In Hawaiʻi winter brings cooler weather, humpback whales and, of course, massive surf to north-facing shores. Surfing—or heʻe nalu in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language)—is believed to have originated in ancient Polynesia and brought to the Islands, where it thrived. Once a sport reserved for aliʻi (Hawaiian royalty), commoners were allowed to hit the waves when […]
This story was originally published on Jan. 24, 2023. It’s not every day the prestigious Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational happens at Waimea Bay on Oʻahu’s North Shore. In fact, in 34 years, the surf contest, which requires wave faces to be consistently larger than 40 feet (measured from the front of the wave)
Have you heard? HAWAIʻI Magazine’s bright 2023 Winter Issue is available now. Flipping through these pages will certainly instill a sense of wanderlust. From tranquil hiking trails and paniolo barbeques to the ultimate guide to building an idyllic getaway, editor Kevin Allen and associate editor Grace Maeda reminisce on their favorite stories in
It seems like the stars and swell are aligning this weekend, as The Eddie Big Wave Invitational has again been given the green light for Sunday. Although the contest was expected to run on Wed, Jan. 11, 2023, it was ultimately called off due to high winds and poor conditions. However, the forecast is showing
In a whirlwind of announcements, the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational—often referred to as “the Eddie”—has been canceled, mere hours after it had been given the green light to run on Wednesday, Jan. 11. The cause of the cancellation is a bout of high winds, coming from an unfavorable onshore direction, that will coincide with
The monster surf has long lured spectators to Hawaiʻi in the winter months. It’s not unusual for traffic to crawl along Kamehameha Highway on Oʻahu’s North Shore, as people craned their necks to watch the huge waves roll in. The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational—arguably the most anticipated surf meet in the Islands—attracts thousands of people to
