(Scroll down to read in English)
明依は5:30に起きた。
それと同時に自分も起きて、準備をして朝の散歩へ。
徒歩5分。キラキラの大村海岸。
すでに日差しがジリジリ暑い。
7:00オープンの生協でおにぎりとジュース買って、公園で朝ごはん。
海岸ではカメの足跡もしっかり確認。
快晴の朝 / A sunny morning
9:00までのんびりして、農協へ。
B 級パッションが大きな袋に入って1000円！迷わず購入。
B級という、ほぼA級たち。厳しいパッションの世界。美味しくいただくよ。
新しいギョサンにもちょっとなびいて、一旦棚に戻す。
島バナナ、いろんな野菜、ライチもあった。
自分が住んでた時とはだいぶ変わって、カフェができてて、ソフトクリーム食べちゃった。
こりゃまたうまい。
宿に帰ってみんなで朝寝。
お昼は島の名店海遊で中華。
アカバラーメン、こんな美味かったっけ！
高級魚の身をぱくぱく食べる娘。
帰りに、パッションと一緒に食べるスーパカップもゲッツ。
宿で水着に着替えて、差し入れ持って海洋センターへ。
朝ののんびりした雰囲気が漂う / Laid back morning vibe in town
と思ったら島のガイドさんの番号から着信。
母ガメの迷走。
海洋センターと言う名前で、私の番号が登録されてたのかな。
それでも5年間電話かかってきたことなかったのに、このタイミングでかかってくるとか、しかもウミガメの迷走でかけてくるとか、色々偶然が重なりすぎて呆気にとられ笑う。
ウミガメから何かのメッセージなのかしら。
（ウミガメの迷走とは、産卵に伴い上陸したウミガメが産卵場所を探す過程で海岸を超えて街中に迷い込んだり、木に挟まったりして海に帰れなくなる状態のこと）
5年前に働いてた海洋センター。
夜な夜な仕事したり、したなぁ。
なつかし。
ボランティアの方と、ウミガメたちにご挨拶。
差し入れを渡して、素敵なグッズを買って、さようなら。
コータはろー！ / Hello Kota!
コーヒータイム。
今日はUSKコーヒー。
喉が渇いてて島の貴重なコーヒーをアイスでがぶ飲み。
島で育った、ありがたいありがたいコーヒー。
ご馳走様でした。
島ののんびりした空気満点のUSKコーヒー / Love the chill island vibe at the USK Coffee
からのコぺぺ海岸へ。
大好きな海岸。
キラキラピカピカ楽園みたい。
娘を泳がせる気満々だったが、思いの外嫌がり、ちょっと水に浸かって終了。
父と母はそれぞれ少し泳ぐ。
最高に気持ち良い。
シュノーケル持ってくればよかった。
コペぺ海岸 / Kopepe Beach
夕ご飯に遅れちゃうので、少し泳いで退散。
今日はウォーリーの家でごはん。
えみちゃんのお手製ごはん。
つよしさんのお魚も。
オナガダイとヒメダイのお刺身、キントキの煮付。
絶。品。
みんなでわいわい。幸せな時間。
いつも通り、たくさんあまり物を頂いて帰る。
明日の朝ごはん、海岸で食べよう。
島を離れてからも何度か島にわざわざ来てるけど、そんなに良いの？好きなの？と聞かれる。
好きだなぁ。
特別な場所であり、故郷みたいなところでもある。
でも、仕事して住むのと、たまに遊びに来るのでは全く違う世界。
今度はまた長い期間来たいなねぇと妻と話す。まだ今回の旅行も終わってないのに。
夕方のスーパー小祝 / Supermarket Koiwai in late afternoon
ケータに行ったり、母島に行ったりもしたい。
島のイベントにも行きたい。
島のリズムに馴染んで生活したい。
でも、今繋がってる人たちが島に居なかったら、行かないかも。
結局、人に会いたいんだなと、思った。
ちゃんちゃん。
May woke up at 5:30.
We followed along, got ready, and went for a morning walk.
A five-minute walk away: the sparkling Omura Beach.
The sun was already sizzling hot.
We bought some rice balls and juice at the supermarket as it opened at 7, and had breakfast in the park next to the beach.
We spotted turtle tracks on the beach.
We chilled there until around 9 and then headed to the farm co-op shop.
Grade B passion fruit in a large bag for 1,000 yen! No hesitation.
Grade B, but practically Grade A.
Its a tough world for the passion fruit, but we will enjoy eating them for sure.
I was also tempted by a newly designed “gyosan” sandals (very sturdy sandals used by the locals) , but put them back on the shelf for now.
There were also island bananas, all sorts of vegetables, and even lychees.
It’s changed quite a bit since I lived there; a café has opened, and I ended up having a soft ice cream.
Soo good.
Went back to the guesthouse, had a little nap.
For lunch, we went to “Kaiyu,” a popular Chinese restaurant.
Akaba (local fish) ramen – was it this good?!
May loved the akaba, considered a premium fish in Tokyo.
On the way back, we also picked up vanilla ice cream to go along with the passion fruit.
We changed into our swimsuits and headed to the Ogasawara Marine Center, my former work place.
Just then, I got a call from one of the island tour guides.
It was call meant to report a sighting of “lost sea turtle.”
(The “lost sea turtle” refers to a situation where a sea turtle, having come ashore to lay eggs, gets lost in the town or becomes trapped in objects whilst searching for a nesting site, and is unable to return to the sea.)
My number must have been registered under the name “Marine Centre” all this time…
Even so, I’d never received a call from this guide in five years, and for it to come at this exact moment—and about a lost sea turtle, no less—so much coincidences that I was left speechless and laughing.
I wonder if it’s some sort of message from the sea turtle…
Then there I was, the Marine Centre where I used to work five years ago.
I would work there night after night…
I said hello to the volunteers and the sea turtles.
May also said hello to resident turtles.
I handed over some refreshments for the staffs, bought some lovely merch, and said goodbye.
Coffee break at USK coffee.
I was parched, and gulped down the island’s precious iced coffee.
Coffee grown right here on the island— so, so precious and grateful.
Then off to Kopepe Beach.
My favourite beach.
The beach was sparkling and gleaming in the afternoon sun, was like a paradise.
We were hoping to have a little swim with May, but she was quite scared, we ended up just dipping her feet in the water.
Us mum and dad each had a quick swim.
The water was so nice.
We regretted for not bringing snorkels.
We had a dinner invitation, after our quick swim, we headed off.
Dinner tonight was at Wally’s house.
Emi-chan’s home-cooked meal.
Freshly caught fish from Tsuyoshi-san.
Sashimi of Onagadai (Ruby Snapper) and Himedai (Lavender Jobefish) and simmered Kintokidai （Red Bigeye).
Absolutely. Delicious.
Fun and lively dinner.
Such a happy moment.
As always, we went home with loads of leftovers.
Enough for our breakfast tomorrow on the beach.
During dinner, someone asked, “even after leaving the island, you’ve come back several times, is it really that good? Do you like it that much?”
I really do love it.
The island holds a special place in my heart and is like my hometown.
But living and working there is a completely different world from just popping over for a short visit.
My wife and I discussed how we would like to stay longer next time, even though our current trip wasn’t even over yet.
We’d like to visit Keita (Mukojima Island) and Hahajima too.
We’d like to participate in island’s events.
We’d like to settle deeper into the “island life.”
But if we didn’t have any relationship with the people on the island like we do now, we might not be interested to come back.
After all, it’s the people and the deep connection with them that make us come back to the island.