Huge waves, massive crowds

By Mike Leidemann and David Waite
Advertiser Staff Writers

Thundering, towering waves hit O'ahu's North Shore yesterday and so did tens of thousands of people eager to see them and the surfers who ride them.

Top surfers competed on waves whose faces sometimes reached 50 feet in an event honoring mythic big-wave rider Eddie Aikau yesterday at Waimea Bay. For complete results of The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

Although some waves had 50-foot faces by National Weather Service estimates, officials reported no damage or other major problems.

"I guess everyone was prepared and took the high-surf warnings seriously, thank goodness," said Capt. George Ku of the Sunset Beach fire station.

Thousands of people ringed the shores of Waimea Bay for the chance to watch The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, held only when ridable waves bigger than 20 feet hit the North Shore.

It was like a holiday, busier than Thanksgiving and Christmas combined, tilting the island toward the north, said one harried grocery store clerk.

"Call it Eddie's Day," she said.

By 6 a.m., when it was still dark, hundreds of people were waiting at the bay in anticipation of the contest featuring the best surfers from Hawai'i and around the world. Aikau was a famed big-wave rider who lost his life trying to get help for stranded crew members of an early Hokule'a canoe voyage.

By 7 a.m., traffic was bumper-to-bumper and it stayed that way all day as people kept coming. The line of cars stretched for miles in either direction of Waimea.

Nobody seemed to mind.

"It's all worth it for Eddie," said North Shore resident Eric Munoz.

So for Eddie, people endured the traffic or hopped out of their cars or city buses and started walking or riding bicycles, some loaded with cases of beer, to get in on the action.

"It's all about getting a rare chance to see the big waves," said Honolulu resident Adam Griesemer, who fed and changed the diapers on his 4-week-old daughter, Jaya, at the beach while mother Aditi Anderson stayed home to study for a law school exam.

"I guess it works out perfectly for everyone," said Griesemer, who described himself as a surfing Mr. Mom.

Visitors from near and far seemed impressed by the two-story-tall waves.

"It was just what I wanted to see," said Rich Matkovich, a visitor from Countryside, Ill., who planned his first trip to Hawai'i in more than 30 years for the winter in hopes of seeing big waves. He hit the jackpot yesterday, his 60th birthday.

'A really big thing'

Like many people, though, Matkovich had to be content to get a glimpse of the surfers from his car. Finding a parking space would have meant a walk of several miles back to a good vantage point at Waimea Bay, he said.

Spectators filled the beach yesterday at Waimea for the big-wave invitational. Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser

"Everybody else on the bus was headed the same place and we all got to talking together. It's unbelievable what they can do out there," Hans said.

Jacob Mirels, 16, and his brother Billy, 13, and their friend Joey Vollrath, 16, also were waiting for a bus after spending much of the day at the surf contest. They had skipped classes at Kahuku High School for the event, but said they weren't the only ones.

"There were only six kids on the school bus this morning," Jacob said. "It's the Eddie Aikau. It's a really big thing."

'It's that special'

Civil Defense officials closed O'ahu's North Shore beaches early in the morning, expecting possibly damaging surf that never fully materialized. Waves did wash over parts of Kamehameha Highway at many places between Ka'a'awa and Hale'iwa but did not totally close the road.

"I've seen a lot worse than this," said Charlotte Cobb, a Laniakea resident who said some of her lawn furniture had been washed away by the waves early yesterday morning.

Pupukea resident Liz Chandler, a nurse at Kapi'olani Medical Center, said North Shore residents tend to take the heavier than usual traffic in stride.

"If it wasn't my day off, I would have called in sick to be here," added Kelly Woods, who said she and friends were at the beach by 7 a.m. "It's that special."

Crowds for yesterday's contest, which was won by Kaua'i resident Bruce Irons with what many said was a spectacular ride nearly to the shoreline, might have been biggest in history, simply because more people know when the waves are going to hit.

"As surf forecasting keeps getting more accurate and the media report it, everybody can plan better," said Greg Ikeda, a firefighter at Sunset Beach who could see the huge waves out the station's back door and the parade of cars, bikes and pedestrians through the front door.

Even those who make their living around the water seemed impressed by the spectacle of the huge waves, and the crowds who turned out to see them.

"It's pretty exciting stuff," said Australian professional surfer Beau Emerson. "I've been coming here for 10 years and never had the chance to experience the Eddie Aikau before. It's awesome."

Emerson said it was good to see the crowds out appreciating those on the waves.

"Waimea is still Waimea. Whether it's 20 years ago, today, or 100 years from now, it's still a special place in surfing," he said. "That's why they come."

Jim Howe, operations manager for the city lifeguards, said spectators were generally cooperating with lifeguards. Still, the lifeguards had to take between 1,500 and 2,000 "preventive actions" — warning people to stay back from the surf.

"It worked. We didn't do a single rescue," Howe said. "That's a good day for us."

Reach Mike Leidemann at 525-5460 or mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com. Reach David Waite at dwaite@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-7014.