– Mentawai 2013 –
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Another disaster in the news today: a ferry caught fire after one of the passengers dropped negligently a cigarette in a trash, 6 dead, 7 missing. Two days later, another one capsized from the impact of a large wave, four people were confirmed killed. The number of ferry accidents due to rough seas, overcrowding, poor maintenance, lack of safety or negligence, is scary over there. Our boat rather looks in good condition. On its front stands “safety first” in capital letters, but it rather sounds like a cheap attempt to restore a measure of trust.
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Neko no Myōjutsu

“Truth is, surfing is like a martial art. ”
– Kelly Slater

The Swordsman and the Cat – Issai Chozan, 1727

There was once a swordsman called Shōken, who was very much annoyed by a furious rat in his house. The rat was bold enough to come out of its hiding place even in the daytime, doing all kinds of mischief. Shōken made his pet cat go after it, but she was not its equal, and being bitten by it, she ran away screaming.
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