"The Duke," uncredited but likely written by John Severson, ran in the March 1965 issue of SURFER. This version has been slightly shortened and edited.

Duke, you were surfing before the turn of the century. Can you tell us a little bit about your early days?

I remember I was about eight years old, I guess, when I started surfing here at Waikiki Beach. That was a long time ago. We had nobody to teach us how to ride these waves or swim. We even had to learn ourselves—especially the surfboarding.

Your old Hui Nalu Club was probably the first surfing club ever formed. Tell us how it got started.

A group of us surfers used to be sitting around the beach under a tree close to the Moana bathhouse. Well, the name Hui Nalu was picked up between Knute Cottrell and I, when we were out surfing one day. We were out there sitting and watching for surf to come in, and we thought “Gee, if we can only form a club, this would be the word—Hui Nalu,” because "Hui" is to get together, or an organization, and "Nalu" is surf. So that’s how we got the name.

Who were some of the old-timers with you then?

There was Knute Cottrell, and the Hustace brothers—about four or five of them. They used to live right in front of Canoe surf. Harold Castle used to be out there. Eddie Holt and that bunch and some Hawaiian boys. Bill Carr, Kenny Winter, and Bill Smith. All those fellows who used to be out there surfing

You did a lot of surfing on the Mainland and in Australia When you worked as an actor in Hollywood, Duke, did you surf much?

I went about 1922 and, of course, at that time I was staying in Hollywood and we managed to take a board and do some surfing down at Newport Beach—in Balboa [Corona Del Mar jetties]. There was just a few of us—a handful. We used to go down just about every weekend. My first trip to Sydney, Australia, was in 1915 and I made a surfboard there, which is now on exhibition at Freshwater and it’s been there all these years, I guess.

How about the San Francisco area? Did you ever get up there?

No, I never surfed up that far because the water was too doggone cold. Of course, I’ve seen some good surf running near the Cliff House [San Francisco] and down the coast, and I used to say, “Gee, there’re some wonderful places to surf.” But the water was too cold, so I just skipped it.

Not surfboarding, but I did body surf there—Far Rockaway and Sea Gate and places like that. Then in 1912, after I came back from the Olympics in Stockholm, I went over to Atlantic City and rode the board there (laughs) and the water was . . . well, the water was all right. And I used to take that doggone board and carry it on the pier and throw it off the pier. You know, those piers down in Atlantic City, they were very high. And I used to chuck this doggone surfboard off the pier and into the water and then jump or dive, pick up the board, and ride by the side of the pier.

You’ve also taught many celebrities how to surf. Tell us about some of them.

Way back Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. was one of the first I taught to surf. No, before that was the Duke of Windsor. He came to Hawaii and he was the first tourist I took out surfing. I managed to get him on the board and we got on the same wave—same board. Of course, he wasn’t too set on balancing and I had to balance the board for him and then I would slip off the back of the board. I would say, “All right, it’s yours (laughs).” And before you knew it he looks back and says, “Where are you?” And I’ll be way back someplace. And they would come in on the board by themselves after I get the board all balanced, you know, and straightened, they would come straight in.

Duke, these foam boards that are ridden today are quite a bit different from the big, heavy solid wood boards of your day. What do you think of that?

This board of mine, which I have today, is 16 feet long, 22 inches wide, and 3 inches thick. It’s solid redwood. You speak about these light boards. The first (light) board I tackled was Peter Lawford’s board when Peter first came to Honolulu and he brought this board and we swapped boards right out there at Canoes surf. I took one wave and it was kinda tricky as you know. I thought “Well, I’d better stick to my own solid board, which is steadier and easier to manage.” I said to Peter, “You better give me my board and you take your board back.” And that’s the last I ever rode on one of these tricky boards they have. But these kids are really expert on handling these boards. They spin around and then they put the brakes on and that board comes up and then goes backwards and (laughing) I don’t know where else it goes.

As you know, surfing spots everywhere are getting very crowded as the sport grows by leaps and bounds. Now when you surfed, back in 1915 at Waikiki, how many people would be out on a crowded day?

I don’t think there would be more than ten or 12—maybe a little more than that—maybe 20, but not any big number like you have today. They’re going crazy [these days]. Hundreds of them out there.

And how about today, Duke, when on a Sunday, there’s as many as a thousand out at Waikiki That’s quite a log jam. Do you have any suggestions?

Well, they should set up an area for these surfboards and canoes. You see the canoes, we always figured they had the right of way and especially at the Canoes surf. And always the canoe comes first and the surfboard just had to get out of the way. In the past they’ve tried to control this and I don’t know why they don’t do it anymore. They should do something for the safety of the people coming in on the canoes. You know, I got hit twice. I’m trying to steer a canoe and a guy comes sliding over and he tips off and the board gets away from him and I get cracked in the head. I got blacked out one time. And I was lucky—I hung on to the paddle and kept the canoe straight and when I came to, the canoe was still on its way (laughing).

Back in your day, Duke, what did you do about the young fellows, the gremmies, who frequently get into a little trouble? How would you handle that?

We older fellows, we’d make it a great thing to take care of these kids. The youngsters [who acted up], we would send back into shore. I know a lot of the boys—Tough Bill, my brothers, and so many of these fellows. They’d come out and we’d know they can’t handle the big waves and we’d send them back to shore. And we’d say, “You stay there until you’re big enough and 

 you come on out.” After three or four years experience out surfing at Canoes they go out by themselves and we let them.

Duke, How about the real beach bum types; the kind who give surfing a bad name?

No, we kick them off. Any of the boys come over who we didn’t like them, and they come from the other side of town. We’d just say, “Look, go back," and these kids would stay away until such time as they can behave like gentlemen. Then we ask them in. Otherwise, they don’t come up the beach. We just give them the thumb and that’s pau.

Do you have any tips that you’d like to pass along to young surfers?

I think we have to teach a lot of these kids to be gentlemen. Gotta be clean-cut youngsters, you know. And keep the rule and never get in trouble. And try to help one another and not try to hog the doggone waves. You know, there are so many waves coming in all the time, you don’t have to worry about that. Just take your time—wave come. Let the other guys go; catch another one. And that’s what we used to do. We’d see some other fella was there first and we’d say, “Now you’re here first. You take the first wave,” and that’s what we used to do.

Would you compare the big waves that are being ridden on the North Shore over at Waimea and Sunset, or Makaha on the West Side, to the surf you used to have at Waikiki?

Well, I tell you, they run in seasons. In summer, the waves are terrific out here (Waikiki) and it’s very quiet on the north side. And just the other way—when it’s rough over there, it’s smooth on this side. But the waves over there on the north side are terrific. You speak of Makaha. Makaha, we used to ride there, but we never were riding like the boys are doing today. These chaps are catching waves right in the middle of the doggone break. And then they go straight down and get mixed up with the foam [and come back out of it]. What we used to do was sit close to the edge, and every time we caught the wave we’d slide off without having to get mixed up in the foam. That’s how we used to ride it—either to the right or left. But these boys who ride them now, well, they’re just wild. They’re going all over, way beyond us, riding these trick boards.

We used to bodysurf Waimea and Sunset and those places, and once in a while we did use a board, but very seldom. We don’t think of carrying a board with us because it’s kind of heavy, and so we take a ride around the island and look at these waves. Waimea, we used to go down there and ride bodysurf.

Duke, what was your worst wipeout on a surfboard?

Gee, the worst wipe-out I had, I think, was right out there beyond the Public Bath. The waves were big that day—I don’t know, about 25 feet, I guess. And they were coming fast, one right after the other. I got caught in these waves and I took my breath and gee, I thought to myself, the only way I can save myself is not to struggle, to not to fight the waves and just be cool, not give too much effort, but just sit and wait. Well, these doggone waves were coming in so fast that I was almost ready to call help. Then I said, “I better hang on and God will help me and keep me afloat and then I’ll be all right.” And that’s what happened.

Can you tell us about one of your biggest rides on a surfboard?

One was really fantastic. I caught this big wave—I would say between 25 and 30 feet—on one of those days when the surf was so big. A lot of the guys just grounded themselves, and I picked up this 16-foot board of mine and went out to Castles. And I looked at those doggone waves and I said, “Boy, these are really top waves,” and I said, "I'm going to take it whether I like it or not.” I had to go (laughing). And I caught this wave and I came in. I started Castles right out through Queen’s Surf. That's Queen’s Surf on the other side, close to the Canoe Surf. That’s where I toppled. The point of my board hit the edge and knocked my balance. That was the end of my run. Otherwise, if I hadn’t done that, I would have gone ... I would have gone right in to Harry Steiner’s Waikiki Tavern. I could have gone all the way in (to the beach). The ride was about a mile and one-eighth, and that’s a long stretch.

Duke, you’re still Hawaii’s best, as well as the first, Olympic Champion. You were training for the Olympics from your teens well into our forties. That’s an incredible record.

The first time I came into the picture for the Olympics goes way back to 1910. The first AAU meet was held at that time. I swam that first meet and broke the world's record for straightaway. I was 19. You see, I did start early to become a champion. I just carried on and kept training until I had a chance to travel the world and go to the Olympics. That’s what I did in 1912. I went to Stockholm, Sweden, and that was be first time. I was also on the Olympic water polo team. (Laughs) I remember when the water was so cold back in 1920, in Antwerp. I was asked to play on the team and I was just purple because the water was so cold—cold as ice. Gee, I could hardly do my little trick of holding some of these guys down with both my feet. I couldn't feel anything. I tried to come back in 1932, I guess I wanted a last swim in the Olympics. I didn’t quite make it and find myself to be, well—just one of those has-beens (laughs).

Duke, that's something you could never it. That’s really a record to be proud of. Tell us, do you still find time to get in the water once in a while?

Every day, if I can. Matter of fact, I’m in the water all the time. But I haven’t been able to work on the board because my arms are not quite strong enough yet for me to paddle. 

[Note: in 1962, Duke, 71, was struck in the head by a boom and later required brain surgery for a blot clot; he was in critical condition for some days following and his recovery was slow.]

 I’m much better now than when I first came out of the hospital. Gee, I couldn’t move a thing back then; I couldn’t even put my right hand over my right shoulder. Now I’m able to paddle a little bit, and I don't think it will be very long before I'm able to ride some more waves. (Laughing) Maybe I won’t ride as big a wave as some of these guys are riding. I’ll just play it safe. I ride the kind of wave lor my age (laughing)—I’m only 74. I’ll just pick the right kind of wave and keep on riding.

Duke Kahanamoku

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