started surfing at Baby Queens and then Queens, like Dino Miranda, Bonga Perkins, Kekoa Uemura and Lance Hookano. It almost feels like the kids longboarding there right now may be the next generation of pros,” says Keoni.

(Photo to left courtesy of Hillary Cramer, photo to right courtesy of JamieBallenger)

Big sun bleached curls frame his tan face. Not loud or boisterous, but one to take in his surroundings with thought and respond with a gentle knowing smile and mischievous chuckles. 16 year-old Keoni Moore is a longboarder who is following the golden formula of the guys the Waikiki kids know as Uncle Bonga [Perkins], Uncle Dino [Miranda], and Uncle Tony [Moniz]. “A lot of the top surfers started surfing at Baby Queens and then Queens, like Dino Miranda, Bonga Perkins, Kekoa Uemura and Lance Hookano. It almost feels like the kids longboarding there right now may be the next generation of pros,” says Keoni.

Keoni is one of Waikiki’s quickly rising groms and part of the Queen’s Beach family. “It’s like the ohana out there…after being there a couple summers you know all the aunties, all the uncles, all the Beach Boys, all the guys who work the stands…everyone looks out for each other. When you’re surfing, you’ll always get tips from the older guys.” Keoni’s home break hosts thousands of tourists and looks to an outsider like a mass of strangers. But nested into Waikiki’s crowded beach is a tight community of locals.

Keoni is edgy in a quirky way. He wears old school checkerboard Vans and his uniform knee length RVCA boardshorts. When asked to describe himself, he said, “Compared to a lot of people, I’m laid back. Out in the water, I never get mad. And when friends tease me, other people will tell me, ‘You’re not going to do anything? You should get them back!’ But nahh, I neutralize a situation.” Friends call him Corky; and when Corky is busted, mom sternly calls him his full name, “Keoni Yardley Moore!”

He rolls up to Queens with his mom and sibs in a big blue Suburban. The oldest of three, Keoni is like Gentle Ben with five year-old brother Nolan who loves to wrestle and wale on him. His 13 year-old sister Ellie is also a part of the Waikiki grommet brigade. When Keoni is not at the beach, at rugby or volleyball practice, the sun has usually set and he is at home working on the computer. He goes to an online school and surf time depends on his time management. Some weeks allow more beach time than others. (Photos by Hilary Cramer)

He is currently competing in the HASA’s surf series, and sponsored by California shaper Chris Christenson and the Surf Garage. Looking to the future, Keoni aims to complete the Longboard US Tour, graduate from college and have a career that is somehow related to surfing. “I want to do something in the surf industry…anything! Because I just have a passion for the sport. Even if I don’t go anywhere with my personal surfing as a pro surfer, I want to give back to the sport…if it’s journalistic writing, or starting a surf company…”

(Photo compliments of Jamie Ballenger)

A casual surf rat though he speaks with insight and vision, hinting exposure to savvy role models. When asked who inspires him, Keoni shared, “Most of all would be Uncle Tony [Moniz]... And Toru Yamaguchi that owns Surf Garage too. He’s super cool. He’s been an older surfer and also a successful businessman…When you think of surfing there’s an anti successful stereotype there. So, it’s kinda cool to meet someone that can prove that you can be both a surfer and successful.”