| Summary | After the travel in Thailand and Maldives in February, the pandemic was
getting break out. I had to cancel the reservation of travels in May, June and July. I should stay home, so I was not able to go anywhere. Then the government approved to take a domestic trip in the middle of June. I tryed to plan a trip in Okinawa right away. I considered destinations in Okinawa. I have already been in the Kerama Islands many times. Though I wondered possible destinations in Okinawa as the Isigaki, Iriomote and the Kume Island. I selected the Iheya Island that l have wanted to be but I was not able to be, which located northernmost in Okinawa. |
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| Itinerary | To the Naha Airport by morning flight. To the Unten Port by bus. To the
Iheya Island by ferry. Diving three days. Next day taking photos in the morning. Then getting on a ferry. Returning to Naha by bus. Even though I was able to come back home by night flight. If the flight delayed, I might miss the last train. And I found the resonable price in next day morning flight by ANA. That was the same as previous day night flight, including one night stay. Afterward I recieved email of the flight cancelation, I was able to change the flight to one hour later for free. |
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| Diving and Accommodation |
I made some inquiries to the dive center: North Island by email. There were no opening from the second half of July to the end of four days holidy, due to a group and consecutive holidays. I selected the period before full booked period. There are some place to stay in the island. I selected and booked the Matsugane Hotel by telephone. |
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| Naha Airport |
I departed from the Kansai Airport to the Naha Airport in the morning. Though until over ten years before, I have been in Naha once or twice a year, It was for the first time in about 6 years in the Naha Airport. I realized there was the new runway off the coast. I found the signboard of the new runway, it said that was completed in May this year. |
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| To the Iheya Island |
On time arrival in Naha. I had time, I took lunch at the Airport Restaurant
in early. Then I got on the Yanbaru Express Bus bound for the Unten Port departing 11:30. We arrived the Unten Port on time: 14:15 I got a round trip ticket at the ferry terminal, and got on the Ferry Iheya Ⅲ that departed 3PM. |
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| Hotel | I recognized the Matugane Hotel was near the port by a map. But it took about ten minutes on foot. They didn't have western single room, but only twin room. So I have booked a Japanese style "Tatami" room with breakfast. The rooms had AC, TV, bathtub and free Wifi, in addition large laundry drying place on the roof. |
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| Diving | North Island | 1st day | 1 | Indy | ２ | Mini Arch | ３ | Suhkabuyah |
| 2nd day | １ | Terushi Coral | ２ | Triangle | ||||
| 3rd day | Canceled as stormy weather. Thunder in the morning, bad weather all day. | |||||||
| According to the weather forecast, it was getting bad day by day. I tried to take photos before the weathe went gad. Then I finished two dives around noon on second day, I went around and took photos in the island by a rental bicycle. |
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| There were many beautiful and vivid hard corals overall, sea snakes everywhere. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Island | There was a 1H-lunch-break on first day, I tried to walk near the Noho
Bridge. We are able to see the beach in front of the dive center. He has a goat. |
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| According to the weather forecast, it was getting bad day by day. Then I finished two dives around noon on second day, I went around and took photos in the island by a rental bicycle. It started to rain on the way to the Noho Island, and getting heavier, finally cats and dogs. Next day, it was rain all day, same as after the next day. I changed to get on the ferry departing in the morning. |
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| 27 degrees north latitude |
I remembered I had seen the word of 27 degrees north latitude. I guessed just the line is in the island. I found the explanation of the line by tourist brochures. Amami region was returned to Japlan by US in 1953. There was the border between Japan and US until the Reversion of Okinawa in 1972. I realized there was the national border in land for a while, however Japan is insular coutry. |
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| Way back |
I had bought a round trip ferry ticket, I was able to get on the ferry whatever I choose. :The ferry was for the supply and distribution actually. :The number of passenger were 10 or 20 persent of the capacity As the bad weather, it was not worth going around the island. I changed to the moring departure at 9:00. I asked the hotel to take me to the port, since it was rain. I moved to Naha by the Yanbaru Express Bus same as the outward. Just one night stay in Naha, I came back to the Itami Airport next day. *** I found the two posters: The plan to build the bridges across the Iheya, and Gushikawa and Izena islands. :The composited photograth that has the runway in western side of the Noho Island without explaination. |
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