We are now on our buses heading by to Ikeda.

We would like to say a special thanks the staff of

The Kasyouen Hotel. They were so friendly, so

accommodating, with service and

accommodations that were fantastic. I want to

say a special thanks for providing meals for

students and teachers with dietary restrictions.

As we focused on swimming, the lifeguards were always in the water before
us, and came back on the shore once we were all ready to go back to the
hotel. They would stay in the ocean for non stop two hours as we took
breaks every 20 minutes.
After working our two shifts for our school, they all would be so tired
that they would go back to their accommodations and pass out.
Yet, they never complained, were never thanked, and just did their jobs.
Thank you from the staff of Ikeda Elementary School.

After two nights and three days, this is the end of our activities.
We will go back to our hotel, wash the sand off of our clothes, spin dry
out clothes, take baths, and eat lunch before getting on the bus.

　

One half went in the shallows, and the other half went to the tide pools.
We will next go to the tide pools to discover tide pool life up close.

Although we are in the shallows, the lifesavers are always on alert, ready
to jump on and help if needed. Although we take breaks every 20 minutes,
the life guards take no such breaks and wait for 2 hours in water.

All the classes tried very hard but found the group yelling directions
quite difficult.
Only class 6-3 successfully split the watermelon.

Today, instead of swimming lengths to prepare for the challenge time, the
students are enjoying their time in the water as they run, and play in the
shallows of the beach.

We start off by getting in knee deep,
Then, we splash water on our arms, then shoulders, face, and back,
We sit down in the water and get used to the motion of the ocean.
Then we practice floating, and finally swimming.
Here from left to right are Vice Principal Uchimura, Photographer Mr Gen,
and Principal Saito watching over the students.

Before the students go into the water, the teacher walk in ti show the
depth of the ocean for the day. The teachers do this for every period of
swimming.
This is the last time for this Seaside Swimming Camp.

Nothing says summer like watermelon and the watermelon splitting game!
Each class has a representative for their class be blindfolded and spun 5
times.
Then the class cheers and yells the direction to go.

　

　

　

Good morning,
Today is the last day of three day trip.
After a successful Challenge Time, there seems to a sense of ease among the
students as they have completed what they have come for.
Today, we will have breakfast, then half of the students will enjoy time in
the water, other half will look for sea life in the whirlpools.

　

On the beautiful beach, we had an evening campfire with several events.
The first event was where the goddess of fire gave fire to the students,
and they lit the campfire.
Afterwards, each class has performances to entertain the other classes.

This is the beautiful sunset taken by Mr Gen from Omura Photo.
This sunset is not round but looks like it continues further down like a
Darma Doll.

After every swimming session, we finish the period with a short jump into
the ocean to remove any sand from our bodies and swim wear. I have never
seen or done this before, but I thought it was genius!