DIG! DIG! DIG! Several Special Olympics West Hawaii athletes regularly participate in the Kalamaku adaptive paddling program. Kalamaku is amazing. Members meet the fourth Sunday of every month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Located in a sheltered cove in Kailua-Kona, next to the King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel, the location is easy for launching canoes for adaptive paddlers. Participants enjoy a day at the beach, as well as participate in paddling, swimming, or playing in the sand with beach toys.

Canoes, paddles, safety equipment, life vests, boogie boards and beach toys are provided. For the safety of all participants, paddlers will be asked to sign a waiver. For more information about Kalamaku or to get involved, call Masepa Tanoai at 808-936-6695. Also visit www.projectpurelight.com.

West Hawaii Today photographer Baron Sekiya took the following awesome photos, featuring the Kalamaku participants competing in their first official race Sunday, April 27. He gave his permission, allowing SOWH to use his images and captions on this blog. He hopes his work, featured below, brings a smile to the athletes, as well as their friends and families.

Tyrus Suezaki, his mom Dale and coach Mesepa Tanoai (left) along with Eric Hedenberg (right front) and volunteer Troy Fujitani (right rear) enjoy a paddle out on Kailua Bay in a double-hulled canoe with the program Kalamaku which takes adaptive paddlers out on outrigger canoes. The group was treated to a pod of dolphins in the bay along with canoe races which they participated in.

Volunteers and participants in the Kalamaku adaptive paddlers program after their outrigger canoe race in Kailua Bay. Two outrigger canoes with added ama (outriggers) and a double-hulled canoe participated in the race.

Chelsey Tanoai talks about Kalamaku’s outrigger canoe paddling program.

Norman Matsubara talks about how he enjoys the Kalamaku program where he paddles an outrigger canoe.