My grandfather used to fish out there all the time. His father in law lived on the beach in Nanakuli so they knew that area well. My Dad told me that his father said they were fishing outside of Kahe on his boat and he noticed sharks all over down along the bottom there lined up like submarines. They took off out of there. It must have been a big deal to scare him away from that area.
The power plant wasn’t built until the 60’s and I’m sure this incident was decades earlier.
i talked to Scuppy on the phone yesterday…he lives in the Puna district of Hawaii Island…i told him that he was being called out on swaylocks and told him to look it up… hopefully he has and maybe he will log on…he is still surfing so let all give him a shout to join in with his manao…
I have a question for the boys on the road. Do you know who taught Robbie MacDonald or Tim McGafferty or Chris Gardner how to make boards?
Seems like there may be a connection between Chris Gardner and Robbie, maybe even Tim. Does anyone know if boards were being made in EB before these guys?
Also, Lightning Bolt may owe some of it’s origins to Chris, but he’s not here to tell us the real story. We have quite an interesting group of surfers who’ve lived in our little town. Probably as rich a history as any other community on the island except maybe Waikiki.
Harry,
About Scoopy, I don’t even remember if he did or not. I think so, can’t think of any other that could have. I think that I started in with Gooney at the beginning of “Hallelujah Surfboards” in his backyard. But I don’t think that I remember even making boards, would be interesting in asking Gooney the real story.
That would be a good angle for this discussion also, the history of different surfboard makers in or from Ewa Beach. Some on here already, Paul Shepherd said he made some early days, Barney Silva’s “Surf Shack” by Silva’s Store on the beach. Issac Tanaka 's Quonset Hut down Hau Bush Rd. Doug Sato, don’t know where he made them. Jim made them at Hickam in shop.Dick DeLong shaping at his home on Ewa Beach Rd. accross from the Bells. Maybe Chris Gardner made some there also, Robbie McDonald glassed somewhere, and also a shop at the house where George K. and boys live behind the Baptist Church. Plenty boards were made in their garages, me and Greg Hair at my house, my dad was so mad if there was resin on the ground. Nothing like that now, everybody’s parents just buy them brand new… I don’t think that they could even fix their own ding’s. I know that I missed a lot…
Classic days then
Butch
Don’t forget about Guy Kamaka, he was building boards and running the Barber’s o’beach rental stand in 1961, I rented my first boards from him and was always amazed at his personal boards, he did some innovative stuff.
Barney Sliva could be found at the old Ewa Beach “shopping center”, he’d be hanging out sanding a fin, first guys I ever heard of building their own boards and I was still a mainland haole, wet behind the ears, didn’t know anything about how surfboards were made, but…I wanted to learn how right away, the very thought mezmerized me. Thanks Guy for being the first to talk to me about building boards
Harry,
That is a good question and open for discussion. i’m sure that there a lot of stories that were connected… I know that many guys started to stripped down their longboards and made boards with minimal experience or knowledge. Lot’s of mistakes, one of my first ding repairs caught on fire it was such a “hot mix” Learned after that. Even for lapping the rails, I remember not having any clue how to get the glass to stick under…or get it saturated hanging down. Getting tips from others who were more advanced. Might be good for Issac T. to jump in for this discussion or Mel Behasa for some old time stories. Shaping was a whole nother challenge, I didn’t know anything of rocker or anything, just put some newspapers on the ground, put some board on top and pencil trace the outline. Super crude, no measurements nothing, just dogs for boards. But I didn’t know anything, but still went for it.
Hope you feeling good…
Butch
Being one of the younger generation and hanging out mostly at the Shark Country side of EB, I missed a lot. The guys I remember back then involved in making boards were Chris Gardner, Dick DeLong, Jim Greene, Issac T., George Kaholokula. Then Gooney and Mikey V got started and by then most of us were pretty good at fixing dings. I think most of us shaped a board or 2 for ourselves, but not like we were doing it for others. The old “strip down and reshape” was something most of us did at least once. My first 2 were reshapes and I didn’t know anything about rocker. I bought a book about making surfboards and that got me through the stuff I didn’t know. At least the glassing was pretty good. My brother’s classmate, Brian Higa, showed us how to glass when he did a board for Mark Kahalekulu. A beautiful Lopez pintail. Brian was one of the boyz at Bowls in the early 70’s. I think he worked part time for Bolt during that time.
Be cool to know about the “Pros” or the guys making boards like Chris, Dicky, and Jim (Kimo now). I know Dicky’s still around, but I don’t know if he’s making boards. The last time I saw him was decades ago, and he was showing a board he designed with built in lights for night surfing. Kimo has still real active. Mel B has a real good setup in Kona, a shaping room, a glassing room, really nice. Issac’s doing wood boards for himself and he’s got his own blank plantation growing.
Aloha
Harry,
Eh, might be the same Brian Higa I know… I worked with him at Turtle Bay. He’s been a lifegard for a while now and still making his own boards. See him from time to time out surfing. What do you think? As long as I 've known him he always made his own boards, goofy foot, good surfer. Real mellow guy.
As for surfboard making, thats amazing that you got a book to learn how. I would have never thought about that, I just stopped making my boards. Should have stayed with it.
Still glass my own when I can’t get someone my friend to help me ( he just does it because he can’t wait for me to show up) Good set up for me. Get someone to shape it and glass myself. Big savings and I just put that toward another one. Saw BK a couple of weeks ago at Buzz’s and we were talking about how now there are a lot of shapers who just can do it with the machine, finnish work. He says he still shapes all by hand, and doesn’t make that many. Those things are sure to be collectors items. Wish I had a bunch of boards from before, just got rid of them with out thinking about future value. We all lost some classics for sure.
Butch
I think that would be the same guy. I haven’t seen him for a very long time. I think at one time he was a chef or cooking. If you see him again ask him if he went to Kamehameha. If he did, he would remember Bernie and me. Another KS guy who did well making boards is George Ku. He’s a year older than Bernie, KS '73.
There’s also Marshall Crum, he’s been making boards again. Saw one at the Downing shop a while ago, but I didn’t see any last week when I was in there. Marshall said McCoy taught him how to shape when he was riding for McCoy. I know he worked with Downing in the 80’s because I used to see him there a lot. The Downing boys went to KS. Kainoa is my classmate.
Harry,
for sure… I think that Brian is lifeguarding on the West Side. I know George pretty well also. Regular out at Laniakea and Jocko’s. Also know Kainoa and Keone, Keone is same age as me and we surfed against each other at Queens in the boys division, of course he beat me. Surfed again against him out at Chuns, Kui O Hawaii meet, again he beat me. Great surfers! Of course with their dad as an inspiration. Most awesome Hawaii surfer! A Real Legend - George Downing.
Of note, my grandson just started at Kamehameha in the 7th grade this year. Gotta ride the bus from Wahiawa. Long days!
Saw Marshall Crum couple years ago out at Sunset Pt. been forever before that, seeing him. for sure he like those McCoy wide tail boards.
You been a good boy? You listen to your doctor and your wife.
Butch
in high school we had this silly dream of moving to the northshore after high school and building surfboards for a living. Mark, Brian, Jules and myself
at the time I wanted to be a sander
don’t know why but i just liked doing that versus anything else in board making
Brian and Gooney were already semipro builders by then infact I got two boards from Gooney back then a red and a yellow semi gun that I treasured. I don’t remember George making boards back then only that he was Tony Bacalso’s cousin and we rode the wahiawa bus to school togethor. I really didn’t know anything about Keone’s surfing other than we played waterpolo togethor and those guys used to beat up on us underclassmen pretty much. Brian and Sueu were always going to be ocean people kind of like Guy and Dan Gora growing up on the northshore with the fire captain dad.
but then reality stepped in and like i got shipped off to Kamehameha to board after elementary school leaving behind all my Ewa Beach classmates I shipped off the Seattle and UW in pursuit of a Navy ROTC scholarship to fund my pursuit of an Oceanography degree. It wasn’t until later that I discovered that the military officer corps perferred engineering and business majors versus actual scientists.
eventually I took to skiing making money and never looked back for the next 15 years until I returned burnt out on the city life and constant drizzle back to my roots. Luckily I missed the whole 70-80’s northshore and pro surfing controversy although my cousin Brian Hamilton got caught in the middle of the ugliness of it all trying to turn pro in the early days. I think he’s still bitter about it all till this day on how those in his crew who didn’t quite fit in were treated back then. Went from a Gooney built Parrish style single fin minigun to a bonzer bottomed thruster.
I am proud and blessed to have been given the privilage of growing up in Ewa Beach when it still was somewhat of a community at the end of a long two lane road through the cane field. But also that we got to grow up and learn how to survive in a beach/ocean community. Where people learn to work, live and take care of each other no matter their ethnicity or origin. I think that’s why my father refused to leave no matter how many times we drove out to check out places like the new up coming communities like Hawaii Kai, Makakilo, Pacific Palisades. And although its hard to see what its become over these 40-50 years we’ve been here its still home to many great memories and feelings. We were truely lucky for waht were were given and I will always remember and try and honor that hat till i die.
Harry,
Thats interesting about wanting to move to the North Shore, must have been the dream of many an Ewa Beach surfer, I know that was mine. You know John Abilla, he has been a surboard sander for many years now, him and his wife Roxanne (Santoki) are really good freinds and he has sanded many boards for me, excellent sander. Works in Eric Arakawas shop at the sugar mill.
Brian Hamilton your cousin, what’s happened to him? Still surfing? I don’t know him but know he was one of the top guys out at Bowls. As for the controversy, not sure what that was but as always there is lot’s of politics, I’m sure even more presently as much more is at stake now. Maybe the magazines and who gets invited, stuff like that. I tried to get in the Duke meet back then but never got the call… That was the most prestigious meet back then for locals. But only so many slots, that’s how it goes. Had some chances, but when I did I didn’t capitalze on it, motivation was never my strong point. I think growing up in Hawaii, some motivation but not the killer instinct. Oh well, it was for the better looking back on it now. I had a family that needed to be more important, I still needed to grow up, back then. So blessed to be able to live and surf here, on the North Shore and in Ewa Beach, the best of both worlds.
Butch
I went up into a cave above the Pali Highway and spent the night. About midnight, I heard chanting and looked out the entrance behind a bush, and I saw the Night Marchers approaching in my direction. I was frightened to say the least. There was a large rock inside the cave, and I hid behind it as the Night Marchers came in and sat in a circle. They started to tell stories about the old times and how they would chase the hula girls into the taro patch, when they were planting taro. It was scary to listen to their voices, because the sounds that they made seemed to come from another world. They spoke of the days that they surfed the big waves on the North Shore, and said that they saw King Kamehameha stand up and ride a two hundred foot wave all the way to shore. Those must have been the days. They had a tea leaf wrapped around something, and when they opened it up, I had a good look at what was inside. It was my head, and it was looking at me and said, “Eh Naky, I can see you hiding behind the rock!”
Sometimes we don’t realize that their are ghosts that follow us around all the time. Last week, I went to Cromwells and was sitting on the beach getting ready to paddle out and catch some of the small break that was available for the day, and a pretty young Hawaiian girl walked by and sat next to me. She had an old balsa board and was wearing hand made swimming attire. I noticed that it looked like it was made of tapa print. She had a sweet smile on her face and was interested in knowing who I was. I told her my name and she said that she lived in Manoa Valley. Her name was Leilani, and she said that her mother was a hula teacher. Then things started to get strange. She asked me if I came from Ewa Beach, and when I told her I did, she told me that many years ago she surfed there when she was a little girl. She told me that there were no houses built there at the time. When we started to paddle out together, she told me that she loved me and when the waves broke over us as we paddled over the top, I could not see her anymore. She was gone. As I caught a wave and stood up, I looked to my side and saw her body surfing next to me, and I noticed that she had a tail like a fish attached to were her feet had been. She promised she would see me again someday. When I paddled in, I saw an old lady picking shells on the beach, and I asked her if she ever saw a mermaid, and she said, " She is the magic girl that lives under the sea. If you see her, you are going to have happiness and good luck for the rest of your life." I want to wave my hand to all my brothers and sisters from Ewa Beach, and wish you all well, and that good luck will always follow you wherever you go. Until the next big wave rolls in. Bradah naky.
My Braddas andSistas. Da stuff we wen grow up wit still make joy and lafta can look back on. No mo noting like da old style. Da hart still stuck in memories
Sol K Bright Hawaiian Cowboy 1986 - YouTube
Frank Delima - Filipinos & Japanese - YouTube
I still Ewa Beach, I still old style, I still rememba what no can be forgoten. Da Aloha from down diz side…Paul…
I moved out to Sunset Beach in the late sixties and stayed with John Peck for a while in a small house behind the Sunset Store. Steven and Mike Kendall would come by and pick me up, and we would go around the island and surf at every place that had some waves. When we drove home one day from Kaisers back to the Country to drop me off, we bought a case of olympia stubbies beer and finished drinking them up at the old Heiau up on top of Waiamea. Steven found a skull and brought it home to his parents house and would burn candles in it upside down. I told my mother about this, and she being a Kumu Hula was familiar with the Hawaiian Kapu System and told Stevie to return it to the Heiau. He eventually did, but not without the wrath of having committed this act of abomination. Over the years, I have suffered terribly for just being there when it was perpetuated. Mike has also suffered, and Steve has paid beyond anyone's expectations. The Hawaiian Spirits will watch over their loved one's for all time to come, so don't make the mistake of doing something foolish if it is forbidden. This is a true story, and I wish to God I wasn't even there when Steven picked up that skull of some long dead Kupuna. I never touched it thank God, but I believe some of you guys from Ewa Beach Road around that time, remember and had seen the skull that Steven took. The question is, "Did any of you guys touch it?" If you did please ask Kahu Clay to pray for you.
Butch , Brian Higa lives right down the road from me on Halawa heights road … His 2 girls went to school with my kids , really cool guy .
Aloha ,
Cal
Cal the next time you see Brian, tell him the Alama brothers said hi. My sister said he married her classmate, but I forget what her name is. My sister is KS'79.
I understand his brother Sueo retired from the fire department on Kauai recently. I last saw Sueo in 2006, when Sri Shim's father passed away. Sri and Newton were part of the gang at Bowls back in the day. Saw some shots of Sri and Sueo in Indo this year on Sri's facebook page.
This new Swaylocks site is different. I posted a reply, but it showed up way up the list. I'm reposting to get back to the end.
Cal the next time you see Brian, tell him the Alama brothers said hi. My sister said he married her classmate, but I forget what her name is. My sister is KS'79.
I understand his brother Sueo retired from the fire department on Kauai recently. I last saw Sueo in 2006, when Sri Shim's father passed away. Sri and Newton were part of the gang at Bowls back in the day. Saw some shots of Sri and Sueo in Indo this year on Sri's facebook page.
Howzit my braddas, Our reef in danga nowdays. Da MONEY bugas goin change our lands an our futcha goin change. Owww ! Hurt our AINA, no mo respect, Akua, take care dez HAOLES and turn us back around to da days of our youth, da days of our fathers, da days of respect wat we was taught as children of dez lands and waters. Let doz who walk after you enjoy what you have seen, and respect those who have walked before you who have preserved for you to walk upon. Do not take lightly what was past on to us, hold it tightly and cherish it deeply, it is the answer to our future. HA is da breath of life. Wen you take dat away, you get HAOLE. Wen you kill our reef and our fish, wat you like I tink, wat you like I say, wat you tink I feel. Diz land only MONEY for you, but diz land home for me and my Ohana. Reach deep in your heart before your wallet, and feel the ALOHA dat goin carry us on forEWA. We no ask much, jus respect. We jus wanna fullfill our fathers dreams, and our dreams, and keep da HA in ALOHA. Bradda Paul…
