Shootz! Hawaiʻi Shows Off With Big Waves And Lava Flows

The Eddie Aikau surf competition attracted thousands to the North Shore, while a Kīlauea eruption produced fireworks on the Big Island and vog on every island.

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The Eddie Aikau surf competition attracted thousands to the North Shore, while a Kīlauea eruption produced fireworks on the Big Island and vog on every island.

An estimated 20,000 people showed up at Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oahu on Sunday December 22nd to witness only the 11th running of the famed Eddie Aikau Surf Competition. Greg Long (orange/right) and Emily Erickson (Red/Left) take off on an early wave in their first heat. Long scored 50 and Erickson scored 31.2. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
Greg Long, right, catches an early wave while Emily Erickson abandons her attempt in the first heat during Sunday’s 11th running of the famed Eddie Aikau Big Wave Internationl at Waimea Bay on the North Shore. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
An estimated 20,000 people showed up at Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oahu on Sunday December 22nd to witness only the 11th running of the famed Eddie Aikau Surf Competition. The HPD shut down the road around Waimea Bay to protect onlookers who were either on the road or perched on the embankment above the Bay in an attempt to see the contest. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
A jet ski team makes a run for the beach after being caught in the wrong position in front of a 40-foot breaking wave. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
An estimated 20,000 people showed up at Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oahu on Sunday December 22nd to witness only the 11th running of the famed Eddie Aikau Surf Competition. The HPD shut down the road around Waimea Bay to protect onlookers who were either on the road or perched on the embankment above the Bay in an attempt to see the contest. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
About 20,000 people showed up to watch. The Honolulu Police Department shut down the road around Waimea Bay to protect onlookers who were either on the road or perched on the embankment above the bay. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
An estimated 20,000 people showed up at Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oahu on Sunday December 22nd to witness only the 11th running of the famed Eddie Aikau Surf Competition. Luke Shepherdson, the last Eddie Aikau winner escapes the crashing 40+ wave that heÕd just ridden in his first heat. His first round score was 102.30 and wasnÕt enough to propel him to the number 1 spot and into history as the first 2 time Eddie Aikau winner (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
Luke Shepherdson, the last Eddie Aikau winner in 2023, escapes a crashing 40-plus-foot wave that he’d just ridden in his first heat. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
Even bicyclists had to get creative finding parking at the Eddie. (Ben Angarone/Civil Beat/2024)
A legislative aide basks in the sunlight on the fourth floor of the Capitol while taking a call Monday. The next legislative session begins Jan. 15. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
Just as this latest eruption calmed down this group of photographers managed to make it along Chain of Craters Road to Keanakakoi Crater to capture the cauldron in all itÕs new found beauty.. It was difficult to choose between photographing the lava flow or the clear skies yielding stars that felt as if they could be touched. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
Madam Pele offers her own version of Christmas lights as Kīlauea erupts Tuesday morning. The latest eruption initially sprayed lava fountains hundreds of feet skyward. When the action paused, hot spots could be seen across the Kīlauea Caldera from the Keanakakoi Crater lookout. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
Just as this latest eruption calmed down this group of photographers managed to make it along Chain of Craters Road to Keanakakoi Crater to capture the cauldron in all itÕs new found beauty.. It was difficult to choose between photographing the lava flow or the clear skies yielding stars that felt as if they could be touched. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
This group of photographers managed to make the 1-mile hike in the early hours of Christmas Eve along the old Crater Rim Drive to capture the cauldron in all its new-found beauty. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
Just as this latest eruption calmed down this group of photographers managed to make it along Chain of Craters Road to Keanakakoi Crater to capture the cauldron in all itÕs new found beauty.. It was difficult to choose between photographing the lava flow or the clear skies yielding stars that felt as if they could be touched. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
It was difficult to choose between photographing the lava flow or the clear skies yielding stars that felt as if they could be touched, including the constellation Orion. A 6-second exposure on a fairly wide angle lens (24mm) yielded a wispy rendition of the clouds without losing the stars. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
A cauldron view from the Kīlauea Overlook. The lava flows had slowed significantly by 2 a.m. Christmas Eve morning but picked up again later that afternoon. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
Looking west from The Natatorium in Waikiki the Waianae mountain range, usually quite clearly observable, is shrouded in Vog arriving from the erupting Kilauea volcano on the Big Island, some 150 miles southeast of Oahu. David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024
Looking west from the Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial, the Waianae mountain range can usually be clearly seen. But on Thursday afternoon it was shrouded in vog from the erupting Kīlauea about 150 miles southeast of Oʻahu. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
As the Sun set on December 26th at Daniel K Inouye International airport, N 489VR, a Gulfstream 4 owned by MMAP Corp., headed to Runway 8 right for a short hop to Hilo airport on Hawaii Island. There was evidence of Vog in the atmosphere from the eruptions at Kilauea but nothing significant enough to create disruptions in air travel.
A vog-shrouded sunset Thursday at Daniel K Inouye International airport as a Hilo-bound aircraft taxis. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
A tour helicopter flies through the vog over Honolulu on Friday morning. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024.)

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