Leleo Kinimaka grew up in Kauai, where the Pacific Ocean provided routine and rhythm to his days. “I’d wake up and I’d go surfing all day, maybe swim or canoe,” he recalled. “I’d only come home for lunch.”It’s fitting, then, that the Hawaiian native, still vibrantly athletic at 61, has carved out a career as a woodworker whose creations — primarily the intricately designed surfboards known as alaia boards, which have been used by islanders to shred waves for centuries — both reflect his upbringing and celebrate his culture. On a recent weekday, Kinimaka was in his light-filled studio, which is nestled in the verdant Koʻolau Range on Oahu, shaping a piece of wood with a planer that sent wood chips flying. Half a dozen finished boards rested against a wall, their lacquer shimmering in the morning light, but what immediately caught the eye were the intricate patterns embedded in their facades.

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Persons: Leleo Kinimaka, “, ”, Kinimaka Locations: Kauai, Oahu