Who Is Eddie Aikau

Eddie Aikau was a lifeguard and massive wave surfer who is legendary his swimming and diving abilities. As a real Hawaiian waterman, he grew to become a logo of aloha and heroism, all whereas competing in among the largest browsing competitions on this planet. 

The First North Shore Lifeguard

Edward Ryon Makuahanai Aikau was born on Maui in 1946. He moved along with his household to Oahu as a youngster and finally dropped out of faculty. He labored at Dole Plantation, which allowed him to avoid wasting up for a surfboard and left his mornings free for catching waves. 

In his early 20s, Eddie Aikau grew to become the primary official lifeguard on the North Shore. Posted on Waimea Bay, he typically tackled 20-foot surf (or larger!) for his rescues. Most tales credit score him for 500 or extra rescues, a substantial quantity contemplating his profession lasted solely 9 years. 

Eddie Aikau: Champion Surfer

In 1967, earlier than he was employed as a lifeguard, Eddie Aikau surfed the most important wave ever recorded on Oahu’s North Shore. This feat catapulted him into the realm of legends, and he would develop into a browsing hero whose affect prolonged past his life. 

He traveled to South Africa, South America, and Australia to compete in browsing occasions, however his best accomplishments occurred right here in his house waters. 

In 1977, Eddie gained the Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Browsing Championship, changing into solely the second Native Hawaiian ever to win the competitors (the primary was his older brother Clyde in 1973). Sadly, this might be the final competitors that Eddie surfed in, as his subsequent journey would take his life. 

Becoming a member of the Hokuleʻa

In 1978, Eddie joined the crew of the Hokuleʻa, a conventional Polynesian voyaging canoe. The Hokuleʻa was a logo of the Hawaiian Renaissance, because it started voyaging within the 1970s throughout a resurgence in Hawaiian values and id. 

Becoming a member of the Hokuleʻa’s second journey was an awesome honor, and it mirrored Eddie’s abilities as a waterman and an embodiment of Hawaiian values. 

However his quick journey aboard the canoe got here to a tragic finish when the Hokuleʻa hit treacherous waters between the islands of Molokai and Lanai. The canoe capsized, leaving the crew with out radio communications. 

In an try to get assist for his shipmates, Eddie Aikau paddled his surfboard towards Lanai. Although the remainder of the crew was rescued from the stormy waters, Eddie was by no means seen once more. 

What adopted was probably the most intensive air-sea search and rescue in Hawaiian historical past. But it surely was unsuccessful. Eddie Aikau, Hawaii’s hero and grasp waterman, was misplaced at sea. 

A Lasting Affect

Eddie Aikau died younger – he was 31 when he went lacking off the shores of Lanai. However his affect prolonged past his dying and endures at present. 

He serves as an inspiration for at present’s Hawaiians who wish to courageous giant waves, who wish to function public lifeguards, and who wish to perpetuate Hawaiian values. 

The Eddie Aikau Massive Wave Invitational

Some of the important ways in which Eddie is honored is thru The Eddie Aikau Massive Wave Invitational, additionally referred to as “The Eddie.” This is among the world’s most prestigious browsing competitions, drawing scores of crowds to Oahu’s north shore. 

It’s so standard that it’s been referred to as the Tremendous Bowl of browsing. 

Although the competitors goals to be an annual occasion, it solely occurred ten occasions between 1984 and 2024. 

See, the competitors is named off if swell doesn’t constantly attain 20 ft between December and March. If officers see constant swell, they’ll give contestants a couple of 72-hour discover of the competitors. This offers worldwide opponents simply sufficient time to journey from their house nations to Oahu’s North Shore. 

Which means on the uncommon event that the competitors is a go, it’s an enormous deal in Hawaii, greeted with fanfare and celebration. Flocks of spectators come to Waimea Bay to see the world’s most spectacular surfers deal with big waves. 

Considered one of my favourite tales from the Eddie Aikau invitation occurred in 2023, when on-duty lifeguard Luke Shepardson took an prolonged break from his work day to compete within the invitational – and gained!

One other notable win occurred within the competitors’s early years – in 1986, Eddie’s brother Clyve Aikau gained the invitational. 

Honored All through Hawaii

Eddie’s fashionable influences lengthen past his prestigious surf competitors. In truth, Eddie is honored in colleges, tradition, and media as a Hawaiian hero – an embodiment of Hawaiian id and satisfaction. 

In 2010, Eddie Aikau was the second particular person inducted into the The Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Hawaii Waterman Corridor of Fame (the primary was Duke Kahanamoku himself).

The Eddie Aikau Basis goals to hold on Eddie’s ambitions by supporting Native Hawaiian training, outreach, and applications. They maintain an essay contest for native college students, assist native arts and tradition, and attain out to households of surfers who die in North Shore waters. 

Eddie can also be the topic of an ESPN documentary, “Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau,” which is streaming on Disney+. And, if you wish to study much more about him, decide up his biography “Eddie Would Go” by Stuart Coleman

“Eddie Would Go”

Eddie Aikau can also be accountable for one among Hawaii’s most iconic phrases: “Eddie Would Go.” Whereas within the islands, you may even see it on bumper stickers and t-shirts, and even hear it hailed on the seaside. 

The phrase is a rallying cry for anybody who needs to courageous Hawaii’s massive swells. In any case, Eddie Aikau took on giant waves, each as an athlete and as a lifeguard. And in doing so he grew to become a hero, an advocate, and a legend.