The students spent the day either walking or running an 11.5 km course along the Kakeroma coast and back while the teachers and staff waited to meet them at checkpoints along the way. This was my first time on Kakeroma and luckily, the weather was perfect!
Because the Kakeroma ferry was undergoing repairs due to bad weather a few weeks prior, students were split by class to board several smaller sea taxis. We left early in the morning, at around 8 am.
View of Kakeroma from the water. It takes about 20 minutes to get across.
Looking back at Koniya from about halfway across. Hello from the other siiiiidde~ ♫
We're nearing the port on the Kakeroma side. There are a few rocky outcroppings that looked as if you'd find a treasure chest on them if this were a Zelda game.
At 9 am, the run/walk started. I along with a few other teachers decided to go with the students, for a little while at least. The sun was at the perfect angle to get this great shot of a pier looking out into the strait. All it needs is a green light on the other side to complete the Gatsby look. Not a cloud in sight.
On the course, we came across this strange . . . residence? Camp? I don't know what it is. The sign reads "Barefoot Base Camp" in English.
Passing by one of many beaches. The water is crystal clear.
I only ended up going about 6 km into the 11.5 km course before turning around, for a total of about 12 km walked. I took this photo on the way back. If I weren't expected to show up back at the starting point dry, I would have liked to hop in and go for a swim. The temperature was in the low 20s (Celcius) around noon . . . in the beginning of February. Feels like spring already.
The fastest male student completed all 23 km (11.5 km out and back) in a whopping 1 hour and 36 minutes, and the fastest female student did it in 2 hours and 8 minutes. Fantastic performance all around! Hopefully next year I'll do the whole thing with them!
