Yokohama Navy Exchange was where?

Saturday, April 24, 2010
News
I have some big news today. It's not necessarily good news, but the way I look at it, it's not bad either. I am going to be pulling into Cape Town for repairs thus ending my non-stop attempt. My whole team and I have been discussing whether or not I need to stop ever since my main auto pilot died. It's one thing to sail across an ocean with one well-working auto pilot, it's another to keep going with one that is not at all reliable.

It would be foolish and irresponsible for me to keep going with my equipment not working well. I'm about 10-14 days from Cape Town right now and though my auto pilot is working for now, we're all holding our breath and hoping it will last.

I gave it my best shot and made it almost half way around the world. I will definitely keep going, and whether or not I will make any more stops after this I don't know yet. I admit I was pretty upset at first, but there is no point in getting upset. Whats done is done and there is nothing I can do about it.

I know that some people will look on my trip as a failure because of this, and there really isn't anything that I can do about that. When you're surrounded by critics it can be hard to remember your own goals and expectations, you start to judge yourself by what other people are saying.

This is the experience of a life time. It's hard and sometimes down right terrifying, but I love it out here. My boat, my team, my sponsors, and you guys, my faithful followers are all great, and I am lucky to have you all on board. This whole trip came from a dream, a dream to sail around the world, and that is what I am doing - youngest or not, non-stop or stopping.

Abby

I have been following this closely.
So that its not lost in translation, the only part that she is forgoing is the "non-stop" part of the circumnavation. It is still solo and may still be the youngest. In my humble opinion "non-stop" is an extremely difficult horizion for anyone to attempt, let alone a teenager. She deserves a lot of credit regardless. This is still very dangerious. An injury, even a slight one, could be life threatening, with only one person on board.

Hi,

These are present Yokohama and another town. Please try them.

http://www.npointercos.jp/Yokohama.html

http://www.dannychoo.com/post/en/1540/Yokohama+Photo+Walk.html

http://www.dannychoo.com/post/en/25455/Yokohama+Photo+Walk+2.html

http://www.yokohamaseasider.com/

On You tube there is a 06 second video titled...Hong Kong or Yokohama 1968-69.?

I would like each of you to take a look at it and share your opinions. Mine is posted at the you tube site. See what you think..It may take several viewings as it goes very quickly. I found it fun !! [Yea I know I need a life..}

Given the two choices I'll pick Yokohama for the reasons stated by Petermolly.
I was in Honk Kong briefly in 1965 for R&R. I remember Hong Kong being bigger and much more crowded than Yokohama. The KC-130 that I flew from Da Nang to Hong Kong on crashed into Hong Kong Harbor on its very next flight.

Dave-san..you found my Psudoname ..half mine and my birds..
There is a you tube video showing a huge plane landing at Hong Kong in a severe crosswind..sorry don't know how to find it ..but know you will.. a moment before touchdown it was 45 degrees to the runway. very hairy..a pilot I know says he would retire rather trying an attempt at landing at Hong Kong. I hear people line up and take bets as to who will make it. ouch..
Cold in Nh tomight.. some say snow..if it does we will have every kind of wx today sun..rain..sleet hail..no tornadoes..we'll leave that to Wally..

Peter-san - Your video is probably this one. Nice landing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtnL4KYVtDE
Here's the KC-130F that I flew on the flight before it crashed.
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19650824-0
All of the post cards I sent from Hong Kong arrived just about the same time this story hit the newspapers in the states.

Dave -san you are pretty clever..you found it. The runway in Honk Kong looks like its only a couple of thousand feet long. I saw it again, I was wrong, it was AT a 45 when it landed, tough on tires..light the fires hooh ra..are you following the mini series the Pacific? My favorite character is SNAFU.
A belated thanks to Kaoru for all of the lings to the pictures..I still can't believe how much the place has changed..I know its been a while..
Question? If it might be said that the Japanese diet has improved in the last 50 years, then has the stature [size and robustness] of the Japanese people generally has gotten larger. Are the Japanese people bigger than they have been with "better" diet?
Perhaps this is a question for another part of the forum. I just was curious, and I hope that my inquiry is not misunderstood with any ethnic overtones because none were intended, this is purely a physilogic question.

I landed at Hong Kong a couple of times, the longest was a four-hour layover. I went with some guys to a British military club but don�ft remember much about it. Does anyone else know about the British club, I think it was an all ranks club? I do remember the spectacular views of Hong Kong from the air, and that the airport runway ran clear out to the ocean. Also, that the runway was short and the pilot had to apply the brakes as soon as he touched down.

In my view, the series doesn't measure up to Band of Brothers or Private Ryan. And it's not close to Letters from Iwo, either.
The 1946 movie "The Best Years of Our Lives," was on one of the movie channels last week. I've seen this movie five or six times and I always cry inside.

We lived at Minami-Rinkin too! I remember that it was a small collection of western-style rental housing. We lived there for about a year before finally getting housing on post at Sagamihara DHA. I went to Zama Middle School 1968-70. I also remember going to the Atsugi NEX (it was way better than the PX at Sagamihara or Zama haha) and the movies at Atsugi. Were you aware that Elizabeth Edwards, wife of the now infamous ex-presidential candidate John Edwards, also lived at Atsugi around the same time? She was a cheerleader and yearbook editor at Zama American High School (there was no high school at Atsugi). To everyone else out there, the Yokohama NEX was awesome because it had the huge concessions and oriental bazaar. I remember the snack bar and movie theater next door. We made a day of it shopping, catching a show, etc., then maybe stop at the "O" Club at Negishi Housing on the way home to Sagamihara. Great memories!

Negishi is highly coveted by the Japanese. That's partly the reason why the Navy established Ikego Housing near Zushi. Yokosuka is landlocked and housing is a premium there. As I recall, Negishi actually belongs to a private individual -- a farmer from whom the Navy leases the land. He's tried to get us to voluntarily terminate the lease and relinquish the land, but due to its close proximity to Yokosuka the Navy has refused. Kamiseya, on the other hand, is too important to the Navy and the D.O.D. as an intelligence and communications base. Much of the Naval intelligence on North Korea and the Sea of Japan is collected there. It's located midway between Negishi/Yokosuka and Atsugi/Zama.

Solo circumnavigator, 16 year the old Jessica Watson old Australian is perhaps 500 miles from Completing her historic voyage. She is no doubt close enough to land to afford any final search and rescue if she needs it which she probably won't.
I suspect Sidney harbor is preping for a very big party. Good for her !!

Our own Abby Sunderland from Thousand Oaks, California has now made it about one-half way around the globe, but equipment breakdown has necessitated a stop for repairs.

Abby has been sailing for 100 days and she just landedtoday in Cape Town, South Africa to repair not only her auto-pilots (both have broken down!), but also her engine, which broke as she was using it to enter the harbor. I wonder at all these breakdowns! She will get things fixed, stay about a week, then continue on her adventure.

Next, she's headed towards Australia, then Tahiti, the Hawaii, then back home. Amazing but dangerous journey.

If she completes her trip, Abby will be the youngest on record to do a round the world trip, while Jessica will be the youngest round the world unassisted and non-stopping sailor. They are both amazing to watch.

Peter-san - There is still hope for us old guys. One of us can be the oldest person to circumnavigate the globe solo in a sailboat. Since you are younger than me, you do it first and then I'll beat your record.

You and Peter-san better stick to circumnavigating the internet.

Dave -san..I think your onto something..
I think the record is 80 years old. so I have time to practice. How about finding a company that will set up the boat so that it will sail on remote control so the passinger is pretty much baggage. ? I could fill the bilge with cases of Whiskey co-co's and float my way around the world doing Haiku and e mailing all of you guys??
This is getting better and better. And If you want to top me..you could wait until they are about to send you to the old lawyers home..[where everyday is closing arguements]..and prop you up in your dress blues and float you away..like a viking farewell ! Sorry Wal.. 6 that..
OH remember James Lamont who wrote the article on Little Diplomat in Japan ? he contacted me finally and we are scheduled to be in touch when he gets back from some overseas trip. Hope he will drop in for a visit here.

Peter, that's great news about possibly meeting James Lamont. I loved reading his article in the American Heritage. Please let us all know if and when this meeting happens. How did you get in touch with him?

My secrets revealed !
I found James Lamont by first using "People Finder". This gives you all of the people in the US with that name.[that is provided you don't know the state.] Then you scan the names for personds with the approximate age. In this case that was easy as we know how old Mr. Lamont was in 1950. This then gives you his state and city. [it doeesn't give you a phone number, that you pay for].
OK, then with that information you go to "White Pages" for that city or town and provided that he has a home phone number and not a cell phone..bingo..you get the number. With that I gave him a call and left a message. All of this is provided that the person has a slightly unique name. Common names have dozens of hits with often the same or aproximately the same age. Less that, you could just call every name.
Added hint at no cost..if you have the address also you can go to google street maps or earth and see the house or neighborhood, even to what type of car he drives. Didn't do it with him..not relavent. This is all presupposed that the person is not simply listed on google or has a web site. Sometimes you can find other articles written or associations they belong to or political contributions ect.
He and I are supposed to talk when he gets back from a trip middle of the month. He is more interested in the 50's than 60's so I suspect that he and Eric might well have more to share than myself. Also I mentioned Steffis' experiences. Not sure but it seems as if he might be working on another article or book along the lines of Little Diplomat. In any event we shall see.
I gave him this site and hopefully he will drop in..after all, we are a wealth of useless information.

Peter, you have now taught us all how to be spies - or at least qualified us to open a people-finder service.

In addition, it is now sometimes easy to find people's internet address and contact them that way. I recently read an interesting book, in which I read about people and places from my childhood in Japan. I then had interesting email exchanges with the author, and he subsequently connected me with someone who knew me when I was 4 years old in Tokyo, who is now a professor of Japanese history at USC - his name is Peter Berton, and you can look him up as he has written extensively, speaks and lectures in Japan in Japanese, and is still active at age 88 in LA. Peter Berton and I had a great conversation a couple of weeks ago. He told me things about my father, my aunts, my mother, etc. I realized afterwards that he's actually the only person I now know who knew both my parents! An amazing experience.