Duke Paoa Kahanamoku was born August 24, 1890, a full blooded Hawaiian, the eldest of nine children of Duke Halapu Kahanamoku and Julia Paoakania Lonokahini Kahanamoku. Duke the elder was born in the Princess Ruth’s Hawaiian palace and named in honor of the Duke of Edinburgh at the time he was there in 1869.
In Waikiki, the Duke learned to swim to swim at a very young age and shortly thereafter developed his revolutionary freestyle stroke using a unique overarm and flutter kick style that amazed competitors and his growing legion of admirers. It was during this time that he also mastered the early sport of surfing on hand crafted surf boards made of koa wood, exceeding 16 feet in length and weighing in excess of one hundred pounds.

The Duke went on to become a world record breaking olympic swimming champion, a world renowned surfer, a master oarsman and sailor, a Beach Boy, and life saver. The Father of Surfing. The full embodiment of a legendary Waterman. 

The Duke was the Ambassador at Large for Hawaii, putting his love of Hawaii up front in all of his additional pursuits as a public servant, the Sheriff, a business man designing and promoting the Aloha Shirt, a Hollywood movie actor. The Ambassador of Aloha.

History has identified the gentile and humble Duke Kahanamoku with many titles.

• Father of Modern Surfing
• World Champion Swimmer
• Ali’i Nui o Waikiki Beach Boy
• The Ultimate Waterman
• Ambassador of Aloha