Fiji the long way with our last QFi JASA.

[drron]

Near the wharf is a memorial to Commodore Perry who stopped here twice in the 1850s on his way to Tokyo-

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Papa seems to be involved in everything-

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The local drop-

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The original inhabitants may have been Micronesian but in recorded history it was an extended family from Hawaii.The Shogun got worried so formally claimed the island.The result is a local dialect that contains many English words but not as we know it-

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At the shop we bought some T-shirts for the grand kids.Now who in Sydney has T shirts from the Ogasawara islands.But the woman at the cash register asked where we were from-Australia we said.She then said I lived for a few months on the Sunshine Coast.Talk about a small world.So a side street-

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[drron]

In town we saw this place-

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So we had a stop.Basic but they did have heartland beer-

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An interesting coaster.I tried the shark burger-

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Not great.Mrsdrron now went back to the ship whilst I thought I would try and see the temple-

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[drron]

Now I thought the temple was at the top of those steps.but it wasn't.There was another lot,seen from the top with the roof of the building I had mistaken for the temple-

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But it turned a corner and yet more stairs-

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But finally I was there-

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There were some Japanese praying so I continued up to thelookout-

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You could see fish farms and the Explorer-

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But this turned out to be not the major view point.So in all I went up and down some 500 stairs in hot and humid weather.The knee replacement is proving it's worth.Just above this first lookout was this-

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[drron]

That is one of the tunnels built by the Japanese defending the island in WW2.The island though was bypassed with the Americans picking Iwojima instead.The island was bombed though and American planes sometimes shot down near the island when going to or from other missions.Some 300 US airmen were shot down in this area with only 9 surviving.The survivors included George H.Bush.He returned here in 2004.
As usual there was more than one entrance to the tunnel-

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From here it was another 300 metres and some stairs to the highest view point.ome great views to both sides of the island.You can see the heliport which I guess could allow sea planes to land on the harbour.There is no airport so the only regular transport is the weekly ferry service.So the views-

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I could even check that mrsdrron was back in our suite!

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[drron]

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I then went back to the temple-

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There were 3 of these little incinerators at the edge of the clearing.

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even from this level the view wasn't too bad.

 

[drron]

Back to the first level which was this building being renovated plus an amphitheatre-

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Then the town beach where there was even a statue of a coughie-

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There were plenty of traffic tunnels but even this one as a cool short cut for pedestrians.Then a statue of a whale.whale watching is a tourist draw here but from February to April-

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[RB]

Another great report. How did the knee pull up after all the stairs?

 

[drron]

Back to the ship and lunch-

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Lunch was interrupted by farewell Taiko drumming-

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[drron]

The farewell continues-

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And looking up to the view point I reached from the aft deck 7-

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The lunch buffet.Desserts being the reason for such a small first course-

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[drron]

Then sail away and the farewells continued-

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Great views as we left-

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[drron]

Even the beach we had walked-

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And in the distance Hahajima-

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And on cue the coughies turned up-

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[drron]

So more coughies and the village on Hahajima-

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Today they were shallow diving and much more successful.The last one is a male-see I can even sex coughies now!

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[drron]

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Then the dolphins joined us-

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They stirred up the fish for the coughies-

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Then we left Hahajima to try and outrun the typhoon-

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[drron]

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There was a fabulous sunset that night-

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A little sad leaving the Japanese islands.The people were so friendly with the rxception of the Hachijojima fishermen.Silverseas should have had a back up plan in place even though the fishing port was not the number 1 or 2 for landing.But we also had people from JTB on board and as Japanese tour operators they should have foreseen this problem.Due to the Typhoon we did miss Torishima.The reason for going there is that is one of a few nesting places for the short-tailed albatross.However it was not nesting season so we probably didn't miss much.I am not sure there would have been much difference missing Hahajima straight after seeing Chichijima.A couple of Americans were disappointed that Iwojima was not on our itinerary but it is a Japanese military base and only open for tourists a few days a year and then only if you have an American passport.

Dinner by ourselves tonight as we were both very tired and wanted to get to sleep early.

 

[drron]

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There was a fantastic sunset-

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We had dinner by ourselves that night as we were exhausted.Cam back to the room with the animal for the night.A different one every day-

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So our journey through the Japanese Islands is over.Again the Japanese people are so friendly with the exception of the fishermen from Hachijojima.Silverseas or the JTB reps on board should have had a back up plan when the weather made the first 2 choices of landing impossible.
Didn't mind missing Torishima as you are not allowed to land and only visited as one of the very few nesting sites for the Short-tailed albatross.But it is not nesting season.Also Hahajima after our wonderful morning in Chichijima.
A couple of Americans were disappointed that Iwojima was not on the itinerary but it is a Japanese military base and only open a few days of the year and then only if you have an American passport.

So now our thoughts turn south but we have 2 sea days to try and outrun the typhoon.

 

[drron]

Friday and a sea day.Very slow.But fortunately the seas are quite reasonable.It is the Venetian society coughtail party and dinner.We are on the table of the Expedition leader known as Rapanui as he lives on Easter Island.Dinner with our friend Barry and a couple from Chicago.After dinner it is up to the bar.A few too many Amarulas and we are last to leave after midnight.
Saturday and I am not feeling the best.Fortunately another sea day.Attended the lectures however and dinner with 2 couples from the UK.Dinner was an Arabian theme and quite good.However to bed early as we are on the first zodiac group when we arrive at Pagan.As it turns out this will be our only wet landing on this leg.
So Pagan appears-

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Pagan has a population of 7 and is no 5 star resort-

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Although Pagan was not invaded by the Americans there were about 2500 Japanese on the island and it did have an airfield.The beaches were well guarded with machine gun nests or pill boxes.Assault would have had heavy casualties-

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The supply boat from Saipan was in with it bringing the mayor of the Northern Marianas to greet us and return to Saipan on the Explorer-

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[drron]

The old dock didn't look of much use-

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Quite a few animals-

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A Japanese memorial-

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And evidence life can be difficult here-

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[drron]

The northern volcano with evidence of it's eruption in 1981 which forced the evacuation of the island-

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The strip looking back to the landing beach and some local wildlife-

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More wartime memories-

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[drron]

More of the war time artefacts with evidence of bombing-

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The squadron was ready for take off-

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[drron]

Now a Zero that didn't quite make it-

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The tail is a fair didtance from the propeller-

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