Kushimoto

A great run yesterday down to Kushimoto, the southernmost tip of Wakayama Prefecture. This comes after 2-days-previous when I only made 4 nm, before nearby thunderstorms and my own tiredness advised as early stop; and yesterday when I put the hours in, but the very light headwinds limited progress to about 9 nm.

Yesterday started very hazy, meaning that the short bay crossings required compass bearings rather than line of sight navigation. The first 10 miles were relatively painless as I made my way towards where the wind should begin its run. Then came a very light section to round a Cape which wasn't pointy but was clearly significant because it had a lighthouse to mark it. The shipping was also coming in very close - and I stayed inside the shipping - meaning I was really struggling for any wind. There was also quite a powerful swell running also contributing to the churning of water. I guessed right that this highly disturbed area was the transition to the Kuroshio current, as once beyond it (a few miles further on) the water smoothed out and I was being carried along by current alone.

The following wind picked up and towards the tip was blowing about 20 knots. Wind and current together meant reduced the build-up of wind waves. By this stage I was sailing downwind in the reaching straps. Many flying fish were chased into flight, and there were several near misses with sharks, and one in particular where a direct hit and catapult seemed already determined but was evaded by the animal's lightning reflexes.

I tried to video some of this but haven't reviewed it yet, and then SD card said it was full, and then for the best bit - the crossing out to the headland - I had packed the camera away, so you'll have to take my word for it that this was the fastest 4 miles of round Japan. As the angle was a not maximally broad, I had good control even though the wind was strongest here. Hundreds of flying fish leapt airborne, and rather than escape to windward, the tighter angle kept them on a flightpath alongside mine. I could observe the structure of their "wings", and some were so stationary and so close that I could have plucked them from the air.

At the point there was a very confused water and I had no desire to mix with it, so stayed close in by the rocks until reaching a gap between mainland and an island where I could tuck in and end the risk of being pulled offshore by the Kuroshio as it continues its journey.

About 32 nm covered on that hop. It felt like a big day so I thought I'd share it.