Arriving in Makurazaki, 31 deg. 16.105 N, 130 deg. 17.666 N, we immediately remembered reading that it is famous for katsuo (bonito) and the smell of the smoking/drying fish was with us the whole time we were there! The fish is filleted and then dried out - we thought it looked like pieces of wood. The dried fish is then very thinly shaved to make bonito flakes which are sprinkled on various dishes, one of which is goya (thinly sliced and cooked bitter gourd), and another is fresh silken tofu with soy sauce.
Early the next morning before sunup we were awoken by a large fishing boat which managed to tie up in the position along the wharf in front of us. It was then joined by two smaller boats which rafted up alongside it making us feel very tiny indeed. They left the following night, only to arrive back again the next morning just before we were planning to leave. Luckily, there was plenty of space behind so not so tricky trying to depart.
With 15-knot westerlies predicted we kept to our departure time to sail to Kasasa Ebisu, a small port only about 25 NM away, around the SW corner and tucked into the south side of a large bay a bit further north - 31 deg. 24.921 N, 130 deg. 08.052 E. We calculated that the flood tide would be with us most of the way and despite the headwinds it would be a short trip. This is where we think the wind direction was having an effect on the tidal flow as we had tide against us most of the way. It took six hours to travel the 25 NM at an average speed of 4.5 knots.
We tied up alongside a Japanese-registered yacht as there was no room left on the tiny pontoon at the Kasasa Ebisu Resort - there is only enough room for three boats and there were already three there. Bannister rafted up to another yacht as well. Very crowded, but we soon met the Japanese cruisers as well as another solo sailor who sailed around the world in 1978, via Cape Horn, in the 28-ft vessel he built himself.
