The unique name of our club, Kapolioka’ehukai, is Hawaiian for, “Heart of the Sea”.
Pronounced in Hawaiian: ka-poh-lee-oh-ka eh-hu-kai
Our club is proudly named after the late Rell Kapolioka’ehukai Sunn. Aunty Rell, as we affectionately refer to her, was a Hawaiian legend in her own time (along the ranks of Duke Kahanamoku and Eddie Aikau). She was a pioneer of women’s surfing and the first female lifeguard in the state of Hawai’I in 1977. She was the ultimate Hawaiian water woman – surfer, free diver, lifeguard, and outrigger canoe paddler. Most of all, she was a woman who gave back to her community in countless ways, such as inspiring troubled youth through the positive benefits of ocean-related sports. Sadly, Aunty Rell passed away from breast cancer in 1998 after fighting it for 14 years. She left behind a legacy that we as a club try to emulate, a legacy we hope to share with you.
We are dedicated to spreading the Aloha Spirit and sharing the Polynesian culture that infuses the sport of outrigger canoe paddling. By paddling with our club, you not only become part of a canoe team, but you become part of our ohana (family) and part of a club that is truly unique and full of mana (spirit) and aloha–a club that is dedicated to giving back to the community through education, fitness and outreach events.
WITH OUR WARMEST ALOHA
