Touring the Sanriku Coast – III

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13/04/2014

Minamisanriku – Ofunato

Daylight bought little change to my eyes. A vast nothingness of baron land would greet me in what was once a place known as Minamisanriku, a town that would be 95% wiped out during the tsunami. My thoughts dismally collecting with each and every place I encountered along this devastated coast line. Kesennuma, Rikuzentakata and Ofunato, all equally decimated towns and each a stark reminder of that fateful day that saw some 16,000 people perish.

The wind again ice cold and biting, a constant burden. Though being a Sunday there was no construction work going on which meant I stood a lesser chance of getting mashed by 70 tonnes of solid truck. I was more fortunate on the food front today as well, stumbling across a number of recovery markets. Buying local food and produce in some small way allows a little money to seep back into the dwindling local economy. With very few options post tsunami or even homes to live in many residents have had no choice but to move away from the area or into bigger cities. But it is these small up and coming enterprises like the recovery markets that are allowing the local economy to slowly claw its way back. Time is a binding thing and through the importance of a little hope and courage of which I have most definitely witnessed, the Sanriku Coast will strive again.

12oC Bright, ice cold

Today 56.6m ODO – 965.5 m

Av/S – 8.8 mph

Run Time Today -6.57 Total Hours RT – 104.02

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