Eddie Akau Contest 2009 Underway

The Eddie Akau 2009 surfing competition is on! Eddie Akau, a former lifeguard and legendary surfer, has the honor of the event being named for him. For a brief Akau biography: he was the first lifeguard at Waimea Bay, Hawaii as well as being notorious for surfing the big waves up until his believed drowning in 1978. Yesterday the reports were disappointing to some as they checked to see if the Eddie would go on, considering foggy weather conditions which ultimately postponed any activity. Today the situation is improved, and the Eddie Akau contest resumes.

Yesterday's heavy fog, rain, and high waves, reported Jessica Gellert at KHON, caused organizers to think twice before allowing the Eddie Akau contest to take place. News About Knowledge informs us that tradition states that the waves should reach 20 feet before beginning the Eddie Akau contest, so there were no problems there. The National Weather Service has today and tomorrow looking good, possibly even seeing 50 foot waves. Excited crowds gathered in expectation as conditions became favorable and waves grew. Meanwhile, over at the Quiksilver site, the enthusiasm is apparent, informing visitors that the Eddie is on, and their webcast is on. They reported the current conditions at the time earlier this morning, which were good, with surf at 25-30 feet. You can visit them for more information

Surfing is a very dangerous pastime which is growing in popularity in recent decades. It seems to be a sport that has no reservations about claiming the occasional life, and when we lose that life, it is often celebrated with more of the same activity rather than being taken as a cautionary tale. After all, in surfing you can have all the right moves and do all the right things and still be a victim of nature's whims. Yet, very seldom do we discuss this with our young thrill seekers who find joy in riding challenging waves. Almost certainly surfing is a lot of fun and an incredible rush, but I will probably never know since I don't feel certain thrills and worth risking a life. Good luck to all the competitors and may you be safe in your participation of the Eddie Akau Contest 2009.

Jessica Gellert,.2 News Now: Pearl Harbor 68th Anniversary; Eddie Won't Go Today; Oyster Warning, KHON2
Eddie Aikau Invitational, News About Knowledge
The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Akau, Quiksilver.com