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1959-61 1969-71 |
Vento, Steve steve@ventophotography.com, Vento Photography website - http://www.ventophotography.com. I was working for TCT Sept 1959 in the Special Service Dept as a Lifeguard. I later was transferred to the Hourglass Print Shop and later to manage the Boat Pool. The boats at the time were at best could just barely float let alone be used for any safe boating. I bought a 13’ G3 Glasspar with a 75 HP motor. Water Skiing and Scuba diving was our main outlet of recreation. I also did a little over time working unloading supply ships as most of us did looking the extra money. I was approached by a very big man at the dock and he told me to grab a fork lift and head out to some obscure building and wait for a truck and unload it. This mans name was Timmis (not sure of spelling). After having a problem with unloading some of the equipment he came by to check on why the truck was being held up. I got a crash course in driving a fork lift. Hence my first lesson with heavy equipment. My contract was completed and returned to Hawaii working at a number of jobs one of which was Barry’s Union service in Kahala. At the same time, I was becoming involved with the crew who were training dolphins for the future Sea Life Park at Makapu. I moved to Washington to go college and one thing lead to another I just never found my way back home. In 1969 I hired on with Global Assoc and was supposed to take over the Global Assoc. auto maintenance shop. Once there, things changed so I became a laborer. In short order I was reassigned as a rigger on a crane based on Meck Island. In no time I made many friends mostly local boys from Hawaii. As it was we would rotate on and off Meck every three months. I ended up as a rigger /helper and finally as a Mechanic in the Heavy Equipment Repair shop. During these times I got to know Bear and German. They sized me up and knew I knew nothing about rigging and working around heavy equipment. My brother was on island with his family working as the dentist. (Nicknamed “Jawbreaker”) As it turned out my family doctor from Washington signed on as one of the island physicians, Dr James Carter. During this time I hung out with Kaliani (Leroy) Kealoha of which, he was an excellent guitar player and singer. Harry Kaihiki was also one of the top island entertainers at the time and spent many hours enjoying the company of such great talent and all around good guys. As you would guess time has taken its toll on my memory and names have just faded away. However I have a nice collection of photographs I want to share, again the names are gone but not the memories of good people and good times. Among the many activities on the island was the darkroom and to be sure Macys unlimited supply of good camera gear. I can still remember fondly making the round of Macys looking to see what the hot items were for the week. Dr. James Carter showed me how to process film and create images. As a result of this hobby, when I returned to the mainland I banged around from a number of lame jobs and in 1974 I decided I should returned to college to get a degree in photography. As a result I have worked full time as a commercial photographer for the past 41 years. So, life on Kwaj wasn't all bad, my time there launched me in to a new career. |
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