Google Celebrates the 125th Birthday of Surfing’ Godfather Duke Kahanamoku – the Big Kahuna

Google commemorates the 125th birthday of Duke Kahanamoku or “The Big Kahuna,” a Hawaiian credited with spreading the sport of surfing to California, Australia and New Zealand.

The story of Duke Kahanamoku–the Hawaiian who, in 1912, first drew the world’s collective gaze upon the art of surfing–reads like mythology.

The Ambassador of Aloha

Duke Kahanamoku born in Honolulu in 1890, has been credited in over a dozen feature films, surfed the world’s most imposing swells before Californians knew what surfing was, won five Olympic medals in swimming and was elected sheriff of his beloved home county thirteen times.

Rescues eight fishermen

On the morning of 1925, off the coast of Newport Beach, a 40-foot fishing vessel called the Thelma found herself in the grip of a sudden and violent storm.

The vessel succumbed to the thrashing breakers, stranding its crew in the surf. The Duke, who watched from the shore as he prepared for that morning’s ride, rushed headlong into the maelstrom with his surfboard and, along with three friends, managed to save twelve men.

The Big Kahuna managed to save eight of the 12 fishermen’s lives personally. The rescue led to surfboards becoming a tool for rescue swimmers.

Today, on his 125th birthday, Google recalls the legend of the “Ambassador of Aloha” with a Doodle of his iconic, 16-foot wooden surfboard and his warm, blithe smile.

Source Google