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By no means the best wave in Hawaii, Kaiser’s nevertheless has magnetism. Short, fast, and hollow, the wave was created in the late 1950s when the Hilton Hawaiian Village cut a channel through the reef for tourist catamarans.
KAISER’S PARKING LOT, 2016, watercolor on archival paper, 12 × 16 inches.Bobby is half Hawaiian and half Portuguese. He’s tall and muscled and a very imposing figure in the lineup. Proud of his Hawaiian heritage, he begins each session by loudly chanting an ancient Hawaiian invocation that lasts a good five minutes. He’s been known to severely intimidate the pidgin-breasted, toe-headed, chapped-lipped punks right off the plane. In his three decades at Kaiser’s, he’s handed out many slaps, as well as broken fins, broken boards, and broken lips. The power of his chant alone keeps the uninitiated at bay. I love the braggadocio as he declares, at full volume, “I rule this place.” In the parking lot, no one seems to notice. But in the water, he’s a very different presence.
Shortly afterward, a barge sunk just beyond the channel, creating what was then called “the long shot.” Some very old timers still remember paddling their balsa boards—with plastic-wrapped sandwiches held carefully in their teeth—out to the still-exposed barge and eating their lunch on deck in between sessions.
One of the outstanding features of this wave is the parking lot that fronts it. Much drama plays out here on a daily basis—romances, fights, parties, and even the odd criminal activity. If John Steinbeck had been a surfer, Kaiser’s would’ve been his Cannery Row.
The surfers depicted in the following portraits have ridden Kaiser’s continually for at least 30 years. They are by no means the only ones, however. These are only a few among many who have a commanding presence in the lineup, and a primal connection to the wave.
Dennis Originally from East L.A., Dennis is the only full-blooded Mexican I know that has completely embraced the Hawaiian lifestyle. He’s an exceptional surfer, a grandfather, and a beach boy. In the old days, he was also quite the wild man. Moochie I met Moochie during my first Kaiser’s session in 1979. Somehow, I managed to burn him on my first wave. Afterward, I paddled right in and bought him a sixpack and a bag of weed. We’ve been friends ever since.Albert Uncle Albert is probably the most influential Kaiser’s surfer. Everyone loves his company, even when he demands waves. He’s also the owner of The Poor Boys Yacht Club—very exclusive—located at the end of the Ala Wai fuel dock. Nappy Senior patriarch of the legendary Napoleon clan, Nappy is a master of all water sports, but especially canoe surfing and paddling. This kind and humble soul has launched the paddling careers of hundreds of people, both young and old.Jungle Jungle got his nickname over 40 years ago, when he first came to Waikiki from Bali. Famous for his surfing, as well as for the occasional con artist exploit, with Jungle the only thing you can expect is the unexpected.Seiji Seiji is a master of the Bowl. Born in São Paulo, Brazil, he’s full-blooded Japanese. He never yells, never fights, and never imposes his will on other surfers. He simply surfs at the highest level, and everybody knows it.
[Feature image: THE WARNING, NO COME K BOWL, 2017, acrylic-gouache on archival paper, 9 × 12 inches.]
