This event sponsored by the Quiksilver Division happens once a year at the Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. It just held when the waves are up to 20 feet. The last Big Waves Invitational happened in December 2006, and the next is supposed to happen in December of this year. This event, as the proper name says, is in memory of Eddie Aikau, a famous big rider surfer and the first Waimea’s waterman, who passed away in 1978 when he was trying to get some help for the crew of the Hokulea, a rejoinder of the ancient Polynesians boats, which shipwrecked during a commemorative expedition between Hawaii and Tahiti. The expedition which started at the Magic Island Port was organized in order to valorize the Hawaiian culture and tradition that had been restrained by the settlers. Eddie was just 32 years old when he died. People say that he went search help by rowing on his board, disappeared at the horizon and was never seen again. His last words were: “Don’t worry, I can do it, I will reach the coast.” Soon later the life-guard vest he was wearing was seen floating on the water. The last day the crew was rescued by the American navy. They just found Eddie’s board floating near the coast.

        As we can see in this video I found on the Internet, the event is opened by a Hawaiian ceremony and the surfers invited, like Kelly Slater, Shane Dorian, Taj Burrow, etc., go to the sea an scream his name several times. After that, they form a circle and deposit flowers in the sea. It’s a very beautiful ceremony. Here there is an interesting site that gives some more information about Eddie’s story.

        In this video we can see Kelly Slater, the best surfer currently who was world champion eight times. Here is a site which shows some photos of him. The site is a little bit outdated, since Kelly is still presented as the “7 times world champion”. And here below there is a video of him surfing during the last Big Waves Invitational, which he won.

        Another famous surfer that appears on the first video is Shane Dorian, one of my idols. He is not as famous as Kelly Slater or Mick Fanning, of course, but he is so courageous and even insane sometimes, and that is why I admire him. I discovered him in a video which my friend lent me, called “The BluePrint”. It is a very short video about his life and his story. I hope to become as expert as him one day.

        The waves at Pipeline are left tubular waves that can measure up to 18 feet of height and which break on a super flat bench. That is why the Pipeline waves are the greatest and the most famous pipes on the planet; in addition to being very dangerous, they just should be surfed by experienced surfers. On agitated days, the canal to enter in the sea is very small, so the surfer must know very well the sea conditions. Here’s some scaring photos of this perfect surfpoint :

Pipeline – 2004

        The waves of Sunset beach are perfect right waves that can be as heigh as the Pipeline ones. They are very difficult to be surfed because on the outside they are very vertical, as we can see on the photo below, and on the inside they are tubular, demanding much experience and ability from the surfer who faces them. Sunset has a canal that facilitates the gone on of the surfer until the perfect point to “drop”; however it is still very difficult to get in the line up in order to choose the good waves. Only with time and the experience acquired during this time the surfer will start to know the place better.

Sunset Beach – 2004

        Before knowing spots such Jaws or Maverick’s, when the subject was big waves, the famous waves of Waimea reigned. Theses waves measure 10 feet on average, but they can reach up to 25 feet, and that is when Waimea Bay turns into the stage of the Eddie Aikau Invitational, the most traditional event of giant waves in the whole world.

Waimea Bay – 2004

        The Oahu’s South Shore is relatively calm, so it can be paradise for the beginners, mainly when the waves are small. Even though the waves are small, they are perfect. The best time for surfing in the South Shore is between April and September, when the south undulations are formed.

        But it is on another island, called Maui, where the most famous Hawaii’s waves break. The Jaws are right waves which break with the northeast swell and which are considered as the biggest waves that can be surfed on the planet. Its name translates very well what these powerful rights can do with the inexperienced surfers. Discovered by Laird Hamilton, one of the greatest watermen currently, theses waves are practically impossible to be surfed rowing. That is why Jaws introduced the concept of the Tow In, the towed surf, since with the speed of the jet-ski surfing becomes easier.

There is Mick Fanning, who is, in my opinion, one of the best surfers in the whole world, after winning the 2nd place of the Billabong Pro 2007

Here we can see Damien Hobgood, the winner of the Billabong Pro 2007, after surfing his last wave of the competition

        After the third stage of the current season of the WCT, the Billabong Pro, carried through in Teahupoo, Tahiti, the Australian Mick Fanning is leading the ranking, having exceeded his compatriot Taj Burrow, as I said I though it would happen in my first post. The competition took place between May 4^th and 14^th. In fact, Mick was the vice-champion in the competition of Teahupoo because he lost by less than half a point for the North-American named Damien Hobgood in the last wave. Hobgood, who is another recognized surfer, passed from the 13^th place of the WCT ranking to the 3^rd after winning this competition, in addition to being awarded 30000 dollars. Between the Brazilians that have competed, Bernardo Pigmeu obtained the 9^th place. With this result the Brazilian surfer passed from the 30^th place of the WCT ranking to the 20^th, near the “cariocas” Raoni Monteiro and Leonardo Neves. The next stage of the World Championship Tour 2007, the Rip Curl Search, is marked for June 20^th. On that occasion Chile will be included in the World Surf Elite Division.

Here follows the actual ranking :

1 – Mick Fanning (AUS) – 3108
2 – Taj Burrow (AUS) – 2676
3 – Damien Hobgood (EUA) – 2342
4 – Joel Parkinson (AUS) – 2340
5 – Bede Durbidge (AUS) – 2232
6 – Kelly Slater (EUA) – 2208
7 – Andy Irons (HAV) – 1989
8 – Michael Campbell (AUS) – 1932
9 – Jeremy Flores (FRA) – 1742
10 – Kai Otton (AUS) – 1701
11 – Tom Whitaker (AUS) – 1696
12 – Bruce Irons (HAV) – 1610
12 – Daniel Wills (AUS) – 1610
12 – Travis Logie (AFS) – 1610
15 – Ben Dunn (AUS) – 1557
16 – Chris Ward (EUA) – 1420
16 – Pancho Sullivan (HAV) – 1420
18 – Cory Lopez (EUA) – 1367
18 – Luke Stedman (AUS) – 1367
20 – Taylor Knox (EUA) – 1235
20 – Raoni Monteiro (BRA) – 1235
20 – Bernardo Miranda (BRA) – 1235
20 – Leonardo Neves (BRA – 1235
20 – Adrian Buchan (AUS) – 1235
25 – Bobby Martinez (EUA) – 1230
25 – Dean Morrison (AUS) – 1230
25 – Adriano de Souza (BRA) – 1230
25 – Ricky Basnett (AFS) – 1230
29 – Josh Kerr (AUS) – 1182
30 – Fredrick Patacchia (HAV) – 1050
30 – Greg Emslie (AFS) – 1050
32 – Phillip MacDonald (AUS) – 1045
32 – Dayyan Neve (AUS) – 1045
32 – Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA) 1045
32 – Trent Munro (AUS) – 1045
36 – Royden Bryson (AFS) – 957
37 – C.J. Hobgood (EUA) – 860
37 – Shaun Cansdell (AUS) – 860
37 – Michael Lowe (AUS) – 860
37 – Mark Occhilupo (AUS) – 860
37 – Victor Ribas (BRA) – 860
37 – Troy Brooks (AUS) – 860
37 – Gabe Kling (EUA) – 860
44 – Tim Reyes (EUA) – 675
44 – Neco Padaratz (BRA) – 675
44 – Luke Munro (AUS) – 675

        Here we can see the king! The king of reggae, the king of happiness … His face is one of the most known figures in the whole world. Robert Nesta Marley, known as Bob Marley, was a Jamaican singer, guitarist and composer. He is the most famous reggae musician ever, known for popularizing this kind of music. He began his career singing in a musical group called “The Wailers”, and got married three times, including Rita Marley, one of the members of his ancient band, who gave him four of his twelve sons. A great part of his sons followed in his steps, and continued his musical legacy, like Ziggy and Stephan Marley, or Damien Marley. Another important point is that Bob’s father was English and white colored, so he was criticized, including by one of his band mates, Peter Tosh, who thought that Marley was privileged and helped by his father. I don’t believe that but I think it is important to be mentioned. By his music he divulged the “rastafari” religion, and talked about happiness, love, and the simple things of live, which he thought we should value more. Bob’s lyrics were brilliant because they show his humility, and because transmit ideas which make everyone happy and make us forget our problems, like for example “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” or “Everything’s gonna be alright”. He was almost known for stimulating people to fight for their rights thru his songs, like in the music called “Zimbabwe” or, of course, “Get up, Stand up”. That’s why Bob Marley is one of my idols.

        There we can see Mick Fanning, the Australian twenty five year old surfer, just after winning the Quiksilver Pro 2007, which is a very reputed surf championship that happens in the Australian Gold Coast. The Quiksilver Pro is one of the stages of the WCT, the World Championship Tour, sponsored by one of the first surf labels, Quiksilver. The Gold Coast, in Queensland, Australia, is the second most populated city of the region, and is popular because of its beautiful and famous surfing beaches. Those beaches are great for a surfing championship because they are known for having the longest waves in the whole world. The greatest moment of the competition was when Fanning made the best battery of the whole championship, which deserved a 9,73 and a 9,8. In the photo to the top you can see him, encircled by a multitude, which proves that he is very famous and that everybody who knows something about surfing admires him. Another idea that shows he is one of the best surfers today is that he is sponsored by Rip Curl, another surf label that chooses very carefully its athletes. I personally think that he has great chances of winning the WCT, because he is balanced, so he is good in pipeline competitions and in maneuvers competitions.