Canoe to Divorce Rock

Nobody Was Home

The weather wizards were wrong. It turned out to be a nice sunny day.

A guy showed up at my office with a canoe on the roof of an air-conditioned truck.

We'll just call him C.D. because, that's easier than spelling Canoe Dude. OK ?

Off to Genka, a district of Nago, Okinawa we went, to checkout the legendary Divorce Rock.

With a 50% chance of rain, the plan was, find a place where a boat could be launched.

Tricky Logistics

There aren't many places along HWY 58, where parking or, boat launches are available.

We drove around the village, looking for spots along the river, leading to the sea.

Most of the waterway is fenced-off probably, to keep little kids from falling in and drowning.

Talking to a local guy it was determined, the best access would be, out on the highway.

By the time, we got everything figured out, the sun was shining brightly.

So, we decided to make a big splash and, row out to sea.

Had the weather been different, I would have gladly, tried this trip, some other day.

Ideally, a visit to this rock would be best, during low tide so, we could see the sandy beach.

We paddled the canoe at a leisurely pace. I never knew canoes could go out in the ocean.

And, I had a hangover from too many beers, they gave me last night.

So, I was paddling at a more leisurely pace than, C.D, the guy behind me, in the boat.

There's no telling, what astronauts talk about out on an exploration but, I know what we did.

We were saying stuff like, "What if, we find some skeletons?"

"We should have brought along a flag, to plant on the rock, like the guys who went to the moon."

"Maybe, there are gold and silver wedding bands and engagement rings, people left there."

Canoes don't come equipped with radios so, we had to entertain ourselves.

We got there in about half an hour.  Astronauts probably, bring along some music.

Anyhow, there we were, banging into to rock with our 17 foot fiberglass canoe.

Soon, I learned to use my paddle, to keep the boat from crashing into the rocks.

That C.D. is an adventurous guy. He put on some goggles and dove into the water.

He'd pop up every once in awhile, to tell me about all the fishes he saw down there.

Then, he went swimming and diving all around the crazy rocks. And, I waited.

After a while I was thinking, "Goddamnit, what if, a shark come along?"

I got my paddle ready to swat big fish and, started humming the tune from the movie, Jaws.

I don't kill fish for fun but, I'd be pretty angry if, I had to paddle that boat by myself.

So, if one ate C.D. I'd probably spank it real bad !

All of a Sudden

Looking around, I find C.D. up on the rocks. The rascal climbed over from the other side.

Me, I never touched the rock at all. I've had some experience with divorces.

One thing I never learned is, which costs more getting into or, out of one.

Probably, a smarter person, would keep track of those expenses.

Well, I quit humming the Jaws tune.  We got the canoe turned around and headed home.

The return trip took about half an hour of some more serious paddling.

Wind and currents in the water, sort of kept trying to force the boat off course.

We discussed things like, it would have been smart, to carry an ice chest and cold drinks.

The sun, got fairly hot and, we were turning red before the shoreline came to meet us.

What a tourist attraction, that rock could become. Just imagine.

A few paddle boats, advertise Divorce Rock and, sell trinkets to tourists.

We could make a fortune, selling divorce donuts and, phony certificates to people.

People who actually get divorces, could stash their wedding rings out there.

Divorce cakes and cookies, candies, hot dogs with sauerkraut. We'd become millionaires !

Time for some beer replacement therapy.  I'm outta here.

You may also like:  Legend of  Divorce Rock

Okinawan Folktale: Legend of Divorce Rock

A Folk Story May Vary

Depending on where it's heard and, who is telling the tale.

Several sources were checked in researching this one and, there are many different variations.

One thing for certain is, they are all, talking about this rock formation.

Wutu Fui Ishi

Traveling north on HWY 58, this outcropping may be seen with Kouri-jima in the background.

It is too far from the shores of this island or Kouri island, for the average person, to swim.

Back in the days of the Ryukyu Dynasty, marriages were often arranged by parents.

If, things didn't seem to be working out, between the couple, something drastic, had to be done.

The parents would hold, sort of a council and, try to get the wedded couple agreeing.

Whenever the stubborn rascals, couldn't see eye to eye, mom and pop, had a solution.

Daughter would go in her family boat and, the son would, ride with his family.

The group paddled their sabani boats out to Divorce Rock for a meeting.

At low tide, there's a nice little cove of a beach with a shaded area in the rocks nearby.

It's a great place, to picnic, negotiate peace and maybe, drink some spirits.

If the couple, hasn't resolved differences, by the end of the day, they get left behind.

The extended families, take the sabani boats and, row back to Okinawa.

Pretty soon the sun goes down, tide rises and the chilly ocean breeze starts blowing, out there.

The couple starts shaking and feeling miserable because, i Phones weren't invented yet.

They only way to get warm, seems to be, hug each other and get that good feeling.

When mothers and fathers, came back, to check on the couple, they were lovers, again.

And, if they hadn't solved their marital issues, they would get to spend another evening, free.

More Versions of the Story

Otofuishi posted by Brad

THE INFAMOUS "DIVORCE ROCK" by Okinawa Soba (Rob)

He gives you the Okinawan dialect "Wutu Fui Ishi" name for this Rejected Husband Rock.

And, don't pass up, reading his text, along with the interesting comments.

There's an Ugly Guy and Pretty Girl rendition of the tale.


Yokohama Toshi:

Gives a list containing nine resources, used in researching this story.

They range from wealthy man, ugly man, ugly girl, to unhappy couple and everything between.

The link comes from Google Translate and, possibly may be switched back to Japanese.