Voyage of the Good Ship Westward

The end of our first, wonderful week on Honshu (Japan’s largest, longest island) finds us welcome at the 1^st class marina of Shin Nishinomiya Yacht Harbor in the town of Nishinomiya on Osaka Bay. 

Nishinomiya is sandwiched between the major metropolises of Kobe & Osaka—-where giant container-handling cranes, aligned along the shoreline like picket fences, load & unload huge containerships with exports & imports reflective of Japan’s massive commerce with the world.  Like our previous moorage (at Wakayama Marina City in Wakayama Prefecture), this marina, the yachts that fill it, the accompanying condominium buildings, shops & boutiques (incl. a pet massage parlor!) developed along the adjacent shore are all evidence of the growing, hard-earned, affluence & leisure in modern Japan.

We enjoyed a smooth three-day passage from ChiChi Jima, carefully evading serial storms that still plague these winter waters; because of evening arrival at the coast, we selected the small coastal fishing town of Kushimoto (at the southern-most tip of Honshu near the entrance to Osaka Bay) as our first port-of-call on Honshu . . . thereby avoiding night-time travel in the heavily-trafficked coastal waters of Japan.

As we neared the coasts of Japan, South Korea & China, the passage brought evidence, in the form of steadily increasing numbers of massive ships laden with ores, oils, LNG & grains, of the industrial might of Asia.  In our last six hours approaching the Kushimoto entrance, we tracked more than 100 deep-water ships and coastal freighters & fishing vessels on our radar & AIS (Automatic Information System)!  With all this traffic, Japan is a ship-watchers heaven; but for our modern electronics and the professionalism & courtesy of the mariners here, it would be a navigator’s hell!

Enroute we bucked the formidable cross-current of the Kuroshiro Current whose eastward flow brings the riches which support Kushimoto’s fishing fleet and ultimately delivers warming waters to the U.S. Pacific coast.

In Kushimoto we moored snugly behind the extensive breakwaters that define Kushimoto harbor, welcomed there by a multitude of fishermen and town-folk who clearly appreciated classic Westward for her timeless beauty and sea-worthiness.  Four days in Kushimoto were punctuated by the overhead passage of a sizeable low pressure off the Asia mainland, who’s wintry blows of 50+ knots pinned Westward to the harbor-wall for nearly 24 hours!.  We doubled our mooring lines (nonetheless parting one spring-line from the strain of the storm’s peak); fortunately our fenders held, and kept Westward off the abrasive concrete surface . . . . but the shiny surface of our rubber Polyform fenders was surely diminished in the process.  It was a challenging time, but grateful we were to be in port, rather than at-sea, for the storm!

Westward has consistently provided delightful entrée into every port we’ve visited over the past 14,500 miles, and our welcome to Kushimoto was heart-warming.  Westward’s visit was the “talk-of the town”, noted in near every shop & restaurant we visited.  In a local bakery (where Teresa & I purchased cakes to challenge those of the finest Parisian patisserie) we were greeted by a shop-girl who applauded happily upon learning that we were from “the cruiser”.   

We’d heard consistently, from Japan-experienced cruisers along our lengthy path, that Japan was a favorite (if not the favorite) cruising destination.  Exaggerated Japanese entry procedures designed for merchant vessels, not for yachts, are tedious at each port, but always polite, welcoming & helpful.  Where else would you be visited by three uniformed Japan Coast Guard officials who, upon being asked about garbage dispositions, happily tossed our trash-bags into their sedan to take them away!

We particularly connected with a bright, albeit a tad frenetic flying-fish fisherman (gill-netter), Toshyuki Okaji (there nick-named “Tosei”), who guided us on a walking tour of Kushimoto, took us to his home to meet his elderly parents & family, introduced us to head Monk (owner of a small sailboat!) at renowned Muryoji Temple (and museum) and even appeared, after a pre-sailing dinner aboard Westward, to cast off our lines at 5 a.m.!  It was a memorable encounter for all.

We sailed Kushimoto as the 22^nd was dawning for a day’s-run to Wakayama, consistent with our commitment to eschew night-time travel in these busy waters.  This early departure took us towards a horizon bright illuminated, city-like, with the lights of passing ships and near 100 Kushimoto fishing vessels quick to work the waters of the Kuroshiro Current soon after the passing of the recent tempest.   The nine hour passage took us close along a largely rural coastline, reminiscent of California’s Big Sur coast but for the railway line, bridges & tunnels that dot & penetrate the shoreline.  Proximity to Wakayama introduced us rapidly to the industrial activity that seems to characterize the coastline of the Inland Sea—–power plants, refineries, steel mills, etc.

A poor guess at suitable refuge brought us inadvertently to shelter in the sizable private port of the Sumitomo Wakayama Steel mill—-where more than 25 coasting ships & deep-water vessels can moor, and come and go with astounding frequency.  We were politely unwelcome in Sumitomo’s private harbor but pleaded homelessness, insanity, and fear of (navigating in) the dark to successfully obtain an overnight berth.   And, typical of Japanese courtesy & understanding, the Sumitomo staff apprised us of nearby by Wakayama Marina City . . . . and phoned ahead to there arrange a berth from Sunday morning. 

At Marina City Westward was again a much appreciated visitor; we reciprocated their welcome with a guided tour onboard, on Sunday afternoon, to welcome visitors who brought generous gifts of fruit, crafts & sake.  Marina City also brought welcome reconnection with “Nick” Nakamura, a Seattle business partner & associate of near 25 years standing and the first of many “cronies” with whom we look forward to seeing in Japan.

We expect to remain in Nishinomiya until the week-end, when we will journey further into the Inland Sea of Japan . . . . where we are hopeful of again finding more rural surroundings before traveling to Tokyo to greet daughter Margot on her April 3^rd arrival for a visit to Japan, her first, that we are most eager to share with her.  Scenic, welcoming, courteous, charming, helpful, delicious well run & ordered—–all are apt descriptors for what we’ve seen & experienced in our brief time here.  And we’ve only just begun our visit!

All continues well aboard
Westward

Konnichiwa:

Our Saipan departure (March 3rd evening) marked the beginning of our journey through still-active volcanoes of the “Pacific Rim of Fire“.

In 400 miles Westward passed nine (9) distinct, conical, volcanic islands which constitute the northern island group of the Northern Marianas—-the majority which are described as “active”.  These islands are not large [a mile or two in diameter reaching a maximum height-above-seas-level of 3,200 ft (Agrigan)].  But these islands are most impressive for their close proximity (we passed within a mile or two of many) and for their dramatic rise from the profound depths (20,000+ ft!) of the adjacent Marianas Trench! 

The first island passed was recently re-awakened Anatahan which treated us, at sunrise on the 4th, to billowing clouds of steam, smoke & ash from her 2600 ft peak.   At Pagan Island we spent the next two nights, awaiting weather, shifting between two anchorages, each providing only marginal shelter,  little distant from clouds emergent from the active crater of Mt. Pagan.

As interesting as any island of the group was the island of Maug—–now but remnant of a surely once substantial volcano whose ancient self destruction left three steep & jagged spires, huddled into a 3/4 mile diameter, into the midst of which we steamed, per the remarkable radar image below:

The dome of Maug’s caldera, at the crater’s center, was eerily visible on Westward’s depth-sounder only 350 feet below the surface!

Despite their intriguing, slumbering power, the small islands of the North Marianas provide little shelter from North Pacific winds & seas increasingly encountered as we journeyed north.  Tiring of rolling anchorages, with more determination than desire, we pressed-on from Maug to our 1^st destination in Japan—-ChiChi Jima in the Bonin (or Ogasawara) group—-where we arrived on the morning of the 11th.

Westward is now at 27 deg. N.—–just above the Hawaiian Islands (and the Tropic of Cancer @ 22N), still well south of the California/Mexico border; yet weather changes experienced traveling just 700 miles north of tropical Saipan have been impressive!  We have been increasingly subject to eastward movements of wintry air-masses moving off mainland of Asia into the North Pacific.

ChiChi Jima is an unscheduled stop for Westward, we’re here taking shelter from a blustery cold-front bringing cool, soaking rains, with temperatures in the 60′s (like a summer’s day in Southeast Alaska!)—–for which we all feel ill-prepared!  We were routed here by invaluable weather forecasts, of uncanny accuracy, provided to us through the capable services of Commanders’ Weather (http://www.commandersweather.com/).  The rugged, green mountain-sides of ChiChi Jima are today wind-blown and shrouded in scenic beauty of Asian mists & fogs; we feel suddenly quite distant from the tropics, shorts & sandals of the past year! 

With insufficient level ground for an airfield, small ChiChi Jima, and the surrounding islands of the Ogasawara group are remote water-sports & eco-tour destinations for the Japanese, connected to Japan only by weekly ferry service from Tokyo.  It is difficult to associate the beauty of what we see with the brutal & tragic abuse of U.S flyers here in 1945, as revealed in “Flyboys”—–James Bradley’s fine best-seller of 2003.

We’ll have dinner aboard tonight in Westward’s saloon, the 1st in more than a year with a fire in the fireplace!  But Teresa & I are nonetheless delighted to be in Japan again, particularly for Westward’s 1st visit to this wonderful country.  When this nasty patch of weather passes, we look forward to continuing on to the northwest, and especially to reconnecting with many old friends in Japan and to leisurely exploration the coasts & countryside of Japan’s main islands of Shikoku, Kyushu, Honshu & Hokkaido . . . .  beyond the busy Tokyo with which we are familiar.

All continues well onboard

Westward

Saipan, Monday 3^rd March

Our last update was on arrival Guam (Feb 20^th) where two full days were quite busy organizing & loading fuel, lubes, parts, provisions, etc. and making consular arrangements preparatory to our visits to The Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (CNMI—-Rota, Tinian, Saipan & the northern islands) and Japan. 

Guam had everything we needed, and more.  The combination of U.S. Homeland Security & port security standards protecting sizeable Air Force & Navy interests on Guam brought operational restrictions both unfamiliar & unwelcome.  But the tiny Marianas Yacht Club was a welcoming haven, and we endured Guam long enough to fulfill our needs until a Friday midnight dash for Rota.

Rota was a most welcome & refreshing change from Guam.  We connected with old friends from Seattle and a (local) business associate from years long passed; their welcomes & hospitality were warm & refreshing..  The island is small, welcoming and rural . . . .  most restful after our energetic pace on Guam.  Clear waters, a reasonable anchorage, good kayaking and some island tour made tiny Rota a stop we can recommend.

A fine, day-long run (and two Mahi Mahi!) brought us to Tinian—–memorable for the role its extensive airfields (now abandoned) and the terrible role they played in bringing an end to WWII.

Tinian is noteworthy today for the gaudy & extravagant Casino recently planted there by Hong Kong money, apparently intended to relieve Saipan’s nearby Asian work-force, and eager Chinese gamblers, of their hard-earned and/or ill-gotten gains. 

Saipan lies only a few hours steaming north of Tinian; Thursday morning brought us to it’s now bustling port and communities.   Both Saipan & I have changed considerably since I first arrived here 40 years ago (for the start a shipping company to directly connect the islands of Micronesia with Hawaii, the mainland, and Asia); I’ve weathered the years & changes better than Saipan.  It was then a quiet island of less than 10,000 population; today its numbers approach 100,000, with little of that growth contributed by the resident population.

In the eighties, The CNMI negotiated a political alliance with the U.S. (“Commonwealth” status) which gives the islands a measure of autonomy but retains significant participation, & responsibility, for the U.S.  The result in an indigenous population, now carrying U.S. passports, that is highly U.S. dependent.   Commonwealth status brings a thick overlay of U.S. Federal regulations (Homeland Security, EPA, FEMA, Food Stamps, Medicare, etc., etc.) which local bureaucrats vigorously manage and enforce, presumably in the interest of job preservation & continued U.S. funding!  

The Japanese brought economic some life to the islands (20+ years ago) with tourism investments (only on land leased from local land-lords) but the Japanese have largely abandoned the island, and their now-deteriorating tourism infrastructure—-selling it off to Korean & Chinese investors who send diminishing numbers of low-budget tourists from home.  Once open countryside (and infamous battle fields) is now crossed with streets packed with card rooms, Karaoke bars, pawn shops massage parlors, mini-marts, etc.; much of Saipan is not a pretty sight!

The population boom is attributable to a throng of imported workers.  Any non-government labor seems almost entirely imported (particularly from the Philippines but also from Korea, China, Indonesia and even Bengladesh & India!).  Sadly, the locals appear to have become a community of landlords, politicians & bureaucrats.

We will not be sad to again be underway, finally & eagerly departing Saipan tonight for Japan . . . . via some of the smaller islands of the Northern Marianas [Anatahn (a currently smoldering volcano!), Pagan & Maug] before continuing through the southeastern islands of Japan (Iwo Jima & ChiChi Jima) to Southern Japan.

We have decided upon the City of Tokushima, at the east end of Shikoku Island, as Westward’s first port-of-call at Japan.  In anticipation of some stops along the way, and perhaps some North Pacific weather unfavorable to the passage, we anticipate a voyage from Saipan to Tokushima of about two week’s duration.

Westward