September 11, 2025

Another HOT one! Our friends are getting very resourceful to try and stay cool.

Jimbo and Anna modeling their new puffy fan ventilated jackets! Several people have bought these after seeing a lot of local outdoor workers wearing throughout Japan. They cost between 120 to 180 USD, so it's an investment.  I am just using an umbrella on bright sunny days and always walk with a wash cloth in my bag, to wipe away my sweat. I also just bought a portable fan in China to try out. Mainly I try to go out early in the morning and take a break in the afternoon and drink lots of water.


Below is afternoon stroll around the port area of Nagasaki, Japan, and a second trip out at night for dinner downtown.

On my second day here I joined about 50 residents in our Global Harmony Initiative going to The Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park. Nagasaki had a population of 240,000 at the time of the bombing, August 9, 1945. On our prior sea days, volunteers folded 2500 paper origami Cranes, a symbol of peace, to present at both Peace Parks in remembrance for all killed. In Nagasaki 73,884 were initial killed (and another 74,909 were injured and later died from the radiation effects).  Nagasaki was bombed 3 days after Hiroshima.  Oddly there were 4 people, who were actually at both bombing sites! One gentlemen survived both and hearing his story was captivating. The Museum is extremely well done and a creative architectural space. It was funded 100% by the people, as a Peace Memorial. At the 80th anniversary, the Mayor said it best "that they don't care that Nagasaki is remembered as the second site - it is more important it be the LAST site."

We all pray we never have another Nuclear Bomb!

By Pat Patrick April 6, 2026
Easter turned out to be a travel day for Bosco and I as we were extremely limited in when we could be seen by the Australian Border Control to disembark from the Ship, for a scuba diving adventure in Raja Ampat that I have had reserved, for over 18 months! We flew from Perth to Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia on Easter afternoon.
By Pat Patrick April 6, 2026
I have been really excited to get to Fremantle / Perth for my first time. I have had a few friends live here over the years and I have a second cousin, James Murphy, who I have only ever spoken too briefly, over the last 35 years and that I would love to meet in person. Jim is the older brother of Paul who I met up with in Melbourne a few weeks ago.
By Pat Patrick April 6, 2026
Greetings from FREMANTLE or FREO as the locals call it! Getting here took a long week at Sea, as we hid out and dodged wave surges from two cyclone systems. Our departure from Adelaide was timed to carefully avoid the path of Cyclone Narelle and we hugged the southern coastline of Australia, in the shallow waters of the Great Australian Bight . Later in the week we sheltered near Point Culver, before taking the turn and heading North along the western coastline.