OHCRA rallies around fallen Honaunau

You’d probably have to be a paddler to understand what Honolulu Pearl has been through recently.

Two weeks ago, "a living member" of the canoe club — Honaunau — was battered and has since been on the mend.

Honaunau isn’t a person. It’s Honolulu Pearl’s koa canoe, although you’d think it is a woman since everyone uses "she" or "her" when referring to it.

Kim Hasegawa was part of the Honolulu Pearl women’s novice A crew on June 19 at Nanakuli Beach Park, when Honaunau got caught in a wave near the end of the race and slammed into the sand. The impact split the canoe in half near the front and left numerous pieces of koa floating in the water.

Hasegawa said the 55-year-old canoe breaking apart sounded like "bone crunching."

For her and other paddlers, the relationship between a crew and its koa canoe is spiritual.

"I was telling a friend what happened and she was like, ‘You are just talking about a canoe?’ I was like, ‘No, maybe you have to be a paddler to understand it,’ " Hasegawa said. "It’s koa, which is a very sacred wood in Hawaii.

"What I’ve been telling people and a lot of nonpaddlers is that there is a connection with you and your koa. It is a part of your team," she added.

With the help of other canoe clubs, Honolulu Pearl has still been able to participate in Oahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association regattas.

Last week at Waimanalo, Honolulu Pearl, an A division (small) club, borrowed a canoe from Kai Oni.

At Monday’s Walter J. Macfarlane Regatta at Waikiki Beach, Honolulu Pearl borrowed one from Anuenue.

The Macfarlane Regatta was a nonscoring event, meaning the points won’t count toward qualification for the state meet.

In the AAA division, Lanikai scored 102 points, followed by Outrigger with 75 and Kailua with 65.

In AA, Leeward Kai won with 36 points, Healani was second with 30 and Keahiakahoe third with 26.

In A, Waikiki Surf Club scored 15 points, Keola O Ke Kai finished with seven and Waimanalo six.

OHCRA’s next event is the John D. Kaupiko Regatta on July 17 at Keehi Lagoon. Honolulu Pearl’s Honaunau won’t be back in the water there or anytime soon, but the good news for the club is it’s salvageable. Also, there has been an outpouring of support from other OHCRA clubs and various individuals.

Bobby Puakea, the head coach of Kai Oni, took on the task of reviving Honaunau.

"Uncle Bobby from Kai Oni coming over and saying that he was going to take care of Honaunau and get her up and running … and he said that right on the beach, which gave our club a lot of hope," Hasegawa said.

But the process will take time and money. Puakea, a 35-year kahuna kalai wa‘a (master canoe builder), said it’ll take roughly two to 2½ years before Honaunau is fully restored, and the cost will be at least $65,000.

"The reason for that is besides putting it back together, they also may want to add new life to it redesigning it, maybe extend it," he said. "Hopefully, it’ll make the club better."

The koa canoe, which was built on the Big Island, is currently at Heeia State Park in Kaneohe.

Immediately after the accident two weeks ago, the Honolulu Pearl paddler in seat No. 1 was taken to the hospital and had seven stitches to her left foot, while Hasegawa was treated on shore for scratches and bruises to both legs.

Honolulu Pearl president Penny Kalua said the paddlers in the women’s novice A crew were more concerned about their koa canoe than their own welfare.

"They felt so bad, they almost overlooked their own shock and cuts and bruises," Kalua said.

Paddlers from other clubs helped retrieve pieces of koa from the water and because of it, "We put those pieces back together this past Saturday, and a majority of everything is back on her," Kalua said.

Puakea, the master koa canoe builder, said the side walls and bottom of the canoe were salvageable, but other pieces will have to be added and glued on.

The "Friends of Honaunau" fund has been set up through Bank of Hawaii, according to Kalua, and donations can be made through the club’s website, honolulupearlcanoeclub.org.

The website says: "According to our traditions, Honaunau is a living member of the great Hawaiian Outrigger paddling ‘OHANA.’ Honaunau is now in great hardship and she needs your help."

Hasegawa brought up a display of generosity from another paddler and her children at last week’s regatta.

"At the Waimanalo race, an Outrigger (Canoe Club) paddler came up to us and told us her three children … they’re young, like 5, 6 and 7, or something … they were going to sell cookies at that race and give us all their profits and proceeds," Hasegawa said. "I think they made $50 or $100 or something. That’s one of the many stories of how the paddling community has been."