Port of Refuge

08 Oct Port of Refuge

ChichiJima arrival, 10.8.25, 0730 JST

27deg 05.9N;  142deg 12.0E

We were given permission to do a temporary clearance for refuge.  Our permission was arranged by Kirk Patterson, Konpira Consulting.  Konpira is a yacht support agent we met  3 years ago and Kirk was a great help in making our 2023 Japan cruising a pleasure.

Kirk is defiantly on top of all the rules and regulations.

kirk@konpira-consulting.com

Minutes after securing the lines to the concrete dock we were met by about a dozen officials including coast guard, Immigration & customs, health, and port authority.

Our temperatures were taken by a masked health inspector, then 6 coast guard officials boarded Starr.

We filled in numerous forms while 5 white gloved  CG men went thru the boat politely asking permission to open one cupboard or closet after another and all nodding approval….especially when opening our galley knife drawer and seeing all of the Japanese make knives in their custom wood knife block. (thanks Tad & Joyce Lhamon).

The last time we entered Chichi Jima was in 2010 and Tad and Joyce Lhamon were crew along with Sharry and I.

See Starr April 10 2010 blog

https://mvstarr.com/our-japanese-courtesy-flag-is-flying/

The 2025 clearing in process was painless and quick.

Weather Routing:

Our passage has been supported by Sir Roger Baden, Clouds weather.

I was introduced to Roger 25 years ago.  In 2001, A fellow Aussi cruiser we met in the South Pacific introduced us to Roger saying that, Roger only did big boat events like American Cup Team NZ, Whitbread, Sidney Hobart, etc. and didn’t mess with us little guys.

Fortunately, Roger took us on and I only ask for Rogers support if the route looks dicey, Roger is a very busy man!

On top of that, when Roger takes you on, he tracks your every move and expects to be kept in the loop leg by leg of the voyage.

Here is Rogers last communication with us today.

“Hi Roger

I’m starting to feel like a little old man trying to cross a busy freeway in foot. (and I admit I’m 82) Thank goodness you have agreed to take us by the hand!

We will hang here for as long as is needed. We have a friend Kirk Patterson (a Canadian married to a Japanese lady) helping us with the red tape to get a Naikosenpaku permit.   Once we get that permit we will be free to go anywhere in Japan without needing to do more customs/immigration/CG etc. 

It’s a big deal for us! 

On that note Kirk is recommending we clear into Hiroshima where he has been successful in getting the Naikosenpaku for other cruisers.

Showing TY Halong moving West and the Japanese typhoon center cautioning another formation in the southStanding By

Don

On Oct 8, 2025, at 5:15, Roger Badham wrote:

07/2015z

Latest models have yet another system to spin up today and tomorrow and head NNW then N-NE.

You must remain in port until it passes.

Latest GFS has it less and EC model has it spinning up to a typhoon. The previous runs were the opposite!!

 

Either way – we’ll watch next 2 days and see it go by and then hopefully let things settle down!

From JTWC

THE AREA OF CONVECTION (INVEST 95W) PREVIOUSLY LOCATED NEAR 

12.7N 146.3E IS NOW LOCATED NEAR 14.7N 144.5E, APPROXIMATELY 76 NM NORTH 

OF GUAM. ANIMATED ENHANCED MULTISPECTRAL SATELLITE IMAGERY (MSI) DEPICTS 

A CONSOLIDATING LOW LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER WITH BUILDING DEEP 

CONVECTION. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS FOR THE AREA INDICATES FAVORABLE 

CONDITIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT WITH LOW VERTICAL WIND SHEAR, WARM SEA 

SURFACE TEMPERATURES, AND GOOD EQUATORWARD OUTFLOW ALOFT. GLOBAL 

DETERMINISTIC MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT 95W WILL DEVELOP TO THE 

NORTH, AND GFS INDICATES THE MOST INTENSE DEVELOPMENT OVER THE NEXT 48 

HOURS. GLOBAL ENSEMBLE GUIDANCE HAS SHOWN 95W MOVING NORTH-NORTHWESTWARD 

WITH BOTH GEFS AND ECENS IN FAIR AGREEMENT ON THE DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE 

OVER THE NEXT 48 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED SURFACE WINDS ARE ESTIMATED AT 

18 TO 23 KNOTS. MINIMUM SEA LEVEL PRESSURE IS ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR 1009 

1. THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL CYCLONE 

WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS REMAINS HI

 

End”

 

So we will wait and see!

All in all our arrival to Chichijima has been busy and delightful. We have already met some great locals that could be our new potential crew!

We close out this blog with a poem from a friend of Patrick’s that was sent to him as we arrived.

“You danced with waves, you kissed the storm,

Chased typhoons where seas are warm,

With salt kissed hair and captains pride,

You found Chichijima island, Safe to hide.

Soon snug in port, Starr will rest,

Your heartbeat slowing in your chest,

Rest easy now the voyage almost done,

But dreams can still be twice the fun!”