Waiting, waiting on Whitecrest.
First sighting by Yamamoto-san ... we think.
What finally gave him away were two helicopters circling over a single white sail as it cleared the horizon.
Closer and closer; to us it was an excruciating wait. For Saito-san the last 2 hours of a 5,597-hour non-stop voyage.
Sundown was coming and the photo opportunity was leaving. But the TSPS burgee and Japanese flag sure looked great againts the lowering sun.
With winds easing to about 3 or 4 knots, Saito eventually declared the last day of sailing on June 6 "the worst day and the longest one."
Six or seven boats joined Saito-san for the final meters across the finish line. Misaki light can be seen over Shuten-dohji II.
Having crossed the finish line, Saito-san readies for a boarding party, and a welcome tow line.
Okay, it's a little blurry but
we'll include it for its artistic value.
TSPS member Aoki-san is one of the crew that helped Shuten-dohji II back into home port. Saito-san lost the engine barely two weeks after leaving Japan back in October.
The media was well represented and kept Saito-san away from his first hot meal for more than an hour. But he didn't seem to mind.
Sporting a new goatee, Saito-san was spirited and jovial as he addressed the media. The next morning, he was the darling of the newscasters,
Readying
one of many answers.
A captivated audience of usually jaded journalists.
Jiro Fujiwara, who ably headed the Saito Challenge-7 Committee, gets a grateful glance from Saito. Fujiwara-san is a new Bridge officer of TSPS.
We tried a number of times to connect with Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, but only could get his answerphone. Saito-san thanks the "answer voice" for his emailed congratulatory message, though.
About an hour later, Sir Robin and Saito-san finally connect. A small moment in sailing history, with "the first" congratulating "the oldest" cellphone to cellphone between London and Tokyo.
Assembled are TSPS members (and two friends) who have shared duty supporting Saito-san the last 8 months. The TSPS burgee is mostly hidden by Tony Whitman, in white hat.
The six burgees of cooperating yacht clubs (and the Squadron) that worked together in support of Saito's Challenge-7.
A shot from a morning newscast, as filmed from a helicopter.
The morning's front page of one of Japan's national English dailies. He was also featured on the front page of at least two Japanese-language dailies.