13. Ishigaki Island

After three days at sea, we finally reached the port in Ishigaki Island. Well when I say port, I mean just outside the port as a tendering operation was required. We had booked an excursion in Ishigaki, mainly because we wanted to maximise our time ashore and tours are given priority when it comes to tendering. Also, we thought that our earlier than scheduled arrival meant that tender operations would be starting earlier. So, we waited and waited...for over an hour for our scheduled time slot...wondering what on earth was happening and how could Princess be so disorganised.

Eventually we were called and the reason quickly became apparent. There was a heavy swell running making boarding the tenders a slow, and for the more infirm, a somewhat hazardous, process. 

Once ashore we were quickly on our way. First stop was Kabira bay, a picturesque little spot with sand beaches although dangerous for swimming because of strong currents. We climbed aboard a glass bottomed boat and watched as the undersea world passed beneath us. There were both hard and soft corals, much of it damaged, presumably because of the frequent typhoons in the area. But having said that, there were many colourful fish, mostly small, but with the occasional larger individual. We spotted Moorish Idol, Parrotfish, Angelfish and Butterflyfish as well as a turtle and a small shark.

Next stop was Tamatorizaki Observatory, not an astronomical one but a lookout point where the Pacific Ocean meets the South China Sea and from where we could see the waves breaking on the offshore reef. The interior of the Island is mountainous and covered in thick, lush jungle, the seashore is often lined with mangrove swamps and the narrow strip between shore and mountains is used for agriculture; mainly rice and sugar cane but also pineapples and mangoes.

Lastly we visited Tojin tomb, an ornate and elaborate shrine to the memory of Chinese labourers who were killed during a sea mutiny in the mid 1800's.

Unfortunately, because of the delay in getting ashore, our remaining time in Ishigaki Port itself was effectively cancelled as we were just about overdue for one of the last few tenders back to the ship. Nevertheless it had been an interesting day and certainly something different.

At this point we should spare a thought for our guide, Soda-San. This very sprightly lady of 73 (and looked 10 years younger) who spoke excellent English with both humour and authority, had a long journey home. She had to fly from Ishigaki to Okinawa, from Okinawa to Nagasaki and then take a train. She would not be home until well after midnight. English speaking tour guides have to be liscensed in Japan and they are few and far between, hence their long journeys to escort tourists and explains the vast difference in cost between excursions guided in English and those guided in Japanese.