March 23, 2002

Scouting the Tanesashi Coast

My first major scouting trip for a seaside launch location. The forecast for high winds and rain meant I would leave the boat at home. Reduce the temptation to take her out in conditions I shouldn't be out in.

Not having a kayaking partner means I need to take extra precautions. I've been thinking over the last day how I should handle my float plan. To leave on a Saturday morning and not be discovered missing until work on Monday could have serious consequences. Time to have a chat with my neighbor.

I didn't get out of the house till 9:00 am. The directions I got were simple - Take Rt. 338 south to Rt. 45 south till it ran along the coast below Hachinohe. "Hach" is a fairly large town, and just south of it is the first bit of coastline that is not off limits to Military.

Speed limits in this area of Japan rarely get over 50 KPH (31 MPH), so this 100 mile scouting trip would take the better part of the morning and a bit of the afternoon. While creeping along through one small run down town I noticed an old man shuffling a bit oddly and then stopping on the sidewalk. It took me a second to realize he had stopped to pee. No one on the street seemed to think twice about this, and the man made no attempt to hide what he was doing.

Amazingly, I didn't get lost on the way down, but after driving all the way to the town of Kuji, I had only seen the coast once.

The overcast skies and gray ocean had me squinting hard to try and make out if I was actually mistaking the sea for sky. The person who had given me directions told me there were several beaches - I couldn't miss them. Kuji was double the distance from my house as Hach, so I grudgingly turned around to head home.

About 2/3 the way back towards Hach, at the only place I had seen the ocean, I decided I needed to get off Rt. 45 and closer to the water. I found a coastline road and began following it north. I found a place near the water to pull off and looked around for a way to the water. A calm and picturesque place, the surf here seemed tame and a good distance off shore.

The down side would be having to negotiate this tall seawall to get there. Easy to get down, but it would take true grit to get back up and over. Back to the car and head north again.

Before long I came to another pull off. There were a lot of signs, the one I recognized was the picture of a swimmer with a red slash through it. I could see surfers in the water and I thought if push came to shove I could get in the water here. The surf was a bit bigger than I wanted. It would be nice to find a more protected cove.

Back in the car I soon saw signs for a `swimmers' beach. That sounded promising. And what a spectacular beach it is. A steep walk down from the parking area, but it was doable. I took a few pictures from the bluff overlooking the water, then headed down to the shore for more pictures.

At the base of the bluff was a slot between it and a large rock. On this day the waves were not large. I took a picture of a sign that I think is a warning about rips on this beach. Maybe Vince can fill me in on this.

Back to the top of the bluff and a final picture of the sign there that reads:

A designated Japanese Cultural Property Since December 21, 1937
The Tanesashi Coast: A scenic Natural Beauty Spot

The Tanesashi coastline has many rough points and islands which are made of an infinite variety of curious and mysterious rocks. Rocks of all shapes and sizes complement the breathtaking view. This coastline is full of varied scenery which includes vast, gently sloping sandy beaches, and hills covered with soft green grass. This grand natural scenery combines magnificence with grace and elegance. It has been a valuable treasure house of flowering plants for years. It is home to about 500 kinds, including daily lilies and Nippon chrysanthemums. All year round, you can enjoy the changing seasons.

I'm sure now I have found a launch location to explore.

Heading north again a short distance I stop a short distance up the road at another pull off. Not a place to launch, but the sign drew me in, and the lookout point at the top of the hill looked like an ideal place to scout what was north of my intended launch location. The offshore rocks made me aware that this scenic beauty could have hidden dangers as seen by the fast moving surface foam.

One last picture to the south towards the swimming beach and it was time to go. Arriving home about 4 and a half hours after I had left and feeling better that at last I had found a new launch location.

Woody