In honor of Aikau's memory the surf wear company Quicksilver has held the regular surfing tournament the Quicksilver Big Wave Invitational in Memory of Eddie Aikau in Aikau's beloved Waimea Bay. Coast Guard, Eddie's body was alas never found despite the efforts of an extensive manhunt. Organizer Clyde Aikau said at a news conference Friday that he was expecting waves to reach 25 to 30 feet by Hawaii measurements or 50 to 60 feet on the national scale - and the conditions were. If you surf, you know how this story ends, but George and Peralta still manage to build a significant amount of drama. Although all the other crew members were eventually rescued by the U.S. George teamed with Stacy Peralta ( Dogtown and Z-Boys, Riding Giants) and the ESPN 30 for 30 series to make this epic documentary that touches not only on Eddie’s life, but on the cultural history of Hawaiian surfing. After the canoe developed a leak in one of its hulls and subsequently capsized, Aikau decided to paddle back to shore on his surfboard in order to get help. In 1978 Eddie volunteered as a crew member for a canoe voyage from Hawaii to Tahiti. Eddie won first place in the prestigious Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship contest in 1977. Well known for his exceptional courage and selfless nature as well as for the fact that no one ever drowned at sea on his watch, Aikau was named Lifeguard of the Year in 1971. One of the first surfers to make a name for himself braving and besting the monster waves at the beach in Waimea Bay, Eddie in 1968 became the first lifeguard to be hired by the City & County of Honolulu to work on the North Shore. Aikau dropped out of high school at age sixteen and bought his first surfboard with the money he made working at a Dole pineapple cannery. Eddie began surfing at age eleven and moved with his family to the Hawaiian island of O'ahu in 1959. Aikau grew up in Lahaina and attended St. The son of Solomon and Henrietta Aikau, Eddie was the third in a family of six children. Champion surfer and lifeguard Edward Ryon Makuahanai Aikau was born on in Maui, Hawaii.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |