Eddie Would Go - The Heroic Story of Hawaiian Lifeguard Eddie Aikau
"Eddie Would Go"
In the heart of the Pacific on the Hawaiian islands, surrounded by surf and sun and sand, there once lived a man who defined the spirit of aloha. His name was Eddie Aikau, a humble Hawaiian lifeguard and big wave rider whose story is steeped in paradox and tragedy, and continues to inspire generations. This is his story.
Eddie’s History
Eddie was born in 1946 in Kahului, Maui, the third of six bright-eyed children. His family eventually settled on Oahu’s North Shore. As a native Hawaiian, Eddie was born into a culture as vast as the Pacific Ocean itself. He was fascinated by the sea from a young age, an enduring love that would grow during his teenage years when he became a strong athlete and gifted surfer. "Eddie was a pretty quiet guy but when there was a challenge, or some risk to be taken, or a game to be played that everybody wanted to win, Eddie seemed to rise to the top. He was high risk at an early age," his younger brother Clyde Aikau said, according to Quicksilver. Even from a young age, people knew Eddie was destined for greatness.
Eddie the Lifeguard
Eventually, Eddie’s natural abilities led him to become the first lifeguard at Waimea Bay on Oahu's North Shore – a mecca for big wave riders. Eddie himself became famous for surfing the big Hawaiian surf, winning several awards including the 1977 Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship. It should also be noted that one of the breaks where Eddie worked is infamously known as “Jaws,” so-called because of the unpredictability of the waves there, similar to the unpredictability of a shark attack. The waves at Jaws can be in excess of 60 feet during the winter months, rivaling tsunami heights. Despite a lack of formal training, Eddie's courage and instinct soon made him one of the greatest lifeguards in the islands. He became a guardian of Waimea Bay, saving over 500 lives during his tenure. His motto was simple: "Eddie would go." It was not an act of bravado, but a testament to his commitment and deep respect for the ocean and his community.
Mediator Between Surfers and Native Hawaiians
Eddie's fame grew, so too did his passion for his Hawaiian roots. He dedicated himself to preserving the cultural heritage of his people, and mediating disagreements between the professional surfers on the islands and the Hui 'O He'e Nalu group. The Hui 'O He'e Nalu was a group of thirty native Hawaiians who protested the professional surfing industry by wearing black swim shorts with two thin stripes down the outer sides. Their purpose was to protect the waves and rights of native Hawaiians. Eddie Aikau was involved in various outreach initiatives aimed at bridging cultural gaps between natives and mainlanders, such as organizing trips to Polynesian cultural centers.
An Ancestral Journey
In 1978, the Polynesian Voyaging Society was seeking volunteers for a 30-day, 2,500-mile journey to follow the ancient route of the Polynesian migration between the Hawaiian and Tahitian island chains. Eddie joined the crew of fellow Hawaiians in an ambitious journey to revive the ancient Polynesian art of open ocean navigation. This open-ocean voyage was to be a tribute to the ancestral journeys that first brought the Polynesians to Hawaii, undertaken in the double-hulled canoe, the Hokule’a. This double-hulled canoe is a symbol of the Hawaiian renaissance and represented a return to traditions almost forgotten. For 31-year-old Eddie, it was a chance to honor his people's history.
Journey Gone Wrong
On March 16, 1978, under a firmament of ancestral stars, the Hokule'a set sail. But, as is the nature of the sea, especially in the ever-changing waters around Hawaii, tranquility was fleeting. A vicious storm pummeled the canoe, leading to a leak in one of its hulls. Despite the crew's valiant efforts, the Hokule'a capsized about twelve miles south of Molokai, one of the islands in the Hawaiian Island chain. In the face of devastation and panic, Eddie, in a haunting echo of his lifeguard days, decided to do what he did best: try to save lives. Strapping himself onto his surfboard, he resolved to paddle towards the island of Lanai, hoping to find help. His fellow crew members watched in mixed awe and terror as their guardian left the safety of the wreckage, his silhouette a stark contrast against the pounding Pacific. "Eddie would go," they murmured amongst themselves, a tribute to the man who was trying to save their lives. But Eddie Aikau never made it back. Despite a massive search, the man who had saved so many lives ended up swallowed by the very sea he loved. The guardian of Waimea Bay, the embodiment of the spirit of aloha, was gone.
The Loss of Eddie
Eddie's loss was a paradox that cut through the heart of Hawaii. The man who had saved so many lives had given his own in order to save others. Yet, in the paradox, there was a profound lesson: the ultimate act of love and sacrifice. Today, the legacy of Eddie Aikau lives on. "Eddie would go" has become an ethos, a mantra that encapsulates the courage and selflessness that defined his life. His story is both tragic and inspiring, and serves as a reminder that sometimes the biggest waves we ride are not those of the ocean, but those of life. Eddie’s name, like a sacred chant, is carried on the winds, whispered through the rustling palm trees, and spoken in reverence across the islands. Eddie's tale resonates in every Hawaiian heart, in every curling wave that breaks on the North Shore, and in every gust of wind that caresses the double-hulled canoe Hokule'a, still sailing under the ancestral stars, carrying forward the traditions of the Hawaiian people.
Eddie’s Legacy
Each year, as the winter swells roll into Waimea Bay, the world of surfing gathers to honor Eddie's memory in the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau surfing competition, more commonly known as "The Eddie." This tournament is not just about riding massive waves, but rather about embodying the spirit of Eddie Aikau – his bravery, selflessness, and respect for the ocean. Those who compete understand that they are not just battling the waves; they are living the legacy of a man who turned every ride into an act of homage, and every rescue into an act of love. For the surfers who brave the bay on those epic days, they don't just surf the wave, they surf Eddie's waves. They know in their hearts that Eddie's spirit is there with them, riding along and living on in the ocean he loved so deeply. The paradox of Eddie Aikau's life - the lifeguard who saved so many yet lost his life in a mission of salvation - is a story of profound sacrifice. Yet, in this apparent contradiction, there is an enduring message of hope, courage, and the deep-seated spirit of aloha. Eddie was a man who lived by his principles, standing up for what he believed in, and he made the ultimate sacrifice to save others, showing us the true meaning of heroism.
Eddie’s Spirit Lives On
Eddie may have disappeared into the vast expanse of the Pacific, but he never truly left us. His spirit permeates through the islands, imbuing the oceans, the winds, and the people of Hawaii. In every daring rescue, in every ride on a towering wave, and in every proud heartbeat of the Hawaiian culture, you can be sure – Eddie still goes.
Click here to listen to a song Eddie wrote.