HONOLULU -- Tha Aikau Ohana, big wave riders and watchers eagerly waited for contest director George Downing to call the Eddie Aikau Invitational Tuesday and it was a resounding "yes."

Conditions appear to be right for the surf contest that was last held five years ago.

The north shores of the Hawaiian islands could see face heights of up to 50 feet, according to the National Weather service. In the morning, waves were in the 25- to 35-foot range.

But beyond conditions and size, these powerful waves can be too big even for the best surfers.

"Just check with a lifeguard. They've been sitting there. They know the currents the conditions the time of the sets," said Bryan Cheplic, with the ocean safety division.

Once word got out that the competition was on, swarms of cars and people flooded roadways. For much of the morning, motorists were backed up almost all the way to Haleiwa town. That made for a long trek down to Waimea Bay.

For those who scored the prime parking, it came at a cost. Police were out enforcing parking and writing dozens of tickets. They said if an ambulance were to come, there would be no way to get by with the gridlock traffic and cars illegally parked.

"It is awesome. They're the humongous waves," Josh Kim said.

Those familiar with the ocean swells had a feeling Tuesday would be the day. So to beat the traffic jam, it became an overnight venture.

"So, I came on the bus and camped out on the backpacker hostel," Micah Pexa said. "It's amazing to be down here and a part of it. I mean its such a huge event and so many people here and all the big name surfers."

"You don't get to see this sight every day like 20-30 foot waves. It's only once in a few years you get to see the Eddie Aikau. Yeah, it's real special day," Kim said.

For Karen and Stuart Smiler, of San Diego, Calif., they could not go home until seeing the famous break first hand.

"When you see it on TV, you say, 'That can't be possible.' But when you're here and actually see it, it's mind blowing," Karen Smiler said. "We're from San Diego. We have 5-foot waves at most you know. It was really outstanding. We had to do it."

It's just the beginning of the season and more large surf is likely to come. The holding period for the competition runs through February.

The competition suffered an injury before it began. Two-time world champion surfer Tom Carroll, 48, injured his ankle on Monday when a wave crushed him.

"I took a wave, it wasn't that big a wave, just a real freaky accident," Carroll said. "The whole load of whitewater hit me all at once right at the bottom of the wave. My ankle separated from my tibia and fibula, so it was just flopping. I'm hoping there's no break in there. I was comfortable out there. There's some big waves coming through, but I was comfortable. It's a real bummer. I was just really ready to go for the Eddie."

The event is held in honor of legendary lifeguard, big-wave surfer and Hokulea crew member Eddie Aikau. The surfer disappeared on March 16, 1978, to paddle for help while the Hokulea was leaking and had overturned.

The "Eddie" had only run seven times in its 24-year history.

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