The 1 season ended successfully on January 7th. The 2017 season begins on March 2018st.
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It was so turbulent that I didn't have time to look back, and before I knew it, it was over. That's my honest impression of the 2017 season. Looking back, there were many difficult times, but there were far more fun times!
I'm Totti, the forgetful owner of this shop, born in the Year of the Rooster. I'd like to look back on the year as a memo and end by expressing my gratitude to our guests. This will likely be quite long, so I hope you'll read it with a snack in hand!
Manta ray explosion immediately after the start of the 2017 season
There were 10 manta rays in one place! They were eating plankton that had accumulated on the surface of the water, all in the same spot as Guruguru. Sometimes there were 10 or XNUMX, but when there were XNUMX, it was enough to make the staff's eyes light up.
We went diving in a different spot with the tank on our backs, and enjoyed a heavenly 40-minute dive surrounded by manta rays.
The following day, we encountered a total of five manta rays over three dives. We were able to encounter them frequently, even on single dives, and February and March were full of manta sightings. It was a great start to the season!
The number of manta rays and the number of sightings vary greatly from year to year, and it can sometimes be the case that there are no manta rays at all this year, so this year has been declared a good one!
By the way, the recent manta ray sightings from November to January have been so-so. Three underwater encounters and one on the surface. I wanted to give everyone a few more encounters. But the more I tried, the more of a negative spiral I got. I'm looking forward to spring again!!
Establishment of a beach section for beginners, including trial diving
There was a dilemma I had ever faced since I started working as a diving guide, and that was that "fun diving, trial diving, and snorkeling guests were all mixed together on the same boat."
The dilemma is that each menu has a different way of enjoying it and a different purpose, but they are all held at the same spot. This means that when it comes to selecting a spot, someone will laugh and someone will cry. Or you will have to choose something that is safe for everyone.
BIGHOLIDAY started as a fun diving specialty store, based on the question, "If we could separate everything and divide the spots based on how to enjoy them and what the purpose is, wouldn't everyone be able to laugh out loud?"
At the beach specialty store, Micchan will be the leader, and trial diving, snorkeling, and license courses will start in February.
The response is excellent! This project has just begun, and there is a long way to go before we reach our ideal form. I would like to continue to work on it little by little.
Fun divers, trial divers, and snorkelers all had great smiles!
More people are working together
In March, Yuuma joined us as a new graduate from a diving vocational school, and in April, Shin-chan passed the instructor exam.
In May, former Holiday guest Mackie joined the band.
We were able to tackle the peak season with a team of five instructors. The average age of our instructors is 35, which is a little on the older side (lol), but for the two months of August and September, we were supported by three trainees from a diving school.
Sometimes we all caught colds, sometimes we almost collapsed from dehydration, sometimes we had nosebleeds from sinusitis, sometimes we developed herniated discs, and there were times when we were completely worn out, perhaps because our average age was a little high.
We all encouraged each other, covered for each other, and were able to get through the season.
BIGHOLIDAY doesn't yet have a big ship or a fancy shopping facility, but it does have manpower. No matter what happens, with the power of people, we can get back up again and again and continue to work towards big goals.
Manpower is BIGHOLIDAY's greatest weapon. With everyone attacking and everyone defending, we will maximize the power of our team while improving individual strengths to provide even more enjoyable diving experiences!
In March, we will be adding a new graduate, a super rookie, who will also significantly lower the average age of our team members.
Unusual! A series of trips to Shimojishima in the summer
Normally, in the summer when the southerly wind blows, the main field is Irabu Island, but in the 2017 season I was able to go to Shimoji Island quite frequently.
This season in particular, the winds that blow in the summer have often been "particularly weak," and the sea conditions are so good that it's not uncommon to see days with a smooth surface and no waves at all! I often wish it were like this every year, but this is truly special.
This season, many people were able to see the dazzling light of the "bedroom" of the Demon King's palace, which is only illuminated during the summer months, and each time I received the best reactions, which made it a fulfilling summer for me as a guide.
Summer Devil is the ultimate diving spot. No doubt about it!!
Dolphins hopping around nearby diving points
I never thought that the day would come where I could enjoy watching dolphins from a boat in between regular dives, in my home ground of Miyakojima. Miyakojima is amazing!
We had been able to see them since autumn 2016, but the peak was around summer 2017, and sometimes we even got to eat lunch while watching dolphins. As a dolphin lover, it was a dream come true for the owner.
When in a good mood, they spin jump right in front of the boat, so close you could almost reach out and touch them! Many guests scream with excitement!!! Of course, the owner and staff join in!!!
Along with the joy, I also felt a sense of loneliness, knowing that it wouldn't last forever.
The dolphins that had arrived this time were a group of female spinner dolphins, and they had been raising their young off the coast of Irabu Island and Shimoji Island. We had spotted a baby dolphin about 60cm long on several occasions.
I thought it would be great if it could continue for another year or two, but since the typhoon that hit in October, they have completely disappeared.
However, it's not that I felt lonely because we couldn't actually meet. What I felt was a sense of accomplishment, having taken as much time as possible and having a lot of fun together, and the anticipation that we would definitely meet again.
I believe that encountering marine life such as dolphins is a gift from heaven.
I'm looking forward to the next encounter.
The ship fell over.
I'm just kidding when I say "Kotetto" (thud). To be more precise, it fell over with a thud, a thud, a crash, a thud, a thud.
I'll never forget Typhoon No. 21. The shop was hit by a five-day power outage, and even the homes of our staff scattered around town were without power for three days. The roof of the equipment storehouse was blown off, and we were left wondering where to start. But there was no time to be at a loss.
An emergency meeting (is that too cool a word?) was immediately held in the shop with the lights out, and while prioritizing the resumption of business, they simultaneously worked on preparing to restart their own ship, the Blens, as soon as possible and restoring the shop.
If I had been alone, I might have been at a loss. However, when it was over, the restoration was completed in an instant. The power of each individual is small, but this incident made me realize once again that this is what the phrase "joining forces" means.
We received so many words of concern and support from our guests, which was really encouraging!
The long-awaited new boat has been introduced!
In fact, when we reopened in the fall of 2016, we were already aiming to introduce new boats in the fall of 2017.
With this slogan in mind, all the staff worked together to achieve the goal of "One day building a new boat that is big, comfortable, and worthy of BIGHOLIDAY" within this one year, overcoming many obstacles that made us think "Seriously..." and finally reaching our goal.
However, even after coming this far, there is still a lot of "big work to do," so it is by no means a situation in which we can relax or feel completely happy, but we are determined to finish it so that it will be something that will make you laugh out loud when it launches in early summer.
I plan to write a detailed report article in the future, so I hope you will keep an eye on me!
Finally, thank you to all our guests.
2017 was BIGHOLIDAY's sixth season. Although it is still a short history, it was the year in which we met the most guests of all time, and we feel an incredible sense of fulfillment.
It is because of you all that we come to visit that we are able to make new friends, build new boats, and take on new challenges. This is a given for a diving shop, but this year has really brought that feeling home to me.
Now in our sixth year, we have finally built a strong foundation. We are still a rough-edged dive shop with many detours, but it would be great if we could grow together with our guests and have fun!!
Finally, on behalf of all BIGHOLIDAY employees, I would like to conclude with a word of thanks.
Thank you for the incredibly fun 2017 season! We look forward to seeing you in the new season!
Articles you should read before making a reservation
List of diving spots in Miyako Island
Totty — BIGHOLIDAY Owner's Guide
I've lived in Miyako Island for 21 years (since 2005). I specialize in fun diving. I select Miyako Island's three major dive sites more than 150 times a year, and I've done about 20,000 dives in Miyako Island. YouTube "Totty / scuba diving" shares Miyakojima diving information with more than twelve thousand subscribers.
Since 2023, we have been among the top-ranked Marine Diving Award winners for three consecutive years.
2023 Japan Coast Guard Director-General's Award (for meritorious service in maritime rescue)
Discoverer of Miyako Island's first manta ray station in 2025
