Wordless Wednesday: Is It "Left Loose/Right Tight?"

Wordless Wednesday: Pull Your Right Foot Out

5 More GIF Images from the 2016 Zamami to Naha Sabani Race

Four Hours from the Start

 

 

Remember, this boat capsized about half an hour into the race.

They, up-righted the sabani, bailed it out, replaced the sail and, kept on paddling.

Through thunderstorms, strong winds and, heavy rain, they moved right along.

At times, it looked as if, the sea would swallow the whole boat.

Once, they passed a buoy, near Tomari Port, Naha, the race was done.

From there, the escort boat, towed the sabani, to park at a beach overnight.

The girls from the sabani team, ride the safety boat, while the guys, get towed.

It's important, to drink lots of water, when doing this kind of event.

But, when they offered me some, I politely refused, to take any.

 After five hours, bouncing around at sea, I was pretty thirsty.

But, I didn't want to pop a kidney, in front of those girls and, I had to pee.

The first thing, they did after hitting the shore, was go running off to find a toilet.

The coast was clear of all women so, I went and pissed like a boss, in the ocean !

Wakamizu -- The Sacred Water of the New Year in Okinawa

12 Photos of What Takes Place

These images were taken at ceremonies conducted in December of 2012 and 2013.

It may take another two or three years to capture all of this cultural event.

Reviving some of the history and traditions of the Ryukyu Islands is challenging work.

Most of the documentation was lost or, destroyed prior to and, during the Battle of Okinawa.

A group, the Shuri Tonokura Community Association, has revived of this tradition.

This is the sacred hut (asagi) in Hedo where rituals begin.

Arriving in the village, the day before the event, was a good idea.

It gave me the chance to learn how to build the covered roof from kuba leaves.

And, by the end of the day, I was no stranger in town.

Early the next afternoon, preparations for worship began.

A procession climbs the hill to the house of worship.

Some of their costumes represent royalty.

The women in white are priestesses or, noros (local dialect).

To be determined: Whether this woman was a high priestess or, royalty.

She certainly, was the center of attention, at all the ceremonies.

Prayers and offerings are made at the asagi, before proceeding to draw the first water.

The well, called Ookawa, is reached by taking a long, winding trail down the mountain.

Water, drawn from here, is placed in clay jugs and taken to Shuri.

A week later, in Urasoe, Okinawa this well (Takushi Hiija) is visited.

Prayers and offerings are made before drawing the water from this well, too.

At a shrine named Enkaku-ji, just outside Shuri Castle, the water from both wells is mixed.

From there, the procession heads towards the castle.

The castle is entered through the gate named, Kyukeimon.

Here, the sacred water is presented to a woman of royalty with best wishes for the New Year.

That's the part of Wakamizu my cameras haven't captured, yet.

But, we're working on it.

Thanks to the Ryukyu Shimpo, I got this video you can watch, though.



Travel Photo: Offerings on the Mountain

 

This photo was taken on December 23, 2012, in the hills above Hedo Village, Okinawa, Japan.

The crowd surrounding the Okinawan Priestesses watched offerings being made.

To take a photo like this without barging through the crowd and disrupting a ritual can be tricky.

What I did here, was stretch my tripod all the way out and fold the legs.

Then hoisted the camera about 12 feet in the air and shoot with a shutter cable release.

Almost anything beats carrying around a stepladder or, climbing trees!

More about this New Year Water Mixing event may be seen in the Ryukyu Shimpo.

When It's Wet in the Forest (Photos)

On a rainy day, when the forest is wet, you can walk quietly.

The wildlife won't be out but, you can hear the waterfalls.

Streams of fast-moving water splash over the rocks.

And they swirl around them, making white patches in dark areas.

When everything is wet, brown colors look dark but, greens look greener.

When it's wet in the forest, you can have the place all to yourself.  Try it sometime.  It's cool.

VISIT MY HOMEPAGE FOR THE PHOTO OF THE DAY

World Water Day

October 15th is World Water Day and I sure wish people would clean up their act. Don't you?