March 28 2010: The above was our intended destination....key word being intended. Looks kind of fun, doesn't it? The place is called Shipwreck Beach. Located on the coast by Mutsu Japan. Directions were very good, but apparently not good enough. But that's ok. We may not have actually seen this above (picture thanks to Misawa Airbase ITT) but we did get to be accidental tourists, which sometimes is a lot more fun.
We found the windmills (sorry, turbines...I'm dating myself, turbines are a new thing for me). Not such a problem there. Actually, we may have found the road that gives access to the beach, but it wasn't clearly marked that "this is the place". We went a little further down the road and found a roadside monument. We parked there and walked around.
First up was an old wreck of a house. Shane and Andi took a peek in, only to find that somebody's belongings were there, blankets, pillows, pot and pan. A little dusty, but not rusted. Could be someone's summer lodging. Not wanting to intrude, we continued our journey in the opposite direction.
Looking out at Mutsu Bay.
Nope, not a shipwreck....though it doesn't look like it is used for much. It is the closest we came on our journey. Where we were was mostly concrete barriers. Some of them fun to walk on, others took a lot of concentration.
More ocean (above)Below: Finally got to some sandy beaches. I think if we had just plugged along for another Klick (kilometer) we might have gotten to shipwreck beach. As it was we had already gone about 2, and of course, had to go back to the truck.
Below: Looking North towards Mount Hokkaido, which is on the northern island.
Above: Not really a lot of seagulls in this area. There is an abundance of crows however. Really, crows in this part of Japan.....there is just a large amount. I think I've mentioned it before....flying black rats.
Below: I don't know why Andi was complaining of having a queasy stomach. She takes rolling hills about as well as I do, which is to say not well at all.
Below: The fruits of our labor. 9 sand dollars (some in better shape than others) and lots of glass, and one fishing lure. I don't think we would have found the sand dollars had we actually gone to the right beach. We were on a less traveled section....sometimes there is something to be said for the road less traveled, "and that has made all the difference." (Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken")
Speaking of crows. Did you know they are murder? That's what a group of crows is called....a murder of crows. The last few nights they have been grouping out on the wires cawing into the night. So, Andi and I take great delight in coming out with the camera. Taking a picture with the flash on....as once the flash goes off.....
nope, those aren't bats, it's murder! Andi thinks it is great fun to do this. She's right.Maybe they are just howling at the moon......
