Ferry to Yonaguni Island

Yesterday, we caught the 10 a.m. ferry to Yonaguni Island from Ishigaki Island. It's a 4 hour trip in good weather, over open waters for at least half the ride so we were expecting larger waves and a somewhat bumpy ride. We were riding the last bit of windy weather from Typhoon Phanfone, but it looked like it wouldn't be too rough a trip that day.

The skies were bright blue as we pulled out of Ishigaki port. The ferry is quite an impressive one, in really tip-top condition. There are 4 flat areas - tatami mat-esque spaces - inside the ship where you can lie down with a blanket and sleep. There were only about 20 passengers maximum, but there were people conked out in all of the flat areas. There were cabin areas  with bunk beds too, but I think those cost more. And of course, there were drink machines inside.

I stayed outside for the entire trip for the most part, avoiding any seasickness. Devlin found it better inside. We were all a little groggy as the futons we'd slept on the night before were about half an inch thick...

We passed by the last island before we hit open water for the rest of the trip to Yonaguni, and then the real waves started. The swell of them was amazing - the ship would rock up and to the side, and then plunge down and bash up into the incoming wave. Boosh! the crash of the waves was amazing to watch (and really loud). The ocean was an incredible deep blue cerulean, and behind the ship the chop was frothy white and teal.

But the best part of all was discovered when I went up on the very top deck of the ship. The main control cabins of the ship was at the far end, and the middle was a huge expanse of bright blue pavement. I went to the rail to look over and watch the waves, and that's when I saw them. Small flying fish were zipping out of the waves made by the ship and gliding off into deeper waters! And then the fishing birds came - brown necked sleek birds with bright white underbellies and white pointed beaks.

The birds would zip through the sky, making sweeping passes along the ferry, eyeing the water with intensity. They could seem to see the fish before they left the water, making sudden headlong dives to chase the fish over the very surface of water. It was fantastic to watch. At first there were only 5 birds, and then the flock steadily grew until there were 20+ birds in the air, all wheeling and diving. It was bird against fish, and sometimes the birds won, and sometimes the fish.

I watched the show for hours - the birds kept it up the entire time we were at sea, only dwindling in numbers by the time we reached Yonaguni. The best acrobatic show I've seen in some time, AND I didn't get seasick! Hurray! :)