The "square slab" in the tidal pool

[308GUY]

Hi 308....I like your handle Welcome aboard!

Don't know for sure one way or another, but it's entirely possible that LM doesn't actually answer ALL his own messages. So if somebody else is sitting in for him, it would make sense for them to not know everything there is to know about the show, or things from it. Just a theory.

On the other hand, remember, it was TM who swam in the tidal pool most of the time. In fact I can't remember a single incident where LM was actually in the tidal pool. I'm sure somebody will correct me if I'm mistaken, but although he (LM) was at the estate on many occasions, I don't remember ever seeing him in the water there. So, even if he does answer all his own emails, he might not know anything about the slab.

Anyway, there's not much about the show and everything associated with it that SOMEBODY on here doesn't know about, or can find out. The "square slab" is still a mystery, as there have been no "concrete" final answers as to what it is/was or how/when it came to be.

Stick around and enjoy the Magnaverse....and the company!

[308]

I haven't read through this entire thread so I don't know if it's been suggested but...

As a kid watching first run MPI I always assumed it was an old gun turret/nest, don't know WHY there would a turret there, especially since it's on the side of the island facing the US and not Japan.

[ConchRepublican]

I haven't read through this entire thread so I don't know if it's been suggested but...

As a kid watching first run MPI I always assumed it was an old gun turret/nest, don't know WHY there would a turret there, especially since it's on the side of the island facing the US and not Japan.

I think we all came to the conclusion it was too small for any kind of gun turret/nest.

Going by all the research so far drainage outlet or lobster cage seems to be the best answer. I lean towards the former.

[Doc Ibold]

I think Larry probably just forgot about it. I think this forum might know more about the shot than many of the actors who were on it!

[Steve]

I think Larry probably just forgot about it. I think this forum might know more about the shot than many of the actors who were on it!

That got me to thinking about just how many scenes Larry was in out on the Estate Beach. I'll bet it isn't as many as we think...............

[Doc Ibold]

If you look at the slab in relation to the pool, at high tide... it's pretty much covered by the water.

So depending on when he was out there.. it could pretty much be covered.. or he was probably keyed in on the scene he was going to do and wasn't really looking into the pool... or the slab wasn't near where his scene was.

From my recollection... he had a FEW scenes there, like when he and TC were laying out a battle from Vietnam and debating Froggy. There was the Red Faced Thespian scene with lady Cynthia.. and a few minor ones here and there where he could have met Magnum out there for a minute.

Not shocked if he couldn't remember it.

[Danno]

It does seem to be more consistent with some sort of drainage outlet...
Aweoweo Beach Park has something like the slab:

[KENJI]

Nice find Danno!
We know that those pipes have been spotted a few doors down at the park, but they are parallel to the beach, maybe things were changed up years ago and the slab was too big to move. I am leaning away from the drainage theory based on Danno's pic. The slab in the tidal pool doesn't have the pipe openings like it does in Danno's pic ( a different design altogether)...........and the mystery continues!

[Higgins (aka Bondtoys)]

lobster cage - anyone*? LOL


*except myself

[Scotophor]

My 2 cents' worth-

Gun mount: Not likely, based on location, shape (wouldn't a solid block be easier to make and just as effective?) and lack of apparent mounting points.
Pillbox: Not likely, based on size, location and aperture configuration.
Lobster cage: Not likely, based on configuration (awkward to use) and construction (apparently lacks bars across the "windows", and SEVERELY overbuilt!)
Storm drain diffuser: Plausible, but where's the plumbing? Has anyone tried digging down on the beach side of the block? Depending on depth, this might require heavy equipment or an underwater salvage "vacuum".

[Kwai Bridge]

I've always been wondering about it as well ever since I saw it in the show for the first time. Reading through all thirteen pages of this thread made me shiver and feel extremely excited about finding out the answer, but it appears that there isn't a definitive one.

It's kind of amazing that different people claimed for a fact that it's either a pillbox bunker, a lobster cage, or water distribution box. Having so many different answers about one thing makes it lose a credibility as a "fact".

I, for one, believe that it wasn't a pillbox bunker. It has an opening on top and 4 openings on sides. What kind of bunker is that and what protection does it offer?

The storm drain theory makes most sense to me, and the pipes are probably covered with sand after all those years.

In conclusion, I think it's nice to have a thing we don't know the purpose of, it gives the show even more of that "mystery" feel.

EDIT:

As some of you might remember, because I was interested in the history of the tidal pool, last year while on Oahu I did some research into government records in Honolulu. It showed there was a storm drain easement running from the Koolau Mountain side, through the Estate with outlet going into the tidal pool in the same area as the concrete slab we see today.

So I guess my assumption was correct! Mystery solved?



(I found the above quote while browsing the massive "Magnum P.I. Talk" section)

[KENJI]

I've always been wondering about it as well ever since I saw it in the show for the first time. Reading through all thirteen pages of this thread made me shiver and feel extremely excited about finding out the answer, but it appears that there isn't a definitive one.

It's kind of amazing that different people claimed for a fact that it's either a pillbox bunker, a lobster cage, or water distribution box. Having so many different answers about one thing makes it lose a credibility as a "fact".

I, for one, believe that it wasn't a pillbox bunker. It has an opening on top and 4 openings on sides. What kind of bunker is that and what protection does it offer?

The storm drain theory makes most sense to me, and the pipes are probably covered with sand after all those years.

In conclusion, I think it's nice to have a thing we don't know the purpose of, it gives the show even more of that "mystery" feel.

EDIT:

As some of you might remember, because I was interested in the history of the tidal pool, last year while on Oahu I did some research into government records in Honolulu. It showed there was a storm drain easement running from the Koolau Mountain side, through the Estate with outlet going into the tidal pool in the same area as the concrete slab we see today.

So I guess my assumption was correct! Mystery solved?



(I found the above quote while browsing the massive "Magnum P.I. Talk" section)

Hi K.B.,

Here are a few pics of 3 different pillboxes that I hiked to in July. They do come in different shapes and sizes and two of them had openings from up top. None of them resemble the "square slab" enough plus the slab is really too tight for someone to climb in and be able to move a gun around.....even just as an observation post it would be snug.













RG found a great old map of Pahonu that shows the easement for a drain across the estate. Note: the two dashed lines up the middle of the property and where it comes out...now look at the pic that someone else posted showing the wall with the open end of the drain sticking out and they line up perfectly.




Now it gets interesting.....did that opening into the tidal pool always end there or was there an additional pipe bending to the left and connecting to the square slab. If the answer is yes, it ended at the wall, we have to wonder if the slab(assuming it is for drainage) was connected to another property (i.e. one of the Shriner's lots that form their compound).Back in the day (1933....) there was more land there so I could see a pipe possibly bending towards the slab and after years of erosion the land disappeared exposing the pipe. The pipe could've been destroyed during a storm or simply removed by Eve or her grandparents. Hmmmmm.

[Pahonu]

I've always been wondering about it as well ever since I saw it in the show for the first time. Reading through all thirteen pages of this thread made me shiver and feel extremely excited about finding out the answer, but it appears that there isn't a definitive one.

It's kind of amazing that different people claimed for a fact that it's either a pillbox bunker, a lobster cage, or water distribution box. Having so many different answers about one thing makes it lose a credibility as a "fact".

I, for one, believe that it wasn't a pillbox bunker. It has an opening on top and 4 openings on sides. What kind of bunker is that and what protection does it offer?

The storm drain theory makes most sense to me, and the pipes are probably covered with sand after all those years.

In conclusion, I think it's nice to have a thing we don't know the purpose of, it gives the show even more of that "mystery" feel.

EDIT:

As some of you might remember, because I was interested in the history of the tidal pool, last year while on Oahu I did some research into government records in Honolulu. It showed there was a storm drain easement running from the Koolau Mountain side, through the Estate with outlet going into the tidal pool in the same area as the concrete slab we see today.

So I guess my assumption was correct! Mystery solved?



(I found the above quote while browsing the massive "Magnum P.I. Talk" section)

RG found a great old map of Pahonu that shows the easement for a drain across the estate. Note: the two dashed lines up the middle of the property and where it comes out...now look at the pic that someone else posted showing the wall with the open end of the drain sticking out and they line up perfectly.




Now it gets interesting.....did that opening into the tidal pool always end there or was there an additional pipe bending to the left and connecting to the square slab. If the answer is yes, it ended at the wall, we have to wonder if the slab(assuming it is for drainage) was connected to another property (i.e. one of the Shriner's lots that form their compound).Back in the day (1933....) there was more land there so I could see a pipe possibly bending towards the slab and after years of erosion the land disappeared exposing the pipe. The pipe could've been destroyed during a storm or simply removed by Eve or her grandparents. Hmmmmm.

I don’t remember seeing this almost 10 years ago. The map shows the properties that were assembled to create Pahonu, and the one labeled Nokohula is the area where the boathouse still is. It shows a pier projecting out. That is where the square slab is generally located. I had speculated about it being involved with an old pier at one point but had only seen evidence of a previous pier in front of the Shriners property. This is intriguing!

As a side note, the map shows an existing sea wall where the main house was and a different sea wall where the boathouse is. When the properties were all combined, the middle section of sea wall was built to connect them, the part in the photo. This explains the varying nature of the three sea wall sections before the recent modifications were completed.

[Styles Bitchley]

Hmm. So a pier or a drain… Or a lobster pen. A pier does seem likely but the water is so shallow and why a pier within the rock walls? You’re not going to be pulling a yacht in there.

[Pahonu]

Hmm. So a pier or a drain… Or a lobster pen. A pier does seem likely but the water is so shallow and why a pier within the rock walls? You’re not going to be pulling a yacht in there.

Hey Styles, thanks for linking this thread.

The drawing shows the pier extending out beyond the walls into deeper water which IS for boats, and remember, the pond is not closed on the west end. Also, the set decorator Rick Romer, posted years ago that Eve Anderson told him that before the Kalanianaole Highway was complete, Mrs. Wall and guests WOULD arrive by boat from Honolulu.

I don’t know if the slab is part of the old pier structure, but it seems to be in the right spot for that to be true. It is much closer to shore than the end of the pier as it is drawn, but it might very well have been a base for a nearer part of the pier. Perhaps others were removed and that one left for some reason. Just speculating of course, but it is in the right location.