Three boats participated in this year’s Ocean Day Cruise, July 14-16: Bifrost with Skipper Per Knudsen and son Miku , Sentosa with Skipper Arne Barden and his crew of Benjamin and Friedrich , and Distant Dreamer with Skipper Mike Snyder and his crew of Warren, Andy and Vincent.

The first day the boats met at Misaki, where they docked overnight and enjoyed the local Ocean Day festivities and the wonderful fresh sushi.

The next morning, after the fog lifted, we left together and sailed to Zushi Bay, where we anchored, swam about in the refreshing water and had a barbecue onboard.

Then, on a clear Monday morning we all returned safely to our respective home ports. It was a good three days on the water.

Good news for TSPS members!

We are able to rent Yamaha 30S sailboats at Hayama Marina through the Nihon Sail Training (NST) organization there. They have 6 of these boats that they are willing to rent to TSPS members at the friendly rate they give to Hayama Marina Yacht Club members, ¥20,000 for the day. The capacity of the boats is around 6 people (depending on size) or 500 kilograms total weight. At least one of the renting members must have a Japan boating license and be checked out by the NST to be competent in handling the boat and in putting the boat away properly. We have three such skippers now, so if you want to go out, one or two of them can join you for the initial sail. Once you are a known entity at Hayama, you’ll be able to take the boats out yourself.

At present we have three dates already reserved:  July 8 (Sun), 22 (Sun) and 28 (Sat). If you are interested in renting one of the boats, let us know: either one of these days or a day of your choosing (we’ll check the schedule and let you know if it’s possible.)

For more information and to reserve a day, get in touch with Mike Snyder.

Our joint event with Hayama Marina Yacht Club on July 21 would be a great time to check out the boats, too!

This year’s joint sailing event with our good friends at Hayama Marina Yacht Club is coming up on July 21. This year people from Sailors For the Sea will be joining the event, so it should be quite a fun time on the water as well as at the subsequent party.

Go to the event announcement for further details and to sign up. The limit for TSPS members will be 30.

Two boats joined in the cruise over Golden Week, Mike Snyder’s Distant Dreamer with two crew and two TSPS member guests aboard (who left us in Misaki), and Arne Barden’s Sentosa, with Arne’s wife and three children. Sentosa formerly belonged to George Leaning and was known as Sophie. Both boats sail from Yokohama. Sentosa left first and headed for Misaki and Ito. DD followed, going to Misaki and with a plan to go to Shimoda, but rain and high winds (26-32 knots) made her stay in Misaki, where she met up with Sentosa on her return from Ito.

Besides meeting up with Sentosa in Misaki, Distant Dreamer had yacht Tonoas rafted to her with people we had met in Hota on the Opening Cruise. There was a Ukulele Festival being held in Misaki and they knew some of the musicians. Eventually, we had a number of musicians on board both boats and passed an enjoyable day listening to all kinds of music played on ukulele, violin, and jamisen (Okinawa shamisen).

With the high winds prevailing and Arne coming in from Ito, we decided to stay in Misaki an extra day and wait for him. Also, we were able to get up to the famous old TSPS Rendezvous location on the hill above Shoiso Bay and visit with long-time member and Past Commander Hunter Brumfield and his wife Eiko.

The sail back, both boats together until Uraga where DD turned in for fuel and lunch, was in beautiful weather, with 12-16 knots winds, clear skies and following seas.

Voyage of Inspiration- Spring 2019: A blind sailor is going to sail, non-stop, from San Diego to Fukushima, Japan. Nothing is impossible: The blind can sail the sea and, with your help, be made to see. Click here for details.

From TSPS Treasurer Ernie Olsen

Delayed a week due to inclement weather on the originally scheduled week-end, the TSPS Opening Cruise to Hota took place on April 21-22. Two boats with 8 people total on board made it to Hota after a day of zig-zagging down Tokyo Bay in 18-24 knot winds. In Hota we met some fellow sailors from Yokohama Bayside Marina and Moroiso Yacht Club with whom we enjoyed a hearty seafood meal. A good time was had by all but the bunks were welcome after the day’s exertions. The next day the wind was minimal in the morning, so it was motoring back to Yokohama for both boats.  We look forward to more cruises to come.

In June of this year TSPS Past Commander and long-time TSPS Bridge member Per Knudsen sailed his vessel Bifrost II from Lymington, UK to Gibraltar/La Linea, with stops in France and Portugal.

The voyage was carried out with a complement of able-bodied crew that included past TSPS members Ian Wilson and Randy Erskine, and present member Claus Eilersen. The trip was Leg 1 in the passage to deliver Bifrost II to its home port in Denia, Spain. Leg 2 will begin soon, with Per and Anne Bille currently provisioning Bifrost for a week-long sail, before they set off for the approximately 370 nm sail home up the Spanish coast.

Everyone at TSPS wishes them fair winds and following seas on their journey. Bon voyage!