2006/12/02

Here is my recent activities after Machupicchu.

I joined the Jungle Trek in Oct. That is an annual voluntary event planned by Irving & Roger Bennett brother in "Alairelibre" group doing many outdoor events in Panama. I was informed of that trek by Gerti and went with her and her husband Alli. That trek plan was a cross Isthmus trek in two days from Nonbre de Dios at Atlantic side to Boqueron at Pacific side. We moved to the starting point by bus very early in the morning of the first day and started trek with heavy backpack of foods, drinks, hammock and cloths for in case. It was half in the river and half in the jungle. We could mostly enjoy the river for its clear water, nice to drink, to cool-off legs, and to swim. Jungle sometimes gave us a little trouble to cut out bushes and in crossing the mud. Camping in the jungle was cool! Most of us slept in the hammocks, good to be dried and easy to set up using trees anywhere. Of course necessito mosquito-net! And the sounds from the stream, rain, and invisible animals helped us to be awake to enjoy those. Trek team this time was total of 17 people, mostly Panamanians plus 1Nicaraguan, 2 Germans, Alli and Gerti and a Japanese, me. The youngest was 12 and the oldest might be me. These teammates made our trek so enjoyable talking, laughing, and sweating together. Thus I experienced to cross the jungle of the Isthmus thinking how natives got along with it and how those famous people in the history found, crossed, and made ways including for trains and for ships.

You can see more pictures and stories in the following site.
http://alairelibre.ws/gallery/v/Boqueron-2006/

After this trek we sailed to near-by islands, to Taboga and Contadora with a Japanese friend Nissy. He's been in Panama almost two years voluntary dispatched from the Japanese government in JICA (Japan International Cooperative? Agency) Program in Universidad Maritime Internacional de Panama. He taught us, besides operating the boat, fishing and cooking ,and our fish-menu on Liberty increased a lot!

In the end of last October I went back to Japan for my younger son, Hiro's wedding. I wondered for my whiskers, beard and moustache in attending the ceremony but had those only trimmed in a hair-salon after some hot discussion with Yoko and other family. The wedding was done in the mood of so happy with a bride, Kaori having old and new friends and relatives from both families. (Yes, my hair was quite welcomed by those friends thanks to that mood.)

In this trip in Japan I scouted a new crew to our boat! We are looking forward to his arrival and sailing together with him. You'll see him in our HP soon. I also had new technique making Sushi and already tried to serve friends and received good reputation! Come on board and try it!!

Now I'm back in the ship again. In Panama many kinds of the birds came back and this means, I heard, the dry season is coming. They came back here from northern America flying thousands of miles riding on the dry northerly winds. Dry season is the one we've been long waiting for. Yes, "for" the South Pacific!!
Liberty, Aki

		2006/10/6

		Hello friends, Here in Panama the season seems to be changing to a little drier. In July and August, Yossy and I enjoyed cruising in the sea surrounding the Isla Coiba about 240 NM NW of Panama for 3 weeks. Then we pretty much concentrated on the boat's maintenance works.　After that busy summer, we took a trip to Machupicchu, Peru, in Sept. This was our 2nd trial. 1st one was to sail to Ecuador, from where to fly, but it was aborted by some water leak from the exhaust hose on the way. This time we took an easier way by air from Panama. We left Panama on 20th of Sept. to Machupicchu, and I came back on 27th of Sept while Yossy continued traveling to Nasca for 3 days to see the grand Petrogliphs and came back on 30th. Our itinerary was as follows; Sept 20th Depart Panama took 3.5 hours flight to Lima, stayed 1 night 21st Dept Lima 1.5hrs. to Cusco, 1night 22nd Dept Cusco, all-day on tour bus to Ollantytambo, 1night 23rd Dept Ollantytambo 1.5hrs. by train to Aguascalientes, 2 nights 24th All-day in Machupicchu 25th Dept Aguascalientes 3.5hrs. by train to Cusco, 1 night 26th Aki Dept Cusco by air to Lima, 1 night 27th Dept Lima by air to Panama (after 26th, Yossy will report his trip later.) Lima is just opposite side in the south hemisphere to Panama in the North, but it's much cooler in Lima by the cold current from the Antarctic and I wore long sleeve shirts when I arrived at the Airport. I've been so familiar with the word "Lima" in my whole career in military and even now on the boat using the Phonetic Alphabets, so I was really excited about visiting there. It was well-composed big city with the population of more 8 millions. I felt some difference of the atmosphere from Central Americas, observing less black people in Lima. Is this one of the reason? There we stayed at Pension Tohyama run by Pepe Tohyama, Japanese, 3rd generation. Its a nice Hotel and enjoyed easier conversations with our language with young, vivid Pepe and also with the several groups of guest. It was so informative to our trip too. On the return trip, I visited the Amano Museum, established by Yoshitaro Amano, exhibits Inca potteries. Each one talks profound meaning and sometimes they are so humorous, and thecloths, so elaborate and beautiful. There I could review the Inca history, thanks to Japanese guide. Cusco is a city of high lineage (the capital city of Royal Inca) sits on a basin of 3,300 meters of elevation. It's high and dry land, looks like one in Arizona, USA. It's hot in day-time with strong sunshine and gets cold "rapido" when sun goes down. We were so cautious about getting the mountain sickness by moving slowly but some headache and dizzy were unavoidable. (Yossy had strong symptoms after going to bed at night and struggled with it until next morning.) Cusco is surrounded by high mountains and compactly stays in the basin about 10-15Km diameters. Airport sits in the central part of its town and airplanes approach by circling between those mountains to land skillfully. The trains from/to this city through these mountains do many "switch-backs" which reminds me of Usui Tohge in Japan in the past. In the city, there are so many churches or monuments on the Inca stone-bases and these structure, together with surrounding red-roofed houses create so impressive scenery to us. The route from Cusco to Machupicchu called "Inca Trail" is important for religious, business and strategic purposes, and its near-by valley to Urubanba is called "Sacred Valley" for the reason that there are so many Inca Ruins being concentrated and is famous sightseeing spot. We surely toured this valley on the bus with both Spanish and English guide. Since the Incas didn't have written words and even more they had been total destructed by Spanish Conquistador, Inca has such mysterious cultures focused with grand, precise stone constructions. On the 23rd Sept. we left Ollantytambo in the Sacred Valley and went into Machupicchu after 1.5H ride on "Backpack Train". Machupicchu is on the top of mountain, 500m higher than the village called Aguascalientes and can be reached by 30 Min. bus ride from that village.Aguascalientes is a town of Hot-Springs (Onsen in Japanese), so it looks like some old Japanese Onsen villages. I tried to take that Onsen with many visitors with basin suits. I enjoyed to be dipped in this Onsen ,a little cooler than Japanese one though. We took the first bus at 0530 next morning and arrived at Machupicchu before dawn. Climbed up by bus, the steep road bending so many times along side the mountains or cliffs and suddenly appeared that ruins. Big sigh came out with the impression of neat but strange sceneries and thoughts of the long distance I came all the way from Japan. Without using iron tools, how did they construct such a grand and precise stone city on such a difficult place as the cliffs? How many people dealt with this project, with what organization? How to concentrate people's effort without using words? What did they eat and where did they get it everyday? Was someone's life only for cutting one big stone????.......? Majority of tourists in Machupicchu was Europeans and Americans but Japanese tourists were also many. I saw 5 or 6 big groups of 20 people and 40 to 50 people who are in smaller groups or individuals.Just before the returning trip from Machupicchu I found my train tickets were lost and I searched all over in vain. But finally at the station, one local Senora from the restaurant we went the day before came with those tickets. I thanked for the kindness and also for saving $20 for the penalty. I realized the Incas are highly reliable! In Lima I bought 2 Japanese books in the Amano Museo and they are giving answer to my questions about mysterious parts of Inca. I came back to Panama on 27th directly from Cusco and Yossy came back on 30th. This small trip became heavier to me with the thoughts of the Inca, same tribes as Japanese from Mongolian, didn't realize their crisis and could not overcome the savageries of the westerncivilization and faded out in misfortune. Liberty Aki

2006/7/22

Summer Season's Greetings to All! How are you?

Liberty is now in Panama again.
She left Panama for Ecuador about a month ago, but water leak from exhaust horse was found 3 days after her departure, and came back to Panama for repair. The repair was completed smoothly after a few days without out-hauling on land.

While making repairs, we discussed about our cruising plan and decided to wait for a better season, because the existing winds and waves are not easy to go south-west bound.
And that "better season" is statistically between December and March. So Liberty will be in Panama area by the end of November waiting for the season.
Taking this opportunity, we will do the sailing in nearby seas and sightseeing including land trips. Thus we will have more contact with people and place of this area.

I'm writing this note in my home in Kawasaki, Japan. I'm having "Summer Vacation" for 3 weeks.
(Yossy, took "Vacation" in last March, is keeping the boat in Balboa this time.)
Tokyo, having unstable climate now before clearing-up of the rainy season, is hot and humid, but it's just comfortable for me due to the tropical training in hot Panama. My impression about Japan since 14 months are that every food is so tasty, but it's so expensive, communication is easy (thanks to the Japanese! ), and free hot shower is so good. It's so good touch the green green grass of home!

At first I thought I should stay home quietly during this "vacation",but keeping secret from my friends was difficult and resulted in going out everyday for lunch or dinner with friends.
Let me introduce some of the typical questions from friends and my answers to them.
"You're here, you've finished that cruising?" "No, this is just a short leave from it.", "Do you still have your legs?" "Here're my legs.", "Became a little bit skinny." "Not so, I think.", "Became dark." "Will be whiter soon.", "Became sharper." "No, as usual?", "Isn't that hard?" " Not so." "What's the most difficult?" "May be the safety precautions.", "Any fatal threats?" "No such ones so far." "Fishing all-right?" "Getting better, especially after Mexico." I suggested my friends to come to Panama or to join us, but they were so polite to regret it.

During this stay, I joined the classmate's reunion- night cruising in the Sumida River in Tokyo on Traditional Japanese pleasure boat with about 20 members, and enjoyed the Japanese summer sceneries.
I also attended to the Lecture meeting arranged by JAAGA, which is Japan-America Air Force Goodwill Association. The speaker of this lecture was General Mayers, USAF Retired, previous Chairman, JCS, USA. I was so impressed by his speech standing on his experiences as the highest position of US Military and also as a direct advisor to the President. It was so interesting and so suggestive.
I'm now in Misawa and reporting the cruising story to Mr. Hori in the RipCurrent.
Then in next week I'm returning back to Panama.
I'm On the Road Again,
See you on the HP again!

Liberty
Aki

		2006/6/14

		Dear friends, Sorry for our long silence. Almost 3 months have passed since we arrived in Panama, We spent most days for preparations for our next cruise, such as installing a new refrigerator, fitting steps on the mast, making cradles for fuel containers and water bottles, repairs of engine, bottom cleaning and painting, etc.etc. A lot of work to do. We have struggled and finally have done it mostly. Now it's time to leave here, because expiration of 3 months Visa is close at hand. Our next destination will be Ecuador from where we are planning to visit the Machupicchu, Peru. Then to the Galapagos islands. Strange course? Yes, it is. The Liberty is not making a passage through the Panama Canal, maybe due to a little shortage of its budget for the passage fee (not cheap at all). So we are proceeding to the South Pacific islands instead. We may stay longer in some attractive islands, but we will try to conclude our trip within 5 years according to our original plan. Yoko went back to Japan in the middle of last month, for she didn't want to cross the Pacific ocean. So our trip from now will be double-handed. (we should find out one or two charming crew in somewhere!) Here in Panama, I have managed to get time to have the Canal passage twice as a line-handler on my friends' boats, to climb the Volcano Baru, 3500m, the highest mountain in Panama, to take part in the 10k run crossing the channel on the Las America Bridge. Furthermore I became an ardent lover of RUM. As an older member among many yacht crew in the marina, I'm getting busier everyday to associate with friends. The other day, JMSDF Training Fleet arrived in Panama. It was so honored to see our national flag and the naval flag. I attended to their open house with some yacht friends from various countries and enjoyed to see fresh, lively young officers and sailors. (It would be perfect if the tea could be served to the guests.) We hope you could stay with us with patience, though not assure you of timely report. Please expect to get our next report! Chao! Aki Liberty

		2006/3/15

		Amigas, Amigos, Liberty reached Golfito, CostaRica on 9 Mar and leaving this evening for Panama.　and will arrive at Panama by 23 Mar. It's hot here and we've been regretting that we did not fix our refregirator yet.　But that makes silveza so tasty at every landing.　We will write more at Panama. Ogenki-de!! Liberty

		2006/2/1

		We arrived at Acapulco in the morning of Jan. 26. Again, visitors' docks here are few and so expensive, we've been under mooring to buoys.

		2006/1/17

		Liberty's crew do not forget to pick chance to experience the ground-trips during sea-trips, so far to Portland, OR from Seattle, to LV and Grand Canyon from Long Beach, and this time to Creel from La Paz, Mexico riding on Chihuahua mountain railroad ("Chepe"). "Chepe" was constructed under the grand design to connect Kansas City, KS, USA and Los Mochis via high-ground town Chihuahua, Mexico with efforts of both US and Mx, completed in 1961 after 70 years since beginning. We made a round trip, about 570km and 10 hours half-way, from Los Mochis climbing the SW side of ragged mountains to Creel, a town in the flat-summit almost 2,400m of elevation. Through window we saw flat land with consecutive towns at first, then mountainous area. It became ragged gradually, gaining altitude directly crawling the side of the steep rocks, climbing the 2,000m-class rocky mountains, and reaching to the flat tops. The train passed several towns which might be mines in the past and lumbering sites now with continuous vegetations all the while from gigantic cactuses to mountain trees like straight-tall pines or beeches. Creel is a key town in a Sierra Madre Occidental including a Indio Reservation and it's a sight-seeing spot making the canyons and the life styles of the natives hi-lights. It seemed like a low season now and seen not so many visitors but we traveled together with Americans mostly and Canadians, Europeans, and Kiwi. Our trip this time was short, 3 nights and 4 days, so we didn't have time to trace the tracks in the Canyons, but we enjoyed the slow-running trains, the talks with those passengers and attendants in the spectacular sceneries. And it's a great opportunity to see the life-styles of the natives staying the side of the civilizations with few-words, we had to rethink about as distant "relative"s.

		2006/1/7

		Feliz Ano Nuevo! Liberty, has been bounding south in the Pacific along west coast of the northern American continent, passed the south end of the Baja California on the 1st of Jan and now is resting its wings at Marina Palmira in La Paz, Mexico. Crew's moral became higher enjoying the stay of civilization, having fresh water from the faucets and the bright electricity. (Slip fee is $143 a week, reasonable.) I imagined the La Paz, from the story of Mr Hori of the Ripcurrent, Misawa, reached there with some difficulties (via another La Paz), is something like a hidden sanctuary. But realized this time it's a very neat and well composed town and so charming to us. And it's a hi-popularity town among "boat people", so lots of boats stay longer having nice information net-works, so valuable to us new comers, among them. We may be trapped here longer to enjoy the life with them. In Mexico, from Turtle Bay, Yasu Fujii known each other at LA, joined us for 2 weeks, and further more,Mr Ogasawara who took Yasu to T Bay went ahead to La Paz by car to join Nirai of Mr and Mrs Asao, then we all met at there again. Thanks to these "Ichigo- Ichie" ("Every meeting should be respectful" taught in Zen lessons.) our journey became richer. We wish your happiness in this year! Expect our next report coming soon. Nos vemos. Liberty

		2005/12/19

		On Dec 18, Liberty came into Ensenada, Mexico, with about 130NM　and 40 hours trip.　Ensenada is a harbor town in a big bay and it's just like Tateyama, in Chiba, Japan. It's just in a hi-season here, thus all the slips are occupied and had to moor to a buoy, 200m apart from shore. Though we've not finished the CQI procedures for it's Sunday and all the government offices are closed, we finished check Mexican taste for lunch with Tacos, Enchilada, or Negro Modelo, those were just so tasty. We'll stay here for a several days for sight-seeing or shop-hopping?

		2005/11/22

		"Bristol Chunnel Cutter" Mr. Sumio Ohya, known each other through "Nirai"'s HP, is a fourth President of Sam L. Morse Company. His company has been building, for 30 years, small sail boats designed by Lyle Hess based on classic "Bristol Chunnel Cutter; BCC"s, well known as pilot boats in Bristol area. With his three veteran boat-makers, he's been semi-customizing indefatigable and elegant offshore boats in the pace of 2-3 boats in a year. His company is in Costa Mesa, a little inland area from Newport Beach, and its Shed or Lean-To is just wild but so pragmatic in building such boats flexibly. They pour their high level of their technologies into BCCs enough to the degree they satisfy under very family like atmosphere. Their BCCs are built in the premise of offshore cruising to the any small corners, and thus they make us, Long Cruisers, so envious. More about this "Work", its BCC is rather small, 28 feet long, but you'll see the structures fully pursued the cruising capabilities like durability, sailing ability, wave worthiness, or maintainability. Then it has more wooden structures and that, together with its classic looks, gives us warmer impressions. We are staying here longer just like kids standing and looking at puppies in the window. Why don't you visit it's URL http://www.samlmorse.com !

		2005/11/15

		Liberty came to Newport Beach Marina from Alamitos Bay on 2 Nov. Due to Kenny's disembarkation at the end of Oct, this was first cruising with remaining 3 crew of Yossy, Yoko, and Aki. But we could reach to the New World with the coastal navigation under nice weather. As might be expected that this marina said to be the richest in the West Coast, and there go big gorgeous schooners or yachts, and are boats staying the private docks in front of big houses. This made us rich in minds too. Here, visitors' docks are few and so expensive, then we've been under mooring to buoys since our arrival and always row to the shore for each landing. (Our inflatable boat is rather historical, but this was given from Mr Kidokoro who sailed down to Antarctic by single hands and still remains his boat's name "Red Sun" on it's oars.) Mooring was our first experience after our departure from Japan, but it has been good training for our southern cruising. In NPB we decided to have enough days for installing windlass, trysail rail to mast, or others, we've been waiting for the chance to do, and will stay all Nov supported by a sail boat builder, Mr Ohya. (About Mr Ohya and the sailing boats under his production, to be reported next time.) Our intension is to be well equipped, with shorter hands for further down south from now. California weather after our arrival was not so nice, but from yesterday or so, it recovered and having warmer climate, just like California.

		2005/11/1

		Liberty is a 42 feet sailboat made by Catalina Yacht in 1989 at Los Angels,17 years old boat.　Boat broker was Stan Miller Yachts in Alamitos Bay Marina, Long Beach, justclose to the slip we are mooring now. There Hori-san of "Rip Current" came over from Hachinohe Japan, and finished detailed order, then completed the contract, using proficient English, may be with Hachinohe accent a little Hachinohe accents. Then after 3 months, Liberty was born and shipped from here on a freight ship, embarked at Yokohama, assembled by Hori and his companies came ahead there, sailed up to Hachinohe for 300NM, and was sailing around the near by sea centered in northern Japan before our tour. Therefore this area of LA/Long Beach is birth and started place of the Liberty, and this trip over to these place was her first return to her birth place. We all crew visited the Catalina Yacht led by our friend Ken Griffing of the USPS and had a full tour of their production line and had Q & A discussion with professionals who made our boat. We introduced the troubles we had and the treatments we did and asked about additional actions we need. We heard the cause of those troubles and recommendable points to be added. We could meet with Mr. Frank Battler, the founder of Catalina Yacht, and had greetings, and had cheering voices from all the staffs of him. We felt great to these team and to our trip, worth doing!

		2005/10/25

		10 days passed since Liberty arrived at Long Beach. Our stay here is not only for fooling around but for waiting the season to evade Hurricane in going further down for Mexico. Long Beach Harbor is just next to the Los Angeles Harbor to the SW, they look like one harbor just like Harbor of Kobe or Onahama Harbor, long harbors sideway. Our mooring place is further SW side from Long Beach Harbor, about 3 NM from it, named Alamitos Bay Marina. This marina is convenient enough to have marine-shops, nice restaurants,or shopping moles near-by, and still in quiet surroundings away from the city a little bit. Richness with birds is a feature of this marina, and skinny tall HERONs or EGRETs are quite a few. They walk on the slips at night as they like, and when encounter with people they upset and take off urgently with loud screams and make people astonish. (Not like Japanese birds that leave everything neat behind them.) Since we left Japan, we wandered about almost 20 American marinas started from the Midway and this marina is just typical one in size, facilities and fee for mooring. That is to say, US marinas have slips for about 3,000-5,000 boats with electricity, fresh water, and swage (with additional charge of about 3 $), showers(sometimes with charge) and rest rooms, coin-laundries, restaurants, and facilities for maintenance and supply. Mooring fee, in the West Coast, is 0.5 - 1.0 $/foot. Theme for the talk between "Yachties" at marinas, these sizing ups of the marinas seem inevitable and, for us, good to know as new comers to have eyes to select better ones. We also have been enjoying the sightseeing, and at Long Beach, Kenny focused on downtown including Disney Land, Yossy went over to and satisfied with Grand Canyon and Monument Valley, both he's been dreaming to go for a long time, and we went to Las Vegas to visit one of our acquaintance who used to work in Yokota Air Base in Japan for long years and enjoyed talking and touring the night strips of the downtown of Las Vegas.

		2005/10/13

		As you already knew, Liberty came up to Long Beach via SanFransisco, all the way. When we came into SF Bay, going through the Golden Gate Bridge, we just felt like we were entering to the USA from front door. That's not mean Seatle, the first US place we reached, is the back gate to US. Because historical visits were made from the SF, Kenichi Horie's first single hand cruise from Japan was landfolded there, or our CONUS landfold was quite obsecured by the dense fog, made well into the Juan de Fuca. 9 day stay travelling through marinas Sausalito, Oyster Point, and Alameda, was the most rela,xed moment in this trip.Thsat was because, as a skipper, we've crossed the most difficult places of the pacific including point Mendocina.Mr and Mrs Ohshima, thank you very much for your support. We learned a lot from your life style, well adjusted into the society, and acting so energetic. We also enjoyed the second meeting after Japan with Mr and Mrs Asao on Nirai in Alameda. We have been overwhelmed by the vastness of LA city. But we had nice friends who took us into LA as tour guides for us, and we could tour around such famous place like Beverly Hills or Hollywood. (The hotel in "Pletty Wooman" was the most excited!) Mr Kodama, took travel from SF to LA with us, became the first repeating chaser of Liberty with his wife at LA. (Who will be the first "tripller"?) We are going to stay all Oct here, partly for waiting the climate to Mexico. Within this period, going Lasvegas to be "Jed Clampett ", of course! Expect the result!! (Aki)