Q4 2006 part 1 Fukuoka-Goto Retto

 We left Fukuoka on September 20^th, a little later then planned due to our upcoming residency status, which after 6 month still wasn’t decided, and once we got those stamps in our passport, typhoon nr 13 (Shanshan) paid us a visit. Luckily that was the only typhoon that bothered us on our way south, that means UNTILL we were in Japan’s last harbor, Ishigaki.

But first things first. Our first stop was in the most uninteresting port of Imari. 

Why did we go there? Because we wanted to sail in the Goto Retto island group and we needed a cruising permit. Foreign yachts can visit any “open port” at any time, but need cruising permits with strict itineraries for other places. These permits, necessary for each prefecture, can be obtained from a Ministry of Transportation office in that prefecture, usually located in these open ports. But there was no such office in Imari. Jaap just checked in with customs who told us to go to Sasebo, a bigger port further south and we continued early the next day. We had not really planned to go to Sasebo, as we would have to backtrack if we’d wanted to see the most northern islands of the Goto Retto, but we had time…

Around the corner of Kuyshu’s NW point lies Hirado. An idyllic town worth a visit if only there was room for a 43ft yacht.  We had stopped there on our first run in Japan on Jan Haring, 17 years ago; this time we gave it a miss. The winds were light from the North and a south running current gave Alishan good speed and thus saw us entering the harbor of Sasebo in the middle of the afternoon.

Now, where??? should we go??? There was lots of big ship traffic around us. We were dodging them this way and that, discussing the possibilities, when a little Sasebo Port Control boat drew up behind us and a man pointed his finger to a little pontoon. There, to our big surprise, where 2 uniformed officials, waving 2 flags, one yellow and the other the Dutch red, white and blue! Apparantly Imari had phoned, so they prepared this little welcome for us. Jaap asked if they did this for every foreign yacht, but no, we were the first.

 

They took Jaap to clear in and see the Transportation Office people. Our plan of just getting the permit and sailing out again was not feasible; it doesn’t seem to be possible to issue a permit in a few minutes. Jaap had to come back the next day after lunch. In the meantime we could stay on this private little pontoon.

 

 

By now the fact that we had left Fukuoka, our hometown of 11 years, sank in and we began to enjoy our freedom. No appointments, no strict time schedule, just walking around town, leisurely looking at what was there. It felt wonderful. Even though the town of Sasebo really has nothing to offer. Only big hamburgers. We celebrated our freedom with adding another day, just for the hell of it. From now on we have all the time in the world! And got it back right the day after. Too windy to cross the straight to the Goto Retto and it did not look any better in the near future.

 

So we changed course, sailed under these 2 bridges through this narrow passage (timing it well as the current runs up to 10 knots), and ended up in HtB.

Huis ten Bosch, a little piece of the Netherlands in Japan. We had been there on various occasions, (by car!) and I thought we had seen it all, but now, since that strong northerly kept on blowing, we discovered a few neat places. Like the “trick-photo” exhibition; the IMX theatre, where you see the movie all around you, even below you; Henk’s bicycle shop (Long tall Henk will you ever leave HtB?) and Ben’s stables. Henk and Ben, the only real Dutch items of House ten Bosch.

At the trick photo gallery.

Scenes of Huis ten Bosch: The Dom Tower, Hoorn and Kinderdijk.

                                                      Flower-power

Henk on one of his specials 

In the yacht harbor we met some other live-aboards, it was great to talk to them. In Fukuoka we had been on our “own” for so many years. Nori and Wakame loved the marina, many new “fishing” boats to explore. We had tried to keep the cats onboard, but it was hard on them. In Fukuoka they were locked in at night, but could come and go during the day. Here the jetties offered a nice playground where they did not easily get into other cats’ territories.   

The HtB yacht harbor from the “Dom tower” 

Just when the weather was getting better and we were planning to move on, an old friend stopped by. Jan from Belgium. Used to work in HtB but now he was getting the place ready for a visit by Floortje Dessing, caster of a popular travel program on Dutch TV. We were talked into staying a little longer and had the pleasure of spending the day with her and her team. For us it was great to be able to speak Dutch again. And make fun in Dutch. HtB provides enough to laugh about. It’s a nice place, don’t get me wrong, but just not so Dutch for us Kaaskoppen.

  Interview with Floortje.

And then the day came we finally left for the Goto.Retto We had given up on that most northern place, the fisherina on Uke and headed straight for Nama. The town had changed little. We had been there 17 years before during a summer festival and it was noisy and lively then, but now the place was dead quiet. We kept some photos of that time and showed them to the people who dropped by. “All the young men have left” they said, “looking for better jobs in the cities.” But what hadn’t changed was the hospitality and generosity of the people. We got loaded with potatoes, onions, rice cakes and cookies.

The next day we sailed to Wakamatsu. The winds were light again and we motor-sailed between the islands, enjoying the scenery.

Alishan in Wakamatsu

What we still missed was decent fishing gear, so in Wakamatsu we took out some gift envelopes that we got in Fukuoka and spent the Yen. And sure enough, the next day, a small mahi mahi on the line.

Look at his grin!

When we got into the port of Arakawa Jaap showed it proudly to the fishermen, but they shrugged and tossed us some red snappers. “You better eat these, this is real fish.” And that was the start of a line of fish that worked itself towards Alishan with the regularity of once a day. Now, this place Arakawa is special. It has a hot spring, 25m from our spot along the dock. And we went there everyday!

 The first day Nori hurt himself when he made an unauthorized and uncontrolled jump for freedom ashore. The scratch needed stitches badly! We asked the lady at the front desk of the inn where to go and she kindly lent us her car. Nori was fixed in no time, but needed to rest, so we stayed a whole week. And that was a week of walking, cycling, running and eating fish, fish and more fish. Mainly squid and mainly raw.

 

Ikezukuri, the best way to eat raw squid, prepared onboard by a local fisherman.

Thanks guys!

Something else, very tasty on these islands:

Sea urchin eggs on top of a bowl of rice, accompanied by a sweet pickle, fried or baked fish, miso soup and cups of green tea. The yellow stuff is pickled radish, good for digesting all that good food.