It's not an easy task getting the Keaulana family together. At any given time, Hawaii's first family of surfing could be scattered all over the world. Ocean is ohana
for KeaulanasSPIRIT OF THE SEA
Grace Wen / gwen@starbulletin.com
Whether through work or for play, the ocean separates and brings together the Keaulana family.
"The ocean is our bloodline," Brian Keaulana said. "It gives us a sense of balance and peace. Emotionally we're all disturbed so we need that peace of mind (when) we go in the water to get away from everything."
Legendary waterman Buffalo Keaulana and son Brian have worked in stunts and water safety coordination for the government, television and film.
Some of their previous films included "Waterworld," "City of Angels" and "Pearl Harbor." Brian also spent three years as the stunt coordinator for Baywatch Hawaii.
Brian's brother Rusty is a world champion surfer who trots the globe to compete in surf contests from California to South Africa.
With six children and 10 grandchildren, Momi Keaulana calls herself the family lighthouse, the one who radiates the beam of light that guides the various members of the family back to home, back to Makaha.
"I just keep turning and turning," Momi said.
One thing is a given though: when the waves are good the family converges at Makaha Beach. The water is as much a part of their ohana as any single member of the family.
"If there's waves, we'd all be here," Buffalo Keaulana said. "If there's no surf, then it's hard to get us together."
All six children -- Brian, Jodi, Lehua, Rusty, Jimmy and Stanley -- could swim and surf before they were walking. The Keaulana family owns an estimated 100 surfboards.
Though surfing plays an important role in their lives, the Keaulanas say the ocean is the focal point.
"Surfing is part of our lives but it's not who we really are," Brian said. "Both my mom and my dad taught us how to have fun and to enjoy the ocean.
"And that's really where our foundation is, whether there's surf or not. It's all about enjoying life and the lifestyle down here."
That life and lifestyle have given the Keaulanas not only a love of the ocean, but also a vast knowledge about the water that they try to share.
"In Hawaii, the greatest treasure is knowledge," Buffalo said. "We have so much knowledge about the ocean ... what creates waves and wind. We can predict things before it happens so it becomes valuable for TV and the movies."
The entertainment industry isn't the only group to benefit from that knowledge. The Keaulanas have saved countless lives as on- and off-duty lifeguards. And through their instruction, they have helped to educate numerous people about water safety.
The family's impact is also felt in other countries as well. In Japan, they spearheaded an effort to clean up the beaches and they helped turn an entire nation on to longboard surfing.
"It was just awesome that at least we were a part of what kind of sparked the rest of the people down there to try and care about the ocean," Rusty said. "When we (first) went there (in 1986), they had 20-30 surfers in longboarding. Today, you have over 5,000."