Aloha
Thanks For Coming
Today
click on the photos
"To love and to be loved
is the greatest happiness
of existence."
Sydney Smith
"There are three faithful friends:
an old wife,
and old dog,
and ready money."
Benjamin Franklin
My Waikiki Neighbor 'Zap'
"I didn't stand up. The Lord lifted me up."
John 'Zap' Zapotocky, 91
><>
Stand Up paddling has gotten very popular recently,
after almost disappearing from our Waikiki waves.
I've heard it called 'Old Guy Surfing'
but people of all ages
can be seen every day of the week
at all levels of skill
enjoying this old-is-new-again sport
that is associated with Hawaii's greatest waterman,
Olympian Duke Kahanamoku.
Zap learned the sport from Duke himself!
He was out on his 11-foot redwood surfboard
sometime in the 1940's
when Duke paddled up next to him
on a stand up board.
"I asked him about it and he taught me
and I've been doing it ever since,"
says Zap.
"He's been doing it for, like, 70 years.
He's a sweet sweet person."
Gerry Lopez,
Author of Surf is Where You Find it
"I'm a member of the vegetarian society,
but I'm not 100% vegetarian."
say's Zap
"If you're gonna eat something,
eat something fresh."
"I want to be out there surfing until I'm at least 100."
We hope so too, Zap!
Bless you
><>
Mahalo
to
Paula Rath
Honolulu Advertiser Staff Writer
"A Stand-up Guy"
(April 29, 2010)
41 comments:
Happy Aloha Friday, Cloudia.
While I am not quite as old as Zap I do enjoy stand up paddling...and at 91 I am sure that it was probably the Lord that lifted him up...
Happy days
HI HOW R U GOOD POST
Zap is enjoying the sea. I wish him good health.
Have a nice weekend!
WOW ! Aloha Cloudia
Zap looks cool!
I love this quote
"To love and to be loved
is the greatest happiness
of existence."
Sydney Smith
it is SO true. :)
Amazing! I love Zap's spirit.
Zap has a lot of zip! What an inspiration. Thanks, Cloudia!
How Cool! Great History lesson!
Cloudia--if I saw skies like yours, I don't think I could ever come inside!!!
Way to keep them ALIVE!!!
John
Zap-Forever!
«Louis» agrees wholeheartedly with your comment at Jerusalem Hills DP that Dina never fails to "inspire and teach". Dina is one of the true gems of the Blogosphere.
Oh Wow! What a wonderful guy! We should all be so lucky to be able to surf-paddle when we're 91.
You go, Zap! I must try stand up paddling.
I couch surf. Does that count?
I doubt I'll be standing at all at 91.
Zap is inspiring! Thanks for sharing him. :)
These were some really beautiful and fantastic shots !! I can find the peace in your words too !! Aloha !!!
Gorgeous pics! Zap is wonderful, and so inspiring! Aloha, cher! Have a Happy Week!
Aloha Cloudia! 91 surfing? Amazing!!
PS: Turkey waits for you
at Blogtrotter Two!! ;)
What a wonderful old guy! Hope he never gets zapped!
Great pictures Cloudia. Zap is looking great. I hope that his wish will be answered. I may not be as old as Zap but I were given the skill to do what he is doing, I would probably do it no matter what.
Aloha and Salaam my friend.
That is so cool!
Thats how to stay young!
LOVE the photos!
I never heard of stand up paddling before...paddle on Zap!
Love your quotes as always...coincidentally, I just posted on happiness as well.
Go Zap! That looks like fun!
<><
saludos desde bilbao... my friend
nice chap, old Zap.
A bit of a cheeky quote by Ben Franklin; I doubt he'd get away with it today.
Aloha!
Beautiful story!! I am lovin' Zap!
Congrats on your POTW!!
Hugs
SueAnn
Well, Zap has a huge fan here too! :)
Wow. A true inspiration...
...and congrats on your POTW!
Hugs/ Jo.
Way cool. I love this sort of thing. Congratulations on the potw.
The chances of my living much past 70 are quite slim, given my family history. Still, it's nice to see people living, really living, well into old age all the same.
No chair in the corner of "the home" for Zap. Amen.
Fantastic post as always Cloudia. Zap is one of a kind.
Zap is quite a man!
I am sure he will be surfing well into his 100th year
congrats on POTW
Hooray for Zap, lord love him.
POTW mention, cheers!
He looks so happy, Cloudia! I've never heard of stand-up surfing before, but it made me think of something.
Did you ever read the Narnia Chronicles? I think it is in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader where they encounter little elf-like creatures with one enormous foot. In the book they can use them as boats, simply grabbing a paddle, and rowing away on their foot.
I wonder if C.S. Lewis got the idea from the Old Man Surfing?
Fun post, and congratulations on the post of the week mention at Hilary's!
Congrats on the POTW mention from Hilary
oh, I want to be him when I grow up.
what a zest for life.
congrats on the POTW
elegant actions!
loved the photo image and the beautiful thoughts they spark.
http://itistimetothinkformyself.blogspot.com/2010/05/happy-birthday-christina.html
thanks for the beautiful job!
please visit me via the link for new meme or awards.
10Q.
Wow. What a great memorial post. He looks like a wonderful person. I love his smile. May he be in heaven paddling across crystal clear water with the angels tonight : )
A warm tribute to a guy full of energy and life! Hope I'm like that when I'm his age.
Post a Comment