“In the Surf,” Sarah Park, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Oct 10, 1953

It's a tossup as to whether surfers acquire un-dog-like dogs, or dogs become un-dog-like because they belong to surfers. Take Sandy, who belongs to Scooter Boy. Sandy is a surfing addict. His eyes turn glazy with happiness as he whistles through Queen's Surf on Scooter Boy’s board. When Scooter’s on the beach catching his breath, Sandy’ll desert his owner and go yapping at other surfers heading out for the waves, begging for rides.

Sandy doesn’t have much discretion. He’ll beg a ride off anybody, including people with yellow boards. He doesn’t realize how embarrassing he can be to people who know they aren't good enough to take him surfing.

“In the Surf,” Sarah Park, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 10, 1954

An order came out last weekend that would have been just as calamitous as making the Upside Down Falls fall right side down.

Sandy, according to the edict, must be tied up when on the beach.

Sandy the little old poi dog who loves to go surfing and hang around his beloved beach boys, must tie tied up and the only time he is to be allowed to walk around like a dog is when he goes out on a surfboard

The order, unlike Sandy has no teeth. According to Theodore F Nobriga, assistant superintendent of the Board of Public Parks and Recreation, there actually is no law that can keep Sandy tied up.

The trouble all came about because Sandy, whose lineage and age are unknown, likes to bark and yap and otherwise harass surfboard riders into taking him for a ride. He confines his hitchhiking to experienced riders, but if he’s desperate, he may aim a feeble bark or two at those other than the expert. People who don't know Sandy naturally think this is a “vicious” dog that should be tied up.

Another of Sandy's quaint mannerisms is that he enjoys rubbing himself on a clean, sweet-smelling, dry towel. When a bather or surfer returns to the towel left neatly spread on the beach in anticipation of pleasant, aquatic exhaustion, he may find a Sandied-up, dog-haired towel. This does not lead to congenial feelings on the part of the bather who doesn't understand.

With people who know Sandy —and this counts everybody that knows anything about Waikiki's swim and surf life—Sandy's ways are just something that has to be accepted. Please understand him. And love him and endure him, just like the rest of the surf-addicted populace of the beach.

Sandy belongs to Joseph and Jane Kaopuiki, but he seldom goes home (at Ala Wai Boulevard and Ohua Avenue) anymore. Takes him so far off the beach. Jane, twice winner of the Diamond Head surfboard paddle race, says he came home last week for the first time in a month—it was the day he was first tied up at the beach.

Usually, Sandy runs with the beachboys at night—and if you were enjoying the Delta Rhythm Boys a couple of Saturdays ago, you probably saw Sandy lapping up the music with the rest of the beach gang.

Next time you hear Sandy yapping, please remember he is a surfer first, dog second.

“Waikiki's Canine Surfing TV Star, Sandy, is Dead,” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, June 16, 1960

Sandy, the poi dog surfing champion at Waikiki who appeared on the “You Asked for It” television show, is dead. A popular character on the beach at Waikiki for more than a decade. Sandy was everybody’s pet, one beachboy said.

His particular love was to ride the surfboard and he became the mascot of the beachboys and surfers.

Everyone is agreed that it was Joseph Kaopuiki who taught Sandy to surf—standing firm on all fours on the uplifted front end of the board as it went whizzing toward shore.

Beachboy Walter Kitazaki took care of him for the past month or so before he died at the Pet Clinic. Sandy’s ashes will be scattered in Waikiki’s surf tomorrow in rites being arranged by the beachboys.

REMEMBERING SANDY, THE ORIGINAL SURFING DOG

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