The National Weather Service issued a high surf advisory for the North Shore of Hawaii this week and while winter tourists sadly exited the water, Maui watermen pulled out the jet skis and waxed up their boards.

Organizers of the 25^th Annual Eddie Aikau Memorial called the contest on yesterday as huge swells rolled into Waimea Bay.  Southern California rider Greg Long took the first place prize, finishing just above nine-time world champion Kelly Slater, despite the fact that he’d ridden Waimea for the first time earlier in the week.   The Monster Drop Award went to Chile’s Ramon Navarro for the burliest successful take-off in the 40 to 50 foot surf.  See the full contest standings plus more pictures and video at transworldsurf.com

Also, just posted, check out video of H2O Rider Laird Hamilton tackling the massive swell Monday at Jaws with team Oxbow and some of the world’s best tow-in surfers.