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Paying tribute: Dozens turn out to honor Tom Morey, inventor of the Boogie Board

By Laura Ruminski West Hawaii Today lruminski@westhawaiitoday.com | Monday, November 8, 2021, 12:05 a.m.

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Body boarders form a circle in memory of Boogie Board inventor Tom Morey Saturday at Honl’s Beach. (Laura Ruminski/West Hawaii Today) ▲
Body boarders gather in memory of Boogie Board inventor Tom Morey Saturday at Honl’s Beach. (Laura Ruminski/West Hawaii Today) ▲
Body boarders gather in memory of Boogie Board inventor Tom Morey Saturday at Honl’s Beach. (Laura Ruminski/West Hawaii Today) ▲
Some of the original Board Boards made by Tom Morey are displayed Saturday at Honl’s Beach. (Laura Ruminski/West Hawaii Today) ▲
Lei are draped over a memorial monument unveiled Saturday to honor Tom Morey and Waiaka, or Honl’s Beach, the place he invented the Boogie Board. (Laura Ruminski/West Hawaii Today) ▲
Nine time World Champion bodyboarder Mike Stewart speaks at a memorial for Body board inventor Tom Morey Saturday at Honl’s Beach. (Laura Ruminski/West Hawaii Today) ▲
Kumu Keala Ching performs a blessing before unveiling a memorial monument to Tom Morey, inventor of the boogie board Saturday at Honl’s Beach. (Laura Ruminski/West Hawaii Today) ▲
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Dozens of Boogie Board enthusiasts gathered Saturday, International Bodyboarding Day, at Wai‘aha Bay, or Honl’s Beach to honor Tom Morey, creator of the modern-day bodyboard, or Boogie Board.

Morey, who died Oct. 14 at age 86, invented the board that has become a worldwide sensation at the beach where he was honored Saturday.

A memorial monument that tells the story of Morey and his invention was blessed before bodyboarders joined a worldwide tribute by forming a circle in the water at Wai‘aha to pay tribute to the man who started the sensation.

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