I was in the Kaimuki Library, walking toward the men’s room, when I spotted a book at the end of a shelf to my left. It was a privately published book about Tom Blake, a legendary mid-20th century surfer, paddler, etc.

It caught my eye because my dad had several photos of Blake taken in the 1940s and early 1950s when their lives intersected.

When I opened the book, it almost fell open to a page with this photo.

It is immediately recognizable as Waialae Beach Park, where we start our daily walk at dawn. The bridge across the stream was replaced in the early 1970s, and the coconut trees have grown, but otherwise it looks much the same.

There was a discussion of the 1950 Waikiki paddleboard race, with a photo that included Blake and my dad. So I’m guessing this photo of the park was taken around that time.

See: “Tom Blake: The Uncommon Journey of a Pioneer Waterman.”