Once upon a golden time, they were the lords of Waikiki Beach. Quick to befriend a tourist, sing a song to a pretty girl or share a beer until last call. The beachboys whose heyday was in the 1920s and '30s were affectionately described as the embodiment of aloha, a tourist bureau unto themselves. After World War II, they returned to the beaches and welcomed visitors through the '50s and '60s before their numbers began to fade.
Few are left today and their numbers dwindle each year at reunions.
In the early years, Hawai'i was a more exotic destination than it is today, a faraway paradise where Waikiki became an international party scene, complete with romance and vacationing Hollywood movie stars.
Against this backdrop, the beachboys shared their expert knowledge of the ocean and their simple love of life. They gave surfing lessons on the beach where the sport was born and they steered canoes full of tourists through crashing waves.
Many were also excellent musicians. At night, they'd turn into barefoot entertainers, singing Hawaiian songs and strumming their 'ukulele. They were charming and mischievous.
Their nicknames were as colorful as their antics: George "Tough Bill" Keaweamahi, Blue Eyes Nihcola, James "Jama" Keanu, Chick Daniels, Turkey Love, Blue Makua, Abraham "Purple" Kahui, Charles "Big Town" Bodie, Rabbit Kekai, and the greatest of them all, Duke Kahanamoku.
