Cleigh- The comment I’m refering to is by shark country. I’m sure you remember the shack days. This guy believes Ted Farm was the original guy next to us, the Roxburgh’s were the originals. I don’t know if you ever met them either. Also Nelson Kang & his Ohana useto live where Issac Tanaka made boards. Then there was the Waikele Hotdoggers surf club, made up of older guys like Domi Delacruz, Tony Magalanes, Herbert Aliviado, a.k.a. Monkey, the Sakai twins, correct me if i’m wrong on the twins Danny & Puni. and their younger brother Alan. We useto wait on the beach till they pau to borrow board. Those were the days. Aloha Tom.
Akea, funny what Dave said. We had a couple of run ins both in out of the water when I was still pretty young like maybe 8th or 9th grade, and he was an asshole to me. I’m probably the guy he’s talking about. I remember meeting Dave one day and we started talking about surfing and he just gave me all kinds of shit that I didn’t know shit. Probably true since I’m a bit younger, but it wasn’t a good way for me to get to know him. After that, I didn’t want to, I thought he was an asshole.
Once I got to 5th grade surfing was all I ever wanted to do. The Cordes house was ground zero for me from about '67 through the early 80’s. So I definitely had a strong attachment to SC. I never did know all you older guys from Lots, except Cal because of Kamehameha.
Jackie Roxburg and my dad’s uncle Tommy Chong worked for old man Damon in Moanalua. Sonny Cordes wife worked for a lawyer and she’s the one who got the land leases. They got 3 lots, his, Jackie’s, and the one next to the Ewa Plantation park. Kui Ching had that house until he passed away then Alfred AhLoo rented it. Alfred and my dad’s aunt got into a squabble over the rent and he complained to Campbell Estate, then he ended up getting the lease for that lot.
My grandfather and uncles built those 3 houses either in late '39 or '40. During WW2 they were taken by the military, and given back after the war was over. My father lived in town up until Leeward estates was built in 1960 or so. In '61 when the cuban missile crisis started my dad’s army group was sent to Germany so we were gone until '65.
I used to see Jackie at Moanalua Gardens where he lived forever. His grandson Norman Frank and I are classmates KS '76. Jackie said that he didn’t want to keep the lease because Campbell wasn’t willing to sell the land. He ended up with a place on the north shore or the windward side. I think he gave it to uncle Kui who then made a nice profit selling it to Ted Farm.
When we came home uncle sonny would ask my dad to get him booze from base and that led to him taking care of the beach house. Sometime between '65 and ‘67 Sonny Cordes’ sister started living there. Auntie Girlie moved back to Oahu from Molokai and didn’t do well living on Fern St. Once she moved out to the beach her asthma went away, so she stayed there until she died in '74. She was our hanai grandmother since mine lived on the mainland. From '74 on the beach house was more or less a weekend home again, and we took care of it. Before uncle Sonny died Freckles told dad that uncle Sonny was going let him have the lease because dad was named after sonny, but that never happened. Sonny’s daughter Silvia started coming down and fell in love with the peaceful atmosphere.
During those years, Emma Matsunaga and her husband Eddie had the lot on the diamond side of Sony Cordes house it was grey, then next to that was Francis Ching’s lot where the Okamura family lived. I think Francis and Harry Ching were brothers. Francis had 2 or 3 houses on that lot and rented them out. He used to come down to the beach house when auntie Girlie was alive and talk story. Once in a while Harry Ching would come down too.
Auntie Emma had a nephew, BiIl Mattson and the Mattsons used to come down on weekends, Uncle Bill, Auntie Maude, Billy, Mike, and Matthew. The Mattson’s were related to the Rosehill family and the Mahela (auntie Babe) Rosehill was Mrs. Farm’s sister. Auntie Babe was a music teacher at Kamehameha Elementary. Marcus Rosehill is Cal’s classmate KS '73.
So for us, with all the ohana we had coming down to SC every weekend, we really didn’t have to go anywhere else. The ocean provided fishing for the fathers, fun for the kids, and food for all of us. We spent our days and evenings enjoying each other and that was a really special part of my life.
I’m sure that was the same for the lots gang, there really isn’t a need to wander except to taste what else is out there. The only reason I met George Kaholokula was because he was friends with Issac, and Issac had that surf shack. I met all of you Lots guys because you’d come down to SC.
Tommy don’t know if you remember me, but I remember you. I hope you’re doing well these days.
Gotta run. Aloha.
Mentioning a couple more names that useto rip shark country was Michael Alcosiba, a.k.a. Dodong. Peyton Siliado. who moved to Hanapepe Heights on the island of Kauai and owns Peytons Plumbing. also Damon Tsurumaki. George Kaholokula actually had a bunch of good surfers. Tom.
Tommy
I hope you are doing well (still on Papipi with your brother?)
Sonny Cordes is my Grandmother’s (Mabel Cordes) younger brother. I’m sure you remember my Aunt Girlie/Wilhemina Cordes/Heu(Her younger sister) and her oldest daughter Mabel and her boyfriend (haole) John who Uncle Sonny let have the beach house because of her asthma. That’s why uncle Sonny (real name Bernhardt whom my father was named after) didn’t need your family to be caretakers anymore, especially after my father retired from the Army and we returned back to Ewa Beach in 1964. Uncle Sonny gave my father the key to the Red beach house so he could go down there on weekends with our family (that was the end of sunday church at the church next to Jimmy’s texaco for us).
And yes we know the Roxburgs well they owned allot of land by Moanalua Park by Tripler and were calabash relatives to the Cordes and the Alama’s. Uncle Sonny’s father Gustav Cordes was a famous watermelon farmer in Nanakuli/Lualualei. Uncle Sonny worked for Aloha Motors and Red was his personal Valet who took care of him and his drinking partner. Missed those drunk luau days when he and Uncle Willy used to fight all the time and Grandma and Uncle Girlie used to beat them both up As much as a mean SOB that he could be he was deathy scared of my Grandma and her tomboy sister Wilhemina. Remember how he used to smack his lips in the classic drunken hapa hoale german style? So yes we know Ted Farm was second or even third generation owner of the pale Green house next to my Uncle Kui Ching’s house. We used to called the spot infront of his house between haubush and inside sharkcountry “kui’s” in his honor.
I know that you were around the same class as Gene Okamura and I was the same class in Ewa Beach Elementary as Dale Okamura, Myron Mitiyastu(sp), Donetta Dias, Eli Langley, Kimo Kauihou, Mikey Vogelgesang, Gooney, Harry Gaynor, Tony Bacalso and Robbie Husic. We used idolized you guys cause you were so crazy like Gene jumping off the roof all high on dope and stuff the last day of school…Calvin Eaton is one year older than me and we both went to Kamehameha and used to ride the bus from waipahu togethor. Nothing like seeing Cal sitting on his little fish board up to his chest under water with that big Calvin smile on his face and squnting aty you without his glasses. I run into Cal every now and then surfng with his boys at Sandtracks (the new Haubush) and its good to know that he’s back in Ewa Beach again. It brings a smile running into him or Kimo Kauihou who currently lives by Pupu St. Those two are the nicest follks and its and indicator of how the older ewa beach families were. The Kauihou;s and Bacalso’s lived almost at the end of papipi while your family was closer to the elementary school. I’m sure it was the same for the Eatons. Chings, Parrish’s and Silva’s toward the Ewa Beach Park side of town which i remember being the richer side of Ewa Beach when you look at the lot sizes of the houses down there.
Dale, my brother and I played little league when you used to be a pitcher. We used to watch you all the time at Ewa Beach Park or Leeward Estates or Haubush beaning guys in the head with your fastball(bring back memories?). That was f’n great made all us Ewa beach groms smile… I guess that’s before most of the Ewa Beach crew got into all the trouble we became famous on Oahu for and got locked up. So many ended up either dead or in OCC its amazing.
You, Butchie, Isaac, Clayton, Skedelski, Dickie Delong and all those Surfline guys were the class of surfers before us. We missed the era of Herbert Pruse and those folks. We were at the end of the Vietnam draft era and at the tale end of of the hippie generation yeah I remember Ambercrombie solicitibng our vote with his long hair and sandals up at the University on our way home from surfing baby queens and a meal at rainbows.
So yes we know you and your family and we are both connected to those houses our great and grandparents built on those Campbell Estate leasehold lots back in the 30’s-40’s.
Oh yah, dudong’s older brother Moki moved in next to us years ago so we know dudong well. Moki was like an elder son and took care of my parents while I was done on the mainland for 15 years after high school.
I still surf every now and then with Moki at inbetweens/backstop and he’s still making his Moki longboards for friends and family.
I actually thought Reno, the care taker at haubush park was one of the better sharkcountry surfers.
take care
Tom, trying to guess who some of these people are that are sharing stories about Shark Country and some of the other surfing spots in Ewa Beach? We moved to Ewa Beach in 1958. Your family used to live next to ours in Kapahulu, Olokele Ave right off of date St. in 1956-1957. Your family moved to Ewa beach and we followed about a year later. Yes I remember your Tutu and the shack you guys took care of right in front of Shark Country. We used to camp out there all the time. Good waves back then, no crowd. Still get good waves every now and then. You just have to know when the "now and then" is. Tell Rick and Mike I said Hi. Aloha, Nii
Mike
I see you in the lineup at Sharkcountry every now and then with Tom, Shaun O’reilly and Joey Gaynor.
You usually sit outside with your classic longboard while I still struggle on my shortboard on the inside.
I guess I’m still living back in the 70’s instead of facing reality.
But hell if Kimo can still do it then I gotta try although he’s in way better shape.
We grew up with Randy but you folks with Tommy P were a ittle older like around Gene Okamura’s age.
I haven’t seen Tommy in the water in years, he was surfing pretty hard trying to get back into it after his mom died and i used to see him all the time at Johns and Sandtracks.
I don’t like to bother Joey so I park and make the long walk back to SC from Sandtracks these days. The walk back is the killer.
used to surf Johns and SC alot with Alan Sakai and Kevin a decade or so ago when i was in better shape
Don’t see either that much in the water anymore both those guys still rip though.
Mike and Glen live by us on Ololani over by the Ontai’s and Rex’s old house and both still are competing in their age groups and doing well,
I don’t know much of the new Haubush/Sandtracks crew but they seem pretty tight.
-b
Aloha Shark Country, I don’t know if i know you or not, I would have to see you. It’s been a long time. My brother Rick was Clay’s classmate K.S. 68. Like i said we grew up as kids down the shack , We would spend the whole summer there. My dad knew Sonny from Aloha Motors where he & Freckles Spencer worked. Sonny useto sell cars to all the policeman. Freckles was from Makiki Roundtop Maunalaha Valley where my mom was from after the military kicked them out of Watertown Hickam A.F.B. My mom was born in a tent there in 1917. My Tutu was given the place in Makiki by the Queen after being displaced from Watertown. Anyway I can go on & on but I’ll shut up. Anyway SC i want to know who you are? Aloha Tom.
Unreal!! Cleigh Eaton on Sways…Maikaʻi loa…how the heck did you discover this unique site? mussbe one of the Ewa bros went turn you on; only fun we get talking story about ka wā ʻopio; gotta get Smooth up to speed to the computer so he can chime in, he would love it!! Been trying to hone my chops and shake the rust off in the surf dept so can survive another winter; Maui summers are kinda pathetic but we charge em anyway; finishing up the mini sim and will probably go for the quad set-up; will post pics so we can all have a good laugh, one 60 something on a 5-10; no biggy…my newest hobby, surf craft test pilot…anyhow…good to catch you on Sways…exercise those intellectual genes…a hui hou a mālama pono…Manu Kapalulu
aloha Tom,
damn, you never fail to amaze me, Behasa told me last nite that he partied with Rick and Mike this past weekend at Danny Bell sea burial and Mike told him that it was you that is “squideye”. my apologizes for doubting your blogging abilities. i should of known after all you do have a lot of natural abillity…now i going have to show the Melvin “marcos” Concepcion sways so he can stay in touch with you…i don’t know if i can get him though, i haven’t been to successful in getting Behasa to post even if i know he is checking this out…the Mels are ‘po pakiki’
anyways its good to hear from you, welcome back… aloha, ike
Howzit sharkcountry, It's like that in a lot of breaks and it is a good thing both physically and mentallty for those invoved. I especially like the part about you going right or left. Like you said you don't hear that these days from thr younger crowd. We are of a different generation and back then respect was a part of our lives for all of us. I will say that I have never seen it an accepted part of life in general as much as in Hawaii. but I will say that I am glad I experienced it for 2/3 of my life. It's like we feel about surfing "It's Fun" And that is the best thing that ever happened to me.Aloha,Kokua
Howzit me again, I’m just tripping out about all the responding. Wow plenty guys i neva see or hear about for thousand years. Anyway the reason we lost the shack is my old man was fooling around, and he and Ma got divorced. Also, Issac, it ammaseses SPell. me about this computer age that one LoLo like me can communicate with all you smart guys. But I still gottu punch one key @ a time. As for me surfing, that’s a negative. I’ve got knee replacements. No can get up from paddling posistion. So only thing i do is dive for He’e. I go anywhere from Ewa Beach, Barbers Point, and in front my brother Rick’s house in Punalu’u. I even got Rick’s big ass to go too. As for you Mr Behasa. I heard about you wanting to make some Sok Sok with S.R. Aloha Tom.
Tommy, I used to be a news cameraman at channel 2, I wore the Ray Ban aviator sunglasses. I used to drive the channel 2 car home once in a while and drive past your house to check out the waves. I remember you calling me channel 2 before. I’m younger than you guys, by the time I was in high school most of you guys weren’t surfing much.
It’s been a while since you saw me, but 30 years ago you used to recognize me. If I see you at the beach, I’ll introduce myself, but I don’t get down there much.
I saw you at Sandtracks one day surfing a year or 2 ago and I didn’t recognize you either. My brother told me it was you, but I couldn’t recognize you. We are all older, heavier, hopefully wiser and mellower.
Anyways, I know you guys used to take care of the beach house before we did. I never knew how much you guys partied down there, but Jimmy Oxley told me about it years ago. I married Jimmy’s cousin and years ago she mentioned going down there when she was small. We stayed there one weekend in 1982 or so and she remembered it very well.
I met your brother Mike (retired fireman) at Mike Oxleys funeral. Once your other brother the policeman was driving by the beach house and stopped me as I was climbing through the fence with my bike. I had to tell him the whole story of who I was and uncle sonny before he let me go. Good thing you guys knew all that history, or I would have been arrested.
Funny how we are connected in this life one way or another.
I’m glad the guys who were there in the 60’s are getting on here. There’s a lot I don’t know because I’m a 70’s kid. I think the SC crowd in the 70’s is very different. The older guys were the Crouch brothers, Randy Kear, Butch P and other’s that age, still younger than the 60’s crew. In my day there were quite a few really good surfers from Ewa Beach, and a lot were class of '73-'74, my group are the younger brothers of those guys.
Aloha.
Tommy! Of course i remmeber Danny &Puni Sakai. Nate and I were jus talking about those guys.they were some of the original EBSC members. You right about nelson kangs ohana. my mom remembers the Roxburghs. Hows Rick?. since we throwing around names, Clayton, Buggsy Haumea, Barry Kaleiwehea, the Castros, Murphy, Biggie, Herbert, Chucky Leahy, Mickey Leahy. Haumeas and Kaleiwehea lived Oneula, Castros between Parrish drive and fire station. I believe Chucky and Mickey were from leeward estates. My comment was to Shark country too jus hit the wrong comment button. Sorry brah!
Cleigh
The Leahy’s lived in Leeward Estates on Ft Weaver, right across the Bowling Alley.
Howzit "Squideye" Tommy! Sorry I missed you last week in Ewa Beach. Next time... But It was stokers catching up with your brothers and a lot of the other gang though. Brother Danny was sent off the way he should have been; good food, friends, drinks, laughs, guitars playing.. Mike, Mel and Rick ripping out the tunes! And paddling Dan's ashes out on the reef in front of Ferreira's old house; he spent a lot of time pushing that pontoon boat out, laying nets, cleaning limu and patching holes in that yard for old man Tony. I think we all did. RIP. This site has turned into the EB history channel! Good fun seeing those old EB days come alive again though all these stories. And, brah, I think we're all typing with one finger, which is not bad for us Campbell grads from back in those dazes. Our teachers would be impressed! or drop dead from shock? Ha!
Cheers! from Bali, Mike
Aloha all the brothers. Like i said earlier what a trip hearing from everybody. Mike B. sorry i missed your brothers send off. My brother Mike told me about it, I was hurting with some mean back spassums. sp. Cleigh- Rick still no believe i no how to use this thing, I told him you i gotto figure it out or i going be left in the bushes., and like shark country said Leahy’s lived Leeward Estates. I just went to younger brother Robbie’s send off couple months ago, he got blown to smitherines in the Waikele Bunkers. Saw all the Leahy boys and the sister Charlize who is a good friend of mine. She sure was beautiful in her younger years but like a few of us guys has a little elephant in her. Nah only joke! bumbye she see this. Ohyea. Shark Country i know you now, writing all this kine stuff shook up some eggetts in my head. Ha Ha. Anyway, Hope to see all of you some day. Aloha Tom.
OK, now that the real EB 60’s surfers are checking in, I’ll let you guys tell us the real story of Ewa Beach in the 60’s. I don’t know most of the names I see but I think it’s good to know this stuff.
So Mel B. I guess it’s your turn to check in. Maybe someone can get John Sadowski to add some info, he seems to be one of the earlier crew, like early 60’s.
Mike! This is Cleigh Eaton. How you bra! Sheez I was wondering who dis powercoat guy was cause he knew all the same guys i knew. i think I figured it out when you said you and Rudy had similar cars. Went back to further post and saw this post. Wheres Derrick? Actually met Randy from my brother Cal, and of course ran into him Mikey V.,Brutus when they first moved to Maui. Sorry about his passing. Funny thing, on one of your last post you wrote to Tommy about how your famil;y and the Phillips used to live in Kapahulu. How you guys moved to EB 58’ and the Phillips one year later. My mom owned our EB property from her geat grandparents Brede/Kealoha and lived here in the late 20’s-30’s. We would come camping almost everyweekend during the 50’s untill we moved there in 57-58. I lived in Kalihi. Billy Wise used to live in Palama and we were classmates at Kapalma and later Kamehameha. In 59’ Billys family moved to EB right next to Mike (crap forgot his name was one haole name he was older than us). Anyhows great to hear from you. Now get Ike, Mel, you, me, from our age guys. if you on Maui call me 808-269-9823. I remember you and your brother were dam good athletes. I’m positive if you guys had sholarships like the Kualapai’s (Punahou) and Stan Sadowski (Iolani,not a put down to Cambell) both you and your brother would have down well. Well,see on the next post eh!
Cleigh
Tommy: We'll catch up next time!
Mike N: I tried calling you when I got to EB, but got a weird message that sounded like a major tita from Wainae or Nanakuli or somewhere. I just got back and saw I copied your number wrong. Opps. No wonder da tita neva call me back!
A photo from last Saturday before we paddled Dan out.
All last week, nice swell and waves from Flag Pole to Empty Lot. We went out everyday. Windy, but good fun. A monk seal come right into shore break in front of house Sunday afternoon. In all the years I lived in Ewa Beach, I never saw that.
