Day 57, 26 Feb 2017: In search of waves...

Day 57: ...waves of research

The regular reader will be aware that I have spent some days of this month in search of waves (see Day 35 and Day 43). It is called research, really, it is; and I have a paper to prepare and to present in just over two weeks time. 

Today I was pretty determined to get out to the Chiba coast to see if I could find the actual Olympic 2020 surf beach designate, Tsurigasaki. It is a little further south than the centre of the township of Ichinomiya, although still a part of it. There was a station just a little closer too than the last time I was down this way. 

Off I went. 

Winter at home is often a good time for some of the best waves and although this is only my second time down the coast thus far, and the Olympics will be held in summer, so a few months to go yet...I have to say, the surfer in me has turned down bigger waves than what I saw today...

Announcing the Olympic venue

The 'Tsurigasaki' signpost

Approach to the car park

The torii, or part of the shrine

Concrete blocks

Lots of shells 

And these rather porous rocks

Signs of life in the black sand

Artificial groyne right in the middle

Waves in the sand

Ambitious

Determined

Be careful

Cutting it

Chopping it

Calling it a day

Beached

Adrift

Found

Parked

Parlour, with a theme

House

The very small station, Torami, not staffed

Nonetheless, everyone is friendly, they all say hello and even a complete stranger stopped in the late afternoon and offered me a lift to wherever I was going. I was only ten minutes from the little train station as it happened but what a lovely gesture...

The waves might be washed out but the locals are pretty darn lovely. I'll be back. Well before 2020.

[Camera : Canon EOS60D, 24mm-105mm, 70-300mm, 3.03pm-3.57pm; Lumix TZ-85, 4.12pm-4.53pm; 26 February 2017; 9-11deg C]

Day 56, 25 Feb 2017: Great expectations...

Day 55: ...best-laid plans etc...

...come undone. More or less. 

So I thought heading into the office today might be aided by a look at the 'festival' accompanying the Tokyo Marathon, being run tomorrow (Sunday). All the props were there yesterday...tents, tents, seats, tables, and tents. 

I had good reason to believe there would be much to see and do as I rocked by on the way to work. 

There was...after a fashion:

Blue sky

All the banners

Cloud looms

Afternoon sets 

Grill Tokyo

Chicken

City bikes

Crate

Window spots

Afternoon tree

I shouldn't photograph these, but I can't help it

Birds v balloon

All done, all dusted 

But it was all done and dusted by the time I headed back towards the station. I probably could've, should've stayed in the office longer. Never mind. Next time. 

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 4.03pm-4.11pm, 4.43pm, 6.57pm; 25 February 2017]

Day 55, 24 Feb 2017: Looking for the next big break...

Day 55: ...please listen

Fame. I guess it happens in different ways. Not being one to pursue it for myself, I've never given much thought about how it starts. 

For much of today, perched on the side of one of the bridges down below, groups of young singers seemed to e engaged in some kind of 'sing off'. The crowds ebbed and flowed, some groups seemed spontaneous, some seemed to plan everything right down to the shirts on their backs. 

Ready, set...

Small but committed crowd

Friends

Quality crowd

That's it?

But wait, there's more

Applause

Night port

Big wheel

The Tokyo Marathon is on this weekend and this area is one of the key gathering posts. (The will be fun trying to get to work tomorrow.) Perhaps the young singers hoped that someone in the passing crowd might notice. 

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 1.15pm-2.37pm, 5.54pm-5.55pm; 24 February 2017]

Day 54, 23 Feb 2017: One of those hazy days...

Day 54: ...hazy daze

Today's page is brought to you by the idea of haze. There was much of it about the port today. I noticed it first through the corridor window and then it just speed itself across the day. 

I suspect it has to do with the very strong winds around at the moment, winds that are making it tricky to work out my next trip to the coast to observe the surfing life. Time is running out on that front, I really only have next week left to get there. 

Meanwhile, a new research ship berthed at the dock and the ducks have returned it seems.

Shadows

Berthed 

The bridge is there...somewhere

The colours are there...somewhere

Finding its way through

Hello ducks

For some, it is a hazy day, for others, it continues as lazy, hazy daily daze. Right ducks?

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 2.19pm-2.20pm, 3.37pm-3.38pm; 23 February 2017]