No.13

[ No.13 ] 　 My Sailing, My Resolution of This Year 4.23, 2013

　Last Thursday, Apr. 18, I went sailing, as my friend has been inviting me for a long time- since my twenties. When I was young , I often went sailing with my company friend Tadahiko Matsuura. We were working for the same company, Kansai Telecasting Corperation. T. Matsuura was a light engineer and I was a sound effects man at that time. We often sailed in the Setonaikai Sea. In my 30’s I stopped sailing because my work got very busy. T.Matsuura continued to sail because he owned his boat. Since that time he has changed his boat, named “Sippo”, ( 7 times ) and his career is almost 40 years long now. We are both retired from the company and T.Matsuura invited me to sail for the first time in a long time. He is going to Nagasaki - his dearest wish for a long time - and it’s also my resolution or dream of this year to go with him in a long sail to Goto-Retto Islands in Nagasaki.

　On that day, Thursday morning , I got up at 5:30 a.m. and prepared to go to Nishiomiya Yacht Harbor and we started from there at 8 o’clock in the morning. The weather was sunny but there was no wind. From Nishinomiya to Himeji was our day’s course and as soon as we left Nishinomiya Harbor, there was no wind so we had to run with the engine, not by sail.

　I will show you how our sailing was by pictures. It was nice cruise and reminds me of a poem.

　　　　　　　春の海　ひねもす（終日）のたり　のたりかな　　蕪村

　　　　　　　Sea of spring, it undulates all day : Buson Yosa

　 Shin Nishinomiya Yacht Harbor : http://www.sinnisi-yh.co.jp/

Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge : http://www.jb-honshi.co.jp/bridgeworld/index.html

*Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge(明石大橋) is the longest span bridge(吊り橋) in the world which is over Akashi strait(明石海峡). The total and central span length are 3,911m (長さ) and 1991m (中央支間長)respectively. The bridge completed in Apr.1998 after 10 years construction period.

*Data

　wide of the strait ( Akashi strait 明石海峡 ) is about 4km

　maximum depth ( 最大水深) is about 110m

　the utmost tidal current ( 最大潮流速) is about 4.5m/sec( about 9 knots )

　surface level at the center position (中央径間路面高) is about 97m over the sea 　 clearance(航路高) is about 65m over the sea