The EDDIE AIKAU Big Wave Invitational.
Opening Ceremony: December 8, 2023
Waiting Period: December 14, 2023 to March 12, 2024.
Eddie Would Go!
Good morning 4:30am.
North shore head high and bumpy.
Ala Moana knee high and slow.
Diamond Head shoulder high and wild.
Strong trade winds at 35mph.
Sun, clouds, showers, and double rainbows.
Going to the sea.
Have a wonderful day!
Hawaiian Airlines is one of the most expensive and strictest airlines when it comes to traveling with surfboards. There’s been complaints for decades and traveling surfers try to avoid flying on Hawaiian by all means. But just recently, they declined a Hawaiian pro surfer from checking in his surfboards because it was a couple pounds overweight. That surfer complained on social media and it went viral.
Until now, they allow 50 pounds for one bag which cost $150. If your bag is 51 pounds, they won’t let you check it in. That’s why I weight my board bag 10x before I head to the airport because if it’s 1 pound over, it isn’t flying with you no matter what.
Anyway, that viral post from Billy Kemper must have worked because Hawaiian Airlines all of a sudden changed their international surfboard fees. Instead of $150 each way, they lowered it to $75 each way. They also cut back on their strict rules to allow oversized boards to be checked in.
And now flying from Japan to Hawaii, a surfboard bag will cost only 11,000 yen. You can fill a bag up with as many boards as you want but it has to be 50lbs or less. Thank you Hawaiian Airlines! Opps, I mean thank you Billy Kemper!
I can’t believe 5 years has already passed since our trip to South Sumatra. I have a bunch of photos I forgot to upload. This is Matsu when he used to surf. Right after this trip, he became a 100% foiler. 
Yeah Matsu, remember this? Let’s go surf again! 
The waves at Krui was pretty fun on the small days, and pretty scary on the big days. We got both. 
Hikaru-san on Krui Lefts. 
Matsu and I chartered this boat and went free diving. All we got was a lot of jellyfish stings. I was pretty shocked that there were absolutely no fish! 
Eri-chan is like my sister. We don’t argue, we don’t get mad at each other, and we get along like siblings. This is one cool girl! 
And Eri-chan surfs super good too. Always paddling out later and having sessions like this by herself. 
Nice turn Eri-chan! 
One early morning we surfed a spot that had no name. It was 8′ and barreling super dangerously. Later we find out this spot is called “The Sumatran Pipeline!” OMG, no wonder nobody was out. It was pretty dam dangerous but somehow we survived!
