Paddles...

Outriggers canoeing is a national sport in Hawaii. Pretty much every local knows or does it in one way or another. Even my 80 year old landlady does it! So I was surprised when I was told that Island Paddler (www.islandpaddlerhawaii.com) is pretty much the only retail store in the area that sells outriggers canoeing specific gears. There are a couple at Waikiki beach, but thats about it. A lot of the stocks are interwoven in dive or surf shops, or sold privately from the suppliers. But specific outriggers retail shops are a rarity.

I spent more than an hour at that store...chatting and amazed at the number of paddles they have. They also sell canoes too, and keeping the ama in the change room! The shop keeper even weight each of the paddles that I was interested in (see the scale in the top photo). For me it was love at first sight.