Fred Hemmings has dedicated his life to the ocean and to his home state that he loves dearly. He won the Mākaha International Surfing Championships 4 times, the Peruvian International Surfing Championships, and the World Surfing Championship. He was an essential figure in the development of many of Hawaiiʻs pro-surfing events. He co-founded with Randy Rarick the first world pro tour of surfing, including the Pipeline Masters and the other events in the Triple Crown of Surfing. He was also a steersman on four Molokaʻi-to-Oʻahu outrigger canoe racing champion teams.
Later in life, Fred tried his luck in politics and became both a Hawaii House of Representative member and a State Senator. As senator, Hemmings initiated the idea to make the northwest archipelago of the Hawaiian islands the world‘s largest marine sanctuary. Several months later, Senator Hemmings, Lydia Hemmings, and Governor Lingle had dinner with the President of the United States. About a month after that, the President called Senator Hemmings back to the White House to have him and his wife Lydia attend the signing of the proclamation creating the world’s largest marine sanctuary, Papahānaumokuākea. The President recognized Senator Hemmings for initiating the proclamation.
