A huge storm in the northern Pacific Ocean is sending monster waves toward the Hawaiian Islands. As a result, big-wave surfers from around the globe are flocking to Waimea Bay on Oahu for what is setting up to be a day of surfing nirvana.
For the first time since 2004, the surf is massive enough to hold the Eddie Aikau memorial big wave surfing tournament.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin reported that following a day of 30- to 40-foot choppy waves on Monday, cleaner, bigger waves with faces as high as 50 feet will begin cresting on Tuesday.
Conditions like this are required to hold one of the world's premier big-wave surfing contests. Named after local lifeguard and surfing legend Eddie Aikau, "The Eddie," as it's known, is only held when sustained wave heights -- measured from the back of a wave, not its face -- reach at least 20 feet.
Eugene Tanner, AP
Fifty-foot surf was expected at Hawaii's Waimea Bay Tuesday for "The Eddie," a world-renowned big-waving surfing tournament. That's 10 to 20 feet higher than Monday's waves above.
According to Quicksilver, one of the companies sponsoring "The Eddie," this year's waves could be the highest seen in 40 years.
The popularity of big-wave surfing has skyrocketed in recent years, in part because videos posted on the Internet have made it easier to share the excitement of the sport. The following clip is comprised of footage taken from past years of "The Eddie."
