Duke Kahanamoku's Surfboard
When you go to the beach in Hawai'i today you'll see Duke Kahanamoku's influence. Duke was probably the most important surfer who ever lived, popularizing the sport around the world. He gave demonstrations of surfing in Australia and California inspiring the surfers who would come after him.
What a lot of people forget is that Duke wasn't just an athlete and movie star. He was a hero.
Duke was living in California in the summer of 1925 and on June 15th there was a big swell running while Duke and his friends were at Corona Del Mar. Duke told a friend that the waves were like "big green walls of water…sliding in from the horizon, building up to barn-like heights, then curling and crashing on the shore. Only a porpoise, a shark or a sea lion had any right to be out there."
As Duke and his friends watched from shore, Thelma, a small charter fishing boat came into view, heading for the safety of Newport Harbor. Before it could reach shelter a huge wave overturned the boat sending all 29 people aboard into the raging sea.
Duke sprang into action, grabbing his surfboard, and charging into the waves.
He made four round trips through the surf, rescuing eight of the twelve people who survived from the Thelma that day.
Newport's police chief called Duke's actions "the most superhuman surfboard rescue act the world has ever seen."
Today at the beach in Hawai'i surfboards aren't just used for having fun. They are an important part of the lifeguard's tools in keeping swimmers safe and we can thank Duke Kahanamoku for that.