Q1 2011 part 5

 

While Jaap was in Holland Marijke stayed behind to look after Alishan and the cats. We had just moved to another spot in the harbor. We regretted being no longer amongst the fishermen, but here we could use water and have electricity during the day. Very important when you live onboard. The owners of the pleasure boats in our previous location didn’t think so and would not let us use “their” water and power connections, though we offered to pay more than our share. Some very weird people in this world. 

From our old spot (left) where getting on and off was very easy, to the new one (right) is only 200m but a big change in many ways.  Now we have to use a gangway from the bow. A plank on a ladder that Jaap quickly installed before he left and that broke down on the second day. Fortunately our new neighbors are of a different brand. Mr. Kiyama helped to fix it right away.

We are now nearly at the same place as 5 years ago.

Our new neighbors also have pets: these 4 young XXX belong to Mr Kiyama. Nori and Wakame watch them with mixed feelings in the weekends, when they come to stay on board.    

Another old friend that’s still around: Gaga! He used to swim over and talk to Koekie, our NZ cat that got killed 9 years ago. Together they appeared on TV in a pet show. The duck must be 15 years old now. He has found a new mama in the river, who calls him Gago, but he listens to both.

Tetchan, another neighbor, takes sportsfishermen out to catch big gamefish. Here he returned with a lot of  tuna that he shared with Jaap.

Tuna sashimi, just enough for Jon, Pam and Jaap. Marijke missed out.

Little by little we settled in the fishing harbor of Atagohama. The fishermen who welcomed us back continue their hospitality and treat us like their pets.

Miyoko and Shigeko, 2 sisters, who have us use their bath and washingmachine every week. 

“Captain” preparing nets for prawns   

We both picked up some jobs teaching English. Not too much, we like our free time. We drove to hotsprings, went for walks, runs and bird-watching outings. Whenever the weather was bearable we’d go somewhere. And so winter turned into spring.

Imazu, one of Japan’s most important stopovers for migrating birds.

There are mudflats, rivers, canals and lotus ponds and migrators frequent this area in spring.

The Fukuoka Branch of the Japanese Wild Bird Society organizes field trips to Imazu and other places around Hakata Bay as well as Noko Island.

Scenes of  Noko

On the beach.

Wild violets in bloom in February

This happy earthenware face partly covered with sand looks all right in the sun, but it looked quite spooky and gave me goosebumps at first. I wonder who put it there and why.