MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY -- A team of paddlers climb into the 40-foot canoe, bringing nothing but themselves and their paddles. All the cameras, coolers and cell phones stay behind where they belong. Out there, it’s just the team that matters.
After the canoe is afloat, the steersman yells out “Muu Kau Kau,” which means ready, to the rest of the team. This causes the team to lean forward and stretch out, gathering themselves mentally for the journey they are about to partake. Next, the Hawaiian word “Imua,” meaning get set, is heard which triggers people in the boat to raise their paddle slightly over the water on the outside of the canoe. Once they are in position, the steersman calls out Paa, which means go. The six paddles simultaneously penetrate the ocean, jolting the canoe out to sea.
The canoe feels as if it is gliding above the water, instead of through it. It’s sleek design helps it cut through the crashing waves. The six paddlers continue to dig deep in the water, increasing the speed of the canoe with every stroke. On the fifteenth or sixteenth stroke, the stroker, or person in the front seat of the canoe, calls out “hut” for everyone behind him to hear. The paddles hit the water once more before everyone yells “hoe” and rotate their paddles to the other side of the canoe, not interrupting the rhythm that has been set.
They work with the ocean to gain speed, not against it. The harmonious interaction between the team and the water is what drives the canoe faster and faster through the waters, not brutal strength.
Marine Corps Community Services and representatives from a Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe Paddling club in Kailua will host a free introductory meeting to the sport of paddling on March 8 at 6 p.m. at the Semper Fit Center here for anyone interested in participating in a new sport.
The purpose of the meeting is to encourage Marine Corps Base Hawaii Marines, Sailors and family members to get involved in this sport and to interact with the local community, according to Greg Kvaska, an experienced paddler stationed here and club representative. Instruction and training will be provided free of charge.
“It’s a way to engage with the community,” he said, speaking of canoe paddling and it's deep ties to Hawaiian culture.
Outrigger Canoe Paddling is considered the unofficial National team sport of Hawaii, with more than 3,000 active paddlers and 40 clubs on Oahu alone.
MCCS and MCBH want to give service members and their families a chance to participate in this unique cultural activity, while learning a new sport and building strength and enhancing fitness, according to Kvaska.
“There is a lot of family spirit tied into paddling,” said Kvaska. “It becomes kind of an event rather than a sport.”
Friend of Kvaska and second-year paddler Larry Sorensen, a Sailor from Marine Forces Pacific, says paddling is deeply connected to the culture of the Hawaiians and that you can’t just get into a canoe and start paddling.
He and Kvaska want to make the transition into the sport go smoothly.
“I’m trying to make it easy for Marines and Sailors who want to connect the dots, ”said Kvaska,
“It’s just a kick to be out there with six other guys, said Kvaska. “It’s all about the team. Every seat has a function. If one person gets out of wac, the boat dies.”
Paddling itself provides a great outdoor exercise venue, which involves casual paddling to short sprint races and long-distance endurance challenges, he said.
“It’s like any new sport. It feels awkward at first and you’re a little out-of-sync,” he said. “It’s not hard to learn, but it’s very hard to win though.”
Kvaska wants people to get involved in this exhilarating sport that is different from the rest.
“Most people after high school don’t play team sports as much,” said Kvaska. “I think people will enjoy the challenge.”