A North Shore lifeguard says no rescues were made during the Eddie Aikau surf contest at Waimea Bay this past weekend.
Compare that to last year, when lifeguards rescued some 20 people who were swept by large waves.
Some factors contributing to last year’s rescues were volatile waves, plus people drinking and partying the day before and not adhering to barricades put in place, according to Jesse King, a Honolulu Ocean Safety lieutenant lifeguard for the North Shore area.
“There was a lot of footage from last year’s contest that was circulating all over social media about the poor choices that were made by people that were going in dangerous areas,” he said.
The Eddie attracts tens of thousands of people that come to watch surfers ride monstrous waves reaching more than 40 feet. The event was founded in 1984 paying homage to Eddie Aikau, a Native Hawaiian surfer and lifeguard on the North Shore of Oʻahu.
In the past decade, wave heights were only adequate enough for the event to be held in 2016, 2023 and 2024.
King said the Waimea Bay lifeguard tower is staffed with three lifeguards, in addition to two rescue jet ski rescue units. But on the day of The Eddie, there are four lifeguards on duty as well as two lifeguard lieutenants, he said.
He added that safety measures for the contest were a collaborative effort between the Honolulu Police Department, the Honolulu Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services and the contest coordinators.
“That joint effort between all the public safety agencies makes an incredible difference,” he said.
But lifeguards were called to action after the event. King said that after the contest was over, lifeguards rescued about six surfers from Waimea Bay.
The rescue underscored calls for more ocean safety awareness as visitors and locals flock to Oʻahu’s pristine beaches.
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In 2022, lifeguards at beach parks rescued 3,498 people — a 70% increase from rescues made in 2019. Honolulu Ocean Safety did not provide HPR with 2023 and 2024 data.
“The ocean changes every day,” King said, adding the importance of staffing lifeguards. “Every coastline is different. Every beach is different every day with the conditions that are presented.”
King said social media has put some areas of the coastline on the map, like Kahe Point on Oʻahu's west side.
“The activity used to be way lower there, and with social media and tour groups going there, there’s a lot of hazards down there,” he said. “Especially when there’s a surge and a lot of people are trying to snorkel, dive and swim."
King said there used to not be a lifeguard tower there.
He advised visitors to go on the department’s Instagram for user-friendly information, pay attention to weather conditions, and check the surf forecasts.
