Peter from Slovakia enjoyed Scuba diving on May 8. According to him, his country now is dramatically being developed day by day. Due to investment from other countries, commodity price in Slovakia is increasing rapidly. And it bothers them.

Of course his main target was "Manta ray", so we tried twice in manta ray point. But, but, but there was Not manta ray at all, consecutive losses.

Peter, please come again!!
Satoki

Visit to our Diving school Umicoza home page http://www.umicoza.com/english

How' it going, everybody?

Volunteer divers, mainly from diving service staffs in our Ishigaki island, got rid of Crown of thorns starfish today. Crown of thorns starfish that is well-known as a pest eating up corals, may irrupt this year. So we conducted the disinfestation intensively.

Nowadays coral reefs are taken notice as a role consuming carbon dioxide by photosynthesis by zooxanthera living in corals or building up calcium carbonate bodies. Conservation of coral reefs, it also means our action against global warming.

Good bye

visit to our Diving school Umicoza home page http://www.umicoza.com/english

How's it going, everybody?

Today Nadia & Adam,living in Tokyo, visited to Umicoza to enjoy introduction diving. Before diving I instructed them how to enjoy introduction diving one by one on the boat.

"As you can see, we can not communicate by language in the water. So we use some sign in the water. If you are "O.K.", reply to me "O.K. sign". If you are not "O.K.", show me small "X" by cross fingers or large "X" by cross arms. Are you O.K.?"

English lady & gentleman replied to me O.K.sign as attached the photo.

End of their diving, as we came back to bottom of the boat, I wrote down "Sorry, now is time to go back to the boat" in my communication board in the water. And then, Nadia show me "Large X".

They must have enjoyed their first diving very very much!!

Good bye

Visit to our Diving school Umicoza home page http://www.umicoza.com/english

Vこんにちは、さときです。
How's it going, everybody?

� Today I enjoyed "Introduction diving" with Ms. & Mr. I-shima living from Maebashi, Gunma. Now they join PADI Open Water Diver certification course in Maebashi, and have already completed confined water training & beginning part of open water training. It means they are about to be "diver", so these almost divers dived smoothly and swam with cuttle fish today.

お医者様でいらっしゃるＩ島さんなんと、「えっ、大浜石垣市長と同級生ですって」、驚き。
Mr. I-shima, he is a doctor, was one of classmate of Mr. Ohama, Mayor of Ishigaki city.

では。
Good bye

Visit to our Diving school Umicoza home page http://www.umicoza.com/english

こんにちは、さときです。
How's it going, everybody?

� Today we dived with Mr. O-tuski, he also dived yesterday and Mr. I, total 2 guests. Mr. I works for one of the biggest company that produces digital camera. When the company was about to launch water proof housing for the digital camera, Mr. I was responsible for advertising for the camera. So to create more effective promotion for the camera, he thought that himself had to understand "scuba diving itself and started exploring the under water as his hobby. After some years passed, now he is one of fanatic diver that makes keen his opinion about new launched camera to his co-worker designer. This time he brought "compact digital camera + wide conversion lens" to get "Manta ray".

Fortunately we could go for "Kabira Ishizaki manta ray point" today, but unfortunately we had information of "No manta ray" from next anchored diving boat, they had already finished diving, before we entered. 40 minutes passing, still we were waiting them in the water. And when we were about to go back to the boat, one Manta ray appeared. That was impressive manta ray after 40 minuets waiting.

では。
Good bye

Visit to our Diving school Umicoza home page http://www.umicoza.com/english

On February 29 Umicoza welcomed two guests, Danny from Israel, Sven from Netherlands.

Now they are students in Tokyo University, that is top-notch in Japan, studying modern Japan history and computer science respectivelly. In near future they must be brain of Israel & Netherlands.

Sven, tommorrow please buckle your weight tighter!!


Safe dive
Satoki

Visit to our Diving school Umicoza home page http://www.umicoza.com/english

こんにちは、さときです。
How's it going, everybody?

今日は学習院大学キャンプ部の面々と体験ダイビングを楽しみました。キャンプ部は３２年の歴史があり、その名のとおり自分たちのテントでキャップを張って日本各地を巡り楽しんでおります。なんでもキャンプでのランプの明かりのもとお酒片手に夜な夜な語りあかすのが彼らのキャンプの醍醐味だとのことです。この若さにして既にお酒の味をよく知っている様子です。
Today I enjoyed introduction diving with Gakusyuin University students, they belong to Camp club and now are camping in here Ishigaki Yonehara. Their club whose purpose is visiting and camping by themselves around Japan, has 32 years history. According to them attraction of camping is conversation and drinking with close friends until mid-night.

羨ましい、、、ぼくも今夜混ぜてもらおうかな！？
I am really envy of them.

では。
Good bye

Visit to our Diving school Umicoza home page http://www.umicoza.com/english

こんにちは、さときです。
How's it going, everybody?
In this morning we had lovely sunshine and breeze. But we came back to surface in our second dive, wind direction absolutely changed to strong north wind and big wave was there. Mr. Y, today's guest one of our Umicoza patron from Yokohama, and myself were up against marvels of nature. Mr. Y, should have been satisfied with today's two dives, relieving daily stress as a executive.

追伸
前略、ミスターＸ様。（２月１８日付け海講座日記参照 http://www.umicoza.com/home/diary/umidiary.cgi?action=view&year=2008&month=02&week=4&day=18&no=18#1 /> Attached photos are nudibranch (so-called "Pikachu Umiushi"), porcupine fish and Mr. Y.

以上
Good bye

Visit to our Diving school Umicoza home page http://www.umicoza.com/english

こんにちは、さときです。
How's it going, everybody?

今日も名蔵湾のポイントを中心にダイビングを楽しんできました。名蔵湾？？石垣島川平にお越し頂いたことがある方々ならわかると思います、川平に向かう途中左手にしばらく海が広がりますがあれが名蔵湾です。
Today we enjoyed diving mainly inside Nagura Bay. Nagura Bay?? If you have been to our Ishigaki island Kabira, you know well. On the way to Kabira from the downtown you can see beautiful ocean view on the left hand side. That ocean is Nagura bay.

名蔵湾のダイビングポイントの特徴としては、
The characteristics of diving points in Nagura Bay are

・さかなの種類が豊富
・さかなの数が豊富
・さんごも発達している
・Many sorts of aquatic lives
・Many Fish
・Abundant corals

といいことばかりですが、唯一にして最大の欠点が透明度がよくないことが多いです。しかし今日は例外です。先の先の先（ちょっと大げさ）まで見えました、主観的には２０メートル以上といったところでしょうか！？
they are only positive?? Not only unique but most negative one is "Not good visibility". But today's visibility was exception, wow over 20m!?

この幸運をゲットしたのは、石垣島１０回目海講座４回目という福岡からの稲Ｇさんです。稲Ｇさんお連れの方が体長を崩して本日はおひとりでダイビング参加でしたが、明日はきっとふたり楽しく潜れるといいですね。
Miss I-san got such good condition and monopolized it luckliy. Her smile is expressive of that.

では。
Good bye

Visit to our Diving school Umicoza home page http://www.umicoza.com/english

こんにちは、さときです。

How's it going, everybody?

我が海講座のセカンドダイビングボート「カイト」号のメンテナンス作業も無事終了し、次は「シルフィード」です。シルフィードとは、そうメインダイビングボートである「ファーストダイブ」号に皆様が乗り込むときに川平湾で渡し船として活躍している、そうあの船です。海講座通のあなたであればピーンときたはずです。船台を使ってお店のとなりの空き地に本日陸揚げしました。明日から本格的なメンテナンス開始です。

Routine maintenance for our Umicoza second boat "Kaito" was completed, next is "Slyphide". "What is Slyphide?" in Kabira bay we use her as the pont to our main diving boat "First dive". So if you have been on board "First dive", so it means that you also have been on board "Slyphide". We landed her on vacant space next to Umicoza. Regular treatment for her was started.

ちなみに「シルフィード」とは、Sylphideと表記するフランス語で「森の中に住む妖精」の意。１８３２年にパリ・オペラ座で初演されたバレエ史上初のロマンティック・バレエ作品とされるブルノンヴィル作「ラ・シルフィード」より。また、シルフィードには「すらりとした優美な女性」の意味もあるようです。へぇ〜へぇ〜へぇ。

Meaning of "Sylphide" is "Fairy living in forest" in French.

「え！海は？？」大丈夫です。明日はありがたやありがたや、お客様が来店の予定でございます。

Tomorrow we welcome guest.

では。

Good bye

Visit to our Diving school Umicoza home page http://www.umicoza.com/english

こんにちは、さときです。

How's it going, everybody?

年間来島回数６回で弊社海講座のナンバーワンリピーターの座を獲得した鹿Ｕさん、その心意気に答えるべく最終日の今日はなんとか川平出航です。その鹿Ｕさんに続く（？？）年間来島回数４回の百Ｎさん村Ｙさんペアもご来店で楽しいダイビングになる、、、、、はずでした。

Today was last diving day for Mr. Shika-U, 2007 most fanatic diver in our Umicoza. It seemed like that everybody celebrated his sixth time visiting Ishigaki this year, then weather recovered so that we departed from Kabira. Other patron Miss Mura-Y and Mr. Momo-N also joined us.

アドレナリン体内に充満するほど透明度がいい米原でのダイビングで火照った体を冷ます間もなく、次に我々のファーストダイブ号が向かったのはもちろん「マンタスクランブル」です。

After exploring in incredible clear water in Yonehara, we headed for "Kabira Ishizaki Manta ray scramble"

結果は、前回１２月６日に続いてマンタスクランブルは“シーン”、、、全くマンタを見ることはできませんでした。私は休日を満喫すべく船に乗りましたが途中からは諦めてヨウジウオの仲間などを追いましておりました。

"No way!!" Manta ray did not show us their streamlined body till the last. I was off duty today and just a pleasure diver. 15 minutes later giving up Manta ray, I aroused my interest to small "Pipe fish" in benthos.

では。

Good bye

Visit to our Diving school Umicoza home page http://www.umicoza.com/english

How's it going, everybody?

We also enjoyed three dives. Today's guest was only Mr. Shikauchi who has 6 times visiting Ishigaki in 2007. Of course we express our gratitude to this gentleman, one of most enthusiastic patron for our Umicoza.

This cute figue is -Nakamoto Irowakehaze- (this is Japanese name, kinds of goby no English name, scientific name "Lubricogobius dinah), identified in here Ishigaki.

Good bye

Visit to our Diving school Umicoza home page http://www.umicoza.com/english

Mr. and Ms. Murphy visited our Umicoza on November 11.

This American couple, Joshua is originally from Alabama and Betsy is from South Carolina, now is living in Okinawa main island. They got Open water diver certification after coming Okinawa, and was fascinated by diving. Their target in here Ishigaki island was of course watching manta rays, but..... Choppy ocean prevented us.

Please please come again, to watch manta ray.

Safe dive!!
Satoki

Visit to our Diving school Umicoza home page http://www.umicoza.com/english

こんにちは、さときです。

How's it going, everybody?

昨日に引き続き５７本目、５８本目とダイビングを楽しまれた夏子さん５９本目はナイトダイビングに挑戦です

Natsko enjoyed her 57th and 58th diving in day time, and she tried first "Night diving" in her 59 diving.

ポイントは崎枝ビーチの沖です、すっかりあたりが暗くなった夕方６時３０分エントリーです。昼間すばしっこく動いていた魚たちもスローモーションのようでゆっくり写真を楽しめます。

At offshore of Sakieda beach we entered in the water after full darkness fell at 6:30PM. In the evening almost fish moves so slowly that we can enjoy take pictures more easily than in day time.

夏子さんのバディー高Ｎさんいただいたブダイの写真です。ブダイは夜自分で作った透明な膜の中で休んで（寝て）います。

Attached photo was taken by Mr. Takano who was buddy for Natsuko. As you can see, Parrot fish enjoys his sleeping time in transparent mucous membrane made by themselves.

では。

Good bye

Visit to our Diving school Umicoza home page http://www.umicoza.com/english

こんにちは、さときです。

How's it going, everybody?

朝起きると昨日から一変、風がほとんどありません。これはチャンスと川平出航で朝一番マンタポイントを目指しました。道中、結構なうねりでしたが何とか到着してエントリーしてみると、いますいます久しぶりのマンタとのご対面です。

Today's morning we didn't have wind, so our "First dive" (Umicoza main diving boat) departed from Kabira bay and went for "Kabira Ishizaki Manta ray scramble". First dive was swung heavily on the 15 minutes way due to choppy sea condition, but many manta ray made us forget about that after entry in blue water.

昨日に引き続き磯Ｎさんに写真いただきました、磯Ｎさん２本目３本目の米原でのダイビングにも満足された様子です。ポイントカードも作ってもらったし、きっとまた潜りに来てくれるに違いない、、、お待ちしております。

Attached photo was taken by Ms. Iso-N, it also seemed that they were satisfied their second and third dive in Yonehara.

以上

Good bye

追伸

P.S.

今日お帰りの安Ｉさんこの記事見たら怒るかな？？

I worry about Mr. Yasu-I is envious of us. He got back home without watching manta ray this time.

Visit to our Diving school Umicoza home page http://www.umicoza.com/english

こんにちは、さときです。
How's it going, everybody?

今日も海講座を二人の美女が訪ねてくれました。
Umicoza welcomed two ladies.

イギリス人のアレックスさんとフランス人のナタリーさんです。彼女たちは横浜のインターナショナルスクールの先生です。今日も大崎エリアと名蔵湾でのダイビングで様々な水中生物を観察しました。カクレクマノミ、ニセアカホシカクレエビ、チンアナゴ、ハダカハオコゼ、ジョーフィッシュ、ヤマブキハゼなどです。
Alex from England and Nathalie from France, they are teacher for international school in Yokohama. Today also we enjoyed diving in Ohsaki area and Nagura bay. In these diving points we can watch many kinds of aquatic lives, Crown fish, Cleaner shrimp, Garden eel, Leaf fish, Jaw fish, Gobies, etc.

では。
Good bye

Visit to our Diving school Umicoza home page http://www.umicoza.com/english

こんにちは、さときです。
How's it going, everyboedy?

ジョンオールさん、スティーブンさん、ポールさんのアイルランド人３兄弟が海講座をたずねてくれました。
John-orr, Steven, Paul, Irish three brothers visited to our Umicoza.

長男のジョンオールさんと三男のポールさんは体験ダイビングに挑戦しました。
John-orr, elder brother living in London, and Paul, younger brother living in Dublin, tried their fist exploration in the water by introduction diving.

次男のスティーブンさんは２週間前にカナダでCカードを取ってからの石垣に来島です。初めてのファンダイブにチャレンジです。

Steven, middle brother living in Vancouver, had completed Open Water Diver certification course two weeks ago and came here. It was his first "Fun diving".

石垣島も最近水温が下がりつつありますが、北国育ちの彼らにはとても温かい水に感じたようです。
In here Ishigaki recently water temperature is decreasing step by step, but according to them "it was still very warm".

では。
Good bye

Visit to our Diving school Umicoza home page http://www.umicoza.com/english

How's it going, everybody?

We have had strong north wind for about one week. Due to rough ocean by this north wind we can not depart from Kabira bay that our main boat anchors. We depart from Sakieda beach where it takes about 15 minutes by a car from Kabira, and dive in Ohsaki or Nagura bay where some mountains protect against north wind. Today I enjoyed diving in "Micro world", Jaw fish, Mandarin fish, etc. with Miss Abe, Miss Hirahara and Miss Kimura.

Good bye

Visit to our Diving school Umicoza home page http://www.umicoza.com/english

How's it going, everybody?

Digital Camera Field Photo Contest in Ishigaki-jima awarding ceremony http://www.marinediving.com/dfp/012/ was held at ANA Hotels & Resorts.

This is second time that the contest, presented by Marine Art Center and Olympus, was held in Ishigaki. Our Umicoza joined it with seven guests and enjoyed this party.

Good bye

Visit to our Diving school Umicoza home page http://www.umicoza.com/english

How's it going, everybody?

Today we found out again Frog fish that had missed in previous diving and had moved to top of next coral. Other diving shop owner who dived in same point as us informed me of where he (she) was. Please stay there in long time.

Attached photo was taken by Kayo-san, one of Umicoza patron.

Good bye

Visit to our Diving school Umicoza home page http://www.umicoza.com/english