Eef Beach - Kume Island (Japan Trip Nov 2016)

Eef Beach イーフビーチ on  Kumejima 久米島 (Kume Island) is a 2km white sand beach. It is an ideal swimming beach but because it was November we just collected shells and coral.

Tatami-ishi (Tatami-Rocks) - Ou Island (Japan Trip Nov 2016)

Tatami-ishi 畳石 (Tatami-Rocks) is a Nationally Designated Natural Monument located on the south coast of Oujima 奥武島 (Ou Island). A bridge connects Oujima with Kumejima. Andesite Magma cooled under a process called columnar jointing creating 1 to 1.5 meter pentagonal and hexagonal shapes. Called Tatami-Rocks because of the resemblance to the tatami mats of traditional Japanese home design. Water erosion has leveled and smoothed the tops of the rock structures.

Hatenohama - Kume Island (Japan Trip Nov 2016)

Hatenohama はての浜 is off the shore of Kumejima  久米 in Okinawa Prefecture. Hatenohama is a 7 km sandbar that can only be accessed by a 20 minute boat ride from Kume island. November is the off season so the charter boat from our hotel only did one trip a day. We were also required to wear life preservers if we were going into the water. Unfortunately because it was the off season, we were only allowed to be on Hatenohama for one hour. We did go in the water for about 5 minutes and spend the rest of the time wandering and collecting shells and coral.