Yacht Fujin’s Progress South To Phuket

News

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

News

[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.

Kii Hanto Cruise

 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.

 http://flic.kr/s/aHsjxgBeER

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.