Surfers in Hawaii got a rare treat on Tuesday, as waves pounding Oahu’s famed North Shore reached 40 feet—high enough for an extreme surfing competition that last happened five years ago. Thousands massed at Waimea Bay to watch the impromptu competition, the Eddie Aikau contest, which can only be held when wave heights are consistently 40 feet or higher. The contest, named for a legendary Hawaii surfer who died in 1978 aged 31 when his canoe capsized, was last held in 2004.

Rare occasion: Spectators line the beach near the mouth of the Waimea River before the start of the Eddie Aikau Big-Wave Invitational