November 28, 2025
Day 87 — Kuchinotsu to Kuranomoto
Our sheltered spot on the beach worked a treat. There was barely a ripple on the tent all night. We were worried we’d be in the situation we were in in Rumoi back in September where we too shifts holding one side of the tent up against the howling wind. But no, all was fine and we slept soundly.
I was up first, and stepped out of the tent to find that despite the forecasts, the wind had almost completely died and it was a lovely morning on the beach. I also found we had two camping neighbours we didn’t have last night. One fellow came over while I was making coffee to show me his various bits of gear and tell me their brand names. He had 3 different grills (Captain Stag) and a canister stove (MSR) with him in his teeny tiny Chinese brand tent. He then showed me the features of his car (Honda). Thankfully he put on his Nikes and got in his Honda and went to buy groceries.
The ferry terminal was only a kilometre or so from the campsite, so we made it with plenty of time for the 9 am ferry to Oniike on Shimoshima Island. Today was to be a two ferry day, with a 70 km ride in the middle, so we were relieved to get the early ferry.
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Once in Oniike we were faced with the decision of whether to cross the island along an inland route, which would be most direct and slightly less climbing, or along the western coast, which was about 10 km longer and 100m more elevation gain. We opted for the coast, and hoo boy, was that the right call.
We headed out of the ferry terminal and then west along the coastal road. The wind was picking up, but our route would swing us around south so it would become a tailwind more or less. Our first stop was at a dolphin centre, in search of refreshments. There wasn’t much — the place was oriented to providing dolphin watching tours — but we did find some pastries to eat.
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As we continued along, the road went from pleasant coastal scenery to spectacularly wild and rugged. Every turn revealed a new and breathtaking vista — steep headlands, waves crashing on rocky shores, sea stacks. Just incredible.
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Much as we wanted to pause and gawk at the scenery, we had to keep moving to get the second ferry of the day from Shimoshima Island over to Nagashima Island. Daylight is brief this time of year, and we did not want to get caught out on these roads in the dark. We got to Ushibuka port by about 2:30, with a ferry due to leave at 3:00, which was perfect. We were worried about whether food would be available on the Nagashima side, so I sprinted out to conbini to get the basics for dinner and breakfast, and managed to get back to the ferry dock just as things were boarding, much to Marilee’s relief.
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Though the campground was only a few km from the ferry terminal, the roads were much more like the Gulf Islands at home. Long steep climb, followed by a long steep descent, followed by another long steep climb. The campground was across a small road from the ocean, and like so many this time of year was unattended and we had it to ourselves.
There was an onsen in the nearby town, so we walked the kilometre or so to have a soak, but to our crushing disappointment it was closed due to a mechanical problem. There was a soba restaurant nearby but it didn’t open until 6, so we sourced some beer and chips the Michi across the road from the onsen, and sat on a bench overlooking the ocean watching the sun go down. And we were in luck with the soba restaurant — it was open and warm and provided a cheap delicious dinner, which almost made up for the closed onsen.
Today's ride: 77 km (48 miles)
Total: 4,403 km (2,734 miles)
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