Escapade in Io-Jima

Made it to Io Jima at day break 25 May. Rounded Kita Io (North Io) at mid-night and got a spectacular view thanks to the moon. The island rises several hundred metres but the sides are incredibly steep. I estimate that most of the sides rose from the water at 50-60 degrees. We spotted one shallower slope and estimate it at a miserly 40 degrees! Miserable weather then developed in the last 4 hours before dawn. Good news - the promise by the pilot book of moorings in behind point Kama (active volcanically) at Io SHima was a good one and we found 4 very substantial, well maintained moorings. Then the fun started - they are small ship moorings about 3m in diameter so no convenient rope hanging off to pick up and hook on but a shackle the size of a tractor wheel in the middle. Option 1 - pull up 5m upwind, drop Brian in the water with a line let him drift down climb aboard and attach the line. Brian voted against this one. Option 2 - nose up to it (they also have a very nice rubber bumper strip around the edge - nice these Japanese people) and hold station while Brian works out how to lasoo the shackle. All going well, so well in fact that Brian decides to climb on to the bouy to attach the line - Option 2 turns rapidly into option 1, if only he'd tied off to the bouy before he went for a swim. Good news - iPhone was in a brand new zip lock bag! NOT classified as Escapade's first MOB as he fell off the bouy, not the boat. SSSC students will note that the air trapped in his gear (in full oilies) allowed him to stay afloat long enough to swim to the boarding ladder and climb up without deploying his PFD.
Spent the day complaining about the rain and trying to enjoy the view of the island. Did do omelettes and pancakes for breaky and three course japanese lunch both courtesy of Vladimir avec la jocks (and not much else). 2230 now and the wind has finally started to abate, the rain stopped at about 2000. Should be off in a few hours now.

Morning of the 26th and at least it is not raining - touch wood. Pictures of the island,  you can see steam venting in the middle of the frame. Note the wrecks littering the beach.