Duke Kahanamoku visits the Shire

[p]When legendary Hawaiian surfer and swimming champion, Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, visited Australia during the summer of 1914/15 he caused a sensation. On 2 January 1915, at the Domain Baths in Sydney, the Olympic medallist broke his own 100 yards swimming world record in front of a ‘standing-room only’ audience of at least 6,000 excited spectators. Over the next few weeks Kahanamoku continued to enthral crowds both in Queensland and along Sydney’s Northern Beaches with thrilling displays of surfing on a board ‘as big as the bottom of a boat.’ Then it was the Sutherland Shire’s turn to host the superstar.[/p] [p]On 7 February Kahanamoku and his party - which included fellow Hawaiian swimmer George Cunha, and Australian freestyle champion Harry Hay - were welcomed by members of the Cronulla Surf Lifesaving Club at Sutherland Railway Station. The sportsmen then set off in a convoy of motor cars on a sightseeing tour which travelled down to Waterfall, then up through the National Park via Lady Carrington Drive, and eventually arrived at Audley in time for an alfresco luncheon. Several of the Sydney men in the entourage were heard to remark how extraordinary it was that ‘they should have missed the beauties of that gully so near Sydney all their lives.’[/p] [p]After lunch a launch took Kahanamoku and the others up the Hacking River to Cronulla where the beach was decorated with bunting and packed with people. Unfortunately, reported the [i]St. George Call[/i] newspaper: ‘Jupiter Pluvius and Father Neptune were in a bad mood and spoilt the afternoon.’ In other words, it was raining and there wasn’t much surf.[/p] [p]Nevertheless an impromptu alarm reel race was quickly staged between Kahanamoku, Cunha and Hay; the Cronulla lifesavers acted as linesmen. There was much speculation over who would win the contest as Hay was one of the fastest beltsmen in the State and the two Hawaiians had never competed in such a race before. As it turned out, Cunha, who swam a ‘crawl stroke’, struggled to adapt to swimming with the belt and line; apparently he nearly wrenched his toes off when they caught on the line. But Duke was a natural: Hay lost by a yard to the Olympic champion and his famous ‘Kahanamoku Kick’. [/p] [p]Fortunately by race end the waves at Cronulla had begun to roll and so to the delight of the assembled spectators, Kahanamoku took to the water for an exhibition of surfboard riding: standing upright; standing on his head; diving off; twisting the board. ‘It all looked so ridiculously easy,’ marvelled the [i]St. George Call[/i], ‘and so it was to the Duke, but local men who tried after came to the conclusion that they had a lot to learn about the game. One wants to try and stand on that unstable piece of wood, even in smooth water, to appreciate fully the sight of that bronze statue tearing in through broken and choppy seas.’[/p] [p]The day ended with tea at Cronulla’s new pavilion followed by music at the home of the Surf Lifesaving Club’s captain. The guests of honour entertained their hosts late into the night with Hawaiian songs; the music provided by Duke Kahanamoku and his ukulele.[/p] [p]Incidentally, a decade later in 1925 the Cronulla Surf Lifesaving Club again played host to another champion swimmer and surfer - Sam Kahanamoku, younger brother to Duke. And once again a huge gathering of over 5000 people crowded onto Cronulla Beach to watch the star in action. After competing in – and winning – an invitation race, Sam Kahanamoku entertained the crowd with a display on his surfboard, despite being ‘restricted on account of the lifeless and shallow waves.’[/p] [p][b][size=4]References[/size][/b][/p] [ul] [li][url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article120803443]Duke Kahanamoku beats local lads in 100yds in World's record time[/url] (1915 January 3). [i]Sunday Times[/i], p. 11.[/li] [li][url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article120792408]Carnival at Dee Why[/url] (1915, February 7). [i]Sunday Times[/i], p. 13.[/li] [li][url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article162768594]Cronulla surfing[/url] (1915, February 13). [i]The St George Call[/i], p. 5.[/li] [li][url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28069904]Champion swimmer[/url] (1925, January 5). [i]The Sydney Morning Herald[/i], p. 13.[/li] [/ul]