Hawaiian Heroes

“Show me a hero, and I will write you a tragedy.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

I confess.  I’m a surfer wannabe.  As a teenager I started wearing Ocean Pacific clothing even though I had never even seen an ocean let alone ridden her waves.  I currently have a collection of Quicksilver t-shirts and board shorts, and I wear Sanuk shoes everywhere I go.  I have never owned a skateboard nor have I ever tried snowboarding.  On the cusp of turning 40 years old, I have only set foot on an actual surfboard twice in my life – once in Noosa, Australia and more recently in Tofino, British Columbia – yet I claim to love this sport.

I have been fortunate to visit the magical Hawaiian Islands on several occasions.  Arguably the Mecca of surfing, I have never built up the courage to rent a board and hang ten on any of these trips!  Every other year the basketball team, which I help coach, travels to Hawaii for the Palama Settlement Christmas Classic Tournament.  Each time we cruise Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki upon our arrival for the mandatory picture at Duke Kahanamoku’s statue.  We always have one team dinner at Duke’s Restaurant and Barefoot Bar and a trip to Sunset Beach on the North Shore is a must.  Being back in the Aloha State last week inspired me to share the ME stories of two larger-than-life Hawaiian heroes.

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  Hawaiians feel this statue is wrong as a true surfer would never turn his back to the ocean

One of Hawaii’s most compelling and beloved heroes is Duke Paoa Kahanamoku.  Born in Honolulu in 1890, Duke is known as “Hawaii’s Greatest Athlete and Ambassador of Aloha”.  His competitive swimming career spanned over 20 years.  During this time he amassed six Olympic medals (three gold, two silvers and one bronze) for the United States at four different games (Stockholm in 1912, Antwerp in 1920, Paris in 1924 and Los Angeles in 1932).  Unfortunately for Duke, the 1916 Berlin Olympics were cancelled due to World War I.  Duke Kahanamoku’s last Olympic hardware was a bronze medal as a 42-year old member of the U.S. Water Polo team.  Along the way Duke set countless world records at different distances and mentored the young Johnny Weissmuller who went on to win an incredible 36 national swimming titles.

Duke is also credited for catapulting the sport of surfing to new heights globally.  Surfing was not a competitive sport during his era, but Duke travelled the World sharing his knowledge and grace to all.  He taught Aussies how to shape a board.  He visited New Zealand where he reintroduced surfing to the Maori and wowed the crowds in California (where he would later relocate) while riding his long board.  In 1917 it is recorded that Duke rode a monster wave for over a mile at Waikiki, likely the longest ride in modern times.

Since amateur athletes were not paid for competing and endorsement deals did not exist, Duke continually worked to earn a living shining shoes, delivering newspapers or just about anything to make some money.  In 1922 Duke moved to California and began his acting career.  In all, Duke appeared in over 30 movies including The Wake of the Red Witch starring another famous “Duke,” John Wayne.  Although Duke Kahanamoku had a tall, handsome and athletic build, he was subjected to stereotypical roles.  With his dark Hawaiian skin, Kahanamoku was also the victim of racism as he was perceived as African-American by some.  In between movie roles, Duke paid the bills by working as a lifeguard or mechanic in Los Angeles.  In 1925 as Duke and his friends were surfing, they witnessed a 40-foot ship capsize and sprung into action.  Duke paddled his board out to the ship on three trips and saved a total of eight lives.  The police report stated: “The Duke’s performance was the most superhuman rescue act…Many more would have drowned, but for the quick action of the Hawaiian swimmer”.

At the end of his swimming and acting career, Duke returned to his simple life in Hawaii with his wife Nadine.  He eventually was elected to public office for the City and County of Honolulu Sheriff’s Office and held that position for 26 years.  Later in life he served as Hawaii’s official Ambassador of Good Will and regularly welcomed stars and dignitaries as they landed in Honolulu.  The Kahanamoku couple even gave the Queen Mother hula dancing lessons when she visited the Islands.

Duke Paoa Kahanamoku died at the age of 77 when he collapsed on the Waikiki Yacht Club.  A Hall of Fame inductee into:  The Swimming Hall of Fame, The Surfing Hall of Fame and the U.S Olympic Hall of Fame; Duke Kahanamoku will forever be remembered as one of Hawaii’s greatest citizens.

Another humble surfer who captured the hearts of the Hawaiian people was Eddie Aikau (pronounced: eye-cow).  On my first visit to O’ahu I noticed “Eddie would go” posters and t-shirts in several shops.  I was intrigued and needed to learn more about this surfer dude, so I purchased Stuart Holmes Coleman’s book on the life of Eddie Aikau.  This biography spoke to my surfer wannabe persona and I instantly became a fan of Eddie’s.

As a youngster the ocean was Eddie’s playground.  Of the six Aikau siblings Eddie was the first to start surfing.  In the late 1950’s, as O’ahu was becoming a crucial economic center, Pops Aikau decided to pack up his family and their few belongings and move to Honolulu in hopes of making more money to support his family. It was in Honolulu where Eddie honed his surfing skills but the waves of the South Shore just weren’t cutting it for him.  After seeing a new surfing movie by cinematographer Bud Browne, Eddie was captivated by the footage of the big waves on the island’s North Shore and became determined to ride the biggest waves possible.  With his long bright red fiberglass and Styrofoam board, Eddie trekked regularly to the North Shore to do battle with some of the most impressive waves in Hawaii.

Before long Eddie made a name for himself as a fearless rider and began earning a living competing in surfing competition around the World.  Eddie also became the first lifeguard at Waimea Bay and saved hundreds of lives over the years.  Many inexperienced riders would test their mettle against the treacherous waters on the North Shore, but without knowledge of the currents and riptides many of these over-zealous surfers found their way back to the beach, thanks only to Eddie and his bravery.

However, Eddie’s most memorable act of bravery would sadly be his last.  The Polynesian Voyaging Society was preparing its second voyage in the traditional sailing canoe Hokule’a.  The maiden voyage from Tahiti to Hawaii was a success and Eddie wanted to embrace his roots and take part in the return voyage back to Tahiti.  Only a few short hours from setting sail the Hokule’a capsized.  Eddie Aikau believed that he could paddle his board back to safety in order to get help for the rest of the crew; however the captain of the Hokule’a insisted that they all remain together.  After several hours of bobbing in the frigid waters and 10-foot swells, Eddie tried once again to convince Captain Lyman.  After much debate with the other members of the crew, a decision was finally made:  Eddie would go.  The decision went against the rule to never leave the ship, but they felt it was their only chance at being rescued.  They were approximately twenty miles from Lana’i in rough waters, when Eddie calmly paddled away on his surfboard.  Less than an hour later a C-130 plane flew over the capsized Hokule’a ship and the crew was rescued.  Eddie’s body was never found.

Years later, Eddie’s younger brother Clyde won the first annual Quicksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Contest.  Nearing the end of the final heat, Clyde paddled out further than his competitors to catch the biggest wave possible.  This courageous decision earned him the points necessary to surpass his nearest adversary.  As he paddled out, Clyde had noticed large turtles in the ocean.  The turtles’ playfulness reminded him of Eddie and something was telling Clyde to follow them out beyond the lineup of surfers.  Clyde believes that one of the turtles was the guiding spirit of Eddie and together they won that championship.

Mele Kalikimaka!