Spontoon Island: casual beachwear circa 1933.

Spontoon Island: stylish tourist beachwear circa 1934. A "golddigger" is early 1930s slang for an attractive young woman actively hunting for a rich man. There is some subtext to how this term was used that may have something to do with the Great Depression....

Beachwear: Typical early 1930s

Mmmmmmm! Refreshing lemon drink ad (from Spontoon Island)!

Circa 1933: On the left, a lightweight cotton print 'sunsuit', sometimes used for swimwear.

The other swimsuits are knit wool. Women's have 'modesty panels' over short bicycle-brief legs. These male tops were called a 'speed' design (Trunks without tops were just starting to become acceptable.)

Bellanca AirCruiser floatplane based on Spontoon Island. Tourists on an extended picnic.

This is the bus service on Spontoon Island. Minja-hi is a guide and entertainer at the tourist hotels. (She is a shared character of Laurie Gerholz & Ken Fletcher)

"The Truck" is the bus service on the Main Island of Spontoon Atoll. A couple of Spontoonie shoppers coming back from market. They won't miss the Truck this time.

Tilli-li, the Radio LONO reporter, asks (in Chinook Jargon) if you speak Spontoon Island native language.

Spontoon Island Atoll: Rooftop picnic view of Casino Island streets at noon. This is in one of the business areas near the ferry docks, looking northeast towards Moon Island and Eastern Island.
More views at <http://spontoon.rootoon.com>

Miss Wildford, daring aviatrix. Within a few years she was teaching her adventuring survival skills to a new generation at the Songmark Aeronautical Academy for Young Ladies, on Spontoon Island.

It's said that there aren't any real coconut trees on Spontoon Island. This coconut harvest must be somewhere else.

JackO'Lantern dance.

A Harvest Festival dance in the Spontoon Island archipelago in 1931. The Halloween spirits of the pumpkin crop are honored, and the pie baking is soon to begin. Mmmmm. Pie!

A volunteer tests the HulaRamba hula enhancer. A Califur sketchbook commission -- thanks to Tibo!

Immerse yourself in that 1930s tekno tiki beat and Charlston the night away!

"Every hula tells a story."
On Spontoon Island, in 1935, the seaplane mechanics have their own hulas. Here's a mechanic rehearsing for a union luau in traditional tune up (& summer dance) costume (without the steel-toed safety sandals). More dancers at the Spontoon Island website.

A low-tech tribe entertains visitors (and entertains themselves, too). An isolated island in the greater Spontoon Archipelago sometime between 1910 and the early 1930s. Low-tech can include treadle sewing machines.

A retro 30s coyote babe enjoying her beers a bit to much. I think this was at a ROWRBRAZZLE anniversary party.

The DrumbaHine Band performing at the Coconut Shell theater (Spontoon Island Casino) in 1936.

Edy Loddis playing a Priestess for Spontoon Island 'Custom' role-playing. The islanders started out doing 'custom' as a way to tease visiting anthropologists, but the elaborate Polynesian fantasy became part of the island culture -- and a tourist attraction.

Edy Loddis is a Syndic for the contracted military unit, the Rain Island Naval Syndicate. She sometimes takes vacation time to play 'custom' for a week or two. She looks to be one of the many demure Moon Priestesses, which is very ironic, given her reputation for making mischief when off-duty. She's holding a ceremonial spontoon, but I'm not sure what the small banner means....

A cover for the Spontoon Island zine. Two caricatures of styles for late 1930s floatplanes. If you fly a seaplane, there are plenty of possible places for a funny animal pilot to stop and take a break in the islands.

Swim under the sea in a quiet lagoon and make new friends! It helps if you bring lunch.

An island in the 400 Keys Atoll, in the Spontoon Island setting. A temple with toon tikis.

Spontoonie student, Valia, co-studies for high school juggling class with Mark Rochard. Mark is a hit with his juggling skills. Mark Rochard is a character of Tony VonKrag, and used with permission.

Chef "Hank" Rochard leading a toast at a catered birthday party in the Marleybone Grand Hotel, Casino Island, Spontoon Atoll. Photo taken in 1934. Chef Rochard is a character created by Tony VonKrag, and used with permission.
Website for Spontoon Island: <http://spontoon.rootoon.com>

A Spontoon Island pinup photo of Maggie Rochard, 1937. The photo went to the British Embassy for extra processing to bring out the details on that German seaplane. 8) Margaret Rochard is a character created by Tony VonKrag and used with permission.
Spontoon Island website: <http://spontoon.rootoon.com>

Spontoon Island, 1937. A radio station broadcasts late at night to aid seaplane navigation. Tilli-li is the dj, the Radio engineer is asleep.

May Day celebration banner

Costumes for the May Day holiday on Spontoon Island. The co-op members celebrate just before the start of the tourist season.

Union Maid beer ad (May Day 1937)

A poster for May Day on Spontoon Island in 1937. It is also an ad for "Union Maid" beer. "I'm sticking with my Union!"

1937 May Day celebration poster

A typical poster for the May Day celebrations on the Spontoon Island Atoll in 1937. The major events are listed, such as family booths for holiday camp-outs, "flotillas" (a sail-by of decorated boats) circling one island, and a dance festival of European folk dancing (which is probably a ballroom dancing competition!). A female canine member of the local Hula-dancers Union is shown dancing at the festival. ("One Big Hula" is a teasing reference to the IWW "Wobbly" slogan stating one of that group's goals: "One Big Union".)

More information on this year's May Day celebration at the History page on the "Spontoon Island" website.

Minja-hi is a Spontoon Island tourist guide and street-performer (She does comedy routines that spin off from tourism and acting the cliche 'native'). What she does is similar to a wandering performer at a modern-day Renaissance Festival: Interact & entertain the tourists. A bare-midriff sunsuit is pretty risque for the 1930s: As a costume, it would signal that this performance would be part of a burlesque stage show for an adult audience. There are some stage shows at the tourist hotels & casinos, and at a couple of the larger bars on Casino Island. In another archived file, Minja-hi is shown flagging down a 'bus' truck.
The character Minja-hi is a co-creation with Laurie Gerholz. This, of course, is a G-rated model sheet of Minja-hi's colors and markings.

I'm not sure if you would want Minja-Hi to memorialize your visit in skit and song: Best to be considerate of your native companions during your Spontoon Island vacation. Aloha!