I was interested to see the Star-Advertiser story about the memorial service for old-time surfer, Dorian Paskowitz who died last year at age 93 (“Family and friends bid aloha to influential surfing legend“).
A very young Paskowitz was active in the fledgling Waikiki Surf Club back in the late 1940s.
For example, Paskowitz was a participant, and one of the top finishers, in the 1948 Christmas Day Diamond Head Paddleboard race. It was the first year that the WSC sponsored the event.
Winners of the first 10 places appear in this photo. L-R: Rabbit Kekai (#1), George Downing (#2), Robert Krewson (#3), Herbert Bessa (#4), Edward Whaley (#5), Wally Froiseth (#6), Dorian Paskowitz (#7), Frank Freitas (#8), Blue Makua (#9), Russ Takaki (#10).
And he was #95 on the men’s signup sheet for the club’s Christmas party that year.
For more photos of that Christmas period in 1948, click here.
I’m sure that there are a few more photos of Paskowitz among my dad’s papers from those early WSC years, and perhaps I’ll be able to track them down.
Back in 2007, I cribbed this quote from the Honolulu Advertiser which was attributed to Paskowitz.
“God will surf with the devil if the waves are good.”
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I recognize Russ Takaji in a number of the photos. I knodew him well in later years when he was parole officer with the State. Great water man.
There was a fascinating documentary made about Paskowitz and his family.
http://www.magpictures.com/surfwise/
Mahalo for sharing. I am going to send this blog to Kelly Huddy (Kekai) and Pinky Keanu, my child hood friends. Kelly is Rabbit’s daughter and Pinky is Jammer’s daughter. They will love your old photos.