Around the world in a 23 footer......

[vinegarj]

http://www.geocities.jp/masa56035603/untitled2_001.htm

[Zen]

Sugoi ne!  すごいね　おもしろい　 ;D

Cool story! Love reading those. I'll pass it on to Lady Z

Interesting enough we are having lunch with a Japanese-American woman and her son this Friday. She sailed solo to Japan from Hawaii on a 26 ft Folk boat, when she was ....ready...63!

She is now 80 something. Thats right, no modern comforts, went through the tail end of  typhoon! 60 knot winds!

77 days Hawaii to Japan.

[skylark]

To feast at the great table, you must have great hunger and a willingness to go unfed. Only one in a million have both. Be very careful to preserve your expanded vision when you return to Japan.

There, everything around you will try to push you down, to make you small, to make you narrow, because your wide new perceptions will threaten the old traditions. People (even your friends) will not understand you. You just remember you have lived a higher truth. No matter how difficult life becomes, do not let go of it. It's what the earth needs from us, and when we find it (as you have) we are obligated to speak it into the ears of people who want to hear it. Good luck to you. Take care of your goodness.

[CapnK]

Awesome link - Grog!

Paul - I thought you were saying that to Capt Zen, until I finished reading the story. :) How right was that, the prediction of his American friend...

And how sadly not-uncommon is that sort of sentiment and thought, in every place, every country? I just re-read Jonathan Livingston Seagull for the umpteenth time while introducing a friend to it, and Masa's story seems to be a great parallel to that of my favorite gull... :)

"Jonathan Seagull discovered that boredom and fear and anger are the reasons that a gull's life is so short, and with these gone from his thought, he lived a long fine life indeed."

"...you have the freedom to be yourself, your true self, here and now, and nothing can stand in your way."

                            - Richard Bach, Jonathan Livingston Seagull

[AdriftAtSea]

great story.

[ronc98]

Great story very inspiring.   

[Pappy Jack]

I wonder if he would want to do "The Scoot" ;D ::) ;D?

[Oldrig]

Lots o' grog for posting that one, VinegarJ!

An inspiring link--and his unique way of spelling/writing English somehow makes it even more poignant.

--Joe

[dnice]

"good story",  are you kidding me?!!!

This story has everything!!!
Small boat, sailing (plenty of it), faraway places, adventure, sharks, pirates, Storms, island paradises, Love, politics, adventure, insight, philosophy...

If only there was a movie of this!!!

I have read countless cruising stories, and this one is by far the best story ever told.!

But really, I truly appreciate this story.  Talk about inspiring!

I hope the best for Masa and his family and I would  truly love to meet him out there one day.

[mikec]

Great story, thanks for sharing.

Mike

[jotruk]

really enjoyed the read grog to ya