... to the beach, but which one ... (107/365, 17 Apr 2022)
I made it to the beach after all. It was a bit touch and go there for a moment. Being a Sunday, I guessed it might be a bit crowded down Kamakura way but the surf club where I am a member was holding a fundraiser for Ukraine, a few local craft shops sharing their wares and raising funds for a good cause. Plus, I hadn't been inside the club for a while what with Covid restrictions on travel and so on.
On the other hand, I have come to 'prefer' Chigasaki, it is more bodyboard-oriented, whereas Zaimokuza is board (long and short), and the waves tend to be a bit better around on the Chiga Southern Beach. So, I decided I'd let the train decide...two trains I can catch from Ikebukuro go direct to each destination, I decided whichever came first when I got to the station, I'd hop on that. A bit of a mystery...not a great one but a little bit of spontaneity for a Sunday.
I approached platform 2...which train was next...Kamakura? Chigasaki? It was Kamakura, so that was my day sorted. On the train, scored a seat and settled for the 70 min ride. Not the finest of weather to be heading to the beach but the smell of the salt air, the sight of the waves, the feeling of sand underfoot...
It is a pleasant walk to the beach from Kamakura Station, about twenty minutes. Yes, one can catch another train or a bus, but I enjoy the walk. And this time, I was going to be careful to not be attacked by a tobi, the local black kite. So no food or drink on the beach! (I did however buy a couple of the famous donuts, and brought them all the way home.)
I visited the craft stalls, made acquaintance with a couple of stallholders (one of whom was selling 'Vote' and 'No War' shirts and bags, and it turned out she is the daughter of a former female politician...), made some small purchases to contribute, and then headed to the beach.
Today, instead of walking along the beach as I usually do, I decided I just wanted to sit and watch and take pics from the one vantage point, to see what I could see, as it were. It was nice, it was relaxing and interesting watching the surfers wait and choose and ride. I have to say, Japanese surfers are much more patient than I am...I don't think I would have bothered with today's 'swell', but then, as an Australian, I know we are spoilt for waves. Nonetheless, it is nice to be a part of the scene here.
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| The SUPs are popular |
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| As are the wind surfers |
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| The Headland... |
After sitting on the beach for about forty minutes or so, and with the light (for photographic purposes) fading, I headed back up to the clubhouse for a late lunch. Perfectly placed overlooking the beach. I popped into the reception area to say hello (and check that my membership hadn't expired actually...) and I was overwhelmed that the staff remembered me, but not only that, what I did for work, that I tend to bring a handplane with me as a bodysurfing aid...amazing! 100 points! Anyway, the membership is still valid so it is probably time to get back into it (now I have a little more time).
Today I took the big cam, Canon EOS 90D, with the 70-300mm lens, just fine for this work. Not a lot of powerful, fast surfing here, the waves aren't that strong, but perfect for today's longboarders, certainly a day of waves made for them.
