Makakilo,
In regards to Steve Wofford, yes, that 's the one. Steve and his family grew up in Makakilo, when it was a small community up on the mountain. Not near as big as today. Yes he was an excellent musician with many locally famous bands… Country Comfort, Peter Moon Band, Becky Mello Band and others. I know some of him as he was my brother in law at one time.
Hey Butch, I don’t know if you heard, but Mr Foo passed away. I was on the mainland when when I found out and I missed the service. My Mom and sister went.
Everyone except Timmy was there.
any of you folks ever make it out to the outer reef in front ewa beach park and surf it? it looks surfable.... i hear its quite shallow in some spots... also, back when i was in high school around 1989 when haseko was still doing community meetings, getting input. myself and others noticed there channel was gonna come thru somewhere around tree stumps or coves. so we began attending these meetings, we being the campbell h.s. surf club and voiced our concerns, michael akana wrote letters until they agreed to our proposed building of an artificial reef from the dredging material similar to the one that is now ala moana bowl since they would be taking away a legit surf spot. wonder whatever became of that? wass it just yow-yow to quiet us kids? we shoulda push for something in writing! mahalo to james develin, butch, shark country, and the rest for a great trip into the history of ewa beach surf culture. and welcome to swaylocks bradda Flagpoles! im a newcomer myself, you going dig this blog i believe.
~~AUWRYTE!~~
"
Wow, so cool to hear all these names and familiar experiences. Had to join in. Arrived on Ewa Beach Rd in the mid-60's, started on foam boards, then my older sister's newly "reduced" 10-0 with redwood stringer. Felt like an aircracft carrier to a little grom like me. Coolest memory above all is how the older guys encouraged us younger kids. Nathan Moody was a few doors down, I remember him letting me and Noel try out some new design board he just got. Butch is on this blog, he was always cool. Even if now Butch and Nathan were to say, "okay, who are you again?" Doesn't matter, the younger kids always remember when the older ones took notice. A few years later I was ready for my first new board (man the things I was willing to surf on before that...). Dickie DeLong let me hang out in his shaping shed to watch how it was made. A lightning bolt, 6-10, diamond pin tail, single fin. I was in heaven. Lots was my main spot, since it was walking distance. I usually stayed on the edge, almost down by Flagpoles. There was a nice inside double-up, which was like a bonus after catching the initial outside wave. As I got older, I would spend a lot of time at the Sage residence, surfing with Pat or stealing his brother Stephen's Hobie Cat when the waves were down. Cal Eaton was next door, Herb Pruce was usually nearby. My future brother-in-law, "Spil" Siliado would call me "Red Hairs" back then, not knowing my real name. Or he would call me "Danny Bell" because he thought I looked like him. Heard Danny passed away recently, sad to hear. Spil passed away way too early, at age 38. God needed him home quickly. So many other things to talk about, love the blog.
A Hui Hou
Wow. A lot of names from the past. Not sure who this is?
A few other names of great surfers from those great 60's Ewa Beach daze... :
Heavy rippers from Ewa Beach Road:
Dave Cueva, Nathan Moody, Clay Eton, Calvin Eton, Steve Kendall, Butch Perriera, Norman Nauka, Herbert Pruce, Julie Cueva, Charlie Misanaka, Glen Misanaka, Mike Geansen, Mel Behasa, Rocky Kualapai, Rob MacDonald, Richard Muton, Kane Kaiimi, ... Who am I forgetting?
Outside reef? Yeah man... That place was hairy - spooky. I paddled all the way out with Steve and Mike Kendall once. Super far. Waves were huge. I went a few more times with a few other maniacs in my dad's skiff with a 15hp Johnson motor on it. Steve Sage, Nathan I think, Kendalls, Rob, Brother Dan, Harry Gaynor... Maybe Brutus? Long time ago. We found the best best way to surf out there is to anchor inside the break (strong anchor brah) and put a red tee shirt on a long, bamboo pole cause really hard to find the boat with all the waves. The inside is radical-shallow and like a washing machine. Wait for in-between sets to paddle out, and god help you if you get nailed by a clean-up set! But some really steep, fast waves out there. The line-up changed a lot though. One set closer to Pearl Harbor, the next opposite side. Paddle fast! Oh yeah, and there are sharks, but not where the waves are breaking (they're smarter than us!).
Tim McGafferty. He was a good glasser. His younger brother Danny was all balls on any wave as I remember.
Hi Ewa Beach Road, lots of names I know there. There’s a guy named Charlie Price who tow rides the outer reef when the swell is on. He makes nice Balsa covered boards. He lives by Ewa Beach Park.
I’ve never surfed those outer reefs, but I have surfed the outer reefs outside Officers Beach, and at Swabis. Problem is that you have to paddle through the deeper water to get out there and the deeper water is where the big sharks cruise around. I surfed at Lots a lot when I was in middle school, but not since then.
I know Cal Eaton from Kamehameha, I know Clay from when the brothers would come down to Shark Country whenever the waves were good. Clay was always the scary looking brother, but Cal is bigger. Cal is still friend after all these years.
I knew Harry and Joey Gaynor, Joey and I are Elem. school classmates and surfed out at SC a lot. Joey lives in the last beach house left at SC. I met Timmy McGafferty a couple times, but he was older. His sister Maureen was another classmate at Ewa Beach Elem. Tim was friends with Robbie Husic and I met him when I was hanging at Robbies house. Sadly Tim and Robbie died very young, and Harry “Jake” Gaynor and his sister Debbie are also gone. Brutus is another SC regular, he moved to Maui years ago with Randy Nii and a couple of other Ewa Beach boys. They were working in the hotels in Kaanapali, and are regulars at Honolua Bay. Randy passed away as well.
I didn’t know Dave Cueva or Charlie Mizunaka, but I’d see them when they came out to SC.
I met the project manager of the Haseko project a while ago and mentioned to him that their design of how the marina would cut through to the ocean was flawed because it didn’t include a long jetty. The sand flows from SC to Johns every year. I imagine that it also flows beyond that area, but I know from living there that in November the sand starts building up at SC right in front of where we had beach houses, then by March it starts building up down by Tracks and Johns.
I had a house next to Marshall Rosa on the water at Hawaii Kai and he showed me how much the beach eroded from the way they made the boat channel for the Hawaii Kai Marina. About 12’ of his yard and the yard in front of our house was gone. All pulled into the deep channel they cut for the Marina. The same will happen to the Ewa Beach Marina if they don’t build a jetty on both sides to stop the flow from going into the channel.
I told him a jetty would be a win win for the comunity because over time it would create a nice sandy beach and there would be a nice break on each side of the channel. The take away one break (coves) but give back 2 once the sand deposits there. Plus they wouldn’t have the problem of all the sand building up in the channel.
I bet that they will have problems keeping the sharks out of that Marina, I can see those big tigers swimming in and munching on the crap people will be dumping in there.
Hey Shark County,
I would guess that tow riding into the outside reef breaks would be the way to go. Paddling through the inside shallow areas (once you got through the deep, dark, scary water) was really tough. And losing your board could be a real bummer; no leaches back then. I think it was one of the Kualapais that lost their board out there and had to paddle in with one of the Kendall brothers; long board days. The board was never found.
I heard about Randy Nii, Jake Gaynor, Debbie Gaynor, and Robbie Husic (RIP all), but not Tim M. That really sucks. :-(. Not sure if you knew my brother Danny Bell? He died in November at 55 years old. I'm bringing his ashes to Ewa Beach for a paddle out at Lots in August.
If you see Cal Eton, tell him I said hello. We were neighbors for a while until my family moved further up EBR, and we surfed together at Empty Lot just about every swell there was for many years. Clay too, but he was a couple of years older than me. And you're right Clay was/is a big, tough looking Hawaiian, but really, a great guy. Last I heard he was riding bulls on Maui. Probably scared the hell out of the bulls!
That marina by Chicken Creek has been rumored for at least 40 years now. I remember when they had a construction shed up there doing survey work and stuff and it "mysteriously" burnt down in the middle of the night. Imagine that... Anyway, I was there in Novemner for a short stay and drove down to Cove. Looks like they are going to do something. Hope they take surfing and surfers and beach errosion into the equation this time around.
whoa... seen a realy big tiger long time ago out at swabiland. then had to paddle across all that deep water right as it was getting dark. as me and my buddy jason were pretty close in we started to relax. these 2 guys were in the process of laying net, pulling it out of an innertube with wood underneath when WHOOSH! about 15 feet behind them a frickin huge tail comes out of the water splashing everywhere as no doubt the same shark we seen outside, bumped into the net and went right thru it! the 2 braddas screamed like girls, fighting each other to get in the innertube which promptly turned over. though we were scared as crap we just burst into laughter scratching for the shallows. the two hapless fishermen made it in as well. that was 1989.
man i need to get a ski! soooo many insane outer reefs to explore! the one in front ewa bch park is a prime candidate. been out there on a kayak and you guys right, its real shallow. that one in front of the camp grounds just koko-head of swabis is nuts. my friend jon boudreau surfed it last year and he said "bra, bigger than it looks. and its top to bottom." he broke 2 boards that day.
if haseko decides to take away coves and then flake on their promise to build an artificial reef ala bowls, superbank etc. i will bring hellfire, damnation and brimstone to their very doorstep. flames of vengeance lapping at their nostrils and earlobes! LOL! orrrrr maybe ill write nasty letters to the house rep, state senator, city council person for the district along with surfrider foundation. and i really hope they dont pull a ko'olina on us and try and keep the locals out by denying access to parking etc.
aloha guys, thanks so much for your mana'o and insight. i learn everytime i log on here!
~Ahui'hou!
About '62, just getting to be able to find my ass in the dark with both hands, mom drops us off at Officer’s beach early in the morning, it was huge.
We kept paddling out to the next reef after a few rides, finally we are so far out the quonset huts at Barber’s are barely visible, we are at least a half mile to 3/4 a mile off shore and some sets are still breaking outside of us. A set comes at me and I start paddling as hard as I can, the tail raises up the wave and I jump to my feet and side slipped all the way to the bottom and I’m standing inside of the first tube I’ve ever been in, it’s freaking huge 10-12 feet if not bigger.
The spit blew me out onto the face and some how I made the wave, kook the I was, not after much longer the wind did an about face and came onshore hard, the paddle/rides back were tougher than the paddle out, but nearly 50 years ago and it is still one of the mile stones for me.
Every one did it without leashes, if they could, some one would hook a toe on the nose of your board and paddle it back to you, today they’d push it into the white water and make you swim more
Hi Shark country
I used to surf with a Mike Nii from ewa beach. Walked from his house to shark country to surf. Met his brother once
out at Alii beach. Is it the same Nii Family. The last time I talked to Mike he wanted me to check out a kneeboard his friend bought.
Aloha, Hannya
Any one remember Herbert Pruce shredding Empty Lot? Or the Carson brothers at Shark Country? How about the false killer whales at O beach at BP?
i went back to Ewa beach three years ago. Silvas was still there. Funny it is much smaller now. I liked Jimmy Ha's store. I could buy beer there.
Does anyone one remember Johnny Akana? he was missing a leg and an arm from a gernade in WWII. We used to talk story with him untill dawn sometimes. One of the greatest honors in my life was being Pall Bearer at his funeral. He ask that we did did it. His nephews were pissed some Haole guys were carrying him. But his TuTu straigntend them out. She said that we were the there for him. His pephews never paind him any attention.. If anyone know of Judy Eunegas tell her Hi.
Hannya, I’m sure the Nii family you know is Randy’s family. They live about a 1/4 mile from the end of the road where the beach road starts. I didn’t know Randy’s older brother, but I know he had one and a younger sister. I think his Mom was Italian or something, definitely had a European accent. She wasn’t afraid to scold all of us for anything we did wrong.
I heard Randy had a bad accident while skiing and that’s how he died. He was good friends with the Bacalso family and most of the Bacalsos moved to Maui. I think only Tony and maybe the youngest brother are on Oahu.
The break just Kokohead of Swabis is Rip Van Winkle. Sometimes we’d surf there if Swabis was crowded.
First time I surfed Swabis I was the last one of about 6 guys to jump off the jetty. I got caught there when set came through and it sucked dry before I could jump. I got nailed and had a pretty nasty cut on my knee, but I went out and we surfed for at least an hour or 2. When we came in my leg was still bleeding and it was bleeding pretty good. All my friends freaked out because the blood was all the way to my foot. They didn’t know I had cut my leg so bad and they were shocked I didn’t get attacked by a shark.
Hey Empty Lots, I knew 2 Bell families when I was growing up. One guy was named Jimmy and his dad used to rep STP products, and they had those cool stickers that all the hot rodders had. Jimmy was one year older than me and we went to Ewa Beach Elem. I used to go to Mr. Wong’s Chevron station to get those STP stickers. I was friends with the Wong boys back then.
The other guy was a year or 2 older and went to Kamehameha. He was a big guy and played football. I think he and Cal were classmates. I remember asking him if he was Jimmy’s brother, he said no but they were related.
Cal recently moved back to Ewa Beach. I see him at Kamehameha now and then. Our kids will be graduating this year. I saw Clay and Cal couple of years ago when they had their re-union. Clay is bolohead now. I told him I didn’t recognize him because he always had this massive wild hair that added to his “no mess wit me” look.
Dicky Delonge and Jim Green were the 2 big time shapers for all us kids, but I never did have a board made by them. That was about when most boards went from being a Surfline to being a Bolt. Never had either one. I did get my boards from local guys like Issac Tanaka and Gooney.
Hey Jim, around 1980 or so I was on a 5-8 round pin thruster from Downing Hawaii out at Officer’s. It was one of those days where you could catch a wave from the outside reef and ride it all the way to the beach. Not many guys out and I kept going further and further until I was way outside there all by myself. Had a couple rides then realized that I was being kinda stupid all by myself on such a short board. The next good set comes in and I just kept going all the way through the double ups and to the inside. When everything is right Officers can be such a great wave.
I hear that the SUPs are loving those outside reefs.
Hello Shark Country,
In reply to the passing of Mr.Foo, I saw the obituary in the newspaper but was not able to go to the funeral. Also in addition to the recent furry of information, I never went out to the outside reef in front of Ewa Beach park. I remember the day that one of the Kendal’s lost is board out there and one of those guy’s had to share a board for the paddle in. We used to surf out at the sandbars in front of Ewa Beach Park and also outside of Parrish Drive a bunch. Pretty exotic stuff for us young guys then. We used to paddle down from Ewa Beach Rd. to Shark Country if we were too lazy to walk with our longboards, either way a long haul. Also some names to remember about Officers is the Mize brothers, Lance and Chris. They were the first ones to take me to Swabi’s. They had been surfing it a while then and also the outer reefs in from of O Beach. They were chargers and surfed Swabi’s really big, most likely with no one out at that time. For you old timers, was how about the Ewa Beach Surf Club? Do you remember when they met at the fire station? Rules to get in was that you had to be invited by a member and he brought up you name at one of the meetings. Next step was that he brought you to the meeting and gave a little intro about you and why you should be in. You were sent outside then all the members either voted you in or out, if in, then you stayed, if out then you were sent home. All of the good surfers were in there then, Sadowski brothers, Herbert Pruse, Nathan Moody, Mike Gionson, Lester Enemoto and also Doug Kingsley, Duke ,Kevin Johns, Chris Gardner, some other military young guys that I can’t remember right now so on. At that time it was the greatest thing that could happen to a surfer, to be a member of the Ewa Beach Surf Club. Mrs. Husic was the person who over saw the whole club. She was amazing! Much mahalo’s to her for all those years of helping all of the young surfers from Ewa Beach. She is big league! I remember us having a party down at a shack a the Farm’s rigth in front of Shark Country for the Surf Club. We did a fund raiser to get money for the club to go to Kauai for a surf meet at Poipu. We sold candy, but when it came time to go, my parents didn’t let me go with all the older guy’s. Probably a good move on their part… A bunchof those guy’s went and had to sleep on the beach with their boards with no real place to stay. So much adventures those days.
BP
Randy Nii's brother is Mike Nii. His sister, Sandy (OMG Beautiful) Nii.
Herb Pruce, Kevin Johns, Mark and Chris Gardner, Butch, Nate, Cuevas, et al, kinda put Ewa Beach on the good surfers list. Remember when Chris Gardner won the Makaha Internationals? Must have been about 68' +/-. He was on a short, purple round nose / round tail board with a tiny fin, which seemd strange cause Makaha probably solid 8' that day. He may have been the 1st person to do a 360% in a contest, and that's probably what helped him win the contest. Most of us hadn't seen a 360 done like that before. BTW, I ended up with that board, called The Grape, and rode it until it was completely water logged. But I did get a lot of 360s in before that! Good fun days..
1st time I surfed North Shore, Jim Greene brought me and Jake Gaynor surfing there. We surfed Pupukea Sandbar and Rocky Point. I'll never forget how blown out I was with the thickness and strength of the waves compared to Ewa Beach! After that, spent much of our school weeks trying to find older guys that had cars to take us to North Shore. Steve Sage's older brother (Billy?) with his VW Bug was usually game. We'd chip in lunch money (quarters) for gas, load boards on roof, and coast down the hills from Kunia to NS as much as possible, then do the same on the way back. Funny! Except when we finally came to the top of the hill in the pineapple fields after passing Kimo Farms and Scofield Barracks and could see white-water way outside from Kaena Point to past Haleiwa and as far down the coast as you could see, and Avalanche feathering and breaking huge a mile outside Haleiwa. All of a sudden everyone went silent, then everyone had to pee. :-) .
That moment when you come over the top of the hill and see whether you’re going to have a good time or be freaking is probably burned into all of our memories.
My friend Mark Kahalekulu used to take us up to the country in his VW van. We almost always went on Kaukonahua Road. down towards Waialua. He’d turn off the engine and we’d coast down. By the time we get half way down we’re flying around those turns and everyone is hoping we make it without rolling over. My brother and I did that with my dad’s Toyota station wagon and we ended up burning out the neutral switch because the car had to be on to be able to steer it.
We’d stop at the pump house at the top of the hill just before Ewa Town on the way home and go for a swim in the ice cold fresh artesian water. Sometimes we’d ride the flume across Ft Weaver rd. a couple of times.
I remember watching Chris Gardner on big days out at Shark Country with his Greg Noll Waimea stance. Mark Gardner and Brutus used to wear those man thong sock suits and everyone would be freaking out. Brutus had a first hollow board I saw, and the first Bonzer. I always loved the way Jake would surf with his arms out like a seagull flying so smooth. Joey Gaynor told me Jim Greene was his sister’s boy friend back then.
So Ewa Beach Road, which Bell family are you? Did you or your brother go to Kamehameha?