eddie aukau | runningandthecity

So, after all was said and done, and part of the team left, and I was done with work, I got my sand on and also booked a few excursions.

I am not sure I ever mentioned this, cause I like to live in denial about things I don’t like, but I have a fun case of vertigo. It’s not bad, just annoying. I get nauseous in the back of cabs (and cars too), in a plane if I am not by the window, and if I am really high (in a building!!!). My sister and dad have it too. My sister can barely fly, and both my dad and her can’t even look at a boat. I hadn’t had any problems in the water, well, until this week.

As you can see, I’ve steered an America’s Cup Sail Boat, so… I’d say I am/was fine…

But we wanted to go find whales so we booked the Whale Sighting tour. I get there, have to walk in the walkway to the boat and I am gggggrrrrrrrrrrring. Those thin strips of land things make me itchy. But… Eddie Would Go.

As soon as I have to step into the boat… you know, that one step you take from firm land to water, eeeeek, again. But… Eddie Would Go.

We get in the cabin, then outside, everybody sits politely in the deck. Not me. I get bored easily and I decide to go up. I walked on this bouncy thing, while everyone screamed at me, that I was crazy and all that stuff.

I then laid down right at the front (whatever that’s called in boat terminology!!!), I was facing down, looking ahead, feeling allLeoDiCaprioIAmTheKingOfWorld and all… the boat moves up a lot in the front, like a lot. We were going up and down and I was riding it like I was almost surfing. It was so much fun. But it also felt like I was gliding, and like I was flying. Oh, yeah, Running. That’s what I like to feel like.

It felt fantastic. Still, no one dared to come up and join me. Their loss.
Oh, and we saw not one whale. But I didn’t care, I was gliding through the water, and having so much fun.

Until I got up. I decided I had to use the restroom and all of a sudden I couldn’t even move I was so nauseous. It was ridiculous. I sat in the back. I sat in the front. I laid down. That stuff is not fun at all.

And… because Eddie Would Go, I still went onto ANOTHER boat that same night. We did the “Sunset Sailing” with Hawaiian BBQ, drinkies, desserts, and OH, we saw the whales!!!! And I got sick as hell AGAIN (the insane amounts of food I had probably didn’t help, lots of those osom ribs, two portions of cheesecake…) but OH WELL.

No regrets. Listen to Eddie.

Eddie Would Go, and now that I practiced it a LOT in one day at sea… wait until I can show you what this turned into once I was set loose free on foot!

Eddie Would Go. But Where?

Have you heard about Eddie Aikau?

We were told his story at the Inspiration Dinner and it really stuck with me. Here’s the short version:

Edward Ryon Makuahanai “Eddie” Aikau (May 4, 1946 – March 17, 1978) is one of the most respected names in surfing. He was the first lifeguard at Waimea Bay on the island of Oahu. He saved many lives and became well known as a big-wave surfer. “Eddie” was a true symbol of Aloha.

The local saying, “Eddie Would Go,” refers to his stoke to take on big waves that other surfers would shy away from and his courage to make a rescue in impossible situations.

He was alway doing something no one else has done before or since, purely on the basis of raw skill. Aikau’s prowess as a lifeguard became widely known, and a comforting presence on the beach. No one drowned on his watch, dozens were saved, at least the ones we know about, because Aikau rarely bothered to file reports on lifesaving. Aikau was a legend on the North Shore, pulling people out of waves that no one else would dare to. That’s where the saying came from — Eddie would go, when no else would or could. Only Eddie dared.