Near-Death At Maeda Point

[RECREATION]
Well, all right, maybe we weren't that close to death :P but we did feel rather intense currents trying to pull us out to sea at the same time that rough waters tried to throw us against the sharp coral cliff. Our exhausting thirty-minute struggle against nature seemed to last forever. Some experienced-looking divers got out of the water after us, waving back newcomers and warning them it was too dangerous to proceed.

Don't let what I said scare you, though. Maeda Misaki (真栄田岬) is, from what we were told, normally quite calm, and it is a very popular spot for snorkeling and scuba diving. Also right around the corner is Maeda Flats with its nice sandy beach. To get there, take Highway 6 toward Cape Zampa until you see signs for Maeda Point. Just follow the signs. Park in the parking lot. Try not to use the shower and bathroom facilities there -- kind of dirty. Walk down rock-hewn stairs or climb down the middle of the coral horseshoe cliffs to enter the water. Corals can cut, and sea urchins sting, so be careful!

The first picture is how Maeda Point normally looks like, contrasted with how it actually felt like when we were there:



(first photo by Stephen Heintz; second photo by "C" Hagland)