Surfing became popular because of two surfers:  George Freeth and Duke Kahanamoku.  George Freeth was known as the “man who could walk on water”.  In the early 1900’s, people would line up on the beaches of Hawaii and watch him surf.  He would stand on an eight foot, 200 pound surfboard, and wait for a large wave.  Then he would put on a great show.  In August of 1911, 21-year old Duke Kahanamoku broke an amazing record.  He swam through 100 yards of salt water in 55.4 seconds!  Many people had a hard time believing this.  His nickname was “The Human Fish”.  He officially broke the record in the 100-meter freestyle at the 1912 Olympics in Sweden.  Surfing was what he loved.  He traveled around the U.S. giving surfing demonstrations.  According to legend, it was during 1917 that Duke had the longest ride ever off the shores of Waikiki.  On a hot summer day, huge 30 foot waves were coming towards Hawaii as a result of an earthquake in Japan.  As the story goes, Duke surfed for at least a half mile, from the outer reefs to the shoreline.  Duke’s words were, “I’ve never caught a wave like that one. And now, with all the birthdays piled up on my back, I know I never shall again.  Nobody will ever take that memory away from me.  It is a golden one that I treasure, and I am grateful that God gave it to me.”