‘Not too bad’: North Shore residents see less traffic headaches for ‘The Eddie’ surf competition
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Thousands of spectators were up before dawn Sunday morning, making their way to Waimea Bay for ‘The Eddie’ surfing competition.
North Shore residents tell HNN traffic was a big improvement from last year where at times, it was bumper to bumper all the way to Haleiwa town.
“Last year there was a lot more traffic. This road wasn’t even moving. This year is not too bad I don’t think,” said Ricky Garcia, a North Shore resident.
City officials and community groups encouraged people to watch the competition from home and online.
With parking at Waimea Bay closed, many who did drive tried to grab the closest parking spot they could find along Kamehameha Highway and walked the rest of the way in.
Ricky Garcia offered monitored parking on his property outside Haleiwa town, right next to where the city’s shuttle stops that takes people to Waimea Bay.
His rate was $20 for the day. Meanwhile up the road, there were reports that some were charging $100.
A rate Garcia said was way to high.
“Everyone is having a hard time,” said Garcia. “Something to do for fun. Help people out. Not to get rich.”
Some spectators told HNN they left their homes at 2 a.m. just to make sure they could secure a good spot to watch the competition.
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