Travel Photo and Thoughts -- Where'd Summer Go ?

Time to Get the Santa Suit Ready

 

 

It seems like just a few weeks ago, people were cussing the heat around here.

Now, I'm wearing a jacket and have socks on with my flip-flops.

This photo was taken during an annual Harii or, Dragon Boat Race in the summer.

 I remember, it being a long hot day, in the sun and, I miss those days.

Camera: Pentax K5

Lens: Sigma 10-20mm at a focal length of 10mm 

Exposure: f/11   1/320   ISO 100

Location: Itoman Port, Okinawa, Japan

Date and Time:  JUN 19  2015  10:10AM 

6 Pages on the Calendar Later

 

An invitation to represent Santa at a school, that's never been graced by my presence cams in.

They want to know if, I need a Santa Claus uniform for the appearance. 

Digging through the closet, I found my boots and glasses and, will dust them off.

All year long, I've been working on the tummy so, I won't need to use a pillow.

It's been twenty years that, I've been doing the Santasan thing, now.

So, I guess you could say, I'm a seasoned Santa Claus but, I still miss summertime.


Related Posts:

How I Became Santa Forever 

A Dozen Brightly Colored GIF Animations from Itoman City

A Dozen Brightly Colored GIF Animations from Itoman City

Annual Boat Races in Itoman Harbor

 

 

It seems like summer arrived a bit early this year.

Blue skies, most of the day, made it a perfect time for going outdoors and enjoying a festival.

Before the sun came up, I was in the office, preparing cameras and lenses.

And, I left the lights on, knowing it would be after sunset by the time, I returned.

Most places in Okinawa call these Harii Boat Races.

Westerners usually call them dragon boat races.

In Itoman, the sabani boat races are called Hare and they signal the end of rainy season.

Coincidentally, the word hare, is Japanese for, sunshine.

For events, like this, I carry two cameras and three sets of lenses.

It would be nice to photograph every team as they race and, I try but, usually miss a few.

There are a few thousand spectators at these events.

Luckily, a local sabani team, invited me to stay in the shade of their tent, alongside the port.

When the sun gets directly overhead, a person could easily suffer heat stroke.

They even offered some cold beer but, I chose green tea instead.

The crowds go wild, cheering for their teams, while beating drums.

They have unusual colors for some of the team's uniforms and, it makes me glad.

I'm glad, I am not a fashion coordinator.  Oops!

Knowing it would be a very long camera day, I try to pace myself.

There is a lot more that will be going on at this festival than, just boat races.

Besides all the festival food and game booths for children, there's more.

Many people just come to watch or, participate in the sabani boat races.

Itoman is famous for the fishing ports and industry but, they have farmers, too.

Their contribution to the festival may be seen here.

Watermellons and ducks are thrown into the sea for festival-goers to catch.

And, whatever you catch, you get to take home, for free !

 Very few people remain, after the boat races, for this cultural event.

Hang around with one of the sabani boat teams and follow them, into the evening.

They go to the home of a priestess (noro) after the races.

They enter the home to pray and drink some sake.

Before leaving, they carry their boat paddles, form a circle and, sing and dance.

Visit Itoman City 

Sweet Classic Sabani Boat I Stumbled Upon

Must Be Hundreds of Years Old

 

 

First, take a look at what is usually found in an Okinawa museum.

This is one of the traditional boats, called a sabani.

It has lots of the old items used for sailing and fishing, on display inside the boat.

 Sometimes, the craft is an original one, cleaned up and restored for display.

Other ones, I've seen, are reproductions or models, made for the museum.

When you examine the construction, the sides are made of wooden planks.

And, they are joined together with wooden dovetails.

This antique looking sabani, I spotted, is like no other sabani, I have ever seen.

So, I walked around and looked at it from several angles.

The boat appears to be made out of one, solid piece of wood.

Back in the good old days, you could get away with making a boat from a single tree.

People around the world used to make dugout canoes out of logs.

Whether they burned the inside of the log or, carved it by hand, they hollowed it out somehow.

On this one, you can feel and see the tool-marks on the exterior.

Knowing how rare it is to find a sabani like this, I'd put it in a glass case.

If it stays outdoors, like that much longer, I know what will happen.

Somebody will get a bright idea and, convert it into a planter, for their flowers !