When I was in elementary school, my dream was to "someday go to the world's oceans."
Even as an adult, that desire has remained unchanged as a seaman, and now as a boatswain on the Shinara.
Completing the restoration of the Cinara is not the end of the story; rather, I feel myself growing as a person every day as I strive to become a polished crew member who can ride on it.
“Crazy is the best compliment”
What is the dream of a “seaman” who loves the sea?
Saito, who is a member of the Riviera Resort, goes by the given name "Hiromi." It seems that he was destined to live with the sea from the moment he was born. When Saito climbs the 30m-high mast of the Cinara and works to polish it, he looks just like a seaman. He is the boatswain of the Cinara, and his dark, tanned skin is particularly striking among the crew.
Saito took a job in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force because he wanted to ride on a destroyer, but when he was assigned to work on land as an air traffic controller, he couldn't give up his feelings for the sea and headed to the Riviera.
``My love for the sea has never changed since I was a child.Nature always shows a different expression, so every day is a discovery and a learning experience.People say I'm a sea idiot or crazy, but for me, that's the best compliment. ” says Saito with a big smile.
``Before working with Synara, I was involved in ocean promotion, and at the ``Japan Maritime Academy,'' which is run as part of the ``Riviera Future Creation Project,'' I teach children about the joy and harshness of the sea, the importance of the environment, and teach yachting. I was teaching her how to fly.The restoration work on the Shinara was underway at the same Riviera Sivonia Marina, so I got to see it up close, but I never thought I would be selected as a member of the crew. To be honest, when I was first approached to join the crew of the Sinara, I was worried.I had never worked on such a large ship, much less a classic yacht, so I was nervous, but I wanted to travel the world on a yacht. When I thought about my childhood dream, I couldn't control my feelings and replied, ``Please let me do it.''
Inspired by a lecture by Kojiro Shiraishi
Spend your youth as a yachtsman
Saito became obsessed with sailing when he was 10 years old.
“I still remember being excited when I listened to a lecture at the elementary school I attended by Kojiro Shiraishi, who at the young age of 26 had just completed a solo trip around the world without stopping at any ports. It was so exciting that it changed my life.I had ridden small yachts with my parents since I was a child, but this lecture made me realize that I wanted to operate a yacht myself.''
He spent his youth riding yachts in Sagami Bay, and during his high school and university years he competed in many world-class races and achieved brilliant results.
“Sinara” is a dream and a romance.
After completing the restoration, ``Sinara'' continues to sail in Sagami Bay. In addition to weekly training and meetings, he learns from Chairman Watanabe through daily online interactions and says that he has realized that ``people can change.''
“The Riviera speaks of romance. For me, too, Sinara is romantic. My dream of sailing around the world is within reach. As I continue to grow, I sail the ocean as a crew member with the best Sinara. I wish I could travel.”
Present
Riviera Resort
sinara crew
Boatswain
Hiromi Saito