Surf’s up in Hawaii
Quicksilver Competition Pics ’09
Probably seems like a continuance of yesterday, and I guess it is, in a sense – just not about dreams. The ocean and marine life are however my favorite subject, so I could talk about it to no end. As long as I have my internet access with which to do my research, so as not to appear an idiot. Hope that generates a LOL, regardless of it being at my own expense. 🙂
The past couple of days, I’ve been consumed with the story of the huge waves that are hitting Hawaii. Because of these colossal waves, the Quicksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau competition was held for only the eighth time since the contest’s inception in back in 1984. The surf had to reach a 30-40 foot height wave requirement in order to even put that contest into place again. As I would expect, the spectators amounted to more than 20,000 for the event. Several beaches in Oahu and Maui were closed due to fears of possible tourist drownings, with the island officials warning them of the possibility of being swept out to sea.
As I’ve said before, the ocean is my favorite thing in the world. Favorite place in the world, state of mind, yada yada. But it will always demand respect. From the danger of it’s own strength, down to the perils the life that resides in it brings.
I love Shark Week on Discovery. Most recently, there was a special on the Nat Geo channel that I wanted desperately to see, but missed – so my boyfriend dvr’d it for me. It involved the capture and release of a gargantuan Great White. The platform created off the side of the huge vessel was suited especially for the temporary capture, as well for a successful release. My God, the hours it took just to tire that thing out to even attempt to ‘land’ it on the platform. The hook that was required to make the catch…. well, that’s a whole other story.
I can’t look at a surfer without these magnificent animals creeping into the old thought process. As I look at the pictures from the above link of the Quicksilver competition, I find myself creating scenarios in my head of what could happen. My Mother and I used to be fearless while in the sea, often venturing beyond the breakers and hanging out on our floats for hours. I had a couple of friends who had the fearless trait along with me when it came to venturing a good distance into the ocean. We honestly didn’t think a thing about it, it was like being in a pool. Was it courageousness? Absolutely not – it just never entered our head that it could be dangerous. Not sure why, really, at that time…. because I do think about it now.
Those who know me already know I have the utmost respect and admiration for professional surfers. They are a special breed. Fearless, adrenaline driven, dedicated and well – something I’ve always wanted to be. Simply said.
26-year old Greg Long won the competition. This is just a small piece from his post-competition interview, but it’s the piece I most love: “It really is about the wave and celebrating the ocean. It’s what we do: go out there and ride big waves. The respect and camaraderie in the lineup you don’t find in too many places in the world, and this event really encapsulates everything that’s great about surfing: the friendships you make in the water and looking out for one another.”
Photo courtesy http://www.live.quiksilver.com/2009/eddie/photos
With that, I’ll leave you with another very interesting website I found, link below. The part you’ll be directed to actually details shark attack incidents from this year back, the ones around the Hawaiian islands anyway. For each incident, it lists important details such as depth of the water, clarity and what the person was doing. I’ll be keeping my eye on it to see if any new attacks were reported during this most recent competition in Hawaii.
Life of Bon 
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