We Return to Yokohama

Kashima to Yokohama : 136 nautical miles

04:50 Departed from Kashima port

17:00 Arrived  to Yokohama

We stayed in a cheap inn, but  the inn was enough to stay comfortably.
We got up at 3:30 and went to the port to avoid any trouble with the moored ship.We departed at 4:50.

It was the best condition in this journey. But the fuel was almost empty.
I decided to fuel in Nabeshima port. Nabeshima port is located on the long sand beach. The depth of the sea around Nabeshima is very shallow. We had to pay attention.

While entering into Nabeshima port, Minor29DC's rudder or keel hit something slightly and muddy water came up. We almost were going to run aground.  Somebody was calling us to come to him. We turned the Minor29DC and went to him. 

He was a retired professional pilot of big ship.

He told us Tokyo bay is 70 nautical miles away from Nabesima port and it  might be dark before arriving to home port Yokohama Bay Side Marina. It is dangerous to cruise Tokyo bay in the night. We had to hurry up.

Shirahama

However, we could not go keeping upper 5 knots because of short cycle wave hit  the bow. 
But after entering Tokyo bay, the waves gone, we kept 15 knots.  

There were many ships and big yachts in Tokyo bay. The others passed Minor29 easily. Minor 29DC is slow on the bay.

Cape Kannon.

Yokohama Bay Side Marina

We've got Yokohama Bay Side Marina.
We succeeded. Everybody in the marina welcomed us. We appreciated for Okazaki Yacht and  many harbor office staff. We met the wonderful ocean, wonderful people, and wonderful boat Minor 29DC.

We need Radar!

Hisanohama to Kashima : 78 nautical miles

We departed from Hisanohama in the foggy morning. After one hour , I found a white lighthouse faintly on our way.

“What? Lighthouse?”,I said while checking GPS,

“Big Ship!!”, Mami shouted.

A lighthouse I recognized was not a lighthouse but a white scale line painted on the big tanker. I turned Lukia quickly. It was a critical moment. The fog was dangerous and we needed a radar.

Oarai Marina

We stopped at Oarai Marina to pick up Our crew, Toku . He joined us again.

The wind was force 4. We departed to Yokohama in the best condition.
However, there were choppy waves on the off shore of Kashima. The north  current, south current, and biggest river current met there. We gave up to get Yokohama today,  went to Kashima harbor.

We moored Lukia at the side of a fishing ship. The fisherman in the port helped us kindly.

Hawaian Center

We couldn’t depart because of rainy, windy and foggy. We took a sightseeing.

They were Octopath. They would go to Tokyo market.

We went to “Hawaiian Center” by taxi.

 
When we return to Hisanohama port, there was a single hand sailing sailor boat. We talked with him. He said Minor 29 was not a trawler. According him, a trawler boat does not cruise at over 15 knots.

“Yes, Grandbanks or Nordic tug is 10 knots.”, I said.

“It is good to have a coffee on the see while cruising.”, he said.

However many trawler boats have over 15 knots power recently. Of course Minor29DC can run more 30 knots, if you install her more power.
But it makes Minor29DC more noisy and you will pay more money.
I think cruising slowly is a typical cruising style of Minor29.

We fueled 195L.

Fog, Fog, Fog

Onagawa to Hisanohama : 91 nautical miles

05:30 Departed Onagawa Port

14:40 Hisanohama port

Onagawa port was under thick fog in the morning. The vague sun light passed through the fog lighted up the Minor29DC. It was very beautiful but it was bad condition for cruise.  Althogh I wanted to go to Tiba prefecture before dark, It seemed difficult.

When we were preparing departure, the captain of the ferry ship was coming in us and said, “You should better wait for a few hours. The fog will go away soon.” 
I thanked him, but I wanted to depart. 
“Ok, If you go, be careful.”, the captain said. I underestimated the fog...

The port was covered with thick fog, we couldn’t see. We went ahead dead slow. This photo was taken from outside of Onagawa port. “Evil would come here!”, Mami said. it was seriously thick fog. Kinkazan is very famous place for fog.

A Tanker make accident some times around here. The fog gradually became thicker and thicker. Our Minor29DC had no radar. At last, we could only see in the range of 20 meters circle. The waves were scary, fogs were also. The captain of ferry suggested this. I slow down our boat at the speed 8 knot and kept the direction constant to avoid crash.

Suddenly, a ship appeared in front of our boat from the fog. Fortunately the ship went through on our right side. I thought they knew us already by their radar. We needed a radar, too.

At the time 9:15, the fog was gone, the vision was recovered. It was really nervous two hours. You should better wait if fog covers your boat. In the thick fog you can’t go ahead with normal speed.  As a result , you can go fast. I didn’t use my head.
 

Sendai bay was fine and the cruise was very good. But the wind got stronger. We didn’t go with normal speed again. We entered to Hisanohama port at 14:40.

Hisanohama 

At port Hisanohama, our crew, Toku left us to work. We thanked him very much to join us.