Scuba diving in Tokashiki-Jima
(Tokashiki Island)

Aug. 11, 2002
Downtown Ayaka (Ayaka-Shita)
Lunch in Gishippu-jima (Gishippu Island, an uninhabited island).
Enjoying the various coral surrounding the island.
On the other hand, I noticed several parts covered with seaweed, means, broken coral. A thorn pierced my mind.
I found a fish called a gurukun; it was fried for dinner.

Ariga-Minami (Ariga-South)
A bright sea, the sun shining across it.
A baby black-and-white snapper around 6 mm. It is swimming near the sea bottom, flittering like a butterfly. So cute!

Aug. 12, 2002
Below the lighthouse.
Together with uminchu (sea person) Kiyoshi-san (master of the guest house "Tomino"). A pair of smooth flutemouths. A sea snake. Wanted to see it up close, so tried to grab it! Kiyoshi-san is laughing in the sea. Good girls, don't do what I'm doing! It's dangerous!

Going through the caves, the scenes in front of me change one after another. Looking back, the colors of the sea also seem different.

Nozaki.
My way there was fine, but the way back... I came back following the tide, and I didn't notice that I was being carried away. Panicked a bit! However, fishes, fishes, fishes among the roots, in the field of coral. The famous Nozaki sergeant major, a porcupine fish (I could find a lot of them, but only rather small ones), a starfish, too (they eat coral, so they take the role of being the bad ones in the sea).

Aug. 13, 2002
An early morning dive at Ugan.
Both the sea and the island are quiet as if they are sleeping.
A blue ribbon eel - it's blue, and so small.
Red hawkfishes (kamigu-u). A cluster of Okinawa cabbage coral.
On Tokashiku beach. A popular dive point in Tokashiki.
Small roots (reefs) like broccoli heads are scattered over the white sandy beach.
Every coral has its own group of young fish and adult fish. Here is a cradle of fishes. I am swinging with them. The shades reflected on the sand are swinging together, too.

Aug. 14, 2002
Arai (early morning).
A "wave ripple" (not a wind ripple) stays for a while on the sandy beach. "Are there any footprints?" I see some! So funny. A big double rainbow from the surface of the sea to the island appears. Under the rainbow, a group of flying fish pass by, jumping.
Naka-shinchi of Yakabi (last dive). I find giant cuttlefish eggs among the branch coral. A blowfish, looking like a gomachan (a baby spotted seal). It became a fluffy ball when I held it in my arms!