FAMILY TIME, THE TORCH OF GOD AND 40-SOMETHINGS RULE

FAMILY DAY
So I skipped out on the Hapuna Roughwater Swim. My truck was barely running on Saturday (I discovered on Sunday that a spark plug wire had fallen off) so Karen and I and Rebecca decided not to head up to Hapuna on Sunday for the swim. Instead we decided to go kayaking here in town. It's been nearly a year since we have been out on the kayaks. We planned on launching from the pier but there was a paddling competition going on so we went out to Keauhou.




That was a good decision. As soon as we got out of the harbor a huge pod of dolphins were cruising around. We just sat there and let them swim around us for about an hour. We got plenty of video, both above water and underwater for our family Christmas video that we do each year.

I'm disappointed that I missed the swim, but family time is better and we all took away some special memories of dolphins, the water and togetherness.

KALAMAKU
Rebecca is interested in paddling with the Mokuaikaua Church. Their Web site says, "Aloha, Mokuaikaua Church is sponsoring a new ministry to the disabled community here in Kona. Our goals are to help and serve our disabled participants by providing them with water activities like paddling canoe and swimming. Each participant will be supervised by some of the best watermen and women in Kona as well as professionals who deal with the disabled on a regular basis. Kalamaku is the Hawaiiian word meaning torch and it represents the Light of God’s love that Mokuaikaua desires to reflect in our community."

They meet once a month at Kailua Pier. We've ended up missing it for the past two months. In May we simply forgot and in June it was on the same day as the marathon. So we are determined to make it in July. Anyhow, while we were kayaking, we let Rebecca practice paddling. She did pretty good for her first time, but I'm glad they are going teach her the proper way. She seemed to have fun though.

40-SOMETHINGS RULE!
This is for all of us Not-so-over-the-hill age groupers. I found this on the wire at work today.

A look at a few of the major accomplishments over the past quarter-century by athletes who were past the age of 40:
— Dara Torres: At age 41, the swimmer wins two events at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials, the 50- and 100-meter freestyles, setting an American record in the 50 free. She has opted not to compete in the 100 free at the Beijing Games.

— Eamonn Coghlan: In 1994, the 41-year-old Irish miler and former world champion at 5,000 meters becomes the first person over 40 to run a sub-4 minute mile. Coghlan clocks a 3:58.15 at a race in Cambridge, Mass.


(Pictured is Dara Torres, age 41.)

— George Foreman: In 1994, at age 45, the boxer regains part of the heavyweight title he lost to Muhammad Ali 20 years earlier, stopping Michael Moorer with a two-punch combination in the 10th round. Foreman captures the IBF and WBA championships to become the oldest champion in any weight class.

— Jack Nicklaus: In 1986, the golfing great wins his last major championship, the Masters, at age 46.

— Nolan Ryan: In 1990, at age 43, threw the sixth no-hitter of his career, blanking Oakland 5-0 while pitching for the Texas Rangers. The next season, at age 44, Ryan tossed his seventh no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays.

— Darrell Green: Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in February in his first year of eligibility, the Washington Redskins cornerback was 42 when he retired after the 2002 season. He had at least one interception in 19 consecutive seasons.

— Martina Navratilova: A month before her 50th birthday, in 2006, the tennis champion finished her career by winning her 59th Grand Slam title, teaming with Bob Bryan to take the mixed doubles championship at the U.S. Open.