Clyde Aikau
Oct. 24, 1949 – May 3, 2025
By Jodi Young
Legendary Hawaiian waterman Clyde Aikau, the younger brother of world-renowned waterman Eddie Aikau, passed away peacefully at his Waimānalo home on May 3 at the age of 75. Clyde is survived by his wife, Eleni Aikau, son Haʻa Aikau, sister Myra Aikau, and many nieces and nephews.
Clyde was the youngest of six children born to Solomon ‘Pops’ and Henrietta Aikau in Kahului, Maui, on Oct. 24, 1949. His siblings, from oldest to youngest were Fred, Myra, Eddie, Gerald and Solomon III. The family moved from Maui to Oʻahu in 1959.
Clyde and Eddie were the closest of brothers, sharing a passion and commitment to family, Hawaiian culture, and the ocean. They both served as North Shore lifeguards; voyaged on Hōkūleʻa (separate voyages); rode giant winter waves at Waimea Bay; and were famous for their impromptu slack key guitar sessions that they shared with family and friends around the islands and the world.
After the loss of his brother Eddie in 1978, Clyde followed through with his lifetime commitment to perpetuate Eddie’s legacy and contributions to big wave riding and Hawaiian culture.
In 1986, Clyde won the inaugural Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational at Waimea Bay, in tribute to his brother. He continued to surf in the event every year that it was held up until the age of 66 (in 2016), forging an unrivaled big wave legacy all his own.
During his storied life, Clyde ran a Waikīkī Beachboy service for many years. He also served as a liaison between the Department of Education and houseless families and children in Hawaiʻi to ensure they had access to school supplies, transportation and, ultimately, education. Clyde was a lifelong education advocate, having attended the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa where he pursued a degree in sociology.
In recent years, Clyde rallied with his family’s support through a series of heart issues and ultimately, pancreatic cancer. While that road was a difficult one, he never allowed it to get in the way of his eternal optimism and zest for life.
He continued with his family duties, supported his wife’s dog boarding and training business, and ensured the success of his brother’s event.
The Aikau family wishes to express its deepest gratitude to the community of Hawaiʻi, and their extended friends and family abroad, for the heartfelt wishes they have received.
Details regarding upcoming services for Clyde will be announced when confirmed.
