Come dive with the turtles...
“Silver Week” scuba trip to Hachijojima Island. Hachijojima is without a doubt my favorite diving destination we visit; visibility can approach 40 meters, temps are warm and turtles abound. We only go there once a year due to its distance, and always choose a 3-day weekend for the event.
Getting there
Like Oshima Island, we will depart by overnight ferry from Takeshiba terminal. The ferry will leave at 10:20 pm (to be confirmed), and as usual, we will gather one hour earlier (9:20 pm) at the port to fill out paperwork, and collect the trip balance. We have reserved 14 total spaces for sleeping in the carpeted floor area; we generally rent the ship blankets for padding and warmth.
On the Island
We have reserved our usual minshuku on the island; standard tatami rooms, shared accommodation. We will be using rented vans for our transportation around the island.
The Diving
Our itinerary will be adaptive, as with all island trips, we will do a minimum of 4 dives (one boat and 3 shore), though other dives will be available at an additional cost (cost of tank only for additional shore dives). A night dive will also be available. Timing and location of dives will vary depending on conditions, logistics and diver preference.
Getting back
On Monday morning, we will be taking a slow ferry back to Tokyo. Travel duration will be about 11.5 hours. This time is usually spent drinking, napping and sharing photos. We sometimes do some kind of light educational course on the trip back; I will announce if this will be offered again this year.
The ferry will depart the island at about 9:50 am Monday morning (time to be confirmed) and arrive at Tokyo Takeshiba port at about 9:00 pm Monday evening (also to be confirmed).
Costs
The cost for the trip will be JPY 65,000 and includes:
- Round trip ferry tickets
- One boat and three shore dives
- Two nights accommodation on Hachijojima Island
- All meals from lunch Saturday through breakfast Monday
Gear
I will be sending my gear by takkyubin. A couple weeks before the trip, I will provide the shop address for others who wish do do the same.
Equipment rental will be available for those who need it at usual prices:
JPY 7,000 per day for full kit
JPY 2,500 per day for reg
JPY 2,500 per day for BC
JPY 1,000 per day for light
JPY 500 per day for dive computer
Rented equipment will be at the island waiting for us when we arrive.
What to bring
- Some drinks/snacks for the boat ride
- Sun cream
- Towel
- Bathing suit
To Reserve
Every year, this trip fills up quickly. To reserve, please:
1. Indicate interest here on Facebook
2. More importantly, fill out the web form for this event:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFRtaEYwNjB6VlJobVNod3lrc0E3RkE6MA
3. Pay a trip deposit of JPY 20,000
Deposit Information
Shinsei Bank
Home Office branch (Honten)
Account # 1790554 (futsu)
James Goddard (as is, no katakana, though some banks require all upper case letters)
Typhoon season contingencies:
In the event that a typhoon rolls in, or is anticipated to roll near trip time, we will make a determination with the help of the dive center and ferry service, to decide if a trip cancellation is in order. In the case of a cancellation due to typhoon, full refunds of deposits will be given.
