Surf Boards From Hawaii To This Isle
Gene Smith Paddles Board on 40-Mile Cruise All Alone
(Maui News, October 27, 1945)
Hawaii’s one-man Navy scored again!
Gene Smith of Honolulu—the one man Navy, aided only by his surfboard—added another glowing chapter to his ever-growing accomplishments with a 12 hours, 25 minutes 40-mile trip unescorted from Upolu Point Hawaii, to Kaupo, Maui, Wednesday.
Battling a rough channel and a choppy sea which caused him to make a wide circle in order to reach the eastern-most point of the Valley Isle, Smith boarded his 15-foot surfboard at 12:30 a.m. and reached his destination at 12:45 p.m.
Smith’s first channel-conquering feat was when he spanned the Ilio Point, Molokai, to Oahu between Koko Head and Mokapu in 1938. At that time he took less than nine hours to make the 30-miles jaunt.
In 1940 he made a westerly trip—Kaena Point, Oahu, to a spot left of Nawiliwili on Kauai. This 82-mile journey took about 30 hours.
Smith, who is scheduled to leave for Honolulu in a couple of days, is spending his time at Kaupo while awaiting transportation for his surfboard to Oahu.
Setting Out For Maui
("Holo No Maui", Ka Hoku o Hawaii, November 7, 1945)
Last week, Gene Smith of Honolulu arrived in the district of Kohala with his surfboard and set off for Maui.
He waited a number of days in Kohala until it was calm enough to set out. At a suitable time, he left Kohala about 1 mile from Honoipu.
Smith related that in 1938, he set out from Molokai on his surfboard and traversed to Oahu, and in 1940, he embarked from Oahu and crossed to Kauai. These ocean crossings were both successful.
Smith reported that he expected it would take 12 to 15 hours to navigate the 35-45 mile channel.
The length of his surfboard is 15 feet, and it weighs 60 pounds. His only nourishment was water.
These feats of being the first person to paddle on a surfboard from Hawaii to Maui, Molokai to Oahu, and Oahu to Kauai could well make him renowned.
This type of activity is not unknown here in Hilo. At times, the youths of Hilo have paddled their surfboards from Puueo to Mokuola, a distance of a mile or more, and from Puueo to Mokuola. This is also an example of taking a board across the open ocean through the mighty swells of the Alenuihaha.
Hawaii’s One Man Navy On Another Trip
(Maui News, November 7, 1945)
Gene Smith, who recently landed at Kaupo after a 12-hour trip on a surfboard from Upolu Point, Hawaii, will attempt another channel-conquering feat within a few days when he will paddle his motorless board across the Pailolo channel to the island of Molokai.
The Honolulu police officer now on leave of absence earlier spanned two other channels after first crossing the Oahu-Molokai water route seven years ago.
Smith will attempt the Maui to Molokai crossing within three or four days from Honokahua. He will start his journey during the night and plans to reach Friendly Isle shore between Kamalo and Waialua.
On Oct. 24, Smith took 12 hours and 25 minutes to cross the channel between Hawaii and the Valley Isle. Since the time he arrived in Kaupo, Smith has been at the East Maui district staying with Nick Soon, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Marciel and Joe Akana.
The first man to greet the inter-island paddler when he arrived at Kaupo was Abel Kawaiaea.
Safe Landing
("Pae Maalahi", Ka Hoku o Hawaii, November 14, 1945)
Relating to information published in the letters from readers section of the Hoku pertaining to the departure of a person named Jeane Smith from Kohala on a surfboard.
News has been received reporting that he landed at Kaupo, Maui after 12 hours and 15 minutes.
He set out from Kohala at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday and landed at Kaupo at 12:45 p.m.
He rode on a 15-foot-long surfboard weighing 60 lbs. He is the first person to paddle a surfboard from Hawaii Island to Maui, as well as from Molokai to Oahu and Oahu to Kauai.
Smith Conquers Pailolo Channel In 160 Minutes
(Maui News, November 17, 1945)
Gene (Tarzan) Smith, the original “one-man submarine,” today has but two Hawaiian channels left to cross and before long there wouldn’t be an island in this territory left untouched by Smith’s surfboard.
Sunday, the channel-conquering Honolulu police officer paddled across the Pailolo channel from Napili Bay in West Maui to Waiulua on Molokai in two hours and 40 minutes to hang up his fourth inter-island trip.
Smith hit the water in Honolua at 7:15 in the morning and reached the Friendly Island at 9:55 o’clock, crossing the channel unescorted.
Below is the original text of the the Hawaiian articles:
Holo No Maui
Ma keia pule aku nei i hoea mai ai o Jeane Smith o Honolulu no ka apana o Kohala me kona papa hee nalu a holo aku no Maui.
He mau la kona kakali ana ma Kohala a hiki i ka malie kupono ana nona a holo aku ai. I ka loaa ana o ka manawa kupono, ua haalele iho la oia ia Kohala ma kahi o 1 mile mai Honoipu aku.
Ua hoike ae o Smith i ka 1938, ua haalele iho oia ia Molokai maluna o kona papa hee nalu a holo aku no Oahu, a i ka 1940 ua haalele hou i ka la oia ia Oahu, a holo aku no Kauai. Ua holopono nohoi ia mau huakai au moana ana.
Ua hoike a’e o Smith ua manao oia e hala ana he 12 a i ole 15 hora iaia e holo ai kela kowa o 35 ame 45 mile.
O ka loa o kona papa hee nalu he 15 kapauai a he 60 paona ke kaumaha. O kona mau meaai, oia no ka wai alana.
He mau hana paha kela e hookaulana ai iaia o ke kanaka mua loa i holo mai Hawaii a Maui, a ma Molokai a Oahu, a mai Oahu aku a Kauai, maluna o ka papa hee nalu.
Aole na’e i ano malihini keia [heia] ana mea ma Hilo nei. Ma kekahi manawa a’e nei he au ia e na keiki opio o Hilo nei mai Puueo a hoea i Mokuola, he kowa o hookahi mile a oi maluna o na papa hee nalu, a pela no mai Mokuola a hoea i Puueo. O keia hoi e au ana me ka papa ma ka moana kai akea a he nunui ka anini o Alenuihaha.
Pae Maalahi
E like me na mea i hoopuka ia ai ma kekahi kolamu heluhelu o ka Hoku e pili ana i ka haalele ana iho o kekahi kanaka nona ka inoa o Jeane Smith ia Kohala maluna o kona papa hee nalu.
Ua loaa mai ka lono e hoike ana ua pae aku oia mai kekahi wahi o Kaupo, Maui, iloko o 12 hora me 15 minuke.
Ua haalele iho oia ia Kohala i ka hora 12:30 o ka wanaao o ka Poakolu, a ma ka hora 12:45 oia auinala i pae aku ai oia ma Kaupo.
Ua kau aku oia maluna o kona papa hee nalu o 60 paona kaumaha ame 15 kapuai ka loa. O ke kanaka mua loa keia i au ai maluna o ka papa hee nalu mai Hawaii nei aku a Maui, a pela nohoi mai Molokai a Oahu, a mai Oahu a Kauai.