The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-07-24
SURFING At WAIKIKI.
BY DR.. {. H. HAND

All this talk about people getting
hurt while surfing and the dangers to
swimmers at Waikiki can be easily ex-
planned and should be no cause for dis
cusson Nearly all local people who /
patronize the Waikiki beach know OF
should know the locations of the reefs !
and any one vino knows anything .
about swimming also knows that the /
rocky places are not the best places for
the swimmer. So for the benefit of /
the uniformed allow me to give a
rough description of the beach from a |,
position facing the sea almost in front
of the Seaside Hotel There is reef
almost fifty yards wide running out
from the shore for distance of nearly
three hundred yards On each side of
this reef is the deeper water which &C
quires a depth of about six feet by the
time one gets from twenty-five to
thirty-fve yards from the shore, and
mostly sandy bottom and as free from
rocks as there is anywhere in the
vicinity of the Moana or Seaside hotels
and is considered the swimmers ter
ritory as it is almost ideal for begin
ners, to say nothing of the expert who
can find as much deep water as he
requires There are two kinds of
waves that gather and break over the
reef. One kind is the long wave which
extends clear across the water front
and comes blowing steadily clear to
the shore; just as soon as it reaches
the reef it begins to drag and breaks
over the reef, the part dragging form
ing a shape wave with the point
outward The other kind of wave has
the same appearance as the first only
it is formed by two waves, one COM
ing from each side of the reef and
meeting on the reef. But it does not
matter how the waves are formed for
they come toward the shore in the
shape of a V with the point toward the
ocean and it is the inside of this V
that the boys try to get a shot from
to catch a ride. Now it is a sort of
etiquette on the beach for every one
to get out of the way of the man who
has the inside of the V and unless the
" is large enough to accommodate
more than one (Which it sometimes can
to the extent of eight or ten) the man
on the inside has the undisputed right
of way. And if any one does not be-
lieve it just try to do what I did last
Saturday and you will soon be con-
WINGED.
Often-times you will think that the
man in the center of the V is losing
his wave and you will try to get into
the V by starting on one of the sides
and padding toward the center and if
the right of way man. keeps on
coming, you are bound to cut in ahead
of him and he must either run into
you or lose his ride. Well l did that
and third party on the other side did
the same thing, but my ride was 6
little bit speedier and | shot ahead Of
the right of way man" whose boarC
met the third party and the two board,
which were of about the weight o.
mine, gave me jolt on the right thigh
that made me sit up and take notice
s and no one to blame but myself.
t Here are a few rules that everyone
q riding a surf-board should practice til
he has mastered them: l. When yol
approach man lying on his board give
e the rear end of your board a sudden
dip and raise the nose out of the wa
ter, and the wave driving you will
= slide you clean over the man, blocking
= your way, and not hurt him or stoI
your ride. 2. If you are on a boarC
Y and can't get out OF the way, watci
e the oncoming board and help it pas
4 you by pushing it away from you anc
D forward at the same time. 8. If
t whole bunch come along close togethe
and there is no room between them
: get at the end of your board that il
e nearest the shore and as the rider
: approach lift the end nearest the shor,
t up so as to dip the end out at sea unde
a in order that the oncoming rider will
: ride over your board, and as he slide
= into the end of your board, you mus
o slide in under your board, feet first
: holding your board with both hands IL
: front of your face so as to protect TIN
= whole body. 4. If you can't do any o
d these stunts, get next or keep to on
: side while going out; and 5. But no
least always keep your eyes looking
: toward the sea and don't rubber to
n ward the shore unless you do so a
D your own expense" And another lit
d tie rule might also be added: Be sur
: to come out in a bathing suit and no
Q an excuse for one and use good de
o cent English, for there is no excus
for vulgar remarks or swearing at tn
= waves or anyone because you can no
get ride on account of your own in
Q experience or awkwordness TIL
IS beach should be a place where all tn
v people could feel at home and not hav