Big Waves
I spent the better part of the afternoon yesterday watching the Eddie Aikau Big Surf Invitational. It is held at Waimea Beach on the island of Oahu, only when the waves are over 20 feet. The waves must be consistently big.. all day. This makes the timing of the event sporadic and spontaneous. It is also why it has only been held eight times in the last twenty five years. The last time being in 2004. Yesterday was beautiful. The sun was out. There was a crowd of 30,000..and if you’ve ever been to Waimea, that is an insane amount of people. But the crowd was transfixed..the waves were huge..the surfers…warriors. Several of them had won the event in the past, including Clyde Aikau, Eddie’s brother, who is sixty years old.
The waves got bigger as the day went on. The announcers kept saying, “that’s the biggest wave of the day.” And each time it was true. I am not a surfer. But I love the water. Love to watch the bravery and skill of these men. And the respect that they had for each other and those who host the event. It was a beautiful collaboration. It was watching the best of people in the best of surroundings with the best of intents and love. What a gift..
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deidre noreen 