In spite of every forecaster and model being in concurrence that this was going to be an epic day, the system changed dramatically during the late evening hours leaving us with much less and later arrival of swell than anticipated. In light of that, organizers deemed that today's conditions did not measure up to a true Eddie day. We expect the best we will see today will be 15-18 foot surf mid-afternoon, and not enough lingering energy into tomorrow to give us a second chance.

Here’s what Clyde Aikau had to say:

That’s just the way it goes. I mean nobody knows what’s going to happen. You’re dealing with Mother Nature. It’s just humbling that when I drove up here at 9 o’clock last night, for miles it was already packed with people. People camping, cooking out… it was real humbling you know. And it gets me real excited to ride some really nice waves because you have the great support of all the people. Not only in Hawaii, but around the world. It’s just so humbling that people still respect Eddie. To inspire the next generation is what Eddie’s legacy is all about and I’m so proud, and the family’s so proud.

Eddie and I and Peter Cole and Jose Angel, all the old guys, we used to ride Waimea Bay when it was 30-35 feet, Hawaiian scale, 60-70 feet national scale. And there was nobody on the beach, there were no cameras, just that love to ride the biggest waves in the world. And to ride it with friends that you really love, that you really have a lot of confidence in, that if you get into trouble they’ll help you out. And that’s really the same feeling that my family and myself want to bring to this event.

Over 31 years I think it has carried that so called ‘legacy’ again of how we used to ride Waimea. Not to ride a big wave to get on the front cover of Surfer Magazine or to get the center spread or make $100,00 a year, but just because you have that passion.

News by: Jodi Wilmott, Pictures: Jimmy Graham