As the first lifeguard at Waimea Bay on the island of Oahu, Eddie Aikau saved over 500 people and became famous for surfing the big Hawaiian surf. In 1978, the Polynesian Voyaging Society was seeking volunteers for a 30-day, 2,500-mile (4,000 km) journey to follow the ancient route of the Polynesian migration between the Hawaiian and Tahitian island chains. Aikau joined the voyage as a crew member. The double-hulled voyaging canoe Hōkūle'a left the Hawaiian islands on March 16, 1978. It developed a leak in one of its hulls and later capsized about twelve miles (19 km) south of the island of Molokai. In an attempt to get help, Aikau paddled toward Lanai on his surfboard. Although the rest of the crew were later rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Cape Corwin, Aikau's body was never found.

Although the bite rate is very low considering the thousands of people who swim, surf, and dive in Hawaiian waters every day, the most likely culprit in the event of an attack is the tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier). One notable survivor of such an attack is surfing champion Bethany Hamilton, who lost her left arm to a tiger shark in 2003.

If a surfer "kicks out," it means that they're turning back over the top lip of the wave at the end of their ride. It's a controlled end to what was hopefully a good wave.

Ankle slappers are waves that barely go higher than the surfers ankle.

The most important influence on wave shape is the topography of the seabed directly behind and immediately beneath the breaking wave. Each break is different since each location's underwater topography is unique.

On June 20, 2015, on International Surfing Day, a total of 66 surfers gathered to catch a wave at Huntington Beach, California--on one huge surfboard. The surfers, aged 15 to 79, balanced on the board for 12 seconds, smashing the previous record for the most people riding a surfboard.

The best surfers can skillfully carve their way through waves of all shapes and sizes.

The longest surfing session on record, a whopping 30 hours and 11 minutes, spanned two days and one night. South African surfer Josh Enslin caught a total of 455 waves, which roughly means one wave every four minutes.

Cameron Diaz, an avid surfer and admitted klutz, told GQ magazine she has broken her nose four times. "One side of my nose is totally shattered," she said. "My septum is basically like a train derailed." But she isn't the only Hollywood star with surfing injuries. The late Patrick Swayze broke four ribs while filming one of the best Hollywood surf films--Point Break.

Donald Dettloff had been collecting boards for 15 years before Guinness confirmed his world record on November 5th, 2009. His collection, known as the "surfboard fence", includes 647 different boards displayed around his property in Haiku, Maui, Hawaii.