A good day's sailing from Okinawa to Nagado Ko on Izema Shima (Island). We left at 8.00 and sailed most of the 47 NM with the fastest leg after rounding Ie Jima (Island) when we picked up 1.5+ knots of current - our top speed was 8.6 knots. We made good time until just SE of Izema Shima
when we encountered turbulence from the ebbing tide which was now against us. A thunderstorm which had been rumbling away for a couple of hours decided to make haste to our preferred harbour and as we drew nearer and the sky blackened we furled our sails and motored as fast as we could. Bannister had already tied up ahead of us and called to say we would have to raft up to them
as the wind change had moved several fishing boats so that they now sat alongside where we would have moored. Fortunately, the threat soon dissipated, the wind died and it has been relatively calm ever since. Maybe those strong winds which kept us in Okinawa have finally gone. Our position here is 26 deg. 55.594N, 127 deg. 57.051E.
Tweed rafted to Bannister in the inner harbour, Nagado Ko
Today we have been riding our bikes around and exploring this lovely island with the Bannisters. We had hoped for a swim and a snorkel but all the beaches we tried were too shallow!! It is very pretty with many sugar cane fields and vegetable gardens and we have also seen goats, pigs, ducks and those spoilt cattle in their very green fields. I think we found the only restaurant on the island and by the time we had cycled around and then up hill we felt we deserved our lunch - goat meat soup set, goat noodle soup, pork spare ribs and pork noodles.
Jon's goat meat soup set
We have been very fortunate to have a ferry terminal close by and can receive wi-fi internet connection aboard the boat. Some new photo albums have been added to the list at right.
