The annual Bonenkai “End of the Year Party” will be held on December 3 at the same venue as last year, Churo’s D. See the old year out in a friendly boat-oriented atmosphere. There will be entertainment, too. See events for details and to reserve your space.
On October 4th under clear blue sky and sunshine, with family and friends, TSPS Member Yoshikazu Aoki ( Yoshi ) returned to the place he loved best for the last time. Yoshi passed away at sea last November. On August 26th he had returned to the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Nova Scotia and on the 4th of October he returned to the Pacific Ocean near Saru-Jima.
As expected there were mixed feelings shared by all in attendance, but it was ultimately a shared experience of fond memories and and a collective feeling of thanks for the time that Yoshi shared with all. Anyone who had met and spent time with Yoshi was present, if not in body, than certainly in spirit. Gone in a sense,but absolutely never to be forgotten. Fair winds forever good friend.
TSPS Past Commander Stuart Milne has recently had an Oyster 54 built in the UK named Fujin II. He is sailing her on her maiden voyage bound for Gibraltar, Mallorca and Valencia. You can follow the trip on Stuart’s on-line log here. Bon voyage and fair winds to him and his crew!
Ahoy TSPS Members (and Wannabe Members, see below)!
Our friends at Hayama Marina are once again inviting TSPS members and their guests to join them for a day on the water. As last year, we’ll gather at Hayama Marina, board four or five boats, spend a pleasant morning and afternoon sailing, sit at anchor for lunch and a swim, and following our return to the marina join the Hayama Marina’s annual Hachigatsu da yo Zenin Shugo, or roughly, “Hey, It’s August, Dude. Let’s Party!” event. Last year we had live music, hula, belly, Tahitian dancers and more. We have been told that this year it will be even better. The event wraps up at 8:30 pm.
Here are the details as provided by Maruo-san at Hayama Marina:
Date: August 15th Saturday 2015
Time: 10:00AM at Hayama Marina,
Fee: Adults ￥4,000, Kids ￥2,000
Schedule:
Part I “Joint Sailing”
10:00: Meeting time (in front of the yellow building near the boat launching facility)
10:30: Set sail
11:30: Anchor at Morito Bay area for lunch, a swim, and drinks on the boat
14:00: Back to marina, shower
14:30: Beer & Refreshments at TSPS Guest Tent
Part II “Summer Festa: Hachigatudayo Zenin Shugo”
16:30: Bar Open, Food & Drinks
Dancers & Live Music
20:30 Sayonara
Deadline:
List of participants by Aug. 3 Monday (an early date in order to arrange enough boats)
PS:
There will be a TSPS guest tent and drinks back in the marina for the time between the events. Positively no climbing on the boats in the boat yard.
Lunch & drinks on the boats, drinks back in the guest tent are covered by the fee.
Food and drinks at the Summer festa are not included in the fee.
We prefer you sign up online (it’s ridiculously easy), but if necessary you can send an email providing your full name and the full names of any guest(s) to commander@tspsjapan.org
NOTE: Non-members are welcome to attend if they become TSPS members by paying the membership fee at the event. Membership fees are here. If you can’make it to the cruise, come for the Festa.
Getting there:
Directions to Hayama Marina
By Car:
Take Yokohama-Yokosuka Toll Road, get off at Zushi-Interchange Exit 6, take left road to Hayama, pay ¥100 at toll gate after driving through tunnel, drive about 4 kilometers, go straight under overhead bridge for pedestrian with signal, drive through tunnel, turn left at next crossing with signal (AM-PM shop right side), go straight at next signal and Hayama Marina is 50 meters ahead of the signal, right side of the road. Parking is available.
By Train / Bus
Train time is around 1 hour from Tokyo to either Zushi or Shin-Zushi stations
If by JR (Yokosuka Line) to Zushi Station
Take bus no. 11 or 12 from bus stop no. 3
Get off at “ABUZURI HAYAMA MARINA MAE.” Travel time is about 10 minutes.
Proceed about 100 meter along the road the bus is on to Hayama Marina on right side of the street.
If by Keihin-Kyuko (to Shin-Zushi) station.
Exit the platform from the exit nearest the front of the train, Go to bus stop no. 2. Same bus no. 11 or 12 stops there.
Hope to see you in Hayama on August 15.
Eugen Mall
TSPS Commander
For those who prefer their water rushing chaotically at incredible speeds, the whitewater rafting trip on Saturday June 13 this year was great. Conditions were perfect for the trip. Late-week rains in Gunma meant the water level in the Tone River was high, enabling the rafting company to begin the trip further north than is typically possible. This was only the second day this season that Canyons (our rafting guide company) has been able to raft the beautiful Momiji section of the river. Blue skies and snow capped mountains made for a terrific day.
Our sailors skillfully navigated all the rapids the river had for us, under the careful tutelage of our rafting guide, Sally. After a 16 km journey, with a couple of opportunities for a swim in the “refreshing” water, the group returned to Canyons base camp for a BBQ lunch and some much-needed refreshment. Intrigued by the bungee jumping we witnessed from the river, the group moved to the jumping platform to watch the excitement up close – and one of our members worked up the courage to take the leap himself! Late afternoon BBQ and yard games at Bamboo House rounded out an enjoyable day.
Following an overnight rainfall and early morning clouds, the 2015 TSPS Rendezvous was held in pleasant conditions at Velasis Marina in Uraga from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 6. Commander Mall and his band of merry helpers worked his usual magic with providing delicious barbecued meats with all the trimmings. Twenty-nine members and guests, including a good number of new faces, enjoyed the afternoon out on the lawn with the beautiful backdrop of boats in the harbor. Two members sailed their boats to the event.
The time slipped by quickly, as the drinks and conversation flowed freely. Kirk Patterson, currently on his way towards finishing his solo circumnavigation of Japan, was able to drop by and fill us in on the current stays of his trip.
If you missed this event this year, not to worry–it’s an annual event. So be sure to make it in 2016!
The first weekend of April, 2015 was a wet and dreary one. On the Saturday, Mike Snyder and Warren Fraser aboard s/v Distant Dreamer left Yokohama port and sailed under the Bay Bridge into Tokyo Bay with 20 -25 knot winds blowing out of the NE. We raised sail and set a course of 160 degrees that would take us directly to Hota. After three or so hours and remaining on one tack the entire way, we dropped sail 20.5 nm from the bridge, fired up the engine, and motored into port.
A few hours later, Francis and Masayo Wertheimber aboard m/v Diva arrived, followed by Per and Anne Knudsen aboard s/v Bifrost with crew Bernhard Zimburg. Bifrost had arrived with its mainsail up as high as the first spreaders due to a jammed halyard sheave. After Per was winched up the mast to release the halyard shackle and the main was furled in the boom, it was agreed by all that all was as it should be in Hota and cocktails were served aboard Distant Dreamer. Gin and tonics and Compari sodas flowed until Francis informed us that last order at Banya, the famous fisherman’s restaurant in Hota harbor, was not at 7pm as we’d expected and had become accustomed to over the years, but at 5pm. We emptied our glasses and headed over to the restaurant for dinner at 4pm, a little early for dinner we thought, but so be it.
We had the usual fine fare of sashimi, tempura, baked fish, and beer and lemon sours accompanied by good conversation and lots of laughs. Soon, we retired to Bifrost for wine and snacks and by 10pm, we were all back aboard our individual boats.
The next morning dawned cold and gray. Diva was the first to leave Hota, followed by Distant Dreamer and sometime later, Bifrost. In spite of the weather and the smallness of our group, a good time was had by all on this, the first event on the TSPS boating calendar for 2015.
TSPS held its annual Change of Watch on the evening of Feb. 17, 2015, at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan. The Bridge officers for 2015 were voted on and sworn in by the attending members. Reports of the past year and plans for the coming year were also given. Dinner, drinks and lively conversation were enjoyed by the 39 attendees. The event ended with the annual CoW lottery and various marine themed prizes were taken home by the winners.
TSPS held its annual Bonenkai to see out the old year on Thursday evening, December 4, at Churo’s D in Toranomon. The festivities began at 7 p.m. and ended shortly before 10 p.m. Some serious moments were observed in memory of former commander Shunichiro Yamamoto who passed away two years ago and also in memory of Yoshikazu Aoki, who passed away in November. A hearty toast was raised to both men.
Long-time TSPS Bridge officer Tony Whitman was presented with a Weems and Plath DHR Anchor Lamp as a token of our gratitude to him for all his fine work with TSPS for over close to 40 years. Tony will be leaving to return to the United States. We all wished him fair winds and following seas on the next leg of his journey.
The evening was nicely rounded out by the skilful playing of guitarist Carl Henning, who delighted the crowd with tunes from Brazil, Russia, Spain and even Japan.
It was a fun evening, which passed all too quickly.
I stumbled upon this wonderful thirty-minute video made by a guy sailing singlehanded from California to Hawaii and then back. His narration is insightful, humorous, and warm, with his love of sailing apparent. The quality of the video is outstanding and creative. If you have 29 minutes 35 seconds to spare, take a look. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Cheers,
Warren Fraser
