Wordless Wednesday: Sailing Sabani Race

Special T-shirt Arrived Overnight

Late Night Message

Saturday night, sometimes finds me in a local watering hole and, it was one of those nights.

DING: A message came through on the iPhone, saying my T-shirt was delivered.

It was placed in the mailbox at the office. It would wait until morning.

It's a good thing the crime rate is low in this part of the world. Nobody, swiped my shirt.

Last month, I traveled to Zamami-jima for my fifth consecutive year to photograph this event.

The Maririn Cup, is a local race in the Kerama Islands.

The big event, is the Sir Peter Blake Memorial Cup Race, from Zamami to Okinawa Island.

A passing typhoon made this the longest of the sailing sabani races, I've ever witnessed.

Only three boats finished, within the six hour time limit. The rest struggled to get home.

Normally, there's a big celebration at the finish, with bands and free beer.

We dragged our exhausted, sunburned bodies to the closing ceremony and got a beer.

Suddenly, rain busted out and closed out the closing ceremonies. After, only one free beer !

Everybody ran for shelter and the bands, dancers and beer kegs, went home.

We were told, the T-shirts would get to us at a later date. It's a pretty busy shirt.

Sir Peter Blake

If, you were a Kiwi (New Zealander) and, didn't know this man, they'd lock you up.

He's the most famous yachting sailor, who ever went out to sea.

Broke every ocean sailing record in the world including sailing around the world.

Peter Blake was the only one, to take the America's Cup from the Americas. Twice !

After 2000 America's Cup win, he retired from yacht racing and, became an environmentalist.

On an expedition to the Amazon in Brazil, he was killed by pirates.

Going after the robbers with a gun, Blake was shot twice and died instantly.

MORE AT SIR PETER'S HISTORY

In the Shower - Pentax K1 After 3 Days at Sea

Not an Everyday Event

This is the camera, I used last weekend for shooting the annual sailing sabani races.

We were out at sea on doing island things Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Plenty of sea, sand and salt spray, were experienced along the way.

Once in awhile, salty spray from the ocean waves, would hit my lens and, I had to think quickly.

Rain water, wouldn't be much of a problem because, this camera is weatherproof.

A lens tissue, could wipe fresh rain water off the lens and, I could keep on shooting.

A tropical storm had formed and, our sabani team took a bit longer than, expected to hit Naha.

What normally, would be a 4-6 sea voyage, lasted about 10 hours, for me, aboard a fishing boat.

Whenever the lens got splashed with seawater, I had to rinse it off somehow.

The team, paddling in rough seas, needed water, more than my camera for survival.

So, I reached in my back pocket and pulled out a bottle of ocha, I kept for drinking.

Splash a few swigs of that on the lens and, I'd let it run off then, use a lens tissue.

Once, we safely arrived at a Capsule Hotel in Naha, the camera and I got quick showers.

It would be Monday before, I got back to the office and unpacked my bags.

Then, I placed the Pentax on a tripod and, gave it a good 15 minute hosing.

The photo was taken with my iPhone. You weren't expecting to see me in it, I hope !

NOTE: Don't Attempt This With Any Camera Except Pentax

Ocean Image: A Sailing Sabani

Tomorrow Is Ocean Day in Japan

Last weekend, I was out in the Kerama Islands with this sabani team.

This is one of my favorite, out of the thousand or so, photos taken along the way.

Ocean Day (海の日) Umi no Hi is a national holiday and many families will go to the beach.

Hopefully, the weather will cooperate, everyone will have fun and return from the sea safely.

Camera:  Pentax K1

Lens:  Pentax 18-250 at 60 MM

Exposure:  f/6.7   1/5000   ISO 800

Location:  Kerama Islands Okinawa Japan

Date and Time:  JUL 2 2017  9:48 AM

Island Image: Start of the 2017 Sailing Sabani Race

Furuzamami Beach

Last Sunday was my 5th time traveling to Zamami Island for these races, as a photographer.

It's sort of a working vacation, for me and I stay fairly busy but, always have fun.

The folks who paddle and sail these old wooden boats, are a great bunch of people.

Before any sailing event, they hold a beach cleanup. Everyone participates even, children.

They have great respect for nature and, the ocean. 

This race is one of the biggest affairs of the year. Look at the sea and skies. They were awesome.

For a minute, I thought this was going to be a fantastic day for sailing the 37km race to Naha.

Normally, sabani boats cross the finish line in about 4 hours. That's when the wind is right.

From what I heard at the finish this year, only 3 boats finished in the 6 hour time limit.

About 10 hours, I was bouncing around on an escort boat, taking photos.

A typhoon, headed towards the mainland, pulled some tricks on the sabani boats this year.

The wind and waves, were pushing the ocean from east to west.

Our objective was to race from west to east. So, it took a lot longer, to get there.

Everyone survived and, we made sure plenty of liquid refreshments were consumed.

No sense in getting all dehydrated, when they have huge quantities of beverages available.

Those of us, who didn't have to work Monday, just spent the night in Naha.

We kept nourishing our dry throats, until the wee hours of the morning.

It was Monday, at home when I first noticed, my body was as red as a lobster.

All of a sudden, today big chunks of my hide, flap in the breeze and, are falling of  me.

Nobody wants to see a picture of that. Do you ?

For now, I'll just give the photography specs used in this travel image.

Camera: Pentax K1

Lens: Pentax 15-30 at 15 MM

Exposure: f/11   1/1000   ISO 400

Location: Furuzamami Beach Zamami-jima Okinawa Japan

Date and Time:  JUL 2 2017  8:42 AM

Travel Transportation Shot: Queen Zamami

Visiting Outer Islands

Just a quick post before the laptop gets thrown in my backpack.

The cameras and lenses are packed away for a three day excursion, off this island.

Weather permitting, it will  be a blast and, I'll return with 100's of seagoing images.

For sure, all the sailing sabani crews, are praying for calm seas and blue skies.

WiFi service may be a little tricky, at times so, I may not be able to post every day.

This will be by 5th year in a row, taking photos of the sabani races.

Previous Sailing Sabani Race photos may be seen by typing "Zamami" in the search block above.

If, for some reason, the seas and wind, don't cooperate, I'll try something different.

Maybe, take some photos of museums and nightlife, for a change !

Photo Location: Tomari Port Naha, Okinawa, Japan

Wordless Wednesday: Old Time Sabani Construction

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 !

Travel Shot: Lunar New Year Ritual at Hakugindo Shrine

Ken Uehara and Friends

 

 

 

Things move along quickly at some of the cultural events, I attend and it was one of those days.

One camera crashed, due to human error and, luckily, I had a backup one handy.

One of the uminchu (fisherman) said, "Mikesan come over here."

This was the first, sailing of the sabani boats, since the beginning of the Chinese New Year.

Prayers and offerings were made at the shrine and, it was time to go out to sea.

Three martial arts experts had performed in the shrine, just minutes earlier.

They were posed, for photos, being taken by a young lady and, I was trying to get closer.

It's really, not a good idea, for a bearded foreigner, to shove people out of the way.

The lens, I was using was a 10-20MM and, I needed to get right up front, to take this shot.

For a split second, I thought maybe, these dudes, would start whacking me with their weapons. 

Finally, Ken Uehara (right) told them, who I was and, what I do.

"Mikesan, gets our story in newspapers and on the internet," he told them.

So, I got out of there without a scratch and, had to hurry, on down to the ocean.

Doing stuff like this can give you goose bumps and make hairs stand up on your neck.

Maybe, they should assign a note taker/translator to me, to keep me out of trouble ! 

More About Ken Uehara and Sabani People

Itoman Uminchu Koubou

Hakugindo Shrine

What the Heck Is a Sabani ? 

UPDATE:

 

From a martial arts establishment in Belgium, the friends above, were identified as:

"Yamashiro Kenichi Sensei with his son Takesi Yamasiro and his student Yuki."

Thanks to 

Federation Geido Tao Chi Kihon on Facebook for sharing this post !

12 Animations from the 2015 Sabani Sailing Race: Zamami Island

The GIFs Can Do the Talking

 

 

In no particular order, have a peek at these traditional Okinawan boats sailing.

When I go to this annual event, I am escorting one team.

The sabani boat, they paddle and sail, is called the Umimaru.

The photo above, shows them leaving the port at Zamami Island and heading out to sea.

Rehearsals for the big sailing event take place months in advance.

Each member of the boat team must be in good physical condition and somewhat coordinated.

 About 40 other teams compete in this race each year.

At the start, a mad dash to the boats on the beach begins the final race.

It can get fairly crowded boarding the boats trying to depart the beach.

It's a good idea, to try and be one of the first sabani boats to hit the open seas.

The teams sail and paddle, trying to gain a lead to the fleet.

Sometimes, I wish the Umimaru, had a purple sail so, it would be easier to follow.

 Once, I loose sight of the Umimaru, any sabani boat, sailing by is fair game, for the camera.

Close to the finish, I spot the team, I am with, sailing along smoothly.

 The wind was blowing the wrong way near the finish so, paddles provided all the power.

This team, looked like they were signaling something about, drinking beer.

So, after this series of photos was taken, I went looking for some !

Related Posts:

12 photos from the 2014 Zamami Jima Sailing Sabani Race

Incredible Adventure: The 2013 Sabani Boat Race (Photos)

Culture Photo: Lunar New Year Visit to a Shrine

Sabani Boat Teams at Hakugindo Shrine

 

 

Those gathered at the shrine have just sailed and rowed their sabani boats through Itoman Port.

They are addressed by the Mayor and other officials before entering the shrine.

Once inside, they make offerings and pray for safety and success.

This custom is performed in Itoman City, Okinawa at the beginning of the Chinese New Year.

Related Post -- 15 Photos: 2014 Itoman Sabani Parade

Itoman Sailing Sabani Race 2014 Colorful GIF

The better part of a sunny Sunday was spent at this event.

This motion GIF is just a tiny sample of what was photographed at the sabani races.

Thousands of images are being downloaded and will be processed at a later date. 

The winning team has a photo from a previous race featured on my homepage.

A Sailing Sabani Boat Dog Presented in Motion GIFs

When I first met this gal, she wasn't too fond of me.

Her owner, Takashi, calls her his daughter, Maruko and takes good care of her.

If you haven't already noticed, she's wearing a lifejacket.

The dog can probably swim OK but,  it's a good idea to keep her floating high in the water.

That way, if a sabani boat capsizes, at sea, maybe, the straw hat will stay dry.

Maruchan and I spent a whole weekend, riding boats together, back in June.

Whenever the sabani boats were practicing or, racing, she rode along with me.

We were on a fishing vessel escorting the boats during the races.

While I was shooting the cameras, she would be at my feet.

The dog figured out, my sense of hearing, isn't that great, I guess.

We became friends.

And, when I try to take her picture now, look what she does.

She keeps looking around, to make sure nobody is sneaking up behind me !

Is that a cool dog or, what ?

Just a Good Old Wooden Sabani and Crew Sailing

Temporarily Offline

 

The WI-Fi connection, I was assured would be available, is up and running, now.

All is well on the island of Zamami Jima.

The past few days were mostly sunny and, I hope the weatherman keeps guessing wrong.

The 15th Annual Sabani Sailing Race starts tomorrow.

Here's a motion GIF of the Umimaru crew, paddling and hoisting the sail.

If the weather keeps doing, as it has been, this crew, might make it to Naha in under four hours.

Even if they don't, we'll probably go out and celebrate tomorrow night, anyway !

Wishing for Good Weather at Sunday's Sailing Sabani Race

This photo was taken last June under some nice blue skies.

More than likely, every member of the sabani teams is watching the weather forecasts.

It just occurred to me today, a lot of preparations must be made for these races.

Getting sponsors, organizing committees and making arrangements, must take months.

Mother Nature can ruin everyone's plans with just a little rain storm.

Calm seas, fair winds and blue skies, are what I'm hoping for.

The boat I'm shooting my camera from, bounces enough,  on a nice day !

Here are some links for extended weather forecasts in Okinawa, Japan.

Japan Meteorological Agency

Okinawa Japan 10 Day Forecast

Kin Town Harii Aka -- Dragon Boat Races

Ten Photos of Sabani Boats in Action

 

 

It's a good thing, I changed my mind and went to this activity today.

No alcohol was consumed last night.  Instead, I took some Aspirin and crashed early.

The sun was already blazing, high in the sky by the time I woke up.

The wife laughed and told me, "Don't worry about the Harii. Skip it.

"You're getting too old for that stuff.  Sleeping late is good for you."

So, I told her, "You're probably right. I won't go."

But, around 10AM, I packed some cameras and started walking.

A taxi driver friend came along and asked where I was going.

So, I hopped in and said, "Take me to Kin Port."

The sky was looking kind of iffy but, that can always change.

Sure enough, the black clouds, moved out of the scene.

The afternoon sun lit up the power plant and gave me some blue skies.

So, I stayed on that side of the port and tried to shoot each team.

Most of these people, rowing the sabani boats, only get to do it once a year.

And, when they run across me, it's always, "Mike, did you get my picture?"

Truthfully, with about 2,000 folks at the event, I don't know, who I shot.

Husbands, wives, grandparents and children are everywhere at gatherings like this.

A photographer, at a sporting event, isn't exactly a good census taker.

There are some friends of mine, who do special events photography.

So, when someone wants their own photographer, I can give them a referral.

Special event photographers, come at a price.

The type of photography, I'm doing here, you could say, is cultural photography.

 So, I tell people asking me about a photo, I may or, may not have taken, to look.

If they see their offspring on my blog, website or, Facebook, just let me know.

If they want a printed photo, I can be very reasonable.

That's why, we all carry model releases.

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

Travel Photo: Educational Street Art in Itoman Okinawa

A talented artist painted this on corrugated metal.

It is displayed at the Uminchu Art and Craft Center near Itoman Port.

It gives an excellent overview of what to expect when you enter this museum.

The sabani boat and tools of the fishing culture are shown here.

And, they wrote the names of each item, in language even I, can understand.