| Big swell forecast for The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau |
| Tuesday, 18 January 2011 10:15 |
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Thursday looks good for another big wave action event, this time in the Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau. Weather forecasts are still not transparent, in terms of wave height, but there's a good chance getting "Eddie" bombs on January 20. The extra large swell that is building for the Oahu's North Shore must meet the required 20-foot waves, in order to kick off the competition. Last year's In Memory of Eddie Aikau got underway on on December 8, 2009. Greg Long took the first place of the podium. "The system generating the surf is definitely gigantic and certainly as strong as predicted, covering roughly 18,000 square miles of the north Pacific," explains George Downing, Contest Director of The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau. "But up to now, the strongest winds generating the open ocean swells have not been aimed at Hawaii. This can change as the system passes the dateline, so we will have to be patient." A further 24 hours of watch-and-wait will provide a better indication of the true potential of the swell and what it will produce for Waimea Bay. There are still three full days of developments yet to unfold and ultimately "The Bay calls the day". The National Weather Service expects that beyond this week the favorable jet stream flow will continue to lend itself to more extra-large to giant surf through the end of the month/into early February. The holding period for the Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau runs up to and including February 28. The most recent storm activity in the Pacific produced quality surf of up to 18 feet along Oahu's North Shore yesterday, allowing many of the Invitees and Alternates to "The Eddie" to test their equipment and ready themselves for what lies ahead.
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