Relax - Fun by the sea

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THINKING that Koji (my then husband-to-be) had never seen a black sand beach, I eagerly showed him the Black Sand Beach of Langkawi Island. Little did I know then that Japan has an abundance of black sand beaches.

Sated with the volcanic, black sand beaches in Kanagawa prefecture, I yearned for the enticing, white sand beaches we had experienced in Okinawa years ago.

A friend told me that there are a few white sand beaches in Chiba prefecture.

One summer, Koji suddenly announced: "We're going to Chiba early tomorrow morning."

Beach attraction: Cooling off in the sea off Chiba prefecture despite the black sand.

"Whoopee!" My son screamed with excitement.

I happily swayed to the song White Sandy Beach, composed by William Dann, which was playing in my mind.

Although we could use the bridge-tunnel, Tokyo Bay Aqua-line (a.k.a Trans-Tokyo Bay Highway), Koji preferred the ferry service since we hadn't tried it before.

The car ferry operator, Tokyo-Wan Ferry (Tokyo Bay Ferry), is headquartered in Yokosuka, Kanagawa. The oldest of its three ferries, Kurihama-maru, has stopped running since early last month. Two other bigger ferries, Kanaya-maru and Shirahama-maru, can accommodate 580 passengers, 16 buses, 36 trucks and 110 other vehicles.

Except for the different interior arrangements, the ferries have similar facilities, and cater to wheelchair users. It takes about 40 minutes to cross Tokyo Bay from Kurihama Port in Yokosuka to Kanaya Port in Chiba.

Comfortable seats on the second deck of the Kurihama-maru ferry.

Koji had to show his car safety inspection certificate when purchasing the ticket. A return ticket (valid for seven days) costs ¥6,980 (RM258) for a 5m-long car and the driver. For car passengers, the fare is ¥1,280 (RM47) per adult and ¥640 (RM23) per child (age six to12). Disabled passengers get special discounts.

The lower deck and half of the first deck are for vehicles, while air-conditioned rooms for passengers occupy the other half and the second deck. Passengers on foot use the sheltered staircase and walkway. Before drivers board, cyclists and motorcyclists are first guided in to the side lanes but they get off last.

As a safety precaution, when a vehicle is properly parked, the staff would take the heavy stoppers with ropes tethered to the side of the ferry and place them behind each rear tyre. Everyone must leave their vehicles and go to the passenger rooms when the ferry starts moving. Pets (especially dogs) must be leashed, and are allowed only in allocated areas.

The spacious velvet seats of the Kurihama-maru on the second deck made us feel as if we were first-class passengers in an airplane. Curious, we went outside to look around.

The beer garden with tropical decorations, Hawaiian music and a bar arrested our attention. If only it had hula dancing entertainment, the ambience would have transported us to a cruise ship in Hawaii. Under the awning, several passengers ate and drank while enjoying the breeze and scenery.

After we arrived at Kanaya Port, Koji drove us to a few beaches at Tomiura in Minamiboso City. No white sand beach was in sight. We swam near an almost deserted beach equipped with toilets, outdoor showers and a stall. The water was deep despite being close to the shore.

Drowning is rampant in summer. The next day, the TV news reported that a man had drowned while snorkelling there.

Other beaches were more crowded. On that hot, sunny afternoon, many people were having fun cooling off in the sea.

While strolling along another beach, something amusing stopped us in our tracks. My jaw dropped. A man was flying a kite, using a fishing rod!

After we dropped by the town, Koji said: "It's late. Time to go back. We've to board the ferry 20 minutes before departure time."

My euphoria evaporated. "But where are the white sand beaches?"

"They're far from here."

"Then why did we come to Chiba?"

"To see other black sand beaches," Koji replied impishly.

We rode on the Shirahama-maru back to Kurihama Ferry Terminal. The ferry's floor plan showing fire exits was pasted near the door. On the second deck, only the window seats facing each other had a small table in between. Exhausted, we rested on the seats in the centre aisle, before we wandered around.

A surprise awaited us in another section. There stood a beer bar, a long table with high stools, a corner selling food, snacks and souvenirs, drink vending machines and window seats facing each other or the sea directly. Passengers were chilling out there.

We proceeded to the promenade deck for a panoramic view. Ken "oohed" and "aahed" at the seagulls swooping down to snatch the fish from the sea.

Though we were unable to enjoy any white sand beach there, we had an interesting trip. And each ferry ride was like a mini-cruise.

Fun by the sea

The Star/Asia News Network | Mon, Jul 26 2010

Picnickers flock to the beaches of Japan during summer.

Keywords

kanagawa

chiba