There is a person behind the legend of Eddie Aikau, and the more time passes, the more his real story marches down the corridor of lore.

It’s a story destined to be passed down through the generations. Most of us already know, for instance, that Eddie Would Go. We know he was a hero, dying while trying to save others. We know he could tame the biggest of waves and was a respected Hawaiian waterman.

What gets overlooked bit by bit each year is that he was a brother, a friend to many, someone with a passion for life.

Real.

A bunch of surfers — an all-time who’s who of big-wave chargers — paddled out to Waimea Bay on Thursday to celebrate the opening ceremony of the 30th annual Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau big-wave contest. As they do each year, they formed a circle and placed lei in the water.

Aside from carrying on the legend and honoring Eddie Aikau the man, prayers went out that a big swell will come between now and Feb. 28.

If 20-foot waves (measured from the back) with up to 40-foot faces in clean wind conditions don’t come along, then no contest will be held. Since the "Eddie" debuted 30 years ago, it’s only been held eight times.

"I have never prayed for waves for this contest before," Billy Mitchell, the Aikau family’s kahu (pastor), told a gathering of about 2,000 near the Waimea Bay parking lot. "I plead to the hewahewa (highest kahuna) to give us some waves this year. Big ones. Bombs. Beautiful surf with perfect conditions."

Reno Abellira, a close friend of Eddie Aikau, was on hand. He was a regular invitee to compete in the contest in years past, but still comes out nearly every year for the celebration.

"I am one of the surviving surfers of Hawaiian descent who surfed with and competed against Eddie," Abellira said. "I come to honor his memory."

Abellira recalls Eddie had "tenacity" and a "unique boxer-style stance" on the waves.

"He would be coming down the wave and it looked like he was throwing punches," Abellira said while crouching into a stance and jabbing his fists into the air for effect.

Clyde Aikau, Eddie’s brother, greeted the competitors before the paddle-out. He won "The Eddie" in 1986 and also won the 1973 Duke Kahanamoku Classic, making him the only person to have won two contests at Waimea Bay.

After the ceremony, Clyde Aikau was asked to tell a story about Eddie that only he knows and one that would bring their relationship to light.

"We went to Lima, Peru, on a surf trip and back in those days, we used to party," Clyde Aikau said. "We were ready to come home, so we jumped on a plane, fell asleep, woke up with a hangover, and when we stopped in Mexico, we noticed that there was some shaking in one our bags. We opened it up … and it was a monkey. So we gave it to immigration and just laughed."

It would be hard for any surfer to top that type of memorable trip.

But that was play.

Eddie Aikau was a lifeguard who cared deeply about his Hawaiian culture, and he died at age 31 in 1978 while attempting to save others who had been aboard the capsized Hokuleia voyaging canoe. He offered to paddle to Lanai for help and was never seen again.

"It’s been 30 years of this contest and it’s a marker for all of our lives," Mitchell said. "It’s a marker of time, people and place. Eddie Aikau is not just another name. He gave us a marker and a purpose.

"Eddie Aikau lived with passion and danced the dance of life. He loved. Why shouldn’t we? We must!"

The inside break at Waimea Bay called Pinballs was serving up overhead peaks Thursday, and all of the invitees danced on one on the way in. A sign that bigger waves will come?

If they do, past winners Noah Johnson (1998-99), Ross Clarke-Jones (2000-01), Bruce Irons (2004-05) and Greg Long (2009-10, the last time the contest was held), and the rest of the roll call of invitees will be out there dancing away.