Cars park at Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Waimea Bay, Oahu. (Courtesy photo)
By Anna Weaver
Hawaii Catholic Herald
The estimated 50,000 spectators who turned out for The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational at Waimea Bay on Jan. 22 needed a way to get there. Some took public transportation, biked or walked in. But many drove and needed a parking spot.
Enter Sts. Peter and Paul Church with a large parking lot a three-minute walk from the legendary bay. Members of the landmark church, which is a “mission” of St. Michael Parish in Waialua, staffed the parking lot from dawn well into the evening, taking donations of $20 a car for a coveted parking spot near The Eddie.
Twenty bucks was a deal compared to some of the other high-priced options around the area. Even at nearby Waimea Valley, a parking spot up front was $40 and out back $20.
St. Michael’s and Sts. Peter and Paul’s pastor, Father Romple Emwalu, said that when he checked in at one point in the day, the car count in the church lot was up to 101.
Overall, the parish raised $1,442 through online giving and $5,745 in cash. All the money goes into the church’s general fund to help with maintenance at both churches but particularly for repairs to Sts. Peter and Paul’s tower, the top of which could be seen from Waimea Bay by all those spectators out for The Eddie.
The infamous big wave surf competition hasn’t been held in three years and is only called when waves are consistently reaching 20 feet during Oahu’s peak winter season, approximately mid-December to mid-march. It’s held in honor of North Shore lifeguard and surfer Eddie Aikau, who was lost at sea during the 1978 Hokulea voyage, trying to paddle back to land to get help for the capsized boat, giving rise to the ubiquitous phrase “Eddie would go.” This year’s competition winner was Luke Shepardson, a North Shore lifeguard.
Father Emwalu said he had to move Sts. Peter and Paul’s usual 9 a.m. Sunday Mass to Saturday evening at 7 p.m. to avoid the Sunday crowds. Even then, the night before the competition spectators were starting to arrive.
Sts. Peter and Paul also opens its parking lot for donation parking during other big events near Waimea Bay. Different ministries looking to fundraise staff the lot.
