We left Marinoa, Fukuoka at 2 PM yesterday. I had studied the GRIB and determined that we would have a wonderful SW breeze for at least 48 hours. As we plugged our way out of the harbor into a 20 knot westerly breeze, I was elated. When we reached the mark that dictated a safe turn could be made to the northeast, we went onto a beam reach at nearly 8 knots. Then 7, then 6, then 5 then 4, then wrum, wrum, whrum and the engine roared to life. And in the last 30 hours we have sailed all of one, if that. Having accepted our fate (and to be honest (please forgive me), we two old veterans are not really all distressed since a flat sea is a comfortable sea and darn, we have slept well. But, we will pay further up the line) we are now headed for Oki-no Shima and the small harbor of Dogo, where we have permission to hang out and have Sunday breakfast. We will be there at about 6 AM. A northeasterly is predicted to spring up mid day and that would be from the direction we are going so finding a place to wait that out is a priority. Last night, in spite of the calm, was a nightmare of ship dodging. We had to cross the path leading to the eastern entrance to the Inland Sea but we had figured on that. What we did not expect was the coastal oil and cargo traffic to the north of that area. Not all ships are equipped with transponders so we found ourselves right back in the world of binoculars, radar and constant vigilance. Having become so confident in the use of AIS, I almost take it as a given when my screen says the computer has determined that this ship or that ship will pass within a certain distance to port or starboard. I had a major wake-up when a ship that was going to pass under our stern by a half mile or so, all off a sudden shifted course and I was looking at his bow coming right down on us. I had not see the red and green lights on a ship that close ever. I alerted the ship, in English of course, that he was going to run over us, then steered hard left at 90 degrees to escape. All I could say was "have a nice day".xxx



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