Eddie Aikau’s 73rd Birthday

Today’s Doodle celebrates Eddie Aikau, big wave surfer, lifeguard, and enduring symbol of Hawaiian heritage. Born on the island of Maui on this day in 1946, Eddie moved to Oahu with his family in 1959 and went on to become the first lifeguard hired by Honolulu officials to work on the North Shore of the island.

Not a single life was lost while he served as a lifeguard at Waimea Bay, making some 500 rescues without the assistance of a jet ski or any modern equipment. Eddie was famous for making rescues even in surf that reached 30 feet high. His fearlessness went on to inspire the slogan “Eddie would go.”

Hailing from a surfing family, Eddie was one of the first native Hawaiians to win the prestigious Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship in 1977, just four years after his older brother Clyde, who was the very first. Aside from his distinguished surfing career, Eddie found other ways to represent the culture of his native island. In 1978, Eddie joined the crew of the Hokule'a, a historically accurate double-hulled canoe retracing the ancient Polynesian migration route to Hawaii. The vessel sprung a leak and capsized in rough waters. Eddie was last seen heroically paddling off on his surfboard towards the nearest island to seek help for the crew, who were later rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Today, Eddie’s legacy lives on through the Eddie Aikau Foundation as well as the prestigious Eddie Aikau Invitational, which has seen some of big-wave surfing’s greatest names competing with maximum respect for the authenticity of surf culture.

Here’s to you, Eddie.

Special thanks to the Eddie Aikau Foundation for their partnership on this Doodle. Below, they share their thoughts on Eddie’s life, legacy, and the Doodle:

A legendary surfer and lifeguard for the City & County of Honolulu, Eddie Aikau was one of the greatest big wave riders in the world. As the first lifeguard ever stationed at Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oahu, Eddie is credited with saving the lives of hundreds of swimmers and surfers, often in conditions no one else would dare enter. His legacy lives on with a memorial Big Wave Surfing Invitational, also known as"The Eddie," held annually at Waimea Bay—but only when the waves are over 20 feet high. We hope people enjoy this Google Doodle and take a moment to remember and celebrate Eddie, a true symbol of the "Aloha Spirit."

Pictured: Eddie Aikau

Photo credit: Image courtesy of  David Bettencourt

As a nod to Hawaiian culture, today's Doodle was carved out of wood—with a laser! The frames were then organized digitally to create the animated GIF.

Check out some of the behind-the-scenes below!

Laser engraving

Laser cutting

The finished wood carving!

First draft of the wood carving animated GIF