Hakkeijima Open Water Swim

The greater Tokyo area is not known for its swimming beaches.  Apparently Japan's post-war industrial push combined with decades of rampant population growth led to coastlines mostly lined in concrete and water of, well, questionable cleanliness.

So when three of us decided to do an open water swim practice today, I had this image of  traipsing across a rocky, bleak, desolate seashore filled with giant crows feasting on mounds of garbage in order to swim in foul, oily filth only to emerge with our bodies caked with a putrid slime that would leave us suffering and itching with some dreadful rash for days and weeks to come. 

So I was delighted when we arrived at Uminokoen Park near Yokosuka and discovered a pleasant sandy beach filled not with menacing crows, but with happy suburban families.  The water seemed quite clean - I could easily see the bottom during most of the swim.    Granted you could see the cranes of the Sumitomo Heavy Industries Shipyard and the smokestacks from the old Nissan Oppama auto factory, but mostly what we saw were colorful sailboards and trees and roller coasters of the Sea Paradise Amusement Park.   I lived in Hawaii for 3 years and Uminokoen Park is not quite Hapuna Beach on the Big Island, but as I floated in the water today, for a moment it was like being back at Kailua Beach Park (today's splendid May sunshine helped).

Also -- it was a great pre-triathlon training.  What a confidence boost.  I have been increasingly concerned about swimming in the open water after so many months of swimming only in a pool.   Keren led Mika and I through some drills entering and exiting the water and we worked on sighting (swimming toward a buoy, which btw is pronounced boo-eee).   I have struggled in my earlier triathlons zig-zagging through the course, but today I seemed to swim a bit straighter line.

The Uminokoen beach is about 40-minutes south of Tokyo on the Keikyu Line.   At Kanazawa Hakkei transfer to the monorail and two stops later you disembark right at the beach.  The park has coin locker and coin-operated showers with hot water.