The flyer and the swimmer: my two heroes

Amelia Earhart, left, and Duke Kahanamoku

By Michael L. McManus

This is the very famous and revered Amelia Earhart and Duke Kahanamoku having what looks like a private chat about and over a pineapple. Somewhere on a porch in Honolulu. They were saying goodbye, but they do not know if it is for good or for a while. This was for good…. this is their story, and it is a true story.

Amelia was in Hawaii just before she and Fred Noonan, her flight engineer, took off in their plane in 1937 to fly around the world. They had thus far successfully flown from Oakland, California to Honolulu. The stop in Hawaii was for refueling and a day of getting the plan together for the most difficult part of the world flight, that being from Hawaii over the South Pacific into islands of Indonesia where they could plot the next leg of the air journey. The Duke was already Hawaii’s amazing, outstanding Ambassador. He was a native Hawaiian who competed in the Olympics for the U.S. in swimming and was considered one of the greatest surfers of waves worldwide. He was a record-breaking five time medalist in the Olympic Games, and later became a movie actor and Hawaii’s Permanent Ambassador. He was all that she was only his kingdom was the water, hers was the heavens.

They were both from humble roots, Amelia born in Atchison, Kan., and Duke in Honolulu. Through their global vision and with the help of events that were favorable winds at their backs, they became world champions. In sport, in media, in people’s hearts. Both had a sense of the dangerous, and had triumphed.

No one captured the conversation that took place in this picture over a pineapple, but some historical and passionate insight just might reconstruct it.

Duke: Do you ever fly down over the water low enough to see the waves?

Amelia: I try not to! Well, sometimes we go down there when it is calm and just sort of skim over the water…

Duke: When I am surfing, we almost are flying at times.

Amelia: I know, Duke. But don’t you also want to fly? Way up there toward the unknown?

Duke: I guess I have too much to worry about down here. So, how long will this flight be out to Indonesia?

Amelia: Fred and I can only estimate but it looks like we have a very long journey over water.

Duke: This is big to you, Amelia? I mean real big….right?

Amelia: Now, Duke, when is your next Olympics? Are you taking a big steamer boat to it…where Paris, London, Berlin…. that is a long boat ride just to swim, isn’t it?

Duke: Would you promise me you will be back to Hawaii?

There were smiles and that was all.

The flyer and the swimmer never saw each other again. Amelia and her flying partner Noonan crashed somewhere in the wide South Pacific. Duke went on to lead a life of being an Olympic star, a Hollywood star, and a citizen of the State of Hawaii until his long life ended.

Somewhere out there on a wing of an airplane rides a prayer and a wish that is never ending. It rides on surfboards that fly on the water on big waves everywhere. It was the spirit that Amelia saw, and that same one the Duke knew was there under his feet on the water. It was where two champions meet and say goodbye. It is where those champions go. It is in their dreams and ours.

Amelia’s spirit has lived on in many people, including me. I want to believe she somehow made it to an island. Some thought she made it to Japan and lived a quiet life. Others have tried to find her and have not succeeded.

When I drive down by Waikiki Beach, I always slow down to look at Duke’s bronze statue there with his surfboard ready. There are always many flowers left at his feet.

Once I thought I saw Amelia and Duke again, standing there. We only have to imagine. The flyer and the swimmer. How could we ever let go? We hold onto champions and symbols and mentors to keep us alive with hope. I suppose what I thought I saw was what I had hoped I would see…. Amelia returning to Hawaii. In my mind, I overheard their conversation.

Amelia: Duke, so what do you see in me? I am just ordinary….like a bee.

I have won no beauty pageants … can’t you see I am even quite nervous, sometimes quite contrary.

Duke: Amelia, you ask, what do I see in you? Let me tell you I see your eyes, but your eyes I look through… And I see your inner beauty… which is so true.

Amelia: Duke, what I see in you… Is what you see in me… It is so deep, forever like the sea.

The sea unites many forces, not the least love.

The flyer and the swimmer stand forever in a love of open oceans, calm waters, champion’s respect.

It is summertime. Go to the oceans. Look out at the horizon for a dream, catch a passion, then let the ocean awaken your love.

Michael L. McManus is a bi-monthly columnist for The Korea Times. He is founder and president emeritus of the California International Business University in San Diego, and currently a guest Professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and SookMyung Women’s University. He welcomes comment at mcmismism@aol.com.