Papa Nui; Xmas day on the coast.

This Xmas morning it rained flatout, a true tropical deluge, what to do? Go to the beach of course and wear my USN rain parka.
Merry Xmas to you all!!!

Nisei greaser!

Pre-dating Rockabilly by about 13 years, This greased up Nisei teenager plays his guitar in the barracks at Manzanaar Relocation camp circa 1942.

Why Alex Knost is King.

In an era of mechanical professional surfing its refreshing to know that there are individuals out there who understand that style is everything. In this study Alex Knost channels the true essence of surfing meets skateboarding. For those of you that remember this photo is eerily reminiscent of those from Skateboarder Magazine circa 1975.

Black Cats and French Bulldogs.

Coral Creepers.

Papa's legacy unearthed.

As a family we used to go to the beach all the time and some of my fondest memories are when I think back to sitting under the huge striped canvas umbrella. My brothers and I would make fun of our father who loved the beach but was never much of a swimmer. To get him to take his singlet off was a major effort but when the Casbens came out, wow that was a big deal! Dad had walked into David Jones, one of Sydney's premier department stores back in 1948 and bought his Casben swim shorts and they remained forever the stuff of family legend. I remember them on family holidays all throughout the late 1960's and also when my parents took me on coastal surfing adventures in the mid to late 70's up the north coast and into Queensland. They were forever present, rarely used for anything more than sitting on his towel and for the life of me I can't ever remember them getting wet.
Last weekend two of my brothers went over to Mum and Dad's house to help them spring clean the place and so I put them up to the task of unearthing the Casbens.
Mission accomplished! And now, 62 years on the Casbens are in my possession and ready for a whole new summer ahead.

Papa Nui Brings the Pacific to Unionville Sweden.

Lofgren Tradition Garments and Papa Nui brings their great collaboration to Unionville in Sweden. For all of you over there in the cold of wintery Europe, buy a Papa T-shirt and feel the tropical warmth of the Pacific envelop your shoulders.

Neptunus Rex validates the Papa.

Avast ye mateys! Be it known to all Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, Landlubbers, Park Statues, Box Car Tourists, Politicians and others who may be honored by his presence that PAPA NUI has been gathered into the fold: has been duly initiated into the many mysteries of the order of the deep and shall henceforth and forever enjoy our royal protection. Be it further known that by virtue of the power vested in me by all living things of the sea, I do hereby command my subjects, the mermaids, sea serpents, dolphins, skates, eels, whales, sharks and all other denizens of the deep to abstain from maltreating his person should he fall into the Sea.
Disobey this order under penalty of my Royal Displeasure.
DAVEY JONES his majesty's royal scribe.
NEPTUNUS REX ruler of the raging main.

Saga Boy

Hula Ink

Inked up Hula style in the great tradition of our mariner forefathers.

Nisei Japanese Amercian cool 1942

Certainly one of my favourite photos by Dorothea Lange taken in 1942. This goes a long way to show that not much is new. Engineers boots and big selvage cuffs that predate every style icon we though we had.

Beyond the Reef.