Double the spirit, energy and good times!
Oceanside Outrigger Canoe Club was founded in 2007 by the merging of two local outrigger clubs: Makana Ke Kai Outrigger Canoe Club and Paopao Outrigger Association.
THE STORY OF MAKANA KE KAI
Makana Ke Kai Outrigger Canoe Club was founded in 1997 by six surfers with a love for the ocean, an appreciation of the Polynesian outrigger canoe, and a firm desire to paddle together. In November 1997, Buddy Adams, Dan Avina, Bob Bones, John Corning, Ed Duval, and Dave Hanson began paddling a borrowed Malia canoe and soon after purchased the first MKK canoe, the Manawaleʻa.
When the ocean lifted our six founders and their canoe up on a large wave offshore from the Oceanside Harbor, they felt the exhilaration of the slide down the face and became committed to paddling together. At the suggestion of Dan Avina, they decided to start their own outrigger canoe club. Buddy Adams suggested they name the club after Dave’s two children and call it, “Makana Ke Kai,” which together means “Precious Gift the Sea.”
THE BEGINNINGS OF PAOPAO
Everything has to start somewhere – right? Before Paopao, there was not an outrigger club in Oceanside despite the beautiful white sand beaches and a perfect recreational harbor with easy access to the open ocean. So along comes Dan Avina who had a small kayak shop in Oceanside Harbor.
The year was 1992 and the Harbor Days committee asked him if he could put together a small paddling event for the benefit of all the tourists. Being a surfer and having briefly lived in Hawaiʻi, he had paddled for Haleʻiwa Canoe Club. He thought it was such a blast, why not try to do something like that for Harbor Days. After a beautiful lūʻau with lots of food, Te Tahita O Tea dancers, fire dancers, speeches by the mayor and council members, Paopao Outrigger was off to a good start.
