They Call Him 'Zap'

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

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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

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Mahalo

to

Paula Rath

Honolulu Advertiser Staff Writer

"A Stand-up Guy"

(April 29, 2010)