Styles and Lab Exercise

Passion for Paddling

Because of his keen dedication and knowledge of Hawaii water sports, Joss Descoteaux always seems to be at the right place to trigger the perfect shot. "Photography started off as a hobby and I just wanted to do it for fun," says Joss. "Then I became the staff photographer for a local paddling magazine and it started to become a serious gig."

"I actually first came out to Hawaii to cross the Molokai Channel with my Canadian canoe team," he remembers. "It was such a thrill to paddle all the way from Molokai to Oahu in an outrigger canoe. It was 41 grueling miles, and the waves were incredibly big. It felt like such a great accomplishment!" "And for the Hawaiians," he adds, "it is one of the oldest traditions inspired from their ancestor's way of ocean transportation."

Paddling in Hawaii is an amazing compilation of some of Joss' best visual work on the outrigger canoe. "Sometimes in life, you just have to follow your heart," he reflects. "I followed mine, and ended up in paradise."

For more information, visit: www.JOSS4.com

Ancient Art of Surfing

In an effort to revive the ancient ways of surfboard building and practice, Diane Fujii Johnson and Tom Stone decided to reconstruct wooden surfboards and the traditions that surround them. "I was born and raised here," says Diane, founder of the Hawaiian Longboard Federation (HLF). "I always loved surfing but never knew the historical and cultural aspects of it. Then as I began meeting with Tom, I found out there were a lot of rituals in making these ancient wooden surfboards." "Back in the old days, you actually had to make your own board, so it was an extremely complex process," says Tom Stone, a professor of Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawaii. "The wooden boards stood 12-feet tall and weighed over 100 pounds. So the community as a whole had to work together to make just one board."

Lure of the Islands

The lure of adventure is strong, and nowhere in the world does it find greater expression than here in the Hawaiian Islands. Is hang-gliding your thing? Do you long to leap from the heights at Makapuu, and soaring high above the beach, make lazy circles for an afternoon? Perhaps you'd like the heart-pounding intensity of the big winter surf at Waimea. The beaches here offer far more than sunbathing and people watching. They’re ideal for all kinds of water sports including swimming, surfing, windsurfing, boogie boarding, snorkeling and fishing.

Whether you’re looking for high adventure on the waves, a romantic spot to watch the sunset, or a protected swimming area for the kids, it’s sure to be nearby.