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Press Box
Cindy Luis
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Paddling through the history pages
I T is an amazing book, aptly described as a labor of love by its author, Dr. Peter Caldwell.
Many words come to mind while thumbing through "Molokai-Oahu through the Years ... A History of the Moloka'i Outrigger Canoe Race."
Stunning. Inspiring. Spiritual.
But for paddlers, kindred athletic souls and anyone wanting to understand that crossing the Kaiwi Channel is more than a sporting event, there are two words:
"Must have."
I was fortunate enough to be given an advance copy of Caldwell's wonderful 288-page book, a coffee-table tome that is weighty in size and history. It brought back many memories of covering both the men's Molokai Hoe and the women's Na Wahine O Ke Kai as well as competing in three women's races in the early 1980s.
I guess I was destined to become involved with what is considered the world championship of outrigger canoes. The morning I arrived in Hawaii in 1981, the first sports story I read was the recap of Na Wahine O Ke Kai held the previous day.
A year later, fate had me being coached by legends Babe Bell and Nappy Napoleon as part of the Hawaiian Warriors crew. George Downing was our escort boat driver, where there were 8- to 12-foot swells and 14 canoes finished.
I had no clue then who Bell, Napoleon and Downing were in the rich lore of Hawaii paddling and water sports history. Readers of Caldwell's book will come to know them as well as others whose legacy is not just this race, but the perpetuation of the sport: Toots Minvielle, Wally Froiseth, Blue Makua, Mike Tongg, Tom Conner, Kala Kukea, Jim and John Foti, Anona Napoleon, Lei Faria, Hannie Anderson.
Really too many to name, a problem Caldwell knows he'll hear about.
"I'm hoping that people don't find too many mistakes," said Caldwell, who had competed in eight Molokai Hoe. "But we are expecting e-mails and phone calls."
There's sure to be corrections and omissions, which opens the door for at least one sequel. Caldwell certainly has enough material.
"It was supposed to come out a few years ago but we kept adding more and more things," he said. "One of the ideas was to do it for the 50th anniversary (2002) or maybe wait until Nappy's 50th crossing (2007). Finally, we said it's getting out of hand, let's just do it.
"At first we weren't going to put in an index, but now it's like a high school annual. People can go look to see what page they're on."
Editor Gaylord Wilcox will have 100 of the 4,000 copies available for sale at the finish line of Sunday's Molokai Hoe. The cost is $39 ... a little pricey but worth it. Beautifully designed by Cindy Turner, the book will be in local stores later this month. Pre-orders are available at www.molokaicanoerace.com.
"I'm real happy with it," Caldwell said. "I hope everyone enjoys it. It was good fun. The only disappointing thing is there's a couple guys, old-timers we got on tape to talk story, who aren't around to see it."
I dropped the book on my thigh while reading it, leaving a fist-sized bruise.
The book is sure to leave more of a lasting mark on any one who reads it.