(no subject)

We left Dai Kuma on Monday for quite a boisterous sail to Mae Gomori on Takara Island, 29 deg. 09.380 N, 129 deg. 12.374 E. The wind was from behind about 20-25 knots so quite bouncy. We stayed two nights in Mae Gomori, as the day after we arrived there were quite a few showers about - these cleared late morning so we had a good bike ride after lunch and managed to find some more polystyrene fenders along one of the beaches. Our original ones are starting to wear out!

Yesterday we made the 63 NM north to Noshima on Kuchi-No Shima Island, 29 deg. 59.680 N, 129 deg. 54.871 E. It was a lovely green looking island but not a lot to see once we arrived so we decided we would push on today for Yakushima Island. So we arrived Ambo harbour, Yakushima Island this afternoon, 30 deg 18.776 N, 130 deg 39.527 E after a 7.00 departure from Noshima, 29 deg. 59.680 N, 129 54.871 E. We had current with us today with some strange effects from the strong movement and several rough patches along the way. Some current against us as we got closer to Yakushima Island but soon we were in the flood tide north and arrived just after 3.00 p.m.

Now we have been visited by local yachtie Takimoto who has kindly brought us town maps and Yakushima Island guide leaflets and is trying to organise a hire car for us and Bannisters for tomorrow - fingers crossed as there seems to be quite a bit see here on this World Natural Heritage listed island.

Connecting to Sailmail to send blogs and emails has been very difficult as the propagation in this area is not good.