Truth is Sometimes Stranger Than Fiction!  

A statue in Pacific Mariners' Memorial Park looks out over the Pacific Ocean (pixibay.com) All other photos mine. 

On my last visit to the Pacific Coast of Northern British Columbia I was intrigued by the fascinating voyage of the 27 foot (approx. 8.2 meter)  boat “Kazu Maru”.   

The Little Boat Found It's Way to Its Sister's Home.......... All on Its Own!

  When the retired civil servant Kazukio Sakamoto left Owase, Japan for a day of fishing on September 25th 1985 no one could have imagined, even in their wildest dreams, what would happen. Kazukio went missing, never to return, but a year and a half later the “Kazu Maru” was found adrift off the Queen Charlotte Islands (now known as Haida Gwaii) some 7,000 kilometers (3,450 miles) away.  

Without a crew the little boat went to its sister's home more than 7,000 km away!

The Kazu Maru on display in Pacific Mariners' Memorial Park in Prince Rupert B.C.

My son enjoys a free concert as The Kazu Maru (on the right) enjoys a prominent place in the Memorial Park

A Strange Coincidence Indeed! 

  The boat was taken to Prince Rupert where it was identified and was discovered to have come from Owase which had been the sister city of Prince Rupert since 1968! What a coincidence! The connection between these two tiny coastal cities was now forged more strongly together through this tragic loss at sea!  

  Volunteers decided to restore the boat and make it part of a permanent display in the newly created Pacific Mariner’s Memorial Park which is dedicated to all mariners who have lost their lives in the Pacific Ocean.  

  This unbelievable coincidence has brought the sister cities so close together that during the official opening of the park Mrs Sakamoto, members of her family and other officials from Owase helped to dedicate this permanent memorial.    

• Do you agree that truth is sometimes stranger than fiction?
• Do you know of other strange coincidences?

I hope that you enjoyed "The Strange Tale of The Mystic Voyage of The Kazu Maru"!

Until next time,

@kus-knee (The Old Dog)

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