Still Air, Still Going

Sunday

Very light winds lately, and now rain too, which makes a day off a sensible option. That allows for recovery from air-rowing and paddling. Seeing the poor weather on the way I pushed hard yesterday, using a land breeze in the morning and then the faintest trickle of sea breezes through the afternoon. At best there was maybe 4 knots of wind. Thankfully, the sea was very calm. I passed 3 or 4 beaches and headlands that were well stocked with local surfers and paddleboarders. At one outcrop-reef, the turtles outnumbered the surfers, and I enjoyed a time-out amongst the real locals of the spot to eat a banana and rest tired legs.

Today is wet. Tomorrow will be biblically wet if the forecast is to be believed. I have a decent enough camping situation at the moment (surf beach with facilities, and a nearby train station), so will likely wait until Tuesday before pushing on.

Keeping devices charged continues to be a hassle. Yes, I have an extra powerbank, but that just means I use power less judiciously, and my solar panel isn't much good in the rain.

Sunburnt arms, but I have bought a long-sleeved-top. Some things are easy to solve.

Mood goes up and down a bit with the wind, the weather generally, and my state of tiredness. Nothing new there. Today's rest was needed, as was the "okonomiyaki" feast at a restaurant I found within a walking distance of my landing (see pic of the lovely couple who run the establishment).

Monday

I got lucky at the surf beach. While nursing my coffee at the changing facility (a covered, barn-like building also much appreciated by the nesting swallows) a local surfer made conversation and I told him of my journey. Qazuya explained that he gets in the water most days (good waves here) and has an Airbnb that he rents out to make ends meet. That sounds familiar, as it is basically the same as how I operate. Qazuya explains that his guests are leaving today and offers his place (foc) for a night or two. Of course, I accept. Qaz's place is very comfortable - a great space to get clean, charge devices, and also further adjust my already cut-down drysuit (chop socks off and replace with neoprene ankle seals). The waves at Okuragahama Beach are excellent, and Qaz's place is a great place to stay. The accommodation name, appropriately, is "Voyage".

Tuesday Morning

The rain of the last two days has moved slightly to the north. It will be back, but this is the rainy season now, meaning that minor drizzle counts as a fine day. I much prefer sailing when visibility is good, and truly wet conditions are doubly difficult because navigation by mobile phone with prune-like fingers is problematic, but I'll have to sail through rain in order to continue making progress. In theory there is some wind from the right direction today. On land, the air is still. Conditions look good for Qaz and his daily surf. Hopefully - some way offshore - the breeze will allow a decent run for me as well...

Epilogue

Tuesday Continued

A mile offshore I gave up chasing the breeze ever further seaward. Its existence may have been a mirage in any case. It was lumpy and would get lumpier as I paddled towards the headland that needed to be rounded. From the outset I was paddling on my knees. Maybe there was a knot of wind helping me; it certainly wasn't a headwind, but the waves and choppiness make slight breezes very difficult to discern. A blanket of mist sat over the mainland proper. At least my headland remained visible. A short distance from the outcrop a powerful ship, closing fast, came into view. It saw me late, and throttled back when about 200 metres shoreward of my position. The vessel had Japan Coastguard colours (white with a dash of blue) and was sign-written with Counter Terrorism Unit (or something similar, I forget the exact wording). At slower pace they rounded to take a look at me from the seaward side as I tried to make signals that I was not a terrorist or in need of rescue. The latter was debatable, particularly as the wash from the vessel's initial approach was now also piling-in on the chaotic sea state. I reverted to windsurf mode for their benefit, which confirmed that sailing was impossible.

At the headland itself, there was a cut through available with a sketchy-looking approach. It shortened the pain to take that route, and - once through - the water was as good as calm. Job done. I paddled a few miles more and made a beach landing, erected my tent in the rain, stripped off and jumped in before the mosquitoes could take a free feast. Start and end point were only 5 miles apart, though the distance travelled was rather longer.

Today

The rain eased about 9 AM and I walked to a convenience store for breakfast. An hour or so later the day seemed to be offering more promise than expected. There was breeze to at least go afloat with an option to turn back if progress was too slow to get round the next outcrop. Inside the offshore breakwater, on flat water, I made quite good progress. But once outside, on open ocean, either the wind softened or more likely the lumpiness simply made it too light to work with. On flat water the lower part of the sail is helping out, but in head high slop that lower part is doing very little useful.

I was making no progress going upwind, so once again had to kneel and paddle. Paddling through slop, against a headwind, really is morale destroying and on several occasions I contemplated turning back. The prospect of having to face this outcrop again, and the knowledge that I could get past it today, won out to keep me going.

Many times I attempted to sail only to concede that the paddle was the only way. Maybe I got 800 metres of sailing; the rest was all paddled on my knees. There were two kinks in the coast to get round. After the second one I lost the headwind and the sea, allowing me to enjoy the final miles of the day. Once again, about 5 nm added, though maybe double that on the track.

It's very challenging at the moment with these rainy and windless conditions. I had been looking ahead at the crossing to Shikoku, but have reverted to taking it day by day for now. I am staying positive. In fact, rarely have I felt so good about such meagre miles.