We’ve added the entire 2011-2012 Volvo Ocean Racing series of videos to ‘Channel TSPSJapan.’ You can access the series in the ‘Boating Videos’ section of the homepage. By the way, we strongly suggest switching to ‘full screen’ viewing for the Volvo series. Enjoy!!!
Category Archives: News
Saturday Night Entertainment
Events And People In 2010
The Tokyo Sail & Power Squadron is a very active organization with a history of holding over twenty-five social and boating events throughout the year. 2010 was no different. A lot of photos were taken that year, and the galleries below contain but a small sampling of the thousands of pictures taken by TSPS members throughout 2010.
Longtime TSPS member Eugen Mall hosts TSPS barbecues twice a year on Kuruwa beach south of Hayama. They’re very enjoyable affairs that never run out of food or beverages and rarely get cancelled. Eugen must be doing something right because the weather gods always shine down on Kuruwa beach whenever TSPS is in the neighborhood.
Hota is one of the most popular destinations for pleasure boats in the Tokyo area so it’s no surprise our cruises often include a stop there or make Hota the only port of call. Banya seafood restaurant is the real destination and together with the sailing, it makes the trip down to Hota special.
The Habu and Shimoda galleries are from a September Silver Week cruise to Oshima and Izu. Eight boats made the run to Habu on Oshima island. Four boats then sailed on to Shimoda, before returning to Tokyo.
Land and Seascapes (mostly from the cruise)
Each year a group of sailors from Hayama Marina welcome TSPS members aboard their boats for a very pleasant few hours of sailing before rafting up at anchor for a nice lunch, then some more sailing, and finally back to the marina for drinks, a delicious barbecue, live music, and lively conversation. This gallery is from the 2009 and 2010 event.
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A Hot Summer’s Day Cruise And Party At Fuji-House, 2011
Host Fujimoto-san, Jiro Fujiwara, Anne Bille, Per Knudsen
On June 4th, TSPS member Fujimoto-san hosted a barbecue and sushi party at his seaside home at Fuji-house in Koajiro-wan, south of Tokyo on the west coast of Miura Peninsula. Over 20 sailors and partiers attended, some arriving on the three boats that sailed into nearby Seabornia Marina. The day was hot, the beer was cold, the food delicious, and the company engaging. We hope that Fujimoto-san will continue his generosity next year and that this will become an annual TSPS event. Thank you Fujimoto-san!!!
To see the photo album, click here.
TSPS Member Minoru Saito Receives Top Award
[fbshare type=”button”] Saito Presented Top Cruising Award By United States Power Squadrons
(Originally published as a news release from Saito Challenge 8 )
JACKSONVILLE FLA – Japanese single-handed sailor Minoru Saito was named recipient of a transoceanic cruising award of the United States Power Squadrons at the organization’s national meeting last week. It was only the second time the award to honor adventure boating has been presented by the organization.
Saito was flown from Tokyo to Jacksonville Fla. to receive the Juan Sebastian del Cano Award, named for the navigator who finished the first-ever circumnavigation led by Ferdinand Magellan in 1522. Saito was cited for successfully completing his 8th solo circumnavigation this past fall at age 77, an international record, as well as for his nearly 40-year sailing career that includes a non-stop solo circumnavigation in 2005 at age 71.
Saito is a member of the Tokyo Sail & Power Squadron, the only non U.S.-based squadron of the 420-squadron, 45,000-member boating safety organization.
California USPS members Darrell Allison and Kenneth Griffing reported that Saito-san received a standing ovation from attendees at the national conference.
The response was “very touching,” Allison commented. “Lots of people wanted to meet and greet him and have their pictures taken with him. He was a real rock star!” he said.
Several squadrons in the mostly Southern California district that includes the 100-member Tokyo squadron raised money for Saito’s trip to Florida. Griffing, who led the donation effort for the airline ticket, was also instrumental in arranging the del Cano Award, which was first presented by the USPS in 2007.
Hunter Brumfield, co-chair of the all-volunteer Saito Challenge 8 Support group that served as his shore crew in Japan, spoke afterward with Saito, who is a Guinness World Book record holder among other major international recognitions. “As a sailor who flies both the Japanese and U.S. flag on his boat, Saito-san couldn’t be prouder of this newest honor from the USPS,” Brumfield said.
For more information on Saito-san’s record-breaking circumnavigation, go to the Saito Challenge 8 website.
Yacht Fujin’s Progress South To Phuket
As many of you know, Commander Stuart Milne has left Japan for a posting elsewhere. As the owner of Fujin, a Jeanneau 43D, he had to decide whether to sell his vessel here in Japan or sail the boat to a new home port. He opted for the latter, and hired an Irish delivery crew of three to sail the vessel to Phuket, Thailand via Okinawa, Brunei, and Singapore.
The voyage south to Phuket began on January 9th, 2012 and since then Stuart has maintained a blog with regular updates on the adventures of Fujin and crew as they make their way south, including an entry about a stretch of nasty weather with 55 knot winds and huge following seas as Fujin approached Okinawa.
Stuart plans to join Fujin and crew in Singapore for the last five-day leg to Phuket.
Best of luck from TSPS to Stuart, Fujin, and crew!
To read Stuart’s Yacht Fujin blog, click here.
The TSPS Japan Website Has A New Look
[fbshare url=”https://tspsjapandev.wpengine.com” type=”button”] As you can see by now, the TSPS website has a new look. We’ve redesigned the site to give our members and site visitors more information about the activities of TSPS and to make it easier to enroll in our education programs, find out about our upcoming events, and for visitors, members and non-members, places to give your thoughts and opinions on what’s going on.
Subscribe to weekly updates. Download and import our calendar of events into your personal computer at home or office – you’ll never miss an event that way. Come back often.
Keep in mind that we’re still tinkering with settings and functionality as we work toward maximizing the usefulness of the site..
So, have a look around. You’ll soon find there are plenty to posts to read, photos to look at, videos to watch, and events to join.
We hope you enjoy the new site and find it useful. Feel free to subscribe by clicking on the “Follow” button floating at the bottom of the page.
In late April and early May of 2011, four boats– Bifrost, Fujin, Samurai VI, Yarramundi– from the Tokyo Sail and Power Squadron sailed to Japan’s Kii Hanto. The voyage there and back lasted over 10 days and covered more than 600 nautical miles. Most of the 16 crew snapped pictures and took video, and so we’ve put together a sixty-minute, six-part video that captures some of the excitement and drama of the adventure. We hope you enjoy it.
The annual TSPS Bonenkai was held on Wednesday, December 7th at the Pink Cow in Shibuya. Over 35 people attended the party, and ate to their heart’s content for over two hours feasting on a Thanksgiving dinner of turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, greens, and cranberry sauce. The Pink Cow chefs also prepared Japanese dishes and the buffet was never without a TSPS member filling their plate. Bottled beer, along with draft beer and wine flowed all night, with Ernie Olsen providing a few bottles of some great red wines from his personal stock. A big thank you from TSPS to the Pink Cow for their hospitality.
Bonenkai parties are held in Japan to celebrate the passing of the year, and for those in attendance, it was also the final opportunity to see TSPS Commander Stuart Milne at one of our events. Stuart is leaving after four-plus years in Japan, and so it was with some sadness that the attendees listened to Stuart’s final address to a TSPS gathering. He spoke of his move to distant shores and of the status of our on-going projects. He also announced TSPS’ and USPS’ donation of ¥500,000 for the purchase of an instructional model ship to be used in a maritime school in the tsunami-affected Tohoku coastal region. The speech was met with thunderous applause, after which Stuart introduced Warren Fraser as nominated TSPS Commander for 2012. Cruising Coordinator Per Knudsen spoke for the entire organization in thanking Stuart for his many efforts and strong leadership over 2011 and wished him the best from all of us in his future endeavors.
Here is a link a few photos taken during the Bonenkai. If any of those in attendance wish to share their pictures, contact Warren Fraser for uploading instructions.
On June 4th, TSPS member Fujimoto-san hosted a barbecue and sushi party at his seaside home at Fuji-house in Kowajiro-wan, south of Tokyo on the west coast of Miura Peninsula. Over 20 sailors and partiers attended, some arriving on the three boats that sailed into nearby Seabornia Marina. The day was hot, the beer was cold, the food delicious, and the company engaging. We hope that Fujimoto-san will continue his generosity next year and that this will become an annual TSPS event. Thank you Fujimoto-san!!!
Click here HERE to see photos.