ISSUES AT STAKE: Legend of Eddie Aikau and Hokule’a

Watching more TV owing to lockdown can dish up some pleasant surprises, writes Dave Savides

Dave Savides

August 16, 2020

MONDAY’S public holiday was special.

After my habitual early morning ‘citizen scientist’ trip to the dolphin platform at Alkantstrand, where humpback dolphins and whales showed up – as well as a super garrick – the post-lunch challenge was to find something worth watching on TV.

I’m delighted that ESPN is back in force, especially as it is Major League Baseball season.

While waiting for the ‘play ball’ call, I chanced on an excellent documentary that took me down memory lane and filled in many blanks on an historic story which my profession allowed me to be a part of.

The doccie was about Hawaiian surfing legend Eddie Aikau, who left school at 16 and became the nation’s first lifeguard, saving well over 500 lives in his career.

The day breaks over Hōkūleʻa with Kualoa behind her

But he made his name surfing on the coastline that often serves up waves of 10 metres and more.

Unfortunately, there were no international competitions in his ultra-long-surfboard heyday, and by the time the big money series came around, it was the cocky Aussies who arrogantly ruled the roost, to the point that they were accused of disrespecting the island’s culture and traditions.

This led to serious physical attacks on the likes of Rabbit Bartholomew and only the intervention of Aikau literally saved him from death.

By the way, SA surf legend, the articulate Shaun Tomson, was a force during that era.

Fast forward and, keen to restore the memory and reputation of the islands’ ancient seafaring history, Aikau put his hand up when the Polynesian Voyaging Society called for volunteers for a month-long, 4 000km journey to follow the ancient route of the Polynesian migration between Hawaii and Tahiti.

Setting sail on 16 March, 1978 in a replica double-hulled canoe named Hokule’a, they were soon in trouble after it capsized after leaking during a fierce storm.

The arrival of the boat at Richards Bay
PHOTO: Dave Savides

With the rest of the crew huddled on the overturned hull, Aikau attempted a four-hour-plus paddle on a surfboard to get help – abandoning the hindrance of his life jacket – and was never seen again.

The survivors were rescued after a massive air-sea search.

Fast forward again, and to this day a rebuilt Hokule’a continues to ply the world’s oceans, preaching the gospel of marine conservation and caring for Mother Earth.

In 2014, she began a voyage to 26 countries, steering by the stars and powered by the wind and the spirit of Eddie Aikau… and arrived in Richards Bay on 19 October 2015, escorted to the Small Craft Harbour by the NSRI to a rousing reception.

I was there to share it: just one of many perks of a journalist’s job.