Strange PAIN in My Right Foot

May 4th. I woke up this morning and was surprised to feel pain at the base of my 2nd toe in my right foot (so much detail...sorry) and I couldn't bend it because it hurt so much. It's not like I was so drunk last night that I couldn't remember what I did to myself the night before like when I was younger. There were times I would wake up in the morning and find myself scratched up in my reckless years.

At a yacht race, it's not unusual for some people to get other team members so drunk at the pre-race festivities that they would be too hungover the next day to do well in the race. I fell for that trick before.  I was sweet talked into having one drink after another and was so drunk I could't remember how I got back to my room. I woke up the next morning and felt some pain in my right knee and my team members told me that the night before I was so drunk that I fell and scratched my knee as I was trying to get home from the party. How humiliating. It has been a long time since I've blacked out from drinking too much. I'm too old for that stuff now.

I remember how much I enjoyed the festivities and how I got back to the Aeolus and enjoyed some delicious aged sochu and how I went to the bathroom before hitting my bed. I don't recall stubbing my foot or hitting it against anything. How odd... As I got up to go to the bathroom and shifted my weight onto my right foot I felt a sharp pain. I have to baby my right foot as I walk. At breakfast, Hiki-san told me that I was making a lot of racket in the middle of the night and that's when I realized that when I talk in my sleep, I usually toss and turn a lot too. So perhaps I kicked something in my sleep. I started to investigate. I went to the berth I sleep in and laid down in it. There's a very narrow space where you put your feet in. I must have been flapping my feet around in this tight space as I talked in my sleep and banged it on something. Hurting your foot like this isn't something that would happen at home. However, when you have very limited personal space something like this is quite possible. I learned something very important during this sleepover training. I hope my body has learned the valuable lesson too and will stop doing things that will hurt itself while I'm asleep. Shinbo-san, please don't panic if you suddenly hear me yelling out loudly in the middle of the night. LOL

Originally posted by Hiro in Japanese on 5/5/2013
Translated by SWIS Project

THANK YOU to the Participants of Around Kansai International Airport Yacht Race!

 Today, May 4th was the day the Around the Kansai International Airport Yacht Race sponsored by the Tannowa Yacht Club was held. Of course, once again, I did not participate. LOL My excuse is, it was because I have a live broadcast do on Saturday mornings so I have never been able to participate in this race that is held annually on a Saturday. There's not too many occasions where you can sail around the Kansai Airport so I imagine the participants must have had a lot fun. Congratulations to all who won awards. I heard that there wasn't much wind so it was a tough race.

 The harbor master of Tannowa Yacht Harbor, Takeda-san asked Hiro-san and me to speak during the award ceremony. We were grateful for everyone's participation in the fundraising for dinghies to donate to the high school yacht clubs who've lost their dinghies to the tsunami in the Great East Japan Earthquake. When we told them we will be leaving for San Diego on June 8th, many people said "We'll sail with you that day". If the weather is good, Yomiuri TV should be there capturing footage from up in the air from a helicopter so if the the Aeolus was surrounded by all 70 yachts that participated in the race, it would be a spectacular scene. I hope everyone can make it.
 As we started getting ready to leave, we smelled the delicious aroma of yakiniku in the air. There is a huge BBQ area at Tannowa Yacht Harbor. After we make it to San Diego and I return to Japan, I plan to have a huge yakiniku party here. You are all invited! I guess I'm getting a little ahead of myself. 
  Thank you for all your comments. Yatchin-san from Sekime, when you are rescuing someone who fell overboard, it's basic procedure to heave to upwind from the person we are trying to rescue. Of course, sometimes, we may have to approach from downwind to get there. LOL 

  
Originally posted by Jiro Shinbo in Japanese on 5/4/2013
Translated by SWIS Project

CRUISING to Tannowa

 

For 4 days from May 3rd, as part of our training which includes sleeping aboard the yacht, we will cruise 24 miles (45 km) south of Hokko Yacht Harbor to Tannowa Yacht Harbor. The weather was a little chilly but nice. We set sail with 3 people from Kaientai, Hiki-san and me, the 5 of us, on board. There was very little wind so we started the engine and headed for Kansai Airport. Once we reached the vicinity of Kansai Airport, we turned the yacht slightly port side and started heading in the direction of Tannowa. I heard that once you reach this area, the color of the water changes and it's beautiful. We advanced forward as we watched various types of planes fly over us to land in Kansai Airport. When I see airplanes, I think about all the people on board and how each and every one of them have their own stories to tell. I pray for light for the ones who are facing darkness in their lives. Right before we reached Tannowa, Kaientai member Takahara-san made his rendezvou with us. He came on a yacht that's smaller than the Aeolus called a Dana 24 named Ariel. His wife and his 2 junior high school kids were on board the Ariel. Yes, his whole family enjoys sailing. I would love to go sailing with my family in San Diego. I hope there will be many more families like the Takahara family in Japan. We reached Tannowa Yacht Harbor around 3 pm. It was only a matter of time before all the yachts that will be participating in Around Kansai International Airport Yacht Race started coming in. I heard over 70 yachts have entered the race. They invited us to the pre-race festivities and I had a chance to talk about my feat to cross the Pacific. We listened to the band play and watched a hula dance show as we enjoyed sushi, yakisoba and other dishes. We will leave here in the early morning of the 6th. Anyone reading this who is nearby, please come for a visit!

 

                            
Originally posted by Hiro in Japanese on 5/4/2013
Translated by SWIS Project

The CLOCK METHOD

May 2nd. This day, we were blessed with a variety of winds. After discussing our future schedule with Shinbo-san at the harbor, we set sail around 10 o'clock. The wind was still strong from yesterday and it was about 8 m. We determined a two point reef was best and raised the sail. The Aeolus started sailing away. Shinbo-san said "Hiro-san, at 12:00 are the Rokko Mountains and at 10:00 you can see the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge." Yes. It is easier for the blind to understand direction when you use the hands on a clock. Ordinarily, the direction the blind person is facing would be their 12:00. 90 degrees to the right is 3:00 and 90 degrees to the left is 9:00. For example, you can use this when you are trying to explain a variety of food on a round plate. If you are sitting right in front of them, just be careful you don't confuse their 3:00 and 9:00 with yours. When we are on a yacht, the bow is our 12:00. As soon as we changed the direction of the yacht, Shinbo-san said; "There is a landfill at your 12:00 that's shaped like a half of a blade and we are headed for the tip of that blade." I know it's what he does but his command of vocabulary is amazing. As a blind person, to be able to sail with someone who can explain what he sees as well as he can makes the voyage even more enjoyable. Please give it a try. Try to explain a familiar scenery with expressions that make it even more imaginable. The wind was blowing NE but it changed to NW and then North and at one point we had no wind at all. Shibo-san went to the deck to raise the gennaker which is a sail we use when there isn't much wind so I took the helm. As we were doing this, the wind started picking up speed and got up to over 10 m. We immediately reefed the sail, practiced for a while and returned to the harbor. I have been praciticing under heavy winds since I got to Japan so I am no longer afraid of sailing in strong winds. It's about a month until we set sail and leave Hokko Harbor in Osaka. Please continue to support us!

Originally posted by Hiro in Japanese on 5/4/2013
Translated by SWIS Project

MAST TUNING

        

Thank you for reading my blog. The wind has been strong lately. Even this morning, when I got to the harbor the wind was howling. Hidaka-san from Aburatsubo Boat Service came all the way to the harbor for mast tuning. Hidaka-san did major maintenance work on the Aeolus last September. Hiki-san has known Hidaka-san since the Earth Marathon and he has the utmost respect for him and has requested for him to do the final mast tuning before we head out to sea. Contrary to my concerns about doing this in such strong winds, as soon as Hidaka-san got to the Aeolus, he climbed up the mast and started measuring. Hiki-san and Hidaka-san talked about how to improve performance so Shinbo-san and I can cross the Pacific as comfortably as possible and they decided to tilt the mast slightly to the back. The work started including the almighty maintenance man, Takahara-san from Kaientai. They removed the wedges and silicone that holds the mast on the deck and loosened the forestay (the wire that support the mast from the front) and added tension on the backstay (the wire that supports the mast from behind) and after they tipped the mast towards the back, they drove the wedges back in on the deck and filled it with silicone. I was amazed at the professionalism of their detailed work, their care and their efficiency. Hidaka-san, thank you for coming all this way and for your fabulous work. The wind got stronger in the evening. I can still hear the howling. I'm worried how this will effect tomorrow's practice with Shinbo-san.  

Originally posted by Hiro in Japanese on 5/1/2013
Translated by SWIS Project

My Mother's 80th BIRTHDAY

Monday, we were blessed with beautiful weather from the morning. I met up with Hiki-san at Nishikujo Station and when we checked the bus schedule for Hokko Yacht Harbor at the bus stop we found out we had to wait for 30 minutes. We realized we haven't gone running in a while so we decided to walk to the next bus stop. We walked briskly. Everything seemed different from what it seems when I pass by in a car or bus. Touching and smelling the flowers along the road, hearing the energetic voices of kids playing baseball, and before we knew we made it to the harbor in 1 hour and 10 minutes. It was a good work out. We headed for the Aeolus as we talked about how we deserve an extra glass of beer today.

Hokko Yacht Harbor seems busy lately. That's because a racing boat that participated in a race from Melbourne, Australia to Osaka is there. There are 2 lightweight, fast looking boats that participated in the race parked on both sides of the Aeolus. In the afternoon, we went sailing with Ogasawara-san from LA. Ogasawara-san is the owner of the Misumaru which is the same type of yacht as the Aeolus. I was able to practice on the Misumaru for 2 months in January and February and it has given me a great advantage. I am very grateful to all the people who are helping to make this project possible. We had some good wind and was able to practice reefing. When reefing, you rig the cringle by hooking it onto the mast and we used a shorter rope that feels different so I don't confuse the 1st cringle and the 2nd cringle.

After practice, Ogasawara-san's and I went to a Yakitori restaurant with our families to enjoy our time together over a delicious meal. It was my mother's 80th birthday so it was a special day for both my mother and I. My mother was very happy and said "This was the most wonderful birthday ever" I hope that she will stay healthy and have a long life.

To all of you out there reading this, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Originally posted by Hiro in Japanese on 4/30/2013
Translated by SWIS Project

Not TRY SO HARD

 It's been a month since our training aboard the Aeolus started. It has been full of surprises and amazing learning experiences.

 What surprised me the most was learning about the difference between dinghies and cruisers. My history with yachts, though I can't boast about the quality of it, is close to 40 years. The majority of my experience has been on a dinghy(a small yacht with no living quarters). Even after I started riding cruisers, I would tow a sailing canoe called an Aquamuse to ride round the anchorage. People who enjoy dinghies want to go as fast as they possibly can so when there is gust of wind, they would shift their weight to offset the tipping to gain speed. If not done right, the canoe would capsize or they will fall into the water. It happens all the time. So when I take a first-timer out on the dinghy I purposely make them fall into the water with their clothes on so that in the event a gust of wind makes them go overboard, they won't panic. What you need to remember when this happens is to make sure you don't go under the boat, get tangled in the ropes, don't try to swim, stay calm and let yourself float up and breathe. As long as you remember these steps, you will not drown. Obviously, a life jacket is a must. I carry 2 serrated edge knives (you can't cut ropes if the edges aren't serrated), one for backup, just in case my arms or legs get tangled in the ropes.     

　However, what I learned once I started sailing on the Aeolus is; "In heavy winds, you want a flat entry so you want to reef (reduce your sail area) your sails before the wind starts to pick up speed to relieve stress on the boat." It makes sense. Racing boats may do things a differently but our goal is to make it safely to our destination so whether the Aeolus goes 0.1 knots faster or not is irrelevant. If we damage the boat just to go a little faster will only put an end to our voyage. So, in the last month I have been trained to keep in mind that what's important for us to complete our voyage safely is to steer the boat 'gently' and 'not try so hard' 

  However, there's one thing we haven't trained for yet on the 'Safety comes first' Aeolus. That is how to rescue someone who's gone overboard. 

  For when I take my boat out, in the beginning of every season I throw a plastic tank overboard and rescue it pretending I am rescuing a man in the water. When I got the cruiser, my 3 kids were still in kindergarten and early elementary school so I made sure we were prepared for the worst case scenario. I thought I had practiced enough for sail boat emergency stops but I lost my confidence when I got on the Aeolus. The difference in size of my boat and the Aeolus is only about 60 cm but the Aeolus behaves very differently. I can steer my boat just like a dinghy but the Aeolus is a sailing ship. It steers completely differently. To be honest, with my skills right now, I'm not sure if I can make an emergency stop and approach someone in the water gently from upwind with the Aeolus. I hate to say this but if Hiro-san falls into the water in heavy weather and that happens before my very eyes, I'm no sure I will be able to rescue him. And if I fall in, it would probably be impossible for Hiro-san who can't see what's going on to rescue me. So one thing is very clear. Falling into the water is not an option on this voyage. No matter how calm the sea may be, we will have our lifelines attached at all times and we will be responsible for our own safety. I don't think we will do any rescue training on the Aeolus because we know if we fall in, there will be nothing we can do.    

  As I was writing this I remembered something. This is a story in Kenichi Horie's book 'All Alone in the Pacific'. Mr. Horie didn't wear a life jacket when he was crossing the Pacific. His reason for that was; "If I fell in when I'm out there alone, there's no one to save me and wearing a life jacket will only prolong my suffering." Compared to his experience, our voyage is as easy as the two of us riding a bicycle to the convenience store to shop but one thing is the same and that is if we fall overboard there's nothing anyone can do so I will keep bear that in mind, put safety first and 'not try so hard' when sailing. And of course, I will put on a life jacket with a harness. 

  I'd like to thank everyone for all your comments. I watched the video recommended by soomstar about how to sail in rough weather. Aeolus also has the same parachute anchor that was shown in the video. I just hope we never have to use it. What surprised me the most was seeing the same type of boat as the Aeolus sailing 'full sail' in rough waters. I was just amazed at witnessing the full potential of the Aeolus. What a powerful boat, I want to see what it does when I take it to the limit...no, no, I have to stop thinking like that. Safety first. It's hard to 'not try so hard'...don't you think?

Originally posted by Jiro Shinbo in Japanese on 4/27/2013
Translated by SWIS Project