Island Breath: Kauai Personality

SUBJECT: KAUAI PERSONALITY

SOURCE: LINDA PASCATORE lindapascatore@me.com

POSTED: 10 APRIL 2004 - 8:30am HST

The Mayor of Salt Pond: Uncle Louis

Louie Almadova Jr at Salt Pond Beach Park

We first met Uncle Louis, before we lived here, when we visited Kauai on a vacation in 1997. We came to Salt Pond Beach Park and he greeted us. We were really impressed by his open, friendly manner; and enjoyed his stories and jokes. He gave us a lesson in local lore and history, which was fascinating to us.

After moving to Kauai, we began to swim regularly at Salt Pond Beach. We soon realized Uncle Louie was there daily welcoming everyone he encounters. If you visit Salt Pond Beach, chances are you will be greeted by Uncle Louis. He is the self appointed mayor of Salt Pond Beach Park and he greets and chats with visitors and locals alike.

Tourists often get their only taste of local culture while listening to him. Many tourists are so taken by his charm that they continue to correspond with Uncle Louis on return to homes all over the world. We still look forward to our daily talk. He is a wealth of information about Kauai in general, and the west side in particular.

Uncle Louie "working the crowd" at Salt Pond Beach

Louis is Louis Almadova Jrwas born in Eleele, and is of Puerto Rican ancestry. At 86 years old, his memory spans several generations of island history.

The Brydoco Digest was a publication for employees of the McBryde Sugar Company. In July 1967 the Digest described Louie as "always on the move" and named him Man of the Month. He worked for years for McBryde, first, in 1929, as a hoe-hana boy. He became a regular employee in 1931 and became irrigation contractor then a harvester, loading machine operator and finally as transportation foreman.

He served in World War II, and also worked part time as a bus tour operator on Kauai. He has lived his whole life in the Hanapepe area. Louis stays connected with an extended family on Kauai, Ohau and the mainland.

Uncle Louis was an avid baseball player throughout his youth, and later was a respected umpire. He has played in senior leagues, and has stories of attending tournaments on the mainland. He fondly recalls his dancing days. He could “cut a rug” with the best, and especially enjoyed the “kachi-kachi” dances. A knee problem prevents him from dancing now, but he still swims and snorkels at Salt Pond beach regularly.

Uncle Louis serves as a model for staying active and engaged with life while aging gracefully. He embodies the Aloha Spirit of Kauai. The high point of our afternoon swimming trip to Salt Pond Beach Park is a chat with Uncle Louis. Stop by Salt Pond Beach and say aloha!