Once in a "big" year a handful of rare men who live for the ride venture out into the mammoth winter waves of Oahu's Waimea Bay. It is the day of the Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau. It is the kind of day that "Eddie Would Go" if he were still here.
It is the day when the ocean brings traffic along the Kamehameha Highway to a standstill. The air hangs heavy with sea salt that has been sent skyward by the crashing swells and the ground reverberates as the "big ones" rumble through. It is standing room only at Waimea Bay as tourists, surf enthusiasts and locals alike come to witness first-hand one of Mother Nature's most spectacular shows and to see the selected few who are capable of riding such waves take to the water.
For this day to happen, swell heights entering Waimea Bay must be a minimum of 20 feet. When these swells start to drag on the bottom depths of the bay, their wave faces prior to breaking can reach rideable sizes of 30 to 40 feet. "The Bay Calls The Day", they say, and when it does, 24 invited surfers who embody the kind of passion and innate ocean knowledge of their forefather Eddie Aikau head out to ride in his honor.
Carry on as you know they would want you to do. ~~JB, dedication to Tim Russert
Take your time
Find your passion
Life goes on until it ends
Don’t stop living
Until then
~~Mac McAnally
I've been to the North Shore on a 30' plus day and watched on the beach, unreal. You can feel the ground shake beneath you. Check out Surfline for a live webcam of Waimea. http://www.surfline.com/surfline/liveca ... =waimeacam
The last time I was in Hawaii I was talking with a local surfer and he was laughing at the way us California surfers size waves. He said the last time when he was on the mainland he heard the waves were good that day and when out and was greeted by ankle slappers and ice cold dirty water. A 6' wave in California would be a Hawaiian 3 footer. One of the many things you miss after spending time surfing in Hawaii is getting back in the water at your local beach.
Once in a "big" year a handful of rare men who live for the ride venture out into the mammoth winter waves of Oahu's Waimea Bay. It is the day of the Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau. It is the kind of day that "Eddie Would Go" if he were still here.
It is the day when the ocean brings traffic along the Kamehameha Highway to a standstill. The air hangs heavy with sea salt that has been sent skyward by the crashing swells and the ground reverberates as the "big ones" rumble through. It is standing room only at Waimea Bay as tourists, surf enthusiasts and locals alike come to witness first-hand one of Mother Nature's most spectacular shows and to see the selected few who are capable of riding such waves take to the water.
For this day to happen, swell heights entering Waimea Bay must be a minimum of 20 feet. When these swells start to drag on the bottom depths of the bay, their wave faces prior to breaking can reach rideable sizes of 30 to 40 feet. "The Bay Calls The Day", they say, and when it does, 24 invited surfers who embody the kind of passion and innate ocean knowledge of their forefather Eddie Aikau head out to ride in his honor.
Hey! I was there on big wednesday. Maybe this means that I need to head over.
PHBeerman wrote:Hey! I was there on big wednesday. Maybe this means that I need to head over.
If money were no object, I'd have been on the 6AM flight out of BOS or PVD.....
I was there last November when 25-30 foot waves slammed the east-facing shores, and I've been on the North Shore for 20+ foot surf, but nothing like this!!
Carry on as you know they would want you to do. ~~JB, dedication to Tim Russert
Take your time
Find your passion
Life goes on until it ends
Don’t stop living
Until then
~~Mac McAnally
PHBeerman wrote:Hey! I was there on big wednesday. Maybe this means that I need to head over.
If money were no object, I'd have been on the 6AM flight out of BOS or PVD.....
I was there last November when 25-30 foot waves slammed the east-facing shores, and I've been on the North Shore for 20+ foot surf, but nothing like this!!
My wife almost got us killed when we were there before. She was trying to park, and bumped into the back of a truck. A big hawaiian dude got out and walked back. I thought I was dead. This dude made me look as small as Shane around average sized people. He must have been at least 6'10"
PHBeerman wrote:When was the last time you drove moron?
Saturday night.... Steph's car...
Does she make you leave your penis as a deposit when you borrow her car?
If that is the case, I think Shane was in CMH at the Zoo on the 4th. Guy behind me spent the entire time demonstrating his girlfriend had his in a jar.
But wait.. couldn't have been Shane for two reasons:
a) no one got humped
b) I hear Steph is cute, and this girl probably relied more on her cooking skills than her her looks to catch a guy.
PHBeerman wrote:When was the last time you drove moron?
Saturday night.... Steph's car...
Does she make you leave your penis as a deposit when you borrow her car?
If that is the case, I think Shane was in CMH at the Zoo on the 4th. Guy behind me spent the entire time demonstrating his girlfriend had his in a jar.
But wait.. couldn't have been Shane for two reasons:
a) no one got humped
b) I hear Steph is cute, and this girl probably relied more on her cooking skills than her her looks to catch a guy.
Yeah Steph is hot. I keep a pic of her in my "Special place" at home.
