全盲ヨットマン、夢と希望の航海

My name is Hiro Iwamoto, a completely blind sailor with a dream to sail across the Pacific Ocean.  On my first attempt in 2013,  the boat was sunk by a whale six days into the voyage-  www.sail-world.com/111129

But, I will challenge again with my friend, Doug.  We undertake this voyage not only for personal accomplishment, but to send a message that anything is possible when people come together.  In this case, a blind (but experienced) sailor and a novice (but sighted) sailor, will each compensate for the other’s weaknesses to complete at non-stop trip across the Pacific that is expected to take 60 days.

This Voyage of Inspiration is about taking action and making a difference, the same theme connecting the causes we wish to support: preventable and curable blindness; enabling those facing challenges; and citizen science, i.e. putting control of data in the public’s hands (the team will be monitoring radiation and pollution levels during the voyage using a monitor provided by SAFECAST).

For about fifty dollars, less than you might spend on a dinner out, you can help restore sight to the blind, help prevent others from becoming blind, facilitate the blind reaching their full potential and help everyone know more about their environment by working with their fellow citizens.

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Mitsuhiro “Hiro” Iwamoto

岩本光弘（イワモト・ミツヒロ）

Hiro Iwamoto is a blind sailor who endeavors to cross the Pacific Ocean from San Diego, where he lives, to Japan, where he was born, as a message to all that blindness and other disadvantages can be overcome.  His first attempt to sail from Japan to San Diego in 2013 ended when his boat struck a whale approximately 600 nautical miles off the coast of Japan and sank. 

Hiro became fully blind at the age of 16.  His condition is total blindness- the complete lack of any light perception.  After battling depression and contemplating suicide, Hiro found meaning for himself in helping and inspiring others.  Hiro never gives up and is always ready for a challenge. He is a member of the Blind Stokers tandem bicycling club of San Diego and recently completed the IRONMAN competition in Arizona.  Hiro’s story

Having lost all of his equipment when the boat sank on the last challenge, Hiro is raising funds to replace lost equipment and to cover personal expenses to undertake this voyage.  Any money raised above those needs will all be donated, pro rata, to the charities above in addition to the $10,000 the team is donating. Details can be found here.

先天性弱視のため、高校生の時に全盲になる。

その苦悩をくぐり抜け、ハンディキャップを越え、ポジティブに生きる道を選ぶ。「もっと広い世界を見たい」と、２２歳の時に奨学金を得てアメリカへ留学。

帰国後「せっかく覚えた英語を忘れたくない」という思いから英語学校に通う。そこで出会ったアメリカ人女性とのちに結婚。その後、夫婦でヨットを始める。

２００６年日本視覚障害者セーリング協会主催の世界選手権に日本代表として出場。

２０１４年夢のヨット大平洋横断に、キャスター辛坊次郎氏と挑戦。しかしマッコウクジラに衝突し遭難。海上自衛隊に命を救われる。

その際にトラウマとなった海と向き合うため、同年トライアスロンを始める。

海で泳ぐ恐怖をパートナーと共に克服し、２０１７年にはトライアスロン大会として有名なアリゾナ州「IRONMAN」に参加、完走する。

「絶対にあきらめない」という信念から、太平洋横断再チャレンジに向けてパートナーを探していたところ、ダグに出会う。

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Doug Smith

ダグラス・スミス（ダグ）

Doug Smith moved to Japan from the United States in 1990 where he started a career in real estate, met his wife, Naomi, and made a new life, including having two daughters, Rachael and Hana.  Feeling fortunate for the opportunities he has had, he is looking for ways to help others and support causes he cares about.

Doug feels strongly about the power of the organizations the team is supporting to make a real difference in the world.  No miracle breakthrough is needed to keep people from going blind and returning sight to those blinded by cataracts, just awareness and relatively modest resources.  The impact on those individuals is obvious.  As importantly, by preventing and curing blindness,  we free those who would otherwise be supporting the blind, usually young children, to pursue  their own dreams.

ヒロのパートナー。ヒロが大平洋横断のパートナーを探していた折、知人に紹介されてヒロと出会う。ヒロの夢の実現をサポートする。

１９９０年にアメリカから日本に移り、そこで現在の妻と出会う。２人の娘と妻とともに日本で長年暮らし、現在は仕事とこのプロジェクトの為にアメリカに拠点を移し、家族が住む日本とアメリカを行き来する生活を送る。

ヨットは初心者だが、アドベンチャー好きで、東海道を自転車で完走したり、新潟〜東京間をラフティングと登山で２方向に分けて縦断するなど、アクティブなライフスタイルを送る。アメリカ人だが妻は日本人という事でヒロとは逆。

ヒロは日本人でアメリカに住み奥様はアメリカ人です。日本のプレジャーボートオーナークラブでヒロの夢を聞き、自ら立候補。世界で一番小さな国際交流の始まりです。

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Dream Weaver

ドリームウィーバー号

“Dream Weaver” is a 40-foot cutter berthed in San Diego.  The name “Dream Weaver” derives from a couple of strands of thought:  First, the interconnectedness of life: each interaction/deed/action, while shared, is simultaneously a separate thread in the stories of the lives of those involved and propagates, like a wave (a weaving),  through time and space so that none of us will ever fully comprehend our contributions to the tapestry of life.  Second, a simple acknowledgement that in sailing, as in life, there is no straight line to the goal.  Rather, we set off pursuing a dream and weave- “tack” in sailing terms – to our destination.

サンディエゴに停泊する全長１２メートルのカッター。名前のDream Weaver は日本語で「夢を織る者」という意味。