This oral history interview is a project of the Historical Committee of the Outrigger Canoe Club. The legal rights of this material remain with the Outrigger Canoe Club. Anyone wishing to reproduce it or quote at length from it should contact the Historical Committee of the Outrigger Canoe Club. The reader should be aware that an oral history document portrays information as recalled by the interviewee. Because of the spontaneous nature of this kind of document, it may contain statements and impressions that are not factual.
Part 2
An interview by J. Ward Russell
October 22, 1997
JWR: I am Ward Russell (JWR), a member of the Outrigger Canoe Club’s Historical Committee. Our Committee has been conducting oral interviews of some of the more prominent members of our Club. Today, it is my pleasure and privilege to interview Henry Keawe Ayau Jr. (HKA), one of the Club’s most outstanding all around athletes and a long-time member. We are in the Boardroom of the Club on a beautiful morning. Good morning, Henry.
HKA: Aloha, Ward.
JWR: How are you?
HKA: Great, thank you.
JWR: Up, bright and early. Where were you born?
HKA: I was born at Ho’olehua, Moloka’i, in 1940.
JWR: You grew up on Moloka’i?
HKA: Yes, I grew up there with my parents, Henry Keawe and Mabel Duvauchelle Ayau, in Ho’olehua and the Amoy and Waldemar Duvauchelle family in Puko’o.
JWR: Duvauchelle? What a prominent Moloka’i family that is!
HKA: Yes, they are. They’re a very extensive family.
JWR: You went to school on Moloka’i?
HKA: Yes I did. I began at Kilohana Elementary School on the east end of Moloka’i.
JWR: How long did you stay on Moloka’i?
HKA: I lived there full time until I was 14-years old. In 1954, we had a great Little League baseball team. Our sponsor was Hawaiian Pac Pine – Mr. Eric Reppun, I’m sure you remember that name …. your Punahou classmate . . . Well, he was head of Hawaiian Pac Pine on Moloka’i and was also a Trustee for Punahou High School. We had taken the Little League Maui County Championship for three consecutive years. So, they felt that we were good enough to play an All-star team from Honolulu. So, a Honolulu team was invited to come to Moloka’i to play against us. I was a pitcher at the time. I pitched against them and we won. Some of the members on the team you may remember, like Wayne Foster, Tommy Lee, Foster Grado. They had a very good team. They wanted a re-match and so I had the opportunity to pitch again, and we won the second game. There were a lot of school representatives on the island from Punahou, Iolani and Kamehameha. That’s how it all happened to get me from Moloka’i to
Oahu.
JWR: Exactly what happened?
HKA: Well, Mr. Reppun asked me if I wanted to go to school on Oahu at Punahou. I had never heard much about the schools on Oahu, so I had to talk to my parents about it. Eventually, I told my teacher at Holomua School, Mr. Henry Webkee, a homesteader. He was also our principal. When I brought it to his attention, he told me: “No way! Punahou? That’s a number one school and with your grades, it would almost be impossible.” (Laugh) Yeah, I was a “B” average student on Moloka’i at that time. I said: “Mr. Webkee, please help me. I want to go to Punahou. Help me go to school there.” So, he stayed after classes and gave me tutoring lessons to help improve my knowledge and my grades.
JWR: What year did you enter Punahou?
HKA: I entered Punahou in the Fall of 1954. This was after the summer baseball league.
JWR: What grade were you?
HKA: I was in the 8th grade. They said I would have to stay back because that’s what happened to all the athletes to whom they offered scholarships. Also, it would help me to get better grades. I can remember going to summer school there and we had to take an exam. I said: “Exam, oh no, no, no.” They said: “It’s required. You got to take it. Don’t worry about it, don’t worry about it. So I took it. In fact, you know what? Let me back up a little bit because this is a funny story. There was interest in me from several private schools, like I said . . .Kamehameha, Iolani, Punahou. Dr. John Fox, the President of Punahou at that time, along with Al Harrington, Eki Espinda and Harry Pacarro, some of the greatest athletes out of Punahou came to visit Moloka’i. Imagine this. Here I was on a Ho’olehua Homestead with my parents. My mother was teaching me how to talk. One of her instructions was “If you don’t understand, you say, I beg your pardon.” “I beg your pardon” …. I couldn’t relate to that because it sounded like she said “bake”, and we bake things in the oven. I couldn’t relate the same word to “pardon”. Anyway, I listened to my mother and I memorized that sentence. “I bake your pardon, I bake your pardon, I bake your pardon.” (laugh) So when they finally came to see me at home, Dr. Fox looked at me and he said: “Oh you must be Henry Ayau. ” I was so nervous that I looked up and responded “I bake your pardon.” (laugh) “I bake your pardon. “I didn’t want to make a mistake, because Mom had said to memorize “I bake your pardon.” And that’s all I said . . . I didn’t want to say anything else. (laugh) It was a great meeting though. We talked. Well, I listened mostly because I was afraid to talk. They talked to my parents and then eventually, they said they were interested. So, then I talked to Mr. Reppun about it, and I got the Charles Cooke Scholarship. Mr . Reppun was a big supporter of ours. They told me I would have to take an entrance exam. When I went to class to take the test, I read the instructions and couldn’t understand them. “Oh no, how can I take this exam if I don’t understand!?” I mean, it was so advanced – so advanced – I was terrified. So, I didn’t even open it. I took it back to the teacher and said: “I’m sorry, I’m going home.” He answered: “No, no, you can’t do that, you can’t do that.” Then James Doole came to see me. He was the Varsity Baseball coach at the time and he said: “Henry, don’t worry about it, just take the exam, take the exam.” I said: “OK, OK.” I opened it and it was so advanced, that I was just marking anything. (Smile)
JWR: “I bake your pardon?”
HKA: I bake your pardon! Yeah! (laugh) Yeah, oh boy! Anyway, the final result was that I failed. They said I would have to go to summer school and they would help me with school and after school with tutor lessons. So, that’s what I did. Eventually, I took the exam and passed with a “D”. “D” as in desire, that is. (laugh)
JWR: You graduated in what year?
HKA: In 1959.
JWR: 1959. Tell me about your athletic career at Punahou.
HKA: Well, I got a full baseball scholarship as a pitcher and a hitter. In the 8th grade, I was a pitcher for Mr. James Doole. Also Mr. David Eldredge. One afternoon, we went up to the track at Alexander Field to watch some of the athletes throwing shot put, running sprints and all that. When I saw them I said: “Oh, I can throw that shot put further than they can.” You know, it was eight pounds. Well I threw it further than anybody, but at the same time, I must have injured my arm. I couldn’t get the same control back when I was throwing the baseball that I had before. I started off as a pitcher, did well, and then I hurt my arm. I eventually played at first base and center field. I was hitting very very well. In fact, I made the All-Star Team for three consecutive years as a varsity center fielder.
JWR: Did you play any other sports?
HKA: Yes, I played football. As a freshman, I was on the Junior Varsity team. It was the first time I had played football because we never had it on Moloka’i. I loved it, and I liked the contact. During those days we had a lot of Polynesians: Hawaiians, Samoans. They were very big. And strong. Some of the best athletes around Oahu. Punahou always had good teams.
JWR: Did you play basketball?
HKA: Yes, I also played basketball. I ran track. I participated in four sports: football, basketball, baseball, and track.
JWR: An All-star in baseball! How about football?
HKA: Football? I was injured half way through the season as a sophomore. A friend of mine from Kaimuki High School {well, today he’s a friend of mine, at that time I didn’t know him) clipped me from the back and that’s when I first injured my left knee. My physician was Dr. Ivy Larson, who operated on my knee.
JWR: A wonderful person.
HKA: Then, I quit playing football and concentrated on basketball, baseball and track. I was captain of the basketball team, captain of the baseball team and ran track.
JWR: Have you ever been interviewed by Punahou?
HKA: No, I’ve never been interviewed by Punahou.
JWR : Well, this interview·is also going to Punahou School.
HKA: Great! Thank you. I’ve always loved Punahou. In fact, our four children also graduated from there. Whenever we can give back, well we do. We’ve invested in Punahou.
JWR: I am sort of surprised that you haven’t been among those nominated for the Punahou Hall of Fame. I am going to get more information from you and make certain that you name is submitted as a potential candidate. I think your background is certainly worthy of serious consideration. Now, let’s go on. I got a little side tracked, but this is most interesting to me. After you graduated from Punahou, what did you do?
HKA: I received several scholarships from mainland colleges and decided to go to Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. At that time, it was a major football college and a lot of Hawaiians were going there. Some of the memorable ones were: Joe Francis, who was an All-American, also Ed Kekauolii from Kamehameha Schools, and Wayne Foster, an All-Star pitcher. I decided to go there too with some of the best local athletes. While at Oregon State, it was really interesting. It really gets cold there. We had to train and practice in a big barn, a big, big barn. Almost the size of an infield. We did hitting in there into nets. So, I received a full baseball scholarship and my position was again centerfield.
JWR: Did you play football for Oregon?
HKA: No, just baseball. I had a family then. I was married to Cynthia-Belle Ames, Peterson, today. We were high school friends since 8th grade and eventually married. We had four children together: Katherine, Patrick, and twin boys, Bruce and David. I later hanai ‘d CB’s daughter, Leslie, who became our youngest one.
JWR: You graduated from Oregon?
HKA: No, I didn’t. I didn’t graduate from Oregon State. We had a family and I really missed home a lot. We stayed for two and a half years. I wanted to see if I could go through college in three consecutive years, you know, summer school and all that, but we missed home so much we eventually came back. Then I attended University of Hawaii on a baseball scholarship. For some reason or another I didn’t complete college. Actually, there were so many good work opportunities at that time. So in 1964, I went to work for Standard Oil Company of California instead.
JWR: How long did you work for Standard Oil?
HKA: I worked for them for approximately five years.
JWR: And what other business pursuits did you engage in?
HKA: Well, shortly after Standard Oil, I went to work for Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. You may know Malcolm Love. He was the first one to recommend me in the State. He called me and said: “Eh, they’re going to hire another guy.” So I said: “I’m interested.” Then I was interviewed and got the job. Malcolm and I had the whole State to cover, including the neighbor islands. We had a terrific job. (Chuckle) At that time, I was also working nights for Kimo Wilder McVay and Duke Kahanamoku at Duke’s Restaurant and Night Club in the International Market Place. Tavanna ‘s Polynesian Spectacular and Don Ho and the Aliis were the featured shows.
JWR: How well I knew Malcolm Love and his family! Well, did you ever engage in professional sports after you finished school or while you were working?
HKA: No. Again, being married and trying to make ends meet didn’t leave me any extra time. Although some scouts saw me while I was playing at Oregon State, at that time it really didn’t interest me to go beyond a college campus. I just wanted to graduate and get home and take care of my family.
JWR: Well, before we get into your Outrigger Canoe Club activities I want to go back and talk a little about your family. Particularly your father. After all he and I worked together for the same company for a long time. Tell me about your Dad.
HKA: My Dad. He was a really, really special person. He was a super Dad, and he was also my close friend. We did a lot of things together. He really supported the children and …..all.
JWR: How many brothers and sisters do you have?
HKA: I have two brothers, Butch and Ronnie, along with two sisters, Lana and Dana. There are five children all together in our family.
JWR: Are they all living?
HKA: Yes, they are. Everybody is living, everybody is healthy. They all have their own families. We get together on a regular basis.
JWR: Your mother is still alive?
HKA: Yes, she is.
JWR: How is she?
HKA: Today, my Mom is so very healthy. She’s 85. She walks a lot, exercises whenever she can and “parties” a lot with her sisters, the Duvauchelles.
JWR: Do you get homesick for Moloka’i?
HKA: Yes, I do. I’ve been very fortunate however, to be able to go back and forth a lot. In 1988, I got a job with a Japanese company called Sekiyo Seibaku, out of Japan. They bought a large parcel of land on the southwest end of Moloka’i, approximately eight thousand acres. My friend, Nickolas Klotz worked for this company and recommended me. He used to be with Hawaiian Regent Hotel. I represent the company on Moloka’i and Maui. The property is still vacant agricultural land, rich in resources, a lot of wild game, axis deer, wild turkey and birds. One day it may be developed into a community resort.
JWR: Tell me about your association with Duke Kahanamoku.
HKA: In 1965, Kimo Wilder McVay hired me to take care of Duke (the person). Imagine that? I got to know Duke very well for the next three years. Until he passed away. We met almost on a daily basis. We had some great times together. I was so honored, so proud. I traveled with him to events, especially on the West Coast of the mainland. The Duke Kahanamoku Surf Club, along with Kimo, Duke and I, promoted the Duke Kahanamoku line of apparel – clothes, shoes and surfing accessories. Oh, we had a lot of fun.
JWR: I can imagine. Duke is part of the history of the Outrigger Canoe Club, as well.
HKA: Yes, he’s the first Winged “O” recipient.
JWR: Were you with Duke when he passed away? (Big smile)
HKA: Yes, well, I was at the Club, Duke was down with his NADU K boat at Waikiki Yacht Club. He called me and said: “Boy. Let’s go eat lunch.” So I said: “OK Duke, I’ll be right down.” I drove down there to Waikiki Yacht Club and as I was driving through the gateway, I saw him on the asphalt. He had fallen. I ran up to him and evidently he had a stroke. Billy, his brother was there. He had just come by and we put Duke in my station wagon. I rushed him over to Kaiser Hospital where the Hawaii Prince Hotel now stands. Poor Duke had a stroke and was in a coma and never came out of it. But I can tell you so many beautiful stories about him. He’s in my heart forever.
JWR: This is also part of the Outrigger’s history.
HKA: A lot of celebrities from all over the world came to pay their respects to Duke, even while he was in a coma. They were all wishing and praying that he would come out of it.
JWR: You met some very interesting people, I imagine?
HKA: Oh, I have, I have. With Duke and Don Ho. I got to meet just about every major celebrity you can think of at that time – Jose Feliciano, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, John Rowles……
JWR: How long were you with Duke?
HKA: Well, the first two years I spent it mostly with Duke. At nights, I worked at the Duke’s Club as a host. Before Duke passed away, we had the greatest “hau’oli la hanau” (birthday) party for him. The greatest. In fact, I have it on film. Nobody knows about it.
JWR: Do you still have it (film)? It must be priceless.
HKA: Yes, I still have it. It is priceless.
JWR: Would you permit the Club (OCC) to have a copy of it?
HKA: Yes, maybe we can review it together first and see what condition it’s in. I haven’t seen it since …I don’t know when.
JWR: I think, oh my, this is fabulous!
HKA: Maybe we can put it on tape (video) or something, to try to preserve the condition, but to date I’m not sure what the color is like. It’s been so long….
JWR: This is memorabilia that I think the Club should have. I may be speaking out of turn, but I think it’s something the Club should negotiate with you. I’ll bring it up with the Club’s officials.
HKA: You know it’s a funny thing, there are a lot of stories written about Duke, but nobody really knew much about the last two years of his life. As Duke’s valet and driver and all that …. I probably was closer to him than most anyone else.
JWR: Tell me a little about Duke’s Club, because maybe a lot of people are unfamiliar with the location – how long it lasted, and what it offered.
HKA: I believe Duke Kahanamoku’s Restaurant/Nightclub was founded in 1961 by Kimo McVay and Duke. They were actually partners. Kinau Wilder, Kimo’s mother, was also involved. She helped with the financial part of it. So they had a very, very successful club. Just about every major local and mainland entertainer performed there. The most prominent one was, of course, Don Ho, who was discovered in 1965. He was brought from Honey’s in Kaneohe. Don started there with the Aliis and became an instant hit. A big hit! So big that we had to offer three shows, nightly. The first one, a dinner show at 8:30 p.m., included Tavanna’s Polynesian Review. Following the dinner show, at 11:00 p.m. was a cocktail show, and another one at 1:00 a.m., the “Suck’em up” show. Completely jam-packed … 750 per show …. Standing room only, with another line waiting outside, trying to get in… Every night. Can you imagine that? That’s a once in a lifetime experience. Every celebrity who came to Hawaii wanted to see Don. We had ’em all, including princes and princesses.
JWR: I want to make a comment. We interviewed a number of people who knew Duke – swam with Duke, surfed with Duke, but nobody has ever known or heard about this side of him. This is fabulous ….
HKA: I agree. Here’s another story I want to share with you. We attended the U. S. Surfing Championships in Long Beach, California. Before we arrived there were no waves. It was completely flat. However, the day we got there, the surf began to get bigger. As we walked out on the pier, hundreds of people recognized him and began chanting: “The Duke. … The Duke. .. The Duke .” The waves started rising and the Championship could finally begin. Everyone thought that maybe he was a Hawaiian god. Then we went to San Diego for the World Surfing Championships and Banquet. Duke was supposed to be one of the guest speakers, but at the last minute decided that he was too tired. So he told me: “Boy … Boy. … You go talk …” You can imagine how stunned I was! But I did it – for the Duke – and because he insisted, I had no choice. Then he wanted to go to Tijuana. So I said: “OK Duke, we’ ll go to Tijuana. So we drove to Tijuana. Wherever we went, people stared at Duke. Anyway, we ‘re in a Mexican restaurant, eating Mexican food. I looked across the room and there was a gentleman staring at us. I wasn’t sure who he was, but he looked like somebody we should know. He got up and came over to us and said: “Duke!” Duke looked up, “Phil! ” It was Phil Harris, a well known actor and conductor of the Phil Harris Orchestra. They hugged each other and talked about old times. I just watched everything. Everywhere we went there was always somebody well known … We had lots of stories like these.
JWR: We could spend a whole interview on your life with Duke. Let’s get back to the Outrigger Canoe Club. When did you join?
HKA: Originally I was a spouse member through my ex-wife, Cynthia-Bell Ames in 1961. I became a regular member in 1965.
JWR: When did you first start coming to the Outrigger?
HKA: I first came in ’55 when I was in the 8th grade at Punahou.
JWR: Really?
HKA: Yes, I used to come down with friends of mine who were members. They invited me, but I was kind of shy, so I always stood in the background.
JWR: That was in 1955. After the Korean conflict. That was really in the “boom” time in Waikiki.
HKA: Yes, the Club was still at the old location next to the Moana-Surfrider, where the Outrigger Hotel now stands.
JWR: What was your impression of the Club at that time?
HKA: My impression …. Well, it was in the heart of Waikiki. It looked Polynesian. It was low-rise and after you entered there were volleyball sand courts on both sides of the entry way to the main building. Then you would walk through that to the main building, to the beverage and dining rooms. It was very open and at that time there weren’t many people on the beach.
JWR: When you first came to the Club in ’55, was it to swim, surf, paddle?
HKA: Yes, I came as a guest to play volleyball, swim, paddle, catch waves and surf a little bit. In fact, some of my friends were Thomas Giles (one of the first guys I met at Punahou), Aka Hodgins, Lindsey Kinney, and Mickey Waddops – my first-time friends.
JWR: When did you start surfing?
HKA: I started when I came to Oahu. Little by little, out at “Cunahs”. It was a nice safe place. I surfed a lot, but I never really competed. I wish I had back then, but never did.
JWR: With what kind of boards were you surfing?
HKA: Oooh, big boards. Long, heavy, hollows. They were big. Almost like a Sailfish (a manufactured sail/board/boat), but they were easy to paddle.
JWR: What were your favorite surfing areas?
HKA: I liked “Canoes”, “Kapahulu Groin” and “Cunahs”.
JWR: Where is “Canoes”?
HKA: “Canoes” is in front of the Moana-Surfrider.
HKA: And “Cunahs”?
JWR: “Cunahs” is the next break over, towards Diamond Head.
JWR: Did you surf at “Publics”?
HKA: Yes, I have.
JWR: Why do they call it “Publics”?
HKA: Well, because they had public restrooms, baths and it was opened to the public. (laugh)
JWR: What was the break just beyond “Publics”?
HKA: “Castles”. I remember surfing there too when George Downing was out there. George Downing, Fred Hemmings, Ricky Gregg ….
JWR: Oh my, those are all the big names in surfing.
HKA: Yeah, big names. Well, I had the pleasure to get to know them too, because when we started the “Duke Kahanamoku Hawaiian Surfing Classic” in 1965, they all surfed in it . It was the most prestigious surfing event ever. We hope to reinstate it someday.
JWR: When did you start canoe paddling?
HKA: I started paddling on Moloka’i when I was 9-years old with the 12 and under crew. That was for the Moloka’i Canoe Club. Healani Canoe Club wanted to come up and challenge us. So they did. They won every event, every crew, except for the 12 and under. We won. They wanted to race us again and we beat them. “Baby” Bell was with that club at the time and Patrick Silva. Remember Patrick Silva and Mr. Pa’aina? They were the heads of Healani.
JWR: Don’t forget, I was president of the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association at that time.
HKA: I remember that, Ward. When we were kids, I used to look up to you.
JWR: I was a good friend of your father. (big smile)
HKA: You guys were all business-like. (laugh)
JWR: Well, you’ve had quite an illustrious paddling career. Tell me a little about your paddling.
HKA: I started with the Outrigger in 1966. It was the Moloka’i Race. Since then I have completed 31 races, with two years as a steersman. I’ve crossed the channel 31 times in a canoe – beginning with the LEILANI, KAKINA and even the PAOA. Once upon a time, only koa canoes were used.
JWR: How about the annual regattas?
HKA: Every year I paddle and race. I love the sport.
JWR: How many winning canoes have you been on? Do you remember?
HKA: I’ve had the pleasure of being on six Moloka’i Hoe winning crews – all with the Outrigger Canoe Club. I know I could have been on more because when we won on consecutive years in the ’60s, early ’70s, and again in ’84 and ’85, a group of us decided that we should go on to another club and help them. Well, in 1973, we went to Hui Nalu, to help rejuvenate that club. “Pinky” Thompson and his sons welcomed us there and we spent two years helping to develop that club. Shortly after that we went to Hawaiian Warriors with Sam Steamboat, Jr. He was a great athlete, a good coach and so we decided to paddle with him and all the other Hawaiians. We spent two years with him. In fact, in 1974 Sam tried to convince the Association to go “Iron Man” in the Moloka’i Hoe.
JWR: What do you mean by “Iron Man”?
HKA: “Iron Man” means, no changes. You start with a crew of six paddlers and finish with the same six.
JWR: How is the Moloka’i Race now?
HKA: Nine crew members are used with six in the canoe paddling and three alternates rotating in and out – usually on the average of every 20 minutes.
JWR: There have been instances when changes were difficult or something went wrong, and a crew had to paddle “Iron Man” across the channel.
HKA: Yeah , we did that one year. Sam Steamboat, Jr. wanted to prove that point .
JWR: Did you ever paddle “Iron Man”?
HKA: Yes. In the crew was Samson Mokuahi .. Great stroker, what a great stroker; Tommy Suesue, who works on the beach as a beachboy; myself; Bernard Ching, who is a beachboy and coaches at Iolani High School; Kalani Coito, who heads the beach services at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel; and the late LeRoy Ah Choy. Remember that name? A great surfer. We did it ….
JWR: Have you ever wanted to form a new canoe club?
HKA: Yes, in fact in 1975, Billy Mitchell, (a former member of the Club) Bob Riley, (a Non-resident member), Doug Frias (a Punahou boy) and I formed a new canoe club called Hui Lanakila. The name was given to us by John Kealoha from Maui. We wanted the experience of starting a new club. John mentioned he had an old koa canoe in his yard on Maui. We made a deal with him and got the koa canoe. Then, we talked to the late Wright Bowman and his son and we came up with the idea of a canoe building project at Kamehameha Schools . The School would put up all the funding to build the canoe, and we would help him. That’s how we got started with our koa canoe. Eventually, we named it KA’IHOLO KAI. Thereafter we had to purchase fiberglass canoes for training. I went to all the hotels in Waikiki asking if they would be a charter member of our club for $1,000. One thousand dollars in return for a life-time membership, a paddle and a T-shirt. Harry Newhart, the General Manager of the International Market Place, who was also a member here, was our first charter member.
JWR: How long was that club in existence?
HKA: It’s still in existence. It’s now headed by Leinaala Heine and Layton Luke.
JWR: And they compete in what races?
HKA: In the HCRA program. They compete in about 17 to 20 divisions in the regatta.
JWR: What was the name again?
HKA: Hui Lanakila.
JWR: Oh yes, of course . Do they paddle in the Moloka’i Hoe too?
HKA: Yes, I believe they were in the top 20 this year.
JWR: That’s quite remarkable.
HKA: Yes,it is. You know Ward , when we formed that club, everybody heard about it they came in big numbers . The first year we had 250-300 paddlers.
JWR: Are you still involved with the Club?
HKA: Yes, I am. I’m still one of the owners of the koa canoe.
JWR: It’s great that you have an interest in helping the rest of the clubs in the canoe association. Is there an outstanding race that you can recall or a time when things went wrong, or something spectacular happened?
HKA: The wildest experience I ever had was in 1976. That’s when the Association, decided that we would start the race from Kaunakakai, adding another 15 miles. That year, approximately fifteen Tahitian crews came because in 1975 Mahinui was favored to win. They didn ‘t win. They came in second. So all the Tahitians were very depressed and in 1976 they came full force with fifteen crews figuring that one of them would win. We started from Kaunakakai, and I was paddling for Hui Nalu. At the start of the gun, the Tahitians took off. You couldn’t believe it! It was like they had outboard engines! Teroa Pa’a won that race in 1976, followed by six other Tahitian crews.
JWR: How well I remember. (laugh) How about the annual regattas, the short distance events. With what crew do you usually paddle?
HKA: This past season, I paddled with the Outrigger Senior Masters crew As I previously explained, I started my paddling career in the “12 and under” and paddled at every level. Now I’m into the Masters.
JWR: Tell me a little about the Masters groups.
HKA: The first Masters division is 35 years and over. The Senior Masters is 45 years and over, and the Golden Masters which is 50 years and over.
JWR: So you are in ….?
HKA: The crew that has the most potential for winning … (big smile )
JWR: You probably could be in the senior men ‘s division, too.
HKA: Yes, and last year I had the pleasure of paddling with them during the Regatta Season in the 4th of July race.
JWR: You did?
HKA: Yes, however, in 1996 I steered a combined novice and freshman crew in the Moloka’i Race. We came in 29th overall out of 108 teams. That was pretty good, considering the loose ama and inexperienced crew. It was a great time!
JWR: You mentioned the 4th of July race. What is it?
HKA: Well, it’s our Club (OCC) sponsored race, named after one of our past presidents, Walter Macfarlane. It takes place on July 4th at Waikiki Beach.
JWR: How does it differ from the regular races during the season?
HKA: It’s probably the most prestigious and most fun race of all the regattas.
JWR: Why?
HKA: Because we have to go through the surf and waves.
JWR: What’s the course?
HKA: We start from the beach and race out to the one-quarter mile or half-mile flags, and come back, hopefully catching a swell or a wave so we can return with a fast finish.
JWR: Have you ever had a situation when another crew was overtaking you on a wave?
HKA: Yes, we have. In fact, many times …many many times. We would be in lane 4 or 5, where the waves or swells are not consistent, and we would be leading. All of a sudden, a crew in lanes 1, 2, or 3 could get on a wave and go right by us. Oh, that’s so heart breaking – so painful.
JWR: How many 4th of July races have you paddled in?
HKA: Just about every year since I can remember.
JWR: Henry, that’s fantastic. Is there any another water sport that you particularly enjoy?
HKA: Oh yes ! Free-diving. Since I was a kid, I’ve been spearfishing. Like my dad and grand father on Moloka’i. I love the feeling of descending – weightless – and going down deep into the ocean. Being in he water is so relaxing. It wipes away everything. It’s great therapy. I love being underwater with all the different colors of fish and reef life. It’s just so beautiful and peaceful, especially the deeper blue water where the ulua (giant trevally) are. Diving has all the elements for me – recreation, exercise and food. Today I still dive competitively in free-diving events with my sons, Bruce and David. When Patrick is in town, he goes diving with us too. I usually place in. the top three. The thing I really love about diving is that each time I go, I see or experience something new.
JWR: Don’t you also love playing softball? Tell us about that program at the Outrigger.
HKA: Oh boy, we ‘re having fun. We had a great year last year. In fact, we just played last night and we beat a team called Maharaja.
JWR: What league is this?
HKA: It’s called the Diamond Head Invitational Softball League, which is played across from the Club at Kapiolani Park. It’s slow pitch with the ball going no higher than 10 feet. We use 12-inch diameter balls – Red Dots made by Dudley.
JWR: How’s the Club doing?
HKA: We took the championship in 1997.
JWR: When did the softball league competition first start?
HKA: In 1965.
JWR: Have you been with it since the beginning?
HKA: Yes. The very beginning was with Peter Balding and Bill Head. They were on the original team. At that time it was called the Surveyor’s League. There were a lot of members working for surveying companies. Also, it was “mountain ball” pitch. In 1982, it was converted to “slow pitch”.
JWR: What’ s the difference?
HKA: In mountain ball there is no limitation on the height of the pitch. Slow pitch cannot exceed 10 feet.
JWR: How often and what positions do you play?
HKA: Today I play catcher because it’s closer to the dugout ! (Smile). Sometimes I’m at first base and sometimes I pitch . We play once a week – every Tuesday at 5 p.m.
HKA: Let’s see, what other Club activities are you engaged in?
HKA: I’ve been on just about every committee in the Club. I especially enjoy the Entertainment Committee. One of the projects that I’ve been asked to do is the Club’s Annual Luau. I have participated in that for the last three years. It’s been very, very successful.
JWR: When does it take place?
HKA: It’s usually held in the third week of September, on a Saturday night .
JWR: Why is it on that particular date?
HKA: It began almost fifty years ago. Evidently September was a perfect month. After the Regatta Season and before the major holidays, to give the members and their families an occasion to come together in the spirit of the Makahiki. The intent of the luau was to celebrate a bountiful summer and prepare everyone for the next few months.
JWR: I’m aware that you have served on almost every committee in the Club. Have you ever been on the Board of Directors?
HKA: Yes I have. I served on the Board for approximately eight years.
JWR: Are you currently on the Board?
HKA: No, I’m not.
JWR : When was the last time you served on it? HI<A : In 1992, I think.
JWR: I know you’ve been elected every time you’ve run.
HKA: Yes. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been supported by the general membership.
JWR: Have you’ve ever been inspired to become an officer of the Club?
HKA: Yes, I’ve always had the desire to actively participate in enhancing the Club. I love this Club, it’s given me so many opportunities to make friends and enjoy the sports that I love.
JWR: You would make a wonderful president. You do so much for the Club. I know your heart and soul are with this Club with all the things you’ve done and the contributions you’ve made. This takes me back to another point. What was your reaction when we had to move from the old location to the new location?
HKA: My initial reaction was disappointment because the Club had been there for so long. It was centrally located and everybody seemed to enjoy being in the middle of Waikiki. I think in the long run it has proved to be a much better location. Waikiki has gotten more dense and populated. Today I love the new location. It was a very good decision.
JWR: What are the differences in the activities at the old club and those in which we engage now?
HKA: Being in this location, we have access to Kapiolani Park, along with the Diamond Head Tennis Courts. With our current programs and other activities, we can get more families involved – whether it’s tennis, softball, volleyball. We have a larger facility, more parking, a terrific snack bar, and a great dining/bar area.
JWR: There are members who have suggested that we consider expanding the Club.For instance, adding a second floor and giving more amenities. What is your reaction to that?
HKA: My feeling is that if we want to increase the membership, we’re going to have to expand. It’s very important to make sure however that we maintain the same spirit and family-friendly atmosphere.
JWR: Is there anything else you want to add to this interview?
HKA: Lest I forgot to mention earlier that I am currently President of Keala Canoe Club which was founded by my uncle, Hawaiian Kaneapua. I truly appreciate you giving me this opportunity to share my mana’o (thoughts). I’m grateful for the chance to talk about how proud I am of the Club. We learned so much from the Outrigger. We wanted to go out and share it with other clubs – Hui Nalu, Hawaiian Warriors, Hui Lanakila. That’s the fun. (Laugh)
JWR: You’re a very unique person, Henry Ayau. Thank you for your time and for all you have done for the Club and for canoe paddling.
HKA: Mahalo, Ward. It’s been a pleasure talking with you.