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Hawaii is the 50th and most recent U.S. state to join the United States, having joined the Union on August 21, 1959. It is the only U.S. state located in Oceania and the only one made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean.

Hawaii's diverse natural scenery, warm tropical climate, abundance of public beaches, oceanic surroundings, and active volcanoes make it a popular destination for tourists, (wind) surfers, biologists, and volcanologists alike. Due to its mid-Pacific location, Hawaii has many North American and Asian influences along with its own vibrant native culture. Hawaii has over a million permanent residents, along with many visitors and U.S. military personnel. Its capital is Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu.

 The earliest written account of surfing, or “hee nalu” in Hawaiian, was by Lieutenant James King in 1779 just months after Captain Cook’s death. He described Native Hawaiians riding a wood plank on the swells of Kealakekua Bay on Hawaii Island. Even he could see how fun the sport was writing, “… they seem to feel a great pleasure in the motion that this exercise gives.”

Surfing is believed to have originated long ago in ancient Polynesia, later thriving in Hawaii. It was once a sport only reserved for alii (Hawaiian royalty), which is why surfing is often called the “sport of kings.” King Kamehameha I himself was known for his surfing ability. With the end of the Hawaiian kapu (taboo) system in 1819, commoners were allowed to freely participate in the sport. With the arrival of western missionaries in the 1800’s, Hawaiian customs like hula and surfing were discouraged.

But in the late 1800’s the “Merrie Monarch” King Kalakaua, one of the last reigning monarchs of the Hawaiian Kingdom, revived the hula signaling the return of Hawaiian cultural pride. In the early 1900’s, surfing was revitalized on Waikiki Beach. Duke Kahanamoku, who grew up surfing these south shore waves, was a Waikiki Beach Boy, spreading aloha by teaching visitors how to surf and canoe. Duke later became a multiple gold-medal winner at the Olympics as a swimmer. Later in life he was known as the “father of modern surfing,” spreading the popularity of the sport to the mainland U.S. and Australia. Today, a bronze statue of Duke welcomes visitors to Waikiki where first-time surfers are still learning to catch their first waves today.

Hawaii is also the birthplace of big wave surfing. In the 1950’s surfers began to ride the powerful winter waves of Makaha on Oahu’s west shore and Waimea Bay on the North Shore. Big wave season in Hawaii happens roughly between November and February on Hawaii’s north shores. Some of the best surfing competitions in the world are held on Oahu’s North Shore in November and December including the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (the Super Bowl of surfing). If you’re planning to watch the pros in action, get to the North Shore early because traffic can be heavy.