A Mike,you have a memory like a steel trap.I thought Cal was in the water too.We must have moved in after the Kingsley left.Right next to Rocky guys.Next door was a rental and next to that was La'orange house I think before
the Asings moved there.Or was it the Valdez'?I delivered news paper from the street before EB road all the way to the last road before the rifle range,back down Ft.Weaver rd.After that I took over for Glen Mizunaka at silva's
store.One thing I don't remember was an empy lot crew or a shark country crew,just an Ewa Beach crew.If lots was smoking we would surf there.If shark country ,the cove,tree stumps,flushing reef,John's or where ewa was good we would surf there.Cleigh,Nate Moody,Bolo,David and Julie Cueva,Herb Pruse those guys took care of kids when we were in the water,letting take waves and not getting mad if we got in the way.And I use to get a warning to stay away from" eel island".Keep the memories alive J.B.
Was talking to Cal Eaton Saterday Night. Bout da Marker Buoy and some udda stuff. He say some guys tink da Marker wen float like one Buoy. But he recall and rememba from playing on da marker, dat it was not floating, it was solid anckered into da reef. I gotta say yes it was anchorded into da reef. Cal, Cleigh, der Father, Norman, every body on da road, including me, played on it small kid time. No way dat bugga floated. We called it da Marka Buoy cause dats wat was to us. Was da symbal of our home. You see da Buoy, you know where you stay. We climb it, we play on it, dat bugga solid like a rock on da reef. No way wen float. One big storm wen buss um down bout 45 degree one time den lata wen go down bout 90 degree. Finally wen go under. Lightening every time hit um. Spooky wen you surfing and see lightening hit um and you da only high stuff in da wata. You like see manta ray, jus watch da Marka, garran you see um. You no help but hear um slam da wata. You see um fly and flop in da wata, den seconds later you hear da pop from way outside. You could tell da timing of da next set by da break out at da Marka. Da day I wen see da Marka dissapear unda da wata, I knew things gonna change. Like time wen push me on, but I not ready to go. What we see and take for granted, soon becomes a preciuos memory, but a memory, lived and shared…Aloha Paul…
JB! I thought that was you. My memory may be okay, but Paul's is like The History Channel. Good stuff. Bringing up La'ornag brings back memroies of liche. We used to raid that big tree when the lichee was ripe, but you had to be super stealth; old man La'orang keep an eye on that tree and would call the cops if he saw you sneaking onto his property. Me and Oggy got busted once, in the tree when Office Harper shined his light up there. Busted red handed, pockets full of lichee. Didn't even hear him coming. He made us give the lichee back, put us in the back of the car, but dropped us off up the road and scolded us and said next time he'd tell our mothers. Ha! Aloha JB. Hope you make the next gathering!
Eh Tommy. Pleny people no mention yet. Franlie Valdez wen surf wit us all da time. So did all da Valdez girls. Few years ago Lani Valdez wen com sit by me at Anna’s husban’s Funeral. She still look da same. She tell me da story of wen we was young she like I take her surfing. I would make her play her Ukulele for me before I take her surfing. Frankie marry Nora Ahsing. We used to go der house watch da girls dance Hula. Had Anna, Lani, Jane, Linda, and Frankie. Big Ohana, related to Pantastico, Koalapai, Peter Boy, Eatons side, and more and still spreading. Anna lives next to me and get pleny grand kids coming up next door. Dosent get beta den dat. And wit Cal Eaton and Mom right down da road wit der kids, and da Cuevas and der Ohana, and da Ahsings still down hea, and da Moody’s, and Gionson’s, and Pratt’s, and Perreras, and Pruse’s, and da Phillips, eh Tom, only new generation of seeds starting all over again. Hope us old weeds survive to see dat next flowers coming on. One seed bus out to pleny mo. In time, all same again. Long live Ewa Beach…Keike O Ka Aina E Ka Pono my Braddas…Aloha Paul…
Yeah Paul- my bradda Mike get his moo’puna’s downE.B. road next to MR Perreira, now that man is a legend. Still doing things @ 90yrs young than people half his age. When we used to golf 2gether, people tell him, Willie when i get your age i hope i can play like U. Then i would always say, Papa Willie when i get your age, i hope i still on this planet! That man is my idol. Butch- U sure R blessed with a father like him. Aloha T.P.
JB! Mahalo for your input. You right, we never have EBRD crew and Shark country Crew. During our time we surfed all over. Was talking with Mel, Ike, Rick, Cal , Norm, Paul. We all agreed we, for us from EBED to Cambells. Now thats plenty surf spots. Mike N. thanks for the reminder, Dougee was a Good friend of mine too! Had an older brother forget his name and younger sister Sherry. His older brother would always harass us and mock us. One time me and Doug boxing he wen harass us. Doug got mad told him go home. He wanted to show us he can lick us. Doug and him almost wen fight but my father said no you put on gloves with my son Cleigh. Dad did not want these brothers to end up hating each other, so guess he figure I should box with him. Any hows he wasn’t that good. long reach taller then us back then. Still he neva see my left hand and wen deck him. Felt bad cause as was my friends brother but Doug understood. His brada never bother us after dat. Paul you right the marker was never floating. We all knew that. Under marker get good fish hole and lobster too. Valdez Mom is Kualapai, Chico and Buddys auntie, sister to their father. Mrs. Pantistico is their mom, second marriage, Jane, Joe, Lala all Pantistico, so auntie and uncles to Chico guys. My cousin Peter Boy, married Janeback in the day. Peter Boy related to me from Moms side. There is another “Peter Boy” Kaimaloa from Ewa. He married into Sterling Atagonde family. Hes my cousin from Dads side. His mom my Dads sister. Dad had 13 other siblings. Dad youngest born 1920, Waiohinu, Kau, Hawaii island.
A classic Ewa Beach surfer on a classic Ewa Beach wave! John Sadowski on a Herb Purse designed board, shaped by Lance Ohata. June, 2007, Empty Lot (photo by Matt Capps). John gave me the OK to post. Looking forward to a summer swell like this next year!
Right on Mike B! Johhny gave me the same pic. I told him this is proof that EL still get overhead surf. Classic yes, one of the great surfer athletes of its time definately!! I too looking forward to next year. Mike! Somehow wen lose two t-shirts. if possible, would like one large and one medium. If too expensive to send i can wait til next year! I’ll pay for them.
No problem Cleigh. My friend still have the design and can print them up. Double check sizes; if you remember, the Indonesian sizes run small; about 1 up from US norm seems about right. I think JB and a few others on Maui want shirts as well. I'll check out and maybe send all in one package and maybe JB can meet up with you to collect his shirts? Also thinking about getting some caps printed up; bald guys like me need the protection! We'll work on a design. Mel? You with me on this? Aloha to all your ohana from all my ohana!
Shirt story: At the gathering, Norman Nauka came up and asked for an XXL and Emma gave it to him. I told Emma "Emma, go over and tell Norman that the sizes run small and that he probably needs an XXXL". She looked at Norman, than back at me and said" I'm not telling him! You tell him!" and gave me the shirt back. I told Norman the story when I gave him the shirt. We both got a good laugh on it!
Mahalo’s about my dad, yeah he is pretty amazing. Loves to golf, still can go now when his knee’s aren’t bothering him. I know that’s the Portuguese blood. Born and raised on Kauai, grew up right behind the mill in Kilauea. Worked at Kong Lung store when he was a kid, all the time fishing and playing in the river there. And we think we had a great childhood, growing up there must have been amazing, plantation days. I remember staying at my anty’s house there when I was a kid, and when we took a bath, the water came out dirty already - right from the river. Remember there, the little bag under the pipe in the sink to catch all the stuff in the water. My dad got some amazing memories from small kid time, I think that he was Kolohe’ , his buddy was the son of the caretaker at the lighthouse, so they cruised around there all day. He was a good fisherman also, my grandfather moved to Ewa Beach also and was a great fisherman, Mr. Ferreira’s fishing/ drinking buddy - more drink than fish. They would make me paddle out the lines and drop em’ then put the bell on, go in the house, watch TV and wait for the bell to ring. Thats the good life. They we good at squidding also back then, for sure had the eye. My pop can make some amazing dry squid and fish also. EB great place for that since get so much sun.
Thanks Tom for being his golfing buddy. One big guy and one little guy, you guys must have look pretty funny on the course. Maybe the golf cart leaning to one side. This son didn’t have any interest in golfing, but he used to make me go to Kunia with him when I was a kid to go and chase balls when he hit them in the bushes. Back then had to walk the whole course. The old man still going strong
I think one of the things that helps me connect to Ewa was the ruralness of it in the 60’s, before that I wasn’t part of it, but as a small kid in Ohio on my grandparents farm, there was a pump in the sink in the kitchen and one in the backyard. There was so much growing around the place, corn, beans, tomatos, potatos, onions, grandma would go out in the yard and come in with mustard and dandelion greens. In summer there was a varity of apples, pears, bing and pie cherries, grapes, currants and quince, black berries, raspberries, strawberries. She had chickens, a pig, the house did not have plumbing, in winter it was so tough to have to drop one and see 3 feet of snow and the outhouse 200 feet away, with the seats at 6 below zero. Bath nights were a big galvanized tub, with the water heated on the coal stove that all the cooking was done on, my brother sister and I all used the same water and got the word not to pee in it by my mother. I never ate school lunches, I carried a brown paper sack with my food in it, every piss ant kid today should grow up like we did, it made me realize how good life is without a cell phone, Xbox, facebook. where ever you went, it was walk or bike it, Thank you Lord for letting us grow up in a different era
Going back to the dead guy posts… Sister Jan was having some difficulty logging on, so I’m cutting and pasting her e-mail.
Aloha
Tom
Hey Tom,
I
was just reading the Swaylocks site--haven't read it for a while--and
they were talking about the dead guy in the water. I'm pretty sure
that's the guy we always talk about me almost hitting when I was surfing
kind of in front of by Albert Ferreira's. I came close enough to him
that I saw the dive mask, so I (stupidly) thought he was diving. I
almost hit him on one wave and when I made the turn to avoid him I fell
off. Found out later when he drifted more down towards Lots and others
(smarter others) realized he was dead and called for help. Because he
was dead and bloated, I had nightmares for a long time afterwards that if
I had landed on him or my board had hit him he would have exploded!
Howzit Jim, You know da reason we like Ewa Beach so much. We wen bath in da ocean and could piss any place you like. And I thought all you mainland guys was so much mo sufuristipated. Well Ewa Beach guys knew wat was impotant. Kau Kau, Au Au, and pissing, we had um all. Should have bring da Ohana, anca da boat and share da blessing…Aloha Bradda Jim…Paul…
Jesse Mizunaka
Julie Cueva, Mary, Doris, and Stella Cueva
Lani Valdez, Jane Valdez, Anna Valdez, Linda Valdez
Linda DeCosta
Suki Kaimi
Leslie Goya
Milly Pruse
Linda Pruse
Jan Pruse
Van Pruse
Penny Toothman
Grace Ferrera
Sherry Carnie
Collene Brooks (Puddy)
Patty Clark
Cathy Wheeler, Lymies sister
Judy Unigues
Kathy Lavine
Wallene Pratt
Naukas sisters Hapu
Charmaigne Pantastico
Tony and Nancy Salenta
Ann and Mary Duncan
Suzy Volgogesang
Sherly Rogers
Nora, Ann, Ivie, Aoye, AhSing
Patty Greene
And whats really a blessing is that Anna Valdez lives next door and Tony Salenta, I see often, and Julie Cueva , and Ivie and Miss Ann are still here. Lucky over time they still stay around to talk story and old times. Pleasent times when I see them, history, memories, and just good talk story. Good fo da hart and soul.
All these wahines surfed at Empty Lot, always or sometimes, and some maybe still do surf.
I would like to honor Jesse Mizunaka for her acomplishments even from small kid time.
I would like to honor Julie Cueva for Surfer Girl unsurpast.
I would like to honor Sherry Carnie for her past acomplishments and also her current acomplishments in da waters of da Aina.
I would like to honor Tony Salenta , just for being her, a surfer from da past, a bank of memories, and a link from da past, to da present and into da future.
All dez Wahines shared with us the waves around us and memories we all shared. Da waters dat we shared will neva be forgoten
for Ewa. …Aloha My Sisters…Remembering You All…Bradda Paul…
Was Happy to see Sherry, Tony, And Suzy on da 15th Sep. Hope it happens again.
This list will go on with our daugthers and grand daughters, hopefully for the rest of time.
Anyone I may have missed, bring it back my Braddas and Sistas…Paul…
fo Ewa Braddas, we having one small kine lull on this thread… kinda like surfing…maybe we can mutate this tread from the “late 60’s” to 2012…i think we caught up on the past history…
let’s make a small shift from the past history to whats making history now…was cool seeing all the guys at the reunion but did’nt really get enough time to talk to everyone long enough to catch up on whats happened from the 60’s to now and where we headed…let’s talk story on what we doing these days as evolution from the good ole days…i am still having fun and i’m sure all of you are still having fun…
here in Kona, Mel Behasa still making board better than ever… he making so many awsome boards…i just saw Mel Concepcion a couple days ago and chated small kine with him… he wanted to come to the reuion but he and his wife had a trip to Cali frisco on the same week as the reunion…any way i would like to know whats going on with all the ole friends and it is also a good way to network on how we can help each other and rekindal ole friendships…
i have been as a genral contractor for the past 30 years but doing more gutter work as a work of choice…i make a board now and then for myself or friend… my last fling has been with wood boards… i’ve made 2 wiliwili boards from log to finish and one balsa…i have actuallly planted some balsa and wiliwili trees…
anyway i look forward to the stories in swaylocks hope we keep this tread going…hope to hear what the rest of you are doing…
Wow- u fricken ike, showoff bugga. that’s some beautiful boards. is that really wiliwili. u no some years back, they had 1 real bad problem with some kind bug attacking all the wiliwili’s on this island, i don’t no if they got to the other islands but here was bad bradda… westloch golf course had the wiliwili trees lined up all over the course. but it got so rotten me & Butch P’s fada used to ram the tree & the tree would just collapes. well actually was me. hah hah. that’s when i used to golf. now with my knee replacements, no can surf no can golf. thank god i still get the ability to dive. that’s what keeps me going. as 4 what i do? i collect my disability S.S. & work 2 nites a week @ B.PT. golf course. 1900-0500hrs. good gig i no do ala’s. No tell nobody. Aloha T.P.
E Kimo (Jim)! I still remember the Ice Box when the ice man brought over a big block of ice daily. And yes we had one indoor and one outhouse with shower. My dad actually hooked it up so we could have a shower. My tutu had out house too! In fact when I moved to Maui 71-72 I stayed in a house with a japanese furo tub and outhouse. Our first beach house in EB was a beach shack with makeshift sink connected to water pipe that my dad hooked up.Out house, makeshift toilet hole in ground canvas top.Yes kids today could learn a few things. Chickens ,ducks, weren’t pets they were food. Dad made homemade icecream and would keep certain kinds of “laau” Hawaiian herbs for asthma, breaks, sprains, colds etc.
So anyway in response to Ike, dis not for him cause he know already. I am mainly involved with Destination Weddings. I am an associate Pastor at my Church, I do cultural tours (walking tour) in Lahaina on occasion, surf, although I am kinda rehabing my shoulder, love working in my yard (on going process) mentor younger generation in cultural aspects that create positive and Godly direction. Currently, working with Hawaiian Tatoo artist “Kakau Ka Uhi” “Mokuhauau” (geneology) etc. Sharing truth to set people free and not immobilize them. Bringing realization that life is about relationship and not religion. Bridging the gap between kanaka, local, and non-locals through our culture and Godly relationships. In Kanaka life they are without question one and the same.
Eh, Tommy, no wonder my dad’s knee"s all screwed up, all that banging the tree’s at the course. I’m surprised he let you drive after that.
Great to hear from the boy’s, Isaac was right, hard to catch up with everyone after so many years went by. So much catching up to do. I learned so much from this site. So many stories got straightened out and a few new ones (concerning some deaths that neva happened). I know that there is still a lot of history that is still to be told…Next time hopefully the MIA guys can come to connect the circle. Mahalo’s again for all of the guys that took the time to be a part of the reunion. Awesome to hear that some of the guys going back to the water after the reunion.
