Will The Eddie Go? It's All About Timing as Huge Surf Targets Hawaii

Originally posted on SURFER | By Jade Eckardt | Last updated 2/12/24

As reported on Friday, the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational is on yellow alert.

Revered as one of the most prestigious surfing events in the world, it's a tribute to the late Hawaiian surfer and waterman Eddie Aikau—the North Shore's first lifeguard.

Because the contest only gets the go-ahead if "wave face heights consistently reach 40 feet" during the holding period, it's only run 10 times since its inception in 1984, and only once back-to-back.

Now, contest organizers are feeling hopeful that 2024's Eddie could be lucky number 11.

KHON2 captioned the news segment above:

"The Eddie might go! Weather reports look favorable for [the] rare event.

"The requirements for The Eddie to take place are rare; surf height must consistently reach at least 20 feet within the typical timeframe of December to February."

As previously mentioned, a minimum wave height of 40 feet is required for the contest to get the green light. But while swell size is normally the issue, right now it's all about the sun.

Opening the video, contest director Liam McNamara clarifies:

"We need the track of the swell hopefully to come in four to six hours earlier than they were thinking, or four to six hours later.

"You really want to have eight solid hours of forty to fifty to sixty-foot faces, minimum forty. This swell has eight hours of that size, that's for sure. It's a matter if those eight hours are during the daylight time."

According to KHON2, the contest could run on Thursday if the "swell tracks a bit earlier," and the seventy-two-hour notice could be triggered today. If it tracks later, "there could be a green light Tuesday for a Friday competition."

Past Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational winners: