As a member of the Koloa Outrigger Canoe Club, myself and my teammates traveled to Hanalei to compete in the Na Pali Challenge on August 21. It started at Hanalei Bay and wrapped around Na Pali and continued towards Polihale
As a member of the Koloa Outrigger Canoe Club, myself and my teammates traveled to Hanalei to compete in the Na Pali Challenge on August 21. It started at Hanalei Bay and wrapped around Na Pali and continued towards Polihale and ended at Kikiaola Harbor.
The race consisted of 12 paddlers and a six-man canoe. The paddlers were 6 men and 6 women, with changes done at 30-minute intervals.
My entire crew was using a koa canoe in the race. A koa canoe is the most treasured canoe any club has the privilege to own. It is a prized possession, tenderly pampered and gingerly handled. The state canoe races held every August, requires only koa canoes to be used in this championship regatta.
As I was on my escort boat, the Pueo, captained by, Roger Palama, along with his crew, who were Norman Paza, Lokela Palama (Roger’s 6 yr old son), Kaweo (Roger’s 6 or 7 yr old nephew) and myself were just passing Kalalau Valley, preparing to do a change.
The men were in the canoe and all 6 women were ready to jump in to take their turn. The escort boat had moved forward in anticipation for the canoe, when all a sudden the stroker (the Ist seat paddler) waved up his hands. We in the boat knew something had gone wrong and Roger immediately turned the boat towards the canoe. With the canoe sinking, Roger asked Sa‘le the steersperson for some help. Sa’le replied, “Jump in and help.” Without any hesitation all 6 women dove overboard including Norman and even the two young boys were ready to jump out and help, too.
Instead, they helped me move fishing poles and made room to bring the canoe onto the boat. While this was happening Hanalei Canoe Club was nearby and saw the catastrophe. They did their change and turned their escort boat around and with their 6 men, the captain of their Na Pali Challenge showcases aloha spirit boat and their helpers, asked if we needed any help. Sa’le told them to go on and continue with the race.
Skip Foffest (coach of Hanalei Canoe) said, “No we’ll help!” The men of Hanalei Canoe Club were in the water grabbing iakos, ama, and canvases and doing everything possible to help us. All the while the escort boats waited in anticipation to help retrieve paddlers and equipment. I would say a total of 19 to 20 people were in the ocean. The water was choppy and with a lot of swells but this was to our advantage.
After removing all the outside equipment, we could work on getting the hull (which was broken in half) onto the escort boat. With every swell movement we carried one piece at a time onto the boat.
Six paddlers got back onto the boat and the rest lifted the canoe to them every time a swell emerged. On two attempts it was secured on the boat. Getting the back half of the canoe onto the boat was a little harder because it was the larger piece. This time we had to bury the back in the water with the weight of the paddlers, so the front would lift up and then use the swells to help guide the canoe on the boat.
It worked, and securing both pieces to the cabin of the escort boat enabled us to head towards the shore. All this took no more than 20 to 25 minutes.
Having no experience in recovering broken canoes, I personally think this was done with great speed, guts, and enthusiasm. Having knowledge of the ocean also helped, along with friendship between both captains of the canoe clubs, dedication and pure Aloha for each other. Skip Forrest of the Hanalei Canoe Club and Sa‘le Potts of the Koloa Outrigger Canoe club belong to the two oldest active clubs on Kaua‘i, and because of this friendship, they, and the canoe paddlers were able to work together to save the most precious canoe any club could own, a koa canoe.
To the escort captain of the Hanalei Canoe Club we send you our sincerest Mahalo. To our escort boat captain Roger Palama who never questioned any instructions Sa’le gave and was willing to do all he could to save the canoe, we send you and your two young crew members, Lokela and Kaweo and Norman Paza all our Mahalo and Aloha. Roger is one of Koloa Outrigger Canoe club’s biggest supporters. As we headed to Kikiaola Harbor, we were humbled by the strength of the ocean and thankful to the Heavenly Father for keeping all who helped safe. We were also very happy that Hanalei Canoe Club was able to continue and finish the race.
