The Eddie Aikau set to run mid-week (fingers crossed)!
The Quiksilver in Honor of Eddie Aikau is, without doubt, the most gorgeous of all surf events. It runs, famously, infrequently having last been held in 2009/10. I was there, on the bluff, watching all thanks to Stab‘s Sam McIntosh. I had picked him up from the airport that morning in Honolulu and told him “The North Shore is crowded and lame right now because the surf’s all big. Pssssshhhhht. Laaaaaaaaame. So let’s stay in town or whatever.” He agreed but looked sort of hurt so I said, “Laaaaaaaaaaaaame. Fine. Whatever, big baby. Let’s go back to the North Shore and get all stuck in traffic and lame.” I will thank him for the rest of my life.
I stood there and felt the thunder and it was, quite honestly, the second greatest live event I have ever witnessed including a Seattle Seahawks game the year they won the Super Bowl, a Nirvana concert, the Olympics, the Republican National Convention of 2012, my first wedding.
And guess what? You can feel the thunder too! The ocean is looking ripe for it to run mid week. Even famed Da Hui is writing “BIGGEST SWELL OF DA YEAR COULD HIT WEDNESDAY. ONE ARRIVES THIS WEEKEND & OTHER ARRIVES WEDNESDAY. EDDIE MAY GO. STAY TUNED”
So get thee to Oahu! I’m telling you, it will be worth any price and will definitely be better than your first wedding, though not your second. And if it don’t run just stay in town or whatever!
Dear Chas,
Can you please write a follow up to this. Specifically, can you get a comment from the clowns running this thing?
Like I said the other day:
The
Big 30′ NW will not peak at the proper time. It comes in late Wed
topping out at night. Winds will be variable as well. Ideally, we need a
15-25′ NW with Trades to peak one full day of comp. SNN.
ah its been officially called off , but next week is even…….???
in the days of massive Jaws, Mavs etc., does anyone really care anymore? Big and it’s still small compared to many spots. Too big and you can’t surf it. Another 20-30 ft big wave comp that doesn’t interest the masses. Now that’s clairvoyance.
I think they do… sure its not Jaws, but that drop! Intense wave, the original.
Bells was the original too…
The only people who surf Bells under 6ft are kooks, barneys and the WSL…
Bells is one of the few successful, self-sustaining events on Tour.
Bells and Rio, I’d be willing to bet.
Well the last time the event was held, in 2009, people were walking in from three or four miles away at 4am. They did that two days in a row (the first day was a bit Kona and messy). It was easily the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen at a surf contest of any kind. The whole crowd stuck around all day and the feeling — especially during the last hour or so — was indescribable. I’m pretty sure that next time it runs, it’ll be equally overwhelming. There’s a lot of reasons for this but the key is Eddie Aikau and the powerful mythology encasing his life and death, a mythology that makes every other story in surfing shrink to near nothing in comparison. To try to reduce it to the math of a location’s comparative swell size is to miss the point entirely.
But will it even rival Todos from a viewership perspective? That locals live for it is a given. Does anyone else?
Did you watch the last one?
Amen. If you don’t know the history of this event and the legacy of Eddie Aikau then I can understand why you’d compare this contest to any other big wave contest. Ask any invitee (past or present), and they’ll tell you, this event and what it honors is truly special. It’s “THE EDDIE” man!
I think its still relevant, Sure its just another 20-30ft big wave comp,But Jaws Mavericks and Todos dont have people pulling into 15 ft shorebreaks
slow news week. smells like hype to me.
Also, peak of swell may be in the morning at 2am.
And this is the killer right here. Swell is an early riser and no car headlights for early 3 am heats.
Enough light for Johnny Utah and Bodhi to play two hand touch on the soft Bay sand?
I too have been on the beach during an Eddie event (2002). It is an amazing occurrence. I brought two college buddies from the OC. They still talk about it.
non clairvoyant says, nahh, sorry gang, not this swell.
Tell that to Eddie (Rothman), mister…
You’re killing me, Chas!!!