At last, Hateruma: waiting for the boat and enjoying the island
Cancelled sailings made the first trip to Hateruma feel uncertain. When the final boat could leave, Haruru was delighted. Her island memories include pale blue water, a moonlit night and meals she enjoyed while the journey unfolded around the boats.
Two personal records saved in February 2019, edited with Haruru’s existing permission.
At last, a boat could leave
Haruru had planned to go to Hateruma the previous day, but the boat was cancelled. The next morning brought more cancellations: the first two of the day’s three sailings would not run.
Just when she was ready to give up, the final sailing could leave. It would be her first visit to the island, and she was excited. She hoped the weather would be clear there, too.
A little more time with the island scenery
The return day also began with cancellations. Waiting for a different boat gave her time to look around the island a little longer, and she found a good side to the delay.
Her photographs include a stone monument, white goats in a grassy field and pale blue water beside the sand. She found the scenery wonderfully peaceful. Although it was February, even a short-sleeved top felt hot.
Oden at an izakaya recommended by her hosts
The previous evening, someone at her accommodation had recommended an izakaya. She ordered oden there and found a whole pork trotter among the ingredients.
The trotter was meltingly tender, and she enjoyed it. The plate in her photograph also holds daikon, leafy greens and other oden pieces: a memorable meal from the island evening.
A bright moon in the night sky
She had been looking forward to seeing a sky full of stars. That night, however, a bright full moon was visible and she did not see many stars.
The moon itself was beautiful. The night left a different memory from the one she had hoped for.
Soki soba and shaved ice at a port terminal
On the way back, she ate soki soba at a port terminal. She thought it was the best she had eaten so far. The bowl in her photograph has thick noodles, meat, fish cake, green onion and red pickled ginger.
She finished with shaved ice topped with Hateruma black sugar syrup and kinako. That was delicious, too: another happy food memory to take away from the trip.
A slower ferry for the way back
For the return, a passenger-and-cargo ferry was running on that Tuesday, giving her a way back despite the cancellations. It was not a high-speed boat; she expected the crossing to take an hour and a half longer than the outward trip. Having a way back was a relief.
The island had felt hot, while the boat’s air conditioning felt a little chilly. Her note ends with a plan to return to Ishigaki and spend one night there.
Sources for this account
Edited with Haruru’s existing permission from two past records and individually read saved photographs. The accounts describe her departure, island experience and return plans in 2019. The boat arrangements and travel times remain part of that personal account.