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What made Eddie Aikau a hero?
Eddie Aikau is a hero because of his courage to risk his life to save others and his passion for surfing. Eddie Aikau showed tremendous courage when on an expedition in the Hôkûle. “Him and his crew were reenacting the journey of the discovery of the Hawaiian Islands.
Why is Eddie Aikau famous?
As the first lifeguard at Waimea Bay, Aikau saved over 500 lives and became famous for riding big Hawaiian surf, winning several awards including the 1977 Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship.
What happened to Eddie Aikau?
Aikau, who died in a rescue attempt following the capsizing of the Polynesian voyaging canoe Hokulea in 1978, is one of the best-known, least known figure in surfing history.
Did they ever find Eddie Aikau?
Although the rest of the crew were later rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Cape Corwin, Aikau's body was never found. He removed his life jacket since it was hindering his paddling of the surfboard. The ensuing search for Aikau was the largest air-sea search in Hawaiian history.
Who is the most famous surfer?
PHOTOS: Kelly Slater, the most famous surfer in the world, is from Cocoa Beach. Kelly Slater on the beach in Fiji. Slater, a Cocoa Beach native, has won 55 major titles. He is the most famous surfer in the world.
Who is the best surfer in Hawaii?
Probably considered the forefather of professional surfing, Duke Kahanamoku is widely revered as an icon and a beloved character of modern Hawaiian history.
Who is the best big wave surfer?
Laird Hamilton is probably the first professional big wave surfer of all time. The waterman from Maui defies fast, hollow and high waves with a full-time training and previous preparation. Hamilton, the father of tow-in surfing, has already ridden all big wave spots in the Hawaiian Islands.
How big do waves have to be for Eddie?
The tournament is known for a unique requirement that open-ocean swells reach a minimum height of 60 feet (18 m) before the competition can be held. Open-ocean swells of this height generally translate to wave faces in the bay of 70 feet (21 m) to 80 feet (24 m).
Where was Eddie Aikau a lifeguard?
Waimea Bay1. First lifeguard on Oahu's North Shore. Eddie Aikau was the first ever offical lifeguard at Waimea Bay, on Oahu's North Shore.
Did Andrew Cotton break his back?
In 2017, big-wave surfer Andrew Cotton suffered what could have been a potential career-ending and life-changing injury after breaking his back during a wipeout in Nazaré, Portugal. Three years later he returned to the same spot to redeem himself and achieve his dream of surfing one of the biggest waves ever.
What is the meaning of Eddie Would Go?
Phrase. Eddie would go. a phrase used to encourage others into doing something daring or difficult, especially when surfing.
What does Malama mean?
To take care of, tend, attend1. nvt., To take care of, tend, attend, care for, preserve, protect, beware, save, maintain; to keep or observe, as a taboo; to conduct, as a service; to serve, honor, as God; care, preservation, support, fidelity, loyalty; custodian, caretaker, keeper. Examples: Mālama ʻana, custody. Mālama pono ʻia, well cared for.
What is the nickname of a legendary Surfbreak in Hawaii?
Peʻahi (/peɪˈɑːhiː/ pay-AH-hee; Hawaiian: [peˈʔɐhi]) is a place on the north shore of the island of Maui in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It has lent its name to a big wave surfing break, also known as Jaws.
How big do waves have to be for Eddie?
The tournament is known for a unique requirement that open-ocean swells reach a minimum height of 60 feet (18 m) before the competition can be held. Open-ocean swells of this height generally translate to wave faces in the bay of 70 feet (21 m) to 80 feet (24 m).
Where did the saying Eddie Would Go come from?
Eddie would go! According to maritime historian Mac Simpson, "Aikau was a legend on the North Shore, pulling people out of waves that no one else would dare to. That's where the saying came from -- Eddie would go, when no one else would or could. Only Eddie dared.
What is the meaning of Eddie Would Go?
Phrase. Eddie would go. a phrase used to encourage others into doing something daring or difficult, especially when surfing.
What is Eddie Aikau famous for?
He was also well known for navigating the massive Hawaiian surf, as well as his achievements in such events as the 1977 surfing tournament hosted in the name of Duke Kahanamoku. More... Contents [ hide] 1 Eddie Aikau. 1.1 His Life: The Legend of Eddie Aikau. 1.2 Lost at Sea.
Where is Eddie Aikau from?
Eddie Aikau's hometown was Kahului, in Maui. The younger of two children, his name is ripe with meaning; "Makua" and "Hanai" in the Hawaiian language roughly translate to a parent who feeds and is adoptive, fostering, or nurturing.
Why did Eddie Aikau take off his life jacket?
He had taken off his life jacket because it was getting in the way of his surfboard.
What is Waimea Bay famous for?
Waimea Bay is famous for having massive waves, even in the winter. By 1971, Eddie Aikau had earned awards for his accomplishments as a lifeguard. Seven years later, on the last day of February, he saved his last life at the Bay: John Orland, a TV producer. Waimea Bay, and the north shore in general, has immortalized Aikau as a de facto patron saint.
What was Eddie Aikau's boat called?
Eddie Aikau offered his services as a member of the crew. The vessel they used was a double-hulled canoe titled Hōkūleʻa. It left Hawaii on March 16 of that year.
How many people died on Eddie Aikau's watch?
Eddie Aikau's jurisdiction included all the beachfront from Sunset to Haleiwa. Not one person died on his watch during his tenure at Waimea Bay, even though some of the waves he encountered crested 3 dozen feet high. Waimea Bay is famous for having massive waves, even in the winter.
When was the Eddie Aikau Big Wave?
Conceived in 1985, the Eddie Aikau Big Wave event has been held a total of nine-time as a result of a prerequisite that the swells of water rise to a height of no less than 20 feet. Put another way, the height of the wave faces would reach beyond 30 feet. The initial big wave invitational took place in 1985 at Sunset Beach.
Where did Eddie Aikau work?
Eddie was the first official lifeguard hired by the City & County of Honolulu to work at Waimea Bay, on Oahu's North Shore, back in 1967. At the same time, he challenged the biggest waves on offer in the Hawaiian Islands.
How many people did Eddie Aikau save?
During his career as a lifeguard at Waimea Bay, Eddie Aikau managed to rescue and save the lives of over 500 people.
What was Eddie Aikau's best surfing competition?
As a competitor, his best contest result was a win in the 1977 Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship. Eddie Aikau saw big wave surfing not as a competition but as a personal goal. He dreamed of reaching the height of his heroes.
What happened to Hokule'a?
Hokule'a soon encountered treacherous seas outside the Hawaiian Islands, and the canoe capsized. On March 17, after a wild night adrift, Aikau paddled his board toward Lanai, searching for help for his stranded crew members. He was never seen again.
Where was Aikau born?
Edward Ryon Makuahanai Aikau was born in Kahului, Hawaii, on May 4, 1946. He was the second-oldest of the five Aikau kids and the leader of their pack, since their earliest days on Maui, through to their surfing days on the South and North Shore of Oahu.
When did Aikau sail?
In 1978, Aikau was among a handful selected to join the cultural expedition of the Polynesian, double-hulled voyaging canoe Hokule'a, which set sail from the Hawaiian Islands on March 16, 1978 - more specifically from Magic Island, Oahu - and bound for Tahiti.
Who said Eddie would go?
According to maritime historian Mac Simpson, Aikau was already a legend on the North Shore before his death. "The expression 'Eddie would go' actually predates Hokule'a," Simpson noted. "He was already doing what no one else dared to - pull people out of Waimea Bay's big surf.
Where was Eddie the Lifeguard born?
Eddie was born on the island of Maui in Hawaii on May 4, 1946 but moved with his family to Oahu in 1959. He was the first lifeguard hired by officials in Honolulu to work on the North Shore where it is claimed he saved more than 500 people, keeping watch of the beaches from Sunset to Haleiwa. Along that stretch of coastline it is said waves can ...
When did Eddie the Canoe sail?
The double-hulled voyaging canoe set sail on March 16, 1978 but it later developed a leak in one of its hulls and later capsized around 12 miles south of the island of Molokai. Eddie then set off on his surfboard in a bid to get help.
Eddie Aikau: The Rad Life of a Hawaiian Surfing Legend
Eddie Aikau was a surfing legend during a time when Hawaiian legends were being resurrected. As a lifeguard, he attempted more than 500 daring rescues.
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Where did Aikau paddle?
The ship sprung a leak shortly into the 2,500-mile journey and Aikau paddled on his surfboard toward the Hawaiian island of Lānaʻi to get help. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard. Aikau’s body was never found, despite “ the largest air-sea rescue effort in modern Hawaiian history .”.
How many people did Aikau rescue?
Aikau is thought to have rescued some 500 people on the north shore of Oahu during his time as a lifeguard, without the modern tools like jet skis, drones, or helicopters.
Where did the phrase "Eddie would go" come from?
Here’s the origin story of that phrase, from Boardmasters : In the 1980s, bumper stickers and T-shirts with the phrase “Eddie Would Go” spread around the Hawaiian Islands and to the rest of the world. According to maritime historian Mac Simpson, “Aikau was a legend on the North Shore, pulling people out of waves that no one else would dare to.
Who was the first lifeguard in Honolulu?
On this day in 1946, the first lifeguard hired by the city of Honolulu was born, setting the standard for all lifeguards that would follow. Eddie Aikau was a championship surfer and athlete, but his legacy — marked with a Google Doodle on Saturday in several countries, including the United States — is for his bravery as a lifeguard.
Who said "The Eddie went"?
The phrase stuck and the Eddie went!”. Aikau , was, by many accounts, a quiet, introspective man. He died tragically in the waters where he spent much of his life. He was 31 in 1978, and volunteered to recreate the voyage between Hawaii and Tahiti aboard a double-hulled canoe called a Hōkūleʻa.
Where did the saying "Eddie would go when no one else would or could" come from?
According to maritime historian Mac Simpson, “Aikau was a legend on the North Shore, pulling people out of waves that no one else would dare to. That’s where the saying came from — Eddie would go, when no one else would or could. Only Eddie dared. The phrase originated during the first Eddie contest. The waves were huge and the conditions were ...
Was Aikau's body found?
Aikau’s body was never found , despite “ the largest air-sea rescue effort in modern Hawaiian history .”. “We saw the board, I’m sure of it, and about a hundred yards away from the board, something orange in the sea.
Why did Aikau remove his lifejacket?
He removed his lifejacket since it was hindering his paddling of the surfboard. The ensuing search for Aikau was the largest air-sea search in Hawaiian history. It was a tremendous loss for the surf community, but it was an even bigger loss for Hawaiʻi, and, tangentially, the United States.
Where did Aikau's canoe capsize?
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. In an attempt to get help, Aikau paddled toward Lanai on his surfboard.
How long did Eddie go from Hawaii to Hawaii?
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.
How many rescues did the Big Wave surfer do?
During a nine-year tenure as protector of the hallowed coastline, he attempted over 500 rescues. Not one attempt failed.
Who said Eddie would go?
Mark Foo turned to a cameraman who was capturing the surf check and said the now-revered slogan: “Eddie would go.”. And they did. The world’s best big wave surfers gather each winter to honor the memory of Eddie at the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Invitational. View Comments.
Who paddled for help from a capsized Hokule'a?
The Moment: Eddie Aikau paddles for help from a capsized Hokule’a to save a group of stranded Hawaiian leaders – never to be seen again. “Eddie was a really, really warm hearted person. Really big heart. He’d do anything for you.
Was Eddie the North Shore devastated?
The foremost champion of the newest state was taken from the community he loved much too early. The North Shore was devastated. However, from the devastation arose the community Eddie held so close, strengthened by its resolve to not only remember their hero, but celebrate him.
Who Was Eddie Aikau?
When Did He Die?
- The date of his death is not entirely certain but is most likely to have been in March 1978. He had joined as a volunteer for the Polynesian Voyaging Society who had planned a 30-day, 2,500 mile journey following the ancient route of the Polynesian migrants as they travelled between the Hawaiian and Tahitian islands. Eddie joined as a crew member.
What Was His Cause of Death?
- The double-hulled voyaging canoe set sail on March 16, 1978 but it later developed a leak in one of its hulls and later capsized around 12 miles south of the island of Molokai. Eddie then set off on his surfboard in a bid to get help. While the US Coast Guard later picked up the rest of the crew, Eddie was never seen again. His body was never found even after a large air-sea search was lau…
What Is A Google Doodle?
- In 1998, the search engine founders Larry and Sergey drew a stick figure behind the second 'o' of Google as a message that they were out of office at the Burning Man festival and with that, Google Doodles were born. The company decided that they should decorate the logo to mark cultural moments and it soon became clear that users really enjoyed the change to the Google h…