Cindy Luis: Nappy Napoleon, 81, still paddling and touching lives around the globe

Be open to connections and the universe will oblige.

It’s much like waking up early enough to catch Ka Heihei O Na Keiki rising in the predawn east, imagining that the star lines do indeed form a “Cat’s Cradle” string figure. Or, if preferred, that of the archer Orion.

There’s timing involved as well as a bit of luck, being in the right spot at the right moment.

It’s much like my connection to outrigger canoe paddling.

The first sports story that greeted me upon arrival in Honolulu in 1981 was the results of Na Wahine O Ke Kai, the women’s Molokai to Oahu distance race.

“That sounds like fun, I’d like to do that,” was the first thought from someone who had considered rowing in college but couldn’t deal with 5:30 a.m. practices.

It was a regret that was somewhat erased when, a year and a week after reading about the race, I wrote a first-person account about crossing the Ka Iwi Channel with Hawaiian Warriors Canoe Club for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

What was I thinking, having only picked up a paddle about five months earlier, initially competing for a small Hui Wa’a club that folded after regatta season?

More importantly, what were coaches Joseph “Nappy” Napoleon and Richard “Babe” Bell thinking when telling this Novice B paddler who had never raced more than a quarter-mile that she had made their distance crew after two days with Hawaiian Warriors and one time trial on the Ala Wai?

Clueless doesn’t begin to cover it.

Ignorance in this case was a blessing when being surrounded by legends of the sport. Did I mention the illustrious group included Anona Napoleon, Rosie Lum and George Downing, the latter our escort boat driver during Na Wahine O Ke Kai?

Being in the right spot at the right moment has led to 40 years of memories and, especially, friendships. Years mean nothing when the stories from being in the canoe together feel like yesterday.

And so it was last week when catching up with Nappy Napoleon before he headed off to this week’s IVF World Sprint Championships in London. The palm trees he and Anuenue Canoe Club members planted in 1983 are taller but not much else has changed at Duke Kahanamoku Beach where the club has been based since its founding nearly 40 years ago.

The 81-year-old has competed at every World Sprints since the inaugural event at the Long Beach (Calif.) Marine Stadium in 1984. It’s a streak that only is surpassed by his run of consecutive Molokai Hoe races, the streak begun in 1958 when, at 17, he was finally allowed to compete.

“They needed paddlers and I trained with the older men the year before, going from Waikiki all the way to Pearl Harbor,” he said of the distance practices with Waikiki Surf Club. “When it was almost race day I was told I was too young.”

Napoleon was a stroker in those early days but, growing up surfing in Waikiki, there was a seamless transition to becoming a steersman.

“The best seat is either stroke or steer,” he said. “In either one, you control the canoe.

“When I stroked, sometimes I go slow, sometimes I go fast. It depends. You want to see if (the other paddlers) are paying attention. You’re the one who gets the guys in shape.

“But for me now, I like steer. You got to know the feel of the canoe and the water. You control the boat.”

And anyone who has ever been fortunate to have been taught to steer by Napoleon knows his main rule.

“Paddle, no poke.”

His philosophy always has been that the steersman is just another paddler who happens to sit at Seat 6.

Napoleon will get plenty of chances to both steer and paddle over the next few days. He’s one of six paddlers — three from Hawaii — who are competing in the inaugural Men’s Masters 80s division for V1 (solo) at 250 meters. He and Anuenue also are entered in the 500-meter six-man Masters 75s and Masters 80s, the latter where both 80s entries (subject to have additions) are from Anuenue.

Without the push from Napoleon’s club — most notably by member Gaylord Wilcox — “there might not be 80s this year,” Napoleon said. “When they started the 40s (age group), we’re the ones that kind of pushed for that. That’s why we’re going this time.

“I have never been (to London). But the only reason I’m going is somebody’s got to steer.”

There’s one streak that was broken this week. This is the first time that Napoleon traveled internationally for competition without his wife of nearly 58 years. Champion paddler Anona Naone Napoleon, inducted into the Hawaii Waterman Hall of Fame and International Surf Museum, suffered a stroke in 2017 and is at home.

“My wife is everything to me,” he said. “I’m the luckiest man alive.

“I really don’t care to go (to London). I’d rather stay with my wife. But they need a steersman.”

There are so many memories that I’m blessed to have over the 40 years of paddling. To this day, I have never bought a roundtrip ticket from Molokai to Honolulu.

There’s coming across Ka Iwi in a pontoon, the designated safety boat, when covering the 1986 Na Wahine O Ke Kai. There was was Nappy, the late Mike Tongg and Star-Bulletin photographer Mike Tsukamoto, the latter who captured the award-winning photo of OffShore off Kuliouou, their eventual first-place canoe being led by a school of dolphins.

My favorite perhaps sums up Nappy and Anona’s relationship. It was the 1984 Na Wahine O Ke Kai and Anona was steering for Anuenue with Nappy coaching from the escort boat. After passing Maunalua Bay he finally called for No. 6 to be changed out. Anona said no, that she had gone this far without being subbed out and she was going to finish the race. No change.

However, during the next crew change, there’s Nappy in the water as well, on the right, holding up a water bottle and saying, “Hon. Hon. Here’s some water, hon.”

I think she at first said no but the memory is a little blurry. I was in the canoe and it was hard not to laugh, he was so contrite. But, as has happened often since they first met paddling in 1956, his smile won her over.

As Nappy will say, there’s no arguing with the steersman. Anona was in the canoe for all seven hours, 44 minutes and 46 seconds.

I owe the universe much for all the connections.

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Reach Cindy Luis at cindy3luis@gmail.com