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First Relay Team from Japan Across Kaiwi

1) Other than completing the Oceans 7, why swim the Kaiwi channel? Why swim Channels? We are member of the team Ocean-Navi, our mission is to promote the ocean swimming in Japan, for that, first we should enjoy the open water swimming by ourselves. For that reason, Hawaii is the best place as it is very familiar with Japanese and we love the Hawaiian blue ocean. Also, the Kaiwi channel is the longest of the Ocean 7 swims so that we can swim a lot! Channel swimming is required not only be a good swimmer, but also to be in harmony with nature, relay members and crew. It is really challenging.

ãƒĸロã‚ĢイæĩˇåŗĄã‚’選んだīŧ‘į•ĒãŽį†į”ąã¯ã€ãƒãƒ¯ã‚¤ã¨ãƒãƒ¯ã‚¤ãŽæĩˇãŒå¤§åĨŊきだから。ぞた、ã‚Ēãƒŧã‚ˇãƒŖãƒŗã‚ģãƒ–ãƒŗãŽä¸­ã§į›´įˇščˇé›ĸがīŧ‘į•Ēé•ˇããĻæ˛ĸåąąæŗŗã’ãã†ãĒãŽãŒé­…åŠ›ã ãŖãŸã€‚æĩˇåŗĄæ¨Ēæ–­æŗŗã¯ã€æŗŗåŠ›ã ã‘ã§ã¯ãĒく、č‡Ēį„ļとぎčĒŋ和やãƒĒãƒŦãƒŧãƒĄãƒŗãƒãƒŧやクãƒĢãƒŧとぎčĒŋ和がすずãĻ合わãĒければãĒらãĒい。そこãĢ、åĨĨæˇąã•ã¨ã‚„ã‚ŠãŒã„ã‚’æ„Ÿã˜ã€æĩˇåŗĄæ¨Ēæ–­æŗŗãĢãƒãƒŖãƒŦãƒŗã‚¸ã—ãĻいる。

Chika Nishibori,Kumiko Koizumi, Masayuki Moriya,

Chika Nishibori, Kumiko Koizumi, Masayuki Moriya, Miho Yonezawa, Motoko Homma and Tomonari Ogino of Team Japan after their successful relay swim of the Kaiwi Channel

2) We start these swims on Molokai. How did you get there from Oahu? How did you get to the beach where swim starts? Any issues getting crew to the boat?

We flew to Molokai by the Hawaiian air at 2:41 pm on May 16th and then took a taxi to the starting beach (Kepuhi beach) and arrived around 4:00 pm at the beach. Thanks to the observer of the association Steve Haumschild for helping to make a reservation both a flight and a taxi. We were able to move to the starting point without any problems. There was relaxing time while taking pictures and waited for the arrival of the boat for 3 hours. There were no cafÊ and restaurant at the beach. You need to have something you wants to eat and drink before getting airplane from Oahu. There was no issue to get on boat, but you must have a waterproof bag to bring clothes and shoes to the boat. It's because we all had to swim from the beach to the boat.

æĩˇåŗĄæ¨Ēæ–­æŗŗã‚šã‚ŋãƒŧト前ぎæĩã‚Œ: 5月15æ—Ĩ 18:00ã€€ãƒ¯ã‚¤ã‚­ã‚­ãƒ¨ãƒƒãƒˆã‚¯ãƒŠãƒ–ãŽčˆšãĢãĻ、äē‹å‰ãƒŸãƒŧãƒ†ã‚Ŗãƒŗã‚°ã€å”äŧšãŽã‚¸ã‚§ãƒ•ã•ã‚“ã€ã‚šãƒ†ã‚Ŗãƒŧãƒ–ã•ã‚“ã€čˆšé•ˇãŽãƒžã‚¤ã‚¯ã•ã‚“ã¨åˆéĄ”åˆã‚ã›ã€‚įŋŒæ—Ĩぎ18:00ãĢæ¨Ēæ–­æŗŗã‚’ã‚šã‚ŋãƒŧトすることãĢãĒã‚Šã€ã‚šãƒ†ã‚ŖãƒŧブさんãĢãƒĸロã‚ĢイåŗļぞでぎčˆĒįŠē券と、ãƒĸロã‚ĢイįŠē港から゚ã‚ŋãƒŧãƒˆåœ°į‚šãžã§į§ģ動するためぎã‚ŋã‚¯ã‚ˇãƒŧを手配しãĻもらいぞした。 5月16æ—Ĩ 12:30ã€€ãƒ¯ã‚¤ã‚­ã‚­ãƒ¨ãƒƒãƒˆã‚¯ãƒŠãƒ–ãŽčˆšãĢã€čˆšãŽä¸Šã§åŋ…čρãĒé“å…ˇã€čĄŖéĄžã€éŖŸæ–™ã€éŖ˛æ–™ã‚’įŠčŧ‰ã€‚ 14:41 ハワイã‚ĸãƒŗčˆĒįŠēãĢãĻãƒĸロã‚Ģイåŗļãžã§éŖ›čĄŒã€‚ãƒĸロã‚ĢイįŠē港からã‚ŋã‚¯ã‚ˇãƒŧで゚ã‚ŋãƒŧãƒˆåœ°į‚šãžã§į§ģ動。 16:00 ゚ã‚ŋãƒŧãƒˆåœ°į‚šãĢåˆ°į€ã€‚čˆšãŒã‚šã‚ŋãƒŧãƒˆåœ°į‚šãĢæĨるぞでぎīŧ“æ™‚é–“ã¯ã€å†™įœŸã‚’æ’ŽãŖãŸã‚Šã—ãĒがら、ãƒĒナック゚した時間を過ごしぞした。 19:00ã€€čˆšãŒåˆ°į€ã€‚ã‚šã‚ŋãƒŧãƒˆåœ°į‚šãĢį§ģ動するぞでãĢį€ãĻã„ãŸčĄŖéĄžã‚„ãƒ‘ã‚šãƒãƒŧトãĒãŠå…¨å“Ąåˆ†ãŽčˇį‰Šã‚’é˜˛æ°´ãƒãƒƒã‚°ãĢå…Ĩれ、ã‚Ģヤッã‚ĢãƒŧãĢčˆšãžã§é‹ã‚“ã§ã‚‚ã‚‰ã„ã€įŦŦä¸€æŗŗč€…äģĨ外は、゚ã‚ŋãƒŧト前ãĢčˆšãžã§æŗŗã„ã§æ¸Ąã‚Šãžã—ãŸã€‚

3) What were the conditions like at the start? Can you describe your surroundings? What was the beach like? People on the beach? Surf?

We started at 7:19 pm, almost sunset time, so there were a few people on the beach to see the sunset. Nobody in the water except us.

19:19 įŦŦä¸€æŗŗč€…ã‚šã‚ŋãƒŧãƒˆã€‚į§ãŸãĄäģĨ外ãĢæĩˇãĢå…ĨãŖãĻいるäēēはいぞせんでした。゚ã‚ŋãƒŧãƒˆåœ°į‚šã¯į ‚æĩœã§ã™ãŒã€å˛ŠãŒã‚ãĄã“ãĄãĢあり、少しæŗĸがありぞしたが、ã‚ĢヤックãĢ先導されãĻæŗŗãŽå‡ēしぞした。

4) Could you see Oahu at the start? How did that feel?

We could not see Oahu at the start but after sunset we could see the light of the town of Oahu. It helped to see how we close to Oahu.

゚ã‚ŋãƒŧãƒˆæ™‚į‚šã§ã¯ã‚Ēã‚ĸフåŗļはčĻ‹ãˆãžã›ã‚“ã§ã—ãŸãŒã€æ—Ĩæ˛ĄåžŒã¯ã‚Ēã‚ĸフåŗļãŽčĄ—ãŽį¯ã‚ŠãŒčĻ‹ãˆãžã—ãŸã€‚ãã‚ŒãĢã‚ˆãŖãĻã‚Ēã‚ĸフåŗļぞでおれくらいčŋ‘ãĨいたかįĸēčĒã™ã‚‹ã“ã¨ãŒã§ããžã—ãŸã€‚

5) What was your feeding schedule like? What did you eat/ drink? Did it stay down? Any issues with feedings? Technique?

It was a challenge with the relay of six swimmers, so it was a repetition of swimming for 30 minutes and taking a break for 2 and a half hours. During swimming no feeding, each swimmer eats and drink on the boat as he/she liked. We prepared rice balls, bananas, sweet bean paste, energy bar, energy gel, water, cola etc. The only issue was that bananas and some snacks were lost in the boatâ€Ļ

æŗŗč€…īŧ–äēēぎãƒĒãƒŦãƒŧでぎ挑æˆĻでしたぎで、īŧ“īŧåˆ†æŗŗãŽã€2時間半äŧ‘æ†ŠãŽįš°ã‚Ščŋ”ã—ã§ã—ãŸã€‚čŖœįĩĻは、äŧ‘憊時間中ãĢ各č‡Ēぎã‚ŋã‚¤ãƒŸãƒŗã‚°ã§ã¨ã‚Šãžã—ãŸã€‚ãŠãĢãŽã‚Šã€ãƒãƒŠãƒŠã€įžŠįžšã€ã‚¨ãƒŠã‚¸ãƒŧバãƒŧ、エナジãƒŧジェãƒĢã€æ°´ã€ã‚ŗãƒŧナãĒãŠã‚’į”¨æ„ã—ãžã—ãŸã€‚čˆšãĢčŧ‰ã›ãŸã¯ãšãŽãƒãƒŠãƒŠã¨ããŽäģ–ã„ãã¤ã‹ãŽéŖŸæ–™ã‚’čĻ‹å¤ąãŖãŸã“ã¨ãŒå•éĄŒã§ã—ãŸã€‚īŧˆä¸‹čˆšæ™‚ãĢã‚­ãƒŖãƒ“ãƒŗãŽä¸­ã‹ã‚‰čĻ‹ã¤ã‹ã‚Šãžã—ãŸãŒīŧ‰

6) Some swimmers experience seasickness. Did you?

We took some medicine for seasickness before the start. Some of the swimmers felt seasickness while on the boat.

゚ã‚ŋãƒŧト前ãĢ酔いæ­ĸめぎč–Ŧã‚’éŖ˛ãŋãžã—ãŸã€‚æŗŗč€…ãŽä¸­ãĢã¯čˆšãĢäš—ãŖãĻいる間ãĢčˆšé…”ã„ã‚’æ„Ÿã˜ãŸã‚‚ãŽã‚‚ã„ãžã—ãŸã€‚

7) Describe the conditions during your swim. Any particular challenges? Estimated wind speed? How did water temp feel?

Escort pilot Michael Twigg-Smith reported, "The first current came from the north and pushed us about 3 km south of the rhumb line, lasting about 8 hours. Then, once we got up on the Makapu'u Shelf, another current from the south pushed us very quickly up about 1.5 km north of the rhumb line.”

Estimated wind speed was 14-15 mph/ 6-7 meters. Water temp was 77℉/ 25℃. Outside temp was 68℉/ 20℃.

čˆšé•ˇãŽãƒžã‚¤ã‚¯ã•ã‚“ãĢよると、最初ぎæĩã‚Œã¯åŒ—からæĨãĻ、čˆĒį¨‹įˇšãŽå—į´„3kmへæŠŧã•ã‚Œã€į´„īŧ˜æ™‚é–“įļšããžã—た。そしãĻ、一æ—Ļマã‚Ģプã‚ĻīŊĨã‚ˇã‚§ãƒĢフãĢį€ã„ãŸã‚‰ã€å—ã‹ã‚‰ãŽéžå¸¸ãĢ速いæĩã‚ŒãĢã‚ˆãŖãĻčˆĒį¨‹įˇšã‹ã‚‰į´„1.5km北ãĢæŠŧし上げられぞした。 éĸ¨é€Ÿ6-7m、水渊25åēĻ、気渊20åēĻでした。

8) Did you see or feel any marine life? Did you or crew have any shark deterrent? Jelly stings?

There was no large marine life encountered and very few jellyfish stings were felt. We used 4 Shark Shields, we put on one each front and back of the kayak, another 2 were charged by using the power plugs of the boat. A pair of them were exchanged alternately. Also, we applied Lanolin to our body to relieve jellyfish stings.

ã‚ĩãƒĄã‚„ããŽäģ–ãŽå¤§åž‹į”Ÿį‰Šã¯įĸēčĒã•ã‚Œãžã›ã‚“ã§ã—ãŸã€‚ã‚¯ãƒŠã‚˛ã‚‚ã—ãã¯ãƒãƒŗã‚¯ã‚¤ãƒ ã‚ˇīŧˆã‚žã‚¨ã‚ĸīŧ‰ãĢ少しåˆēã•ã‚Œãžã—ãŸã€‚å¯žį­–ã¨ã—ãĻã€ã‚ˇãƒŖãƒŧã‚¯ã‚ˇãƒŧãƒĢドをīŧ”個äŊŋいぞした。ã‚Ģヤックぎ前垌ãĢ1ã¤ãšã¤čŖ…į€ã—ã€čˆšãŽé›ģæēã‚’åˆŠį”¨ã—ãĻ充é›ģしãĒがら、īŧ’つをäē¤äē’ãĢä礿›ã—ぞした。ぞた、čēĢäŊ“ãĢはナノãƒĒãƒŗã‚’åĄ—ã‚Šãžã—ãŸã€‚

9) Describe the last quarter of your swim and the finish. Where did you finish?

Luckily, there was no current once we got close to the Makapu'u cliff and we were able to land at Alan Davis beach at 9:33 am the following morning. It was 14 hours 14 minutes crossing.

マã‚Ģプã‚ĻīŊĨクãƒĒフãĢčŋ‘ãĨいたらæŊŽãŽæĩã‚Œã¯ãĒくãĒり、゚ã‚ŋãƒŧトから14時間14分、įŋŒæœãŽ9:33ãĢã‚ĸãƒŠãƒŗīŊĨデイビ゚īŊĨビãƒŧチãĢ上陸しぞした。

10) Who did you bring with you to help support your swim? How did the ones who went on the boat do?

Because we were a relay team, we did not accompany dedicated supporters as swimmers can help each other. There was no problem even if there was no supporter.

ãƒĒãƒŦãƒŧチãƒŧムãĒãŽã§ã€æŗŗč€…åŒåŖĢでã‚ĩポãƒŧトし合うことができるぎで、専äģģぎã‚ĩポãƒŧã‚ŋãƒŧã¯åŒčĄŒã—ãžã›ã‚“ã§ã—ãŸã€‚ãŠäē’いãĢåŖ°ã‚’æŽ›ã‘åˆã„ã€å°‚äģģã‚ĩポãƒŧã‚ŋãƒŧがいãĒくãĻã‚‚å•éĄŒã¯ã‚ã‚Šãžã›ã‚“ã§ã—ãŸã€‚

11) Anything you would do differently? Anything not go well?

There was nothing in particular. Everything went well.

į‰šãĢå¤‰ã‚ãŖãŸã“ã¨ã¯ãĒく、すずãĻ順čĒŋãĢäē‹ãŒé‹ãŗãžã—た。

12) Favorite memories from this experience?

It was a starry night, the sky was full of stars, and the twinkling of the bioluminescence was clear enough to figure out the trajectory of each stroke. We were feel fully happiness to be in such as the beauty of nature. Lastly, we would like to thank all the people that supported our team. We could not make it without them. Especially, truly thanks to Jeff Kozlovich and Steve Haumschild from the association, the escort boat captain Michael Twigg-Smith, and the paddlers Shelley Oates-Wilding, Chris Harmes, Mike Scott for the great professional support. Thank you very much!

夜įŠēを埋めつくすæē€å¤ŠãŽæ˜ŸįŠēã¨ã€ã˛ã¨æŽģãã˛ã¨æŽģきぎčģŒé“ãŒã¯ãŖãã‚Šã‚ã‹ã‚‹ãģお光る夜光č™ĢがæœŦåŊ“ãĢįžŽã—ãã€å¤§č‡Ēį„ļãŽįžŽã—ã•ãŽä¸­ãĢčēĢをおける嚸įĻã‚’å…¨čēĢã§æ„Ÿã˜ã‚‹ã“ã¨ãŒã§ããŸį‰šåˆĨãĒäŊ“験とãĒりぞした。 äģŠå›žãŽæˆåŠŸã¯ã€į§ãŸãĄãƒãƒŧムãĢé–ĸã‚ãŖãĻくれたすずãĻãŽæ–šã€…ãŽã”å”åŠ›ãŽčŗœį‰Šã§ã™ã€‚ã‚ã‚ŠãŒã¨ã†ã”ã–ã„ãžã—ãŸã€‚ į‰šãĢ、協äŧšãŽã‚¸ã‚§ãƒ•ã•ã‚“ã€ã‚šãƒ†ã‚Ŗãƒŧãƒ–ã•ã‚“ã€čˆšé•ˇãŽãƒžã‚¤ã‚¯ã•ã‚“ã€ã‚Ģヤッã‚ĢãƒŧãŽã‚ˇã‚§ãƒĒãƒŧさん、クãƒĒã‚šã•ã‚“ã€ãƒžã‚¤ã‚¯ã•ã‚“ãŽã€ãƒ—ãƒ­ãƒ•ã‚§ãƒƒã‚ˇãƒ§ãƒŠãƒĢã§ã‹ã¤įŒŽčēĢįš„ãĒã‚ĩポãƒŧトãĢåŋƒã‚ˆã‚Šæ„ŸčŦã„たしぞす。

Text and translated by Chika Nishibori


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