We shall construct beautiful Japanese lands again.

The Tsunami 3.11 totally destroyed the ports where we stopped by the long cruise from Hokkaido to Yokohama.
I couldn't update my blog in this month by the emotional shock.
The port Hachinohe, Taneichi, Onagawa, Hisanohama, Oarai marina were attacked by the devil wave.
The highest wave reached 39m above sea level.
The restore programs have been progressing like a snail.
There are no politicians in the disaster area but citizens, Japanese army, firemen, police,
or volunteers. We Japanese people in the field support each other.
Our politician's level is worst in the world.
The news told Toden "the company of the nuclear power plant" announced the recovering plan today.
According to the announcement, it will need 6 to 9 months to complete it.
We lost many life of Japanese, houses, ports.
and we have to clean up the soil which contaminated by the radioactivity.
We have many problems to solve.
However we shall construct beautiful Japanese lands again.

Welcome to the Lukia’s Cruise Log!  This is a web log describing our long cruises with our Minor 29 DC. My wife, Mami and I finished two long cruises. The first was a ferry trip from Hokkaido Island to home port Yokohama. The trip was an over 800 nautical mile journey. The second one was an over 900 mile journey from Yokohama to Okinawa. We needed to cruise through a chain of islands named Tokara where often times big choppy waves and strong ocean current exist. Although our Lukia is an under 30 foot power boat, she took it with stride and endured  the rough seas perfectly.

She sits on the Trailer

While I was working in Nagoya, the low developed into the Typhoon 4th in Okinawa. 
The typhoon had 994 hectopascal and the wind blew at the speed 35 knot around the center of the typhoon. The maximum speed was 50 knots in a moment.

It was not a big one but it still affected us severely since it would come to our boat Minor29DC directly.
When the typhoon was getting in close proximity to Iejima port, the waves were 5 meters and tide level was 10 centimeters higher than the quay of Iejima port.The water spread over the road. Before the Typhoon came into Iejima, our Minor29DC was moored at the quay. If she was left alone at the quay, she might have been crushed and sunk under the water.

Mr. Miyagi had guarded our Minor29DC from the typhoon perfectly. As the big salvage ship in Iejima Port moved to near the Minor29DC, Mr Miyagi asked to the salvage crew to moor the Minor29DC at the salvage's platform with a heavy line. After mooring to the salvage ship, our Minor29DC had no more risk to run aground, even though any strong wave shook her.

After the typhoon's gone, Mr. Miyagi made a special trailer for our Minor29DC. That is a very steady trailer. While my wife, Mami was watching the photo of the Minor29DC on the trailer, she said, "This boat looks like a train and likely to run on the rail!"

We Made It To Okinawa!!

The Port of Inobe to the Port of Iejima : 78 nautical miles

09:00 Departed from the Port of Inobe

17:00 We arrived Okinawa!

A tropical cyclone with maximum sustained wind speed over 30 knots was developed, so we got stuck in Okinoerabu Island for three days.

While we were there, we kept checking the weather forecast from the Japan Meteorological Association.


On July 30, 2010, the tropical cyclone moved away. We finally departed from Okinoerabu to Okinawa. It was cloudy. The wave heights were around 1.5 meters to 2.5 meters. Of course it was not the best cruising condition but I thought it was good enough to go to Okinawa.

We gradually started to see Okinawa, and it looked like a huge dragon sleeping on the surface of the sea. We have finally come here. A long long time ago, ancient sailors/people must have seen the sight just like this......the same imager as I was just looking at it....... I thought.....

Well, bad news. We couldn't reserve a hotel room in Okinawa today. Most of the hotels in the main island of Okinawa had no room because there appear to be some big events taking place. We were hoping that some hotels in Iejima would have vacancies because it is far away from Naha, the capital city in Okinawa.

Also we needed to refuel Lukia as soon as we could. The Port of Iejima was the nearest one. So we turn Lukia in the direction of Iejima.

I heard Iejima Channel was the most difficult sea to cruise in Okinawa area.

The currents were strong, but it wasn't too bad for a Minor 29DC.
The port which we arrived was newly constructed and very easy to use.

We refueled our boat. Mr. Miyagi, the owner of the fuel station near the port gave us a warm welcome. He asked us where we came from and what our plan would be.

He called his friends at a restaurant and we all got together. We all had great conversations about our cruise for a long time. They were very kind and friendly. The local food in Okinawa was very good.
They suggested that the Port of Iejima would be a better place to moor than the Port of Ginowan.
Additionally, Mr. Miyagi offered us that he would be willing to maintain our boat, if we would want him to.

Indeed, Iejima is one of the most beautiful places in Okinawa. There are beautiful coral reefs surrounding the island, amazing white sand beaches, blue sky, clear water and dazzling sunlight. This is a tranquil southern island, a tropical paradise!

Next morning, we told Mr. Miyagi that we decided to moor our boat at the Port Iejima. He certainly welcomed our idea, and was more than happy to help us.

As we were leaving, we were looking at our boat, Lukia. She was now saferly moored. We kept staring at her.........until we could no longer see her.........

Our long cruise from Yokohama to Okinawa was, finally, over.

Okinoerabu

Tokunoshima to  Okinoerabu: 29 nautical miles

06:20 Depart from Hiradono port

11:00 Arrived Inobe port.

A little cyclon was developping. The big waves surrounding Amamioshima were around 4 to 6 meters today, but the waves around here Tokunoshima were about  2 meters fortunately. If we would depart one day after, It might be dangerous cruise.

We departed from Tokunoshima to Inobe port in Okinoerabusima at 7:00.

It was only 29 miles journey. However, the waves were over 2 meters with strong wind and rain. It was deadly if we might be careless.
The speed was limited within around 4 to 8 knots. but a semi-displacement type boat like Minor 29 was tough in such case.

Our boat Lukia was waving on the sea for four hours. Our Camera(EOS kiss) on the shelf dropped down to the floor and the prism lens in it was not in the right place unfortunately. That was a hard cruise.

Inobe port.

Inobe port has a new port. We entered into it.

Tokunoshima

July 26, 2010

Amamioshima to Tokunoshima : 59 nautical miles

A kind fisherman helped us to moor Lukia to the quay safely.  Mami presented him soaps we have. He gave us a fresh tuna for a return gift.

He said

"You should better pass the east side of islands. In other words, China Sea."

In summer season, the southward wind blows on Okinawa district. The wind is weakened by the mountains on the island, the northern sea of the islands become calm down.

"Is there any fuel stations?"

"Every islands are available for fuel."

Fishermen have good information always.

We departed to Tokunoshima from Amamioshima.

Tokunoshima. It was cloudy.

We reached Hiradono fishing port.
Hiradono port is a small port, and leafs are spread out under the water. You know, You need attention in the new port.

Hiradono port

We could get water and ice and fuel (307L) at fisherman's cooperative.

We ate sashimi cooked by Mami.

Tide lifted our boat at the limit level of the quay. The pencil fenders are not so effective for this type of quay. I checked lines sometimes all the night. 

Pass throgh Tokara

July 25, 2010 

Kuchinoshima to Amami Island : 118 nautical miles

Today we challenged the chain of islands Tokara. That is a difficult zone.

We depared from Nishinohama port at 05:00. The master, his mother, Taro(goat) and  Jiro(dog) saw us off at the quay.

"What's her name?" He asked me the name of our boat.

"Her name is Lukia.", I answered.

"What does it mean?"

"It's a kind of names! for example Santa Lucia, St. Light in Latin!!"

I shouted to him on our boat Lukia leaving the quay.

Suddenly he started to sing Italian song "Santa Lucia" for us with very very genuine voice.
The singing voice gently pushed Lukia out to the ocean, and slowly but surely she started to cruise.

It was a tranquil moring.

Nakanoshima

Nakanoshima

Suwanosejima

Some wild dolphins came near us all of a sudden.

While passing Suwanose island to Akusekijima, we encountered huge group of dolphins

As we kept speed at 8 knots constantly, the number of dolphins increased more and more. Eventually there were around  30 - 50 dolphins swimming parallel to the boat over 30 minutes.
When our boat stopped, they also stopped, as if they were saying "Don't stop. we want more."

Dolphins seemed to enjoy swimming with us, however, as a matter of fact they were waiting to snatch fishes we might catch.

Seems like they thought we were fisherman who troll. Whether it is true or not,  we were so happy to meet dolphins.

Akuseki Island

The waves between Takarajima and Amamioshima were gradually getting higher, reaching around 1.5 to 2 meters. However, we had no problems to get through that area as long as we could cruise at 8 knots(1700RPM). We could saved the fuel consumption as well. The fuel consumption of 100 miles from Kuchinoshima to Amamioshima was only 320L.

We stopped Lukia at Okuma fishing port in Amamioshima island. The dangerous zone for the under 30 footer boat was finished.

We could moor Lukia at the quay. A fisherman leaded our boat an appropriate place of  the quay.
He asked us

"Where do you come from?"

"Yokohama"

"Crazy!"

Many person interested to our boat.
I heard a man said  to his friend, "That is a boat I read in a boat magazine."
I feel Minor fan is increasing in Japan.

We passed through chain of islands Tokara!

We took a hot spring, dinner, oil massage at the Sea Side View Hotel.