Rell Sunn: the memorable life of the surfing Queen of Makaha
Rell Sunn left a wave of influence that extended far beyond the island’s shores, changing the surfing world and impacting her community profoundly.
Born on July 31, 1950, on the sun-baked beaches of Makaha, on the west side of Oahu, Rell Kapolioka’ehukai Sunn was not just a woman of the sea but also the heart and soul of Hawaiian surfing.
Her middle name, Kapolioka’ehukai, a name gifted by her parents, translates to “heart of the sea,” a testament to her lifelong bond with the ocean that was apparent from her earliest years.
