Sailing & Reflecting on Turning 70: A Journey Through Japan #japan #cherryblossomseason #sailing
I’m preparing to leave port and follow Japan’s cherry blossom front—a journey that goes beyond sailing. At 70, I’m reflecting on a path similar to my bicycle journey 25 years ago when I cycled the length of Japan during Cherry Blossom Season, the result of a dissertation I wrote for my Masters about Japanese Youth Culture. Now, I’m diving into the secrets of longevity and the lives of Japan’s aging population, inspired by Blue Zone studies. In this video, I also repositioned the boat during a six-hour sail around Okinawa’s southern cape, perfectly timed to dodge challenging tides—a small change setting the stage for bigger ones. I’m more of a sojourner than a sailor, embracing change with every wave.
#Japan
#JapanSailing
#CherryBlossom
#CherryBlossomSeason
#SailingAdventure
#Okinawa
#JapaneseCulture
#Longevity
#BlueZone
#AgingGracefully
#OceanJourney
#Sojourner
#JapanAdventure
#sailing
I'm preparing to leave port and follow Japan's cherry blossom front—a journey that goes beyond sailing. At 70, I'm reflecting on a path similar to my bicycle journey 25 years ago when I cycled the length of Japan during Cherry Blossom Season, the result of a dissertation I wrote for my Masters about Japanese Youth Culture. Now, I'm diving into the secrets of longevity and the lives of Japan’s aging population, inspired by Blue Zone studies. In this video, I also repositioned the boat during a six-hour sail around Okinawa’s southern cape, perfectly timed to dodge challenging tides—a small change setting the stage for bigger ones. I’m more of a sojourner than a sailor, embracing change with every wave.
#Japan
#JapanSailing
#CherryBlossom
#CherryBlossomSeason
#SailingAdventure
#Okinawa
#JapaneseCulture
#Longevity
#BlueZone
#AgingGracefully
#OceanJourney
#Sojourner
#JapanAdventure
#sailing
Sailing & Reflecting on Turning 70: A Journey Through Japan #japan #cherryblossomseason #sailing Locations
- Okinawa (26.1201911,127.7025012)
Pacific Solo
Hi, I`m Lowell, a 67-year-old rookie sailor, and a never-too-later! I preparing myself for the biggest challenge of my life: a solo journey across the North Pacific. I am a Canadian living in Japan, and in 2019, I purchased Wahine, a 1988 Gib Sea 402. I moved on board while she was moored in Tokyo. In March 2021, I terminated my contract with the Marina and have been cruising Japan full time since gaining valuable experience all the while working remotely from the boat. Wahine is my home, my studio, and my lab. Join me on my learning voyage around Japan, trying to prepare myself for Pacific Solo. If you want to see where I am please go to my website and click on the Where`s Wahine Button at https://www.pacificsolo.com Also, if you are a fellow never-too-later check out www.nevertoolateacademy.com PSThe History Channel asked if they follow me into various remote ports for a new series called Dare to Dream. The pilot airs in Japan July 24th at 8pm.
Channel Information:
Social Media Links:
Note of Recognition for Pacific Solo
At WeBoating.com, we profoundly acknowledge the unwavering dedication that Pacific Solo and other creators invests in crafting each and every video. Their passion for delivering exceptional content shines through every frame, and it's a labor of love that deserves your attention.
We invite you to watch their captivating videos and actively engage with their content, including their social media links above. Liking, commenting, and sharing their work goes a long way in fueling their creative fire.
We're also inviting you to explore any sponsorships and partnerships highlighted in the video description of "Sailing & Reflecting on Turning 70: A Journey Through Japan #japan #cherryblossomseason #sailing", or directly on YouTube. By considering their offerings or purchasing services and items, you not only support Pacific Solo but also the brands and collaborators they're associated with.
If you have any feedback, corrections, or additional information about Pacific Solo or their videos, please use the comment form below to share your thoughts with us.
Thank you for being a part of our community and supporting the creators we cherish. Your time and support truly matter!
Pacific Solo Lastest Videos
Radio Taiso and the Fishermen — The Art of Community at Dawn #boatlife #JapanLife #writerslife
A few fishermen return from the sea, each with a single small catch, just a couple dozen fish in total. The fish are laid out in a colorful display, each one marked in its own unique way, ready for the brief but effecient auction. Local women also gathe...
The Art of Community: Japan’s Secret to Longevity
In Japan, the art of community isn’t just practiced — it’s spoken. Words ending in -kai mean a gathering with purpose — turning intention into habit. From the 90-year-old “Granny of the Fields” in Aichi, to the 84-year-old café owner on Ama I...
What Sailors Should Know About Japan’s Typhoon Season
Hi, I’m Lowell Sheppard, back on board Wahine here in Buren Bay, Japan — well, almost! I’m checking in after some time away and happy to report she’s stayed dry and mold-free. But let’s talk about typhoon season in Japan — it’s not over yet....
Shinshu Salmon with Beverly Hills Ninja #JapanJourney #FreshwaterSalmon #BlueZoneBook
Here in the mountains, far from the ocean, they’ve bred a special freshwater salmon — a cross between rainbow trout and brown trout, that can’t reproduce. A delicious reminder that not everything lasting needs to multiply to make an impact. My frien...
Longevity Casts a Long Shadow #Longevity #BlueZones #HealthyAging #Resilience #Japan
I left the boat behind in Amami and took the big boat to Okinawa ( read Ferry) and it is day 6 of my second journey this year to Japan`s Longevity Hot Spots. I am in Okinawa asking the question of what went wrong. Why is it not a Blue Zone anymore. Amon...
Beyond the Blue Zone: Why Okinawa’s Healthy Lifespan Is Falling #japan #bluezone #boatlife
At 4:30 AM I boarded a ferry south through the Ryukyu Islands, retracing the route Wahine and I had sailed just months ago. Destination: Okinawa—once called the Land of Immortals by the Chinese. But today, Okinawa is no longer a Blue Zone. In fact, it’...
Day 3: Lightning, Longevity & Leaving Wahine Behind #LongevityJourney #boatlife #BlueZone
Day 3 of my 30-day journey through Japan’s longevity hotspots took a surprising turn. While bailing out my tender in heavy rain, lightning struck close enough to shake the boat and leave me wondering if Wahine herself had been hit. Thankfully, everything...
Day 2: Exploring Japan’s Longevity Secrets #resilience #bluezone #community
Day 2 of my 30-day solo journey into Japan’s longevity hotspots. After yesterday’s Respect for the Aged Festival, today was cleanup day—but also a chance to reflect on last night’s celebration where over 100 villagers, young and old, gathered to ho...
Day 1: Celebrating Respect for the Aged Day in a Remote Japanese Village
It’s Respect for the Aged Day here in Japan 🇯🇵—a national holiday that began back in 1947 as “Old Folks Day” before being renamed in the ’60s. I just learned that you officially qualify as “aged” here at 70… which makes me a newbie to...
Prepping for Respect For The Aged Festival #Longevity #Japan #nevertoolate
When the village where you are moored asks you to wear a sumo belt, you don’t say no! It`s Preparation day in Buren Village for the Respect for the Aged Festival. The sumo ring here is over 100 years old, and Kitamura-san, 80 years young, is still part...
30 Days, 30 Videos: My Solo Journey Beyond the Blue Zone #SlowTravelJapan #LongevityQuest #author
This weekend I begin a 30-day solo journey up the Pacific coast of Japan—not on my own sailboat Wahine, but aboard ferries and big boats captained by others. I’ll be revisiting waters I once sailed, exploring longevity hotspots, and asking tough questi...
6 Things I Wish I Knew Before Buying a Boat #BoatingLife #Buyingaboat #LearnToBoat
Dreaming of owning a boat? Before you even buy one, there are six things I wish I had practiced or studied more. These are skills and habits that would have eased my anxiety, sped up my learning curve, and made the first days onboard far smoother. The best...
Somewhere in Japan: Secret Beaches and Charming Harbors #SailingJapan #SecretBeaches #liveaboard
Blue skies. A sparkling coastline. A secret beach for a midday dip. This is sailing in Japan — beautiful, empty, almost untouched. In the Med or Caribbean, this would be crowded with yachts. Here, I counted just two others in the harbor. That’s what ma...
Mold Check, Sea View, and Sailing Lessons Ahead #SailingLife #Liveaboard #NeverTooLate
Back on board Wahine after six weeks away. No mold (a sailor’s small victory!) and Buren Bay is as beautiful as ever. In this short, I share a quick check-in and a teaser for my upcoming video: the five things I wish I had done before buying a boat. Whet...
Back from the City, Into the Elements #SailingLife#OceanViews#NeverTooLate
"After six weeks in the city, I return to the island—and am greeted by a sailor’s perfect picture: a calm sea, blue skies, and a squall cloud rolling in. City life has its rhythm, but here the horizon reminds you of raw, quiet power. For sailors, rain ...
Early morning encounter the . #boatlife #bosozoku #japan
Could they be the land equivalent of JetSkiers? :) in terms of sound pollution? Three more days and I am back on board Wahine. check out more videos at @pacificsolo.com
Last Day in Tokyo #imperialpalace #walking #japan
Walking around the Imperial Palace and heading back soon to the boat. Watch full video here. https://youtu.be/SW0xbYIrxHE?si=X8tr_1u9ErK-Pi1P #imperialpalace #walking #japan
The Island of Dreams – Where My Sailing Journey Began #sailinglife #tokyobay #itsnevertoolate
Wahine’s home when I found her was at Yumenoshima Marina — Tokyo’s “Island of Dreams.” Built on landfill, transformed into a marina and park, it was here that my journey with Wahine truly began. On this day off from writing, meetings, and even b...
Letting the Mind Breathe in Tokyo’s Heat #MindfulMoments, #Japan #TokyoSkytree
Day 5 in Tokyo. I am away from Wahine for 6 weeks, having family time and writing and working. This is my second stint in Tokyo this summer. The city is sweltering—hot, humid, relentless. But even here, in a place that never sleeps, there's value in st...
Manga Predictions and Quiet Goodbyes #boatlife #japan #writerslife
July began with a scare caused by a Manga Prediction and an unprecedented earthquake swarm near by. but what followed was deeper—a quiet goodbye. In this meditative video essay, I reflect on what it means to leave my sailboat Wahine for a time, the gr...
Back on Land and Facing the Scale: Yikes #boatlife #sunrise #fitness
Boat life may be good for the soul… but not for the waistline. Back on land, walking every day in one of my favorite valleys in Japan, I’m reminded of when I used to cycle 70 km before breakfast. Now? I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been at 95 kilos. ...
Back on my Feet and Wahine is Safe #japan #ikigai #bluezone
New Meditative Video Coming soon Lowell here from Pacific Solo and the Never Too Late Academy. I’m back on the mainland, diving deeper into longevity research across Japan—building on Blue Zones and Ikigai. After three days off my feet from blisters, I...
Leaving My Sailboat to Write a Book #BoatLife #WritersLife #NeverTooLate
Goodbye, Wahine… for now. I’m heading to mainland Japan for a few weeks to work on the second draft of my book and continue research. Life aboard a sailboat, especially in typhoon season, means constant prep. She’s secured, bug-bombed (yuck), and fl...
Zero Breeze Mark 2 Honest Score After 2 Years #boatlife #portableairconditioner #writerslife
How does the Zero Breeze Mark 2 really hold up after 2 years on a boat in Japan’s heat and humidity? I’ve been using mine on my sailboat Wahine as a portable air conditioner during typhoon prep and writing retreats. I’m not a tech guy, so setup took...
Something AWESOME is coming!
Be the FIRST to know⛵
Sign up for exclusive updates and be the first to hear when we go live!
Get sneak peeks, exciting announcement, and special content straight to your inbox!
We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.