Events & Activities
Next Keelhaul August 4
Rest your dogs during the dog days of summer in Japan, with cool brew and lively boat chat! Meet us at the usual venue, the Bull Dog pub in Yurakucho. People who love boats will want to come and join in the fun.
Things get started beween 6:30 and 7:00, and it goes as long as the blarney lasts, or they throw us out. Come and enjoy yourself with people who understand.
Directions:
From the central exit of Yurakucho Station: (opposite side from BIC Camera main entrance), walk 200 meters toward Printemps department store to the Ginza INZ 1 building, a two-story building under the expressway. Take the stairs to the second floor and look for Bulldog on the Printempsside, about the middle of the building.
From Ginza Marunouchi Line subway: either stay underground to exit C9 or walk along the expressway toward Printemps and Tokyo Station. The Ginza INZ 1 building is opposite Printemps. Take the stairs to the second floor and look for Bulldog on the Printemps side, about the middle of the building.
Cruises Are Being Planned
While TSPS does not officially organize cruises, its members do. If you would like to join a cruise, you should go to the Keelhaul and ask who's going where. Hota in Chiba is a popular destination, and there are others, too. So, "Ask and ye shall receive."
Some Past Cruises:
There have been some other cruises since 2005--the reports below give you an idea of what they are like.
Tomiura Weekend Cruise--Nov. 19-20, 2005
Cruising in Late
November??!! Yeah, it's cold, but...hey, it's what we do!
On November 19-20, 2005, three boats and 13 TSPS members and friends braved the early winter north wind to sail across Tokyo Bay to the sleepy fishing village of Tomiura in Chiba just north of Tateyama. The weather, though cold, was perfect for sailing with clear to partly cloudy skies and northerly winds at 15-23 knots. There was not a hint of the fog we had encountered in July going to Hota (see below).
Taking off from three different locations on the morning of the 19th, the three intrepid sailing vessels arrived at early in the afternoon, with the last boat arriving around 3:30. Warned about possibly unfriendly local fishermen, we cautiously sailed into the harbor on the lookout for hostiles, yet were pleasantly surprised to be greeted with hardly a glance. Perhaps they appreciated the fact that we hadn't plowed through any of the fishing nets on the approaches to the harbor. The three boats clustered at the end of the main pier where the fishing boats offload their catches. The harbor master requested that one of the boats raft up on another boat to keep the pier open for morning traffic.
Unlike Hota, where we went in July, Tomiura lacks dining or bathing facilities. However, with the barbecue and drinks that we brought, there was more than enough for a satisfying party in the quiet moonlit harbor. There are minshuku and the crew of one of the boats spent the night at one of them, while others stayed aboard. Three guesses as to who got a bath.
Coming home Sunday, I think we all felt that the trip had been a good break in the run-up to the end of the year. We'll have to try again next year, though earlier in November or in late October might be better for air temperature.
Posted 11/22/05 by Mike Snyder
Click here for more photos!
Hota Weekend Cruise -- Summer, 2005
Amazing... There IS Fog in Tokyo Bay (and Other Cool Things)
A forecast of fog in the morning drew the attention of the organizers, but one of our older salts dismissed it. "Never been a wisp of fog in all the years I've sailed in Sagami Wan and lower Tokyo Bay... I plan to spend the night in Hota," he wrote. Same salt was admittedly flabbergasted to find that fog does grow hereabouts, as sails flapped listlessly and a police vessel cautiously circled ghostlike in mist barely three or four boat lengths away, just off Misaki.
Calls on the Docomo shortwave brought reassurances from two other creeping crews, while another skipper found that his harbor master had announced a fog ban against anyone leaving. But by noon, the white stuff had mostly cleared and 17 TSPS members and friends again rendezvoused to enjoy the hospitality of Hota. (See story in archive for our previous excursion.) This time three sailboats and one powerboat made the trip, despite weather that looked iffy right up to the weekend, the last of the official rainy season.
Unusual sights were not limited to fog, however: Sunday two crews enjoyed the spectacle of a Japanese submarine powering mightily out of the bay, and one excited crew forgot to take pictures so impressed were they with "4 or 5 sperm whales 100 meters away" frolicking near Atami.
Posted 7/22/05 by Hunter Brumfield
Japanese sub making a good 20 knots heading south in Tokyo Bay
TSPS EVENTS for 2010
- Change of Watch - March 11 (Mission Accomplished, i.e., MA)
- “Opening Day” Cruise (Hota) – April 17-18 (MA)
- White water rafting at Minakami – May 16
- Summer Beach BBQ at Akiya – May 29
- Saito 8 Welcome Back to Yokohama Event - July TBD
- Spring Cruise (Uraga to Ito Race) – June 12-13
- Spring Rendezvous at Uraga/Velasis – June 19
- Summer Cruise to Hota – July 24-25
- Fireworks Cruise to Uraga/Velasis – August 21-22 or 28-29
- September Mid-Year Meeting (TBD)
- Fall Beach BBQ at Akiya – October 2
- Hayama Marina Yacht Club Cruise – October 10Click here for 2009's event
- Fall Cruise (Destination TBD) – November 6-7
- Bonenkai (End of Year) Tokyo Bay Cruise – Nov/Dec TBD
SOME PAST EVENTS
Bonenkai Cruise November 27
Yakata-bune
Party
The TSPS 2009 boating season ended with a year-end "Bonenkai" cruise around Tokyo Bay in the evening of November 27 (Thursday) on a traditional Japanese style party boat, a so-called Yakata-bune. Photos here.
Kuruwa Beach October 25
Beach Barbecue
On Oct. 25, there was a BBQ at Kuruwa Beach in Akiya just down from Hayama, hosted by renowned BBQ-meister, Eugen Mall, who made sure everyone had a good time.
October 11 Hayama
Marina Yacht Club
Annual Sail and BBQ Held
Again this year a sail/barbeque was held courtesy of our friends at the Hayama Marina Yacht Club. This most enjoyable event that started at 10 and members enjoyed about four hours sailing (including anchoring for lunch) and then came back for a barbecue at the club around 3 p.m. This year there was some live music. About 25 people showed up and a good time was had by all. Photos here, courtesy of TSPS's good friend, Akihiko Kobayashi of HMYC.
Velasis Marina Aug. 23
Barbecue and Fireworks
The afternoon and evening of August 23 saw the TSPS troops holding a BBQ at Velasis Marina in Uraga. Eighteen people made the show and enjoyed steaks, hotdogs and hamburgers at the nice facilities of Velasis. Later, the annual summer fireworks display of Uraga were enjoyed by all. Two members came in their boats and spent the night at the marina.
Much of the credit for the success of this event goes to members Francis Wertheimer and his wife Masayo, who arranged the venue and bought the barbecue supplies.
Kuruwa Beach July 19
Beach
Barbecue
On July 19, TSPS had a BBQ at Kuruwa Beach in Akiya just down from Hayama, hosted by renowned BBQ-meister, Eugen Mall. Click here for some photos from last fall's barbecue. Things got going by noon, and some brave folks actually entered the water. It felt great! It was a good day on the beach watching the boats, shooting the breeze and enjoying some fine grinds.
Perfect
Sailing and Good Food with Friends
Hayama Yacht Club and TSPS Get It On!
The annual Hayama Yacht Club and TSPS sailing and barbecue event came off in spectacular fashion on Sunday, October 8, 2006. Hayama Yacht Club provided five sailboats, which took out the 20 or so TSPSers that showed up. The skies were clear and the wind came up to a perfect fresh breeze. After sailing for 2-3 hours, the boats came back to Hayama and a barbecue was held from 3 p.m. Yaki-niku, yaki soba, sashimi, and lots of other food and, of course, beer and wine, were served up to the hungry crews. A big "Thank You" to Hayama Yacht Club!
Posted 10/11/06 by Mike Snyder
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Spring Rendezvous Held, Too! |
The 50th anniversary of Tokyo Sail & Power Squadron was held on May 20th, 2006, at Seabornia Marina on Miura Peninsula. Along with it we had the Spring Rendezvous as well. Challenge 7 and others joined in, too. Some 60 to 70 people showed up, making it a big success. Two boats also sailed there and Seabornia graciously put them up for the night gratis.
Click here to see some photos.
Going Stateside?
District 13 ActivitiesDistrict 13 of USPS is an active friendly group of boaters. They have regular events throughout the year. To find out about what USPS events that you, as a TSPS member, can participate in, go to the D-13 page and look at the recent District 13 News. All the newsletters are on PDF files.
YBM Boaters Roll Out the Red Carpet
Engine Outing Big SuccessOn Sunday, March 5th, five TSPS members were kindly invited out to Yokohama Bayside Marina by some boat-owners there to take a look at some marine engines as part of the Engine Maintenance 102 class now being held. It was a beautiful sunny day by Tokyo Bay, and our hosts went out of their way to provide us with hospitality, including lunch! We were able to learn some interesting practical things about how engines work and how to maintain them. We hope this will lead to future such interactions with YBM. To see who our hosts were and some photographs, click here.
Posted 03/10/06 by Mike Snyder