Scenes from Zamami Island 2014 Sailing Sabani Race

Motion GIFs of the Boats in Action

 

This year, the course was changed due to rough sea conditions.

Instead of sailing from Zamami Island to Naha, Okinawa the race was held in the Keramas.

The sea was relatively calm, close to the islands.

It was a beautiful, sunny day.

For awhile, it had me wondering. Why not sail to Naha ?

As you probably noticed, I'm bouncing around on a fishing boat.

Each team had an escort boat, somewhere nearby, for safety.

Peeking through a camera viewfinder, I'm busy, looking for the Umimaru team.

With 30-40 boats racing, it would take some time to find them.

I take advantage of he light to shoot different types of the traditional wooden boats.

A few, had outriggers and some had, two sails.

The weather, seemed perfect, to me.

And, I was a little bit disappointed, that the race to Okinawa was cancelled.

Leaving the Kerama Islands

We rode a commercial fishing boat back to Naha, Okinawa.

Just a few minutes away from Zamami Island, I learned, why the race was cancelled.

The swells, in the ocean, made waves a few meters high.

They would have swallowed any one of the sailing sabani boats.

A few times, I thought our boat was going to capsize.

But, we had a captain who knew how to handle the seas and, I thanked him for the ride.

BONUS: FOR THOSE WHO FOLLOWED THIS FAR

 

On the ferry, going to Zamami Jima some gals, asked the age of this old cameraman.

So, one of the sabani dudes told them.

"Mike, he's a Super Grandpa, about 90 years old or, so."

HAH !

I won't be 90 for another 13 birthdays or, so.

Okinawa.  I couldn't think of any place, on earth, I'd rather live.

Travel Photo and Information from Kin Town

Things Just Get Better Every Day

 

 

First, a peek at Kin Port from last Saturday's Harii (Dragonboat) Race.

Blue skies, like this, haven't appeared since those races took place.

It seems like rainy season just doesn't want to leave, this year.

But, before the sun set tonight, a rainbow appeared.

And, there were pink skies, off to the east as the sun went down.

That's a sign, the weather may take a turn for the better.

Ask any sailor and they will tell you.

It's goes, "Pink sky in morning, sailor's warning.

Pink sky at night, sailors delight."

Or, something like that.

 So, I'm looking forward to a good weekend and possibly great Full Moon weather this week.

Look at What's Happening Next Week

 

 

 Kin Town is having another Live Matsuri !

That is Wednesday, a week from today.

Apologies for not translating this for y'all; I'm just too busy.

Wednesday night, I'll be out there, shooting these live bands and acts.

They are some super good performers and half of them have appeared on this blog before.

A rush job will have to be done, processing photos from this event.

And, the sun is guaranteed, to be shining for the rest of the week, after this matsuri.

The cameras and I, are leaving the island for a few days.

It's off to the Kerama Islands, we go.

The annual Sailing Sabani Boat Race, from Zamami to Naha takes place Jun 22, 2014.

 Related Posts:

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Incredible Adventure: The 2013 Sabani Boat Race (Photos)

Ten Photos of What Takes Place Before a Sabani Race from Zamami to Okinawa Island

A Well Organized Annual Event

 

 

There may be anywhere from 30-40 teams participating in the race.

Furuzamami Beach is the starting point and, the sabani boats are staged a day or two early.

Late afternoon and early evening, the night before the race, you can see teams practicing.

A boat might have two members on the team or, as many as six.

Before the sun sets, everybody beaches their boats.

And all hands, participate in a beach cleanup.

A couple of cameramen had this remote controller helicopter.

They could video the event from start to finish with that camera way up in the sky.

As the sun started dipping down behind the hills, everybody returned to Zamami Port.

Refreshments and festival foods were served.

Opening ceremonies took place with the usual speeches and such.

People just relax and enjoy themselves while waiting for showtime to begin.

Cute, little Hula dancers were anxious to perform on the stage.

And, there were some, more mature ones, involved in the show, too.

Nothing, sounds better than Eisa Dance being performed on a wooden stage.

All that foot stomping and drum beating, reverberated through the hills.

Once the sun sets, it gets quiet again and the sabani teams have to go get some sleep.

The next morning, they will sail and row those boats, all the way back to Naha, Okinawa !

Looking Forward to Visiting the Kerama Islands Later this Month

The invitation was accepted and, I'll be going along with the Umimaru, again this year.

Hopefully, we'll have blue skies and nice weather.

Rainy season was supposed to have ended, Sunday. 

But, it looks like somebody forgot to tell the weatherman to turn the water off.

 

The Sailing Sabani Race Takes Place on the 22d of June

 

 

We'll be going over to Zamami Island, where the race starts, a few days earlier.

To get ready for the trip, I decided to look through last year's photos.

And, discovered a bunch, that had never been processed.

  

Here's what the Umimaru crew looks like paddling their sabani boat.

Meanwhile, I'm bouncing around on a big diesel powered fishing boat, trying to shoot them.

And, I have to hang on to something or, could get thrown overboard.

Everybody, wears life-jackets, for safety.

Just hope the weather spirits are in a good mood for the race this year.

Or, I'll be looking forward to getting back to this island, in a hurry.

Have a peek at Zamami Village's  homepage for more information. 

Related Post:  2013 Sabani Boat Race

Incredible Adventure: The 2013 Sabani Boat Race (Photos)

14th Annual Zamami to Naha Sabani Race

 

 

 

The weather spirits smiled on Okinawa, Japan yesterday.

These photos were taken from the deck of an escort boat, following the team I accompanied.

The race started at 9AM with over 30 boats leaving Zamami Island.

The sabani is a wooden boat weighing about 250 kilograms.

 Each sabani has a crew of six.

The distance they race is over 30 kilometers.

Modern boats, of this sort, may be made of fiberglass or aluminum and have motors.

These, hand-crafted wooden boats, are made without the use of screws or, nails.

 The only source of power:  Sails and paddles.

A ferry can travel the distance in less than one hour.

The average sabani will spend four hours completing this challenging course.

There was only a gentle ocean breeze blowing.

That meant, paddling was the only way to compete.

Two hours into the race, the Kerama islands are far behind.

Around noon, the Umimaru (うみまる) team pulls alongside to get some water.

They have about an hour of paddling and sailing, left to do.

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

They just keep paddling to the east.

The team Umimaru, from Itoman, completed the race to Naha, in just under four hours.

Everyone, competing in this sabani race, demonstrated exceptional stamina.

It was just incredible !