The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-09-09
SEA, SURF-BOARD
AND SUN-BATH
Curative Properties of the
Salt Water Life at
Beach.
Honolulu, September ). 1905.

Editor Advertiser. To the leisure
class and to those that are upon the
lookout for some new experience, ex-
| citement or pleasure, the surf boating
and surf boarding at the Waikiki beach
offers all, if not more than all, anyone
could desire in the way of spert. 1t
certainly is a, wonderful experience to
go out in one of those canoes, and to
be picked up by the surf and project
ed forward at the speed of a cannon
ball, as someone has said, though i
would not vouch for quite that speed,
while the wave is almost topping over
you, threatening to submerge and en-
gulf you in an ocean of foam. This
certainly is an exciting and fascinating
sport; but it 5 tame alongside of the
more energetic and exciting sport of
surf board riding. This, indeed, is call
ed the king of sports, and to me it
seems nothing less, and what it is to
those that are expert in this thrilling
and exciting pastime is more than l
can say.
To some of the spectators, when they
see the great breakers coming in and
the surf boards tossed high in the air,
while the riders are pitched headlong
into the sea, this is most dangerous
sport; but in reality there is no dan
ger at all, or, if any, it is lost sight
of in the excitement and fun Of the
moment. In fact, as there are no rules
and some behind you, there is sure to
be a mixup once in while, but no one
cares for this, and as general thing
no one gets badly hurt.
The usual cause, however, of the
s1rf board flying in the air is because
the rider did not get properly balanced
on the top of the board, and in eonse-
quenee, instead of riding the wave it
takes a header for the bottom of the
sea, comes suddenly to a stop and
sends the rider forward into the sand;
while the board, free of its burden,
shoots up into the air and does little
stunt upon its own account.
Some idea of the fascination that
this sport has may be learned from the
fact that no amount of labor or dis
can deter or keep the |
devotees away from it when once they
have started And though some of |
them can not catch one wave in a
dozen, nor stand on the board at all,
that one seems to recompense them |
for all their unsuccessful efforts. In |
deed, one of the strongest deyotees of |
this sport says it took him four
hours d2y for three months before he I
could stand on a surf board, and he
thinks himself well repaid for his
trouble. Some of the boys, however,
are so expert that they can catch near
y every wave and stand on most of
them. And this to them, I have no
doubt, seems a greater achievement
than anything they have ever done;
while at the same time it S the greatest
sport they have ever known.
And not only is this fine exercise;
It is also most healthy one. For
example, witness those that participate
N it, and who are as brown as berries,
Tough as knots, hard as nans-in fact,
he very pictures of health and
strength. Indeed, some of them are
20 brown as tosmake it difficult to dis
;inguish the natives from the whites.
Very few people, 1 think, have any
dea of the wonderful curative proper
les of the sun and the sea water, or
he wonderful cures that have been eff
sected by them alone.
For instance, in France they have a
ea salt water cure that is doing won
Iers, whfe in Germany they have a
cure that is doing almost as
much.
Those who find the surf board toe
trenuous exercise could take up swim
ming, which is most healthy, enjoy
BILE and ideal exercise, and can not
all to do one good. Very truly,
GEORGE OSBORNE.