As the title suggests, I went to Amakusa, Kumamoto Prefecture to discuss a new boat.
That said, this was just after the winter holidays began, so it was mid-January, but I was busy eating sushi in Hokkaido and wasn't able to report on it, so it's only now that I've been able to.
First up is today's sea! "Toriike Pond"
This is the much-requested "Toriike Pond." What's amazing about it is the size of the cave!
The depth below the cave is 45m! The depth above the shelf where the divers are is 10m. The biggest geographical point on Miyakojima is Tooriike Pond. If you don't maintain neutral buoyancy, you'll be sucked to the bottom of the pond.
This is a spot for intermediate to advanced anglers, but the current can be fast at times, so be careful. Depending on the tide, you may be sucked into the pond, so be even more careful!
It is vulnerable to rough weather and waves are likely to form, so it is not always possible to go there.
Go through the huge hole and you'll discover the wonders of nature!
It's a mysterious world. The two worlds of blue and green exist side by side.
The only place where this happens is Tooriike Pond. I wonder if you can find it anywhere in Japan. Tooriike Pond is a designated natural monument by the country, but whether the people who designated it knew it or not, the underwater area is also an ultra natural monument.
I was blown away by nature's fascinating art today!
Meeting at the shipyard in Amakusa, Kumamoto
I don't often get a chance to learn about the process of building a new diving boat, and this is my first time, so I don't really know much about it haha
Since I had the chance, I thought I'd like to have everyone keep an eye on it, so I decided to serialize it.The previous article where the blueprint was uploadedIt's been a while since then,
As the title suggests, I went to Amakusa for a design meeting, so check it out!
First of all, where is Amakusa? (Sorry to the people of Kumamoto!), and without any prior research, I gathered information from the cute in-flight magazine on the flight from Fukuoka to Amakusa.
Dolphin watching seems to be popular here, so next time I'm planning to include dolphin watching in my plans.
This is the plane from Fukuoka to Amakusa!!! I was so excited!! The only dolphin propeller plane in the world. It puts even the Whale Jet to shame. As a dolphin lover, I was convinced at that moment that I was destined for Amakusa.
So, after arriving in Amakusa, I went to an izakaya (Japanese pub) and had a sashimi platter that was so delicious!!! I fell in love with Amakusa even more.
Meeting and shipyard
From the left: the president of the shipyard, a Yanmar executive, and Yanmar's sales representative for BIGHOLIDAY.
BIGHOLIDAY purchases new ships from Yanmar, but the engine, propeller, and steering components are equipped with Yanmar-manufactured parts, and the hull is manufactured by a shipyard subcontracted by Yanmar.
If you order a custom-made product, it will look something like this.
After much deliberation within BIGHOLIDAY, we confirmed the request using the custom design drawings drawn by Shin-chan, and then had a meeting to discuss the details.
This is a scene of us tinkering and tinkering beforehand. Shin-chan drew the blueprints in chalk at full size, and then he made a model of the shelf to place the tanks on. After work and on the weekends, Shin-chan and the fun staff members checked to make sure there were no problems with the image in their heads and the actual dimensions, and we went through a process of trial and error.
The original design has undergone not just two or three changes, but about ten, so I'm sure it will turn out to be the best possible product!!
I plan to write more details about the blueprints in a future article. I plan to reveal almost all of the design details before the ship is completed, so please look forward to it. There will also be some surprise designs!!
After the meeting, we had a tour of the factory.
It seems that ships that are nearly complete are loaded onto a cart on these rails and then worked on. They can then slide to the back and enter the sea.
Apparently, they enter the water from here to check the balance of the ship and to go out for test runs. I see, that's why shipyards are always located on the seashore.
This is the formwork that will be used for the BIGHOLIDAY boat that will be built. Apparently, FRP, a material that will form the hull, will be poured into this. It's so cool and stylish!! This design might be cool too.
So, it seems that construction has already started, so I'm looking forward to what's to come. I'll be going back to check on it at the end of this month or the beginning of next month, so I'll let you know what happens later!
The launch date has not yet been decided, but it is expected to arrive in the summer.
So we are now accepting reservations for autumn! We are waiting for you!!
See you tomorrow.
Articles you should read before making a reservation
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
