Japan on Merrimac

End of the first season in Japan

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 14:45:44 +0200

After the Goto Islands it was suddenly time to head for Irohajima, so I’d have a few days to get the boat ready to be hauled out. Back in Fukuoka I’d already agreed with Kirk that the date would be 1 October, so on the 28th I sailed the boat over. Lo and behold, there was actually a few hours of decent wind, so I even got some proper sailing in.

The Goto Islands and Nagasaki

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 06:20:34 +0200

As I wrote at the end of the last post, I went to “hide” in Kamigoto Umi, a very sheltered bay that you have to approach from the south. That turned out to be more exciting than usual. By the time I got there the wind had picked up nicely out at sea, and that corner turns out to have a lot of current. So a nasty beam sea, and under engine… The boat was rolling a good 60 degrees from side to side. Then through the gap between an islet and the shore, and suddenly… dead flat water. A few more zigzags around bits of island sticking out, two more corners, and you’re in a gorgeous little stretch of water that I reckon is properly typhoon-proof. Not that it was blowing all that hard, but still. Coming alongside with the wind blowing me off the quay is a bit tricky without a bow thruster, especially as the throttle lever suddenly comes off in my hand. Must make sure that can’t just come loose like that. Luckily a friendly little old man, who is there to pick someone up off the ferry, is happy to drop a line over a bollard for me. Another person made happy with one of our little clogs.

Irohajima

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 10:52:32 +0200

In the end I wasn’t lying all that comfortably in Yobuko after all. This harbour wall had the same old problem: at high water there’s only 5 to 10 centimetres of quay left above the surface. Your fender boards and fenders then happily pop up over the edge, and the boat’s delicate painted waterline ends up grinding against the concrete. So instead of scooting off on the electric scooter to the octopus sellers a little further along the next day, I got the hell out of there. Shame, I’d have liked to stay a bit longer. Next on the list was the bay we’d already spotted on the drive from Hirado to Fukuoka. To get to the yard back then we’d driven all the way around the island of Fukushima, partly in search of a lunch spot. Sadly they were all closed, but at least we saw the whole island! And so, the bay to the north-east of Fukushima. Once again there was hardly any wind and the whole passage had to be done under engine. 3, maybe 5 knots, all of it a bit of thermal breeze that’s no use to anyone.

Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Osaka and Yobuko

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 12:21:36 +0200

After leaving the Seto Inland Sea through the Kanmon Strait, we arrived in Fukuoka. That took some getting used to. A storm further away had set up a nasty swell, and this close to the coast, where we were sailing, it makes for an unpleasant chop. We headed for Odo marina in Fukuoka, home to the office of Kirk Patterson, our agent. He came straight over to say hello, but by then we were already sitting in the izakaya. Those are restaurants that serve all sorts of dishes without really focusing on one type of food. That’s worth mentioning because here you mostly find restaurants that do only yakitori, or teppanyaki (very expensive, hard to find), sushi, okonomiyaki, etc. This time it was very good. Nothing but Japanese people, of course, because Fukuoka isn’t really on “the route” for tourists.

The Japanese "Inland" Sea

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 09:08:54 +0200

From 15 July up to and including yesterday, 13 August, Marion, Ella, Arnold and I camped out on the boat, all four of us at the same time, for the first time in years. Arnold stayed until after Ella’s birthday and then flew home via Korea.

The first week in Japan is done!

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 10:26:40 +0200

Well, we made it across!

It’s so hot this afternoon in the marina at Nio, where we arrived just after lunch, that we’ve retreated to the harbour office. We can sit here in blissful air conditioning until the restaurant upstairs opens. And I finally have the time and the energy to type up a little post…

Day 28 Hawaii to Japan: Land Ho

Sun, 12 Jul 2026 06:32:00 +0200

Our first Japanese island (Okinoshima) in sight

Well, it’s Sunday again and we finally have land in sight. Tomorrow at exactly twelve o’clock we’re expected at Hiroshima Kanon Marina. They’ve even told us which berth we’ll have. Japan is different, and we’re going to find out just how different!