It all started in January 2004 when a couple of tall ship sailors gathered in Yokohama to form a group, hoping to build a community among those involved in tall ship-related activities and expand its network. We named it “Salty Friends.”

Our main activities include, but not limited to: publishing a monthly e-magazine, organizing various events (e.g. workshops, boarding tours of visiting tall ships, photo exhibitions, lectures...), and hosting volunteer opportunities to work @ ships / museums / festivals in Kanto+Kansaki regions.

The mission of Salty Friends is to promote sail training in Japan, and to create an environment that familiarize more people with ships and the sea by fostering such opportunities.

“Salty Friends Tsushin,” our monthly e-mail magazine, marked the fiftieth issue in June 2008. The below is the special column appeared the following month, showing a brief history of our unique activities in the last four+ years.
We would like to thank everyone who has helped us in the past on this occasion. THANK YOU!!

(We will be updating this post as we sail along.)

<< The Logs of Salty Friends 2004-2008 >>

Jun. 2008
The fiftieth issue of Salty Friends Tsushin published

Jun. 2008
Salty Friends antenna shop “Shiotomo Shokai” opened for two days.
　
Opened @ Tokyo Univ. of Marine Science and Technology campus festival, Kaiwo-sai

Feb. 2008 -current
Salty Friends Volunteer Team - The first day on the job!
　
“Guide Volunteer” @ Museum of Maritime Science started. (Tokyo)

Feb. 2008
SF Photo Exhibition: "Hansen de Ummi Iku? (meaning “wanna go out to sea on a tall ship?”)"
　　
Held @ Nihonbashi Café "Kiya" (Tokyo)

Jan. 2008
“Sailor Maho’s Travel Blog” debut! (on the web)

A blog by sailor Maho, a crew of New Zealand’s tall ship Soren Larsen, giving us a brief peek into the life on board a tall ship.

Jan. 2008
“Salty Friends Volunteer Team” registration system was introduced.

Dec. 2007
SF Lecture: "Navigation Methods in the Era of Tall Ships"
　　
Main Speaker: Capt. Akinori O’gawara (Former pilot for the Port of Tokyo / Former captain of NYK line.)

Included also in the program were: SF staff Q-taro’s Tall Ships’ Races “Med ‘07” Report, and SF (exclusive) Esmeralda Tour Report
Held at Admiral Hall onboard “YOTEI-Maru” @ Museum of Maritime Science (Tokyo)

Nov. 2007
Sea Front Museum in Autumn 2007
　　
Supported the operation of the event as volunteer staff, helped to handle short cruises on yachts and gigs, etc.
Salty Friends antenna shop “Shiotomo Shokai” opened for two days, including workshops and photo exhibition.
Event held ＠ Wakasu Seaside Park (Tokyo)

Nov. 2007
SF’s tour of Esmeralda was covered by KAZI magazine.
The article was appeared on November issue, vol.73, no.11, p.177.

Sep. 2007
SF exclusive visiting tour of the Chilean naval training ship Esmeralda
　
[Limited exclusively to our e-mail magazine subscribers! (No public boarding was held at this time due to *SOLAS regulation.) (Port of Tokyo)
*International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974.

Jul.-Aug. 2007
SF Photo Exhibition: "Kaette Kita! Hansen no Miryoku Ten” (meaning “the charms of tall ships exhibition - returns!")
　
Held @ The shop of miscellaneous goods and tea, "Cafe HaHaHa". (Osaka)

Jun. 2007
Salty Friends antenna shop “Shiotomo Shokai” opened for two days.
　　
Opened @ Tokyo Univ. of Marine Science and Technology campus festival, Kaiwo-sai

May. 2007
Tall Ships’ Parade Yokosuka 2007
　
Supported the operation of the event as volunteer guides, security guards, and crew onboard the participating tall ship, Akogare.
Salty Friends antenna shop “Shiotomo Shokai” opened. (two-day only) (Port of Uraga, Yokosuka)

Mar. 2007
SF was interviewed by KAZI magazine (the most popular yacht magazine in Japan!) to cover our unique activities.

The article was appeared on the April issue, vol.73, no.4, pp.216-217.

Feb.-Jun. 2007
SF Photo Exhibition: “Hansen no Miryoku Ten” (meaning "Exhibition: The Charms of Tall Ships")
　
Held on board MEIJI-maru @ Tokyo Univ. of Marine Science and Technology - Ecchujima Campus

Jan. 2007
Ikaro’s Antwerp Report
　
SF special presentation on tall ships races & festivals by SF staff Ikaro, who traveled to Antwerp, Belgium, the final port of the 50th anniversary Tall Ships’ Races in the summer of 2006.
@ Tsukiji Uogashi Meicha Shinten 5F space "KAI" (Tokyo)

Sep. 2006
Keep up! “Kydd” series!! Campaign (on the web)

SF online campaign to make an appeal to the publisher to continue Thomas Kydd series (- author Julian Stockwin's novels, translated by Yoko Ohmori).

Sep.-Oct. 2006
SF Workshops: “The Tall Ship 3D - Miura version”
　
Held @ Minato-ward Aoyama Continuing Education Hall (Tokyo)

Jul. 2006
SF Workshop: “The Walnuts Tall Ships Mobile - SF version”
　
Held @ Minato-ward Continuing Education Center (Tokyo)

Jun. 2006
Salty Friends antenna shop “Shiotomo Shokai” opened for two days.

Opened @ Tokyo Univ. of Marine Science and Technology campus festival, Kaiwo-sai

Nov.2005 - May.2007
1st. - 12th. Meiji-maru Refit Volunteer
　
(This refit is now suspended as the major refit preparation is being conducted by the Agency for Cultural Affairs)
Held onboard MEIJI-maru @ Tokyo Univ. of Marine Science and Technology - Ecchujima Campus

Nov. 2005
SF special tour on Meiji-maru: the ship is designated by the government as “an important cultural asset”
　
Held @ Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology - Ecchujima Campus (Tokyo)

Sep. 2005
Fundraising appeal to support the Pride of Baltimore II’s “Raise The Rig” campaign (on the web)

(The campaign was in response to the ship’s severe damage caused by the storm encountered off France.)

Sep. 2005
The special lecture delivered by Mr.Ignasio Felnandes Bialu, the director of the Spanish replica ship Nao Victoria
　
Held @ Osaka Maritime Museum (Osaka)

Jul. 2005
SF special tour of the Spanish replica ship Nao Victoria (Port of Nagoya)
　　

May. 2005
SF special tour of the Spanish replica ship Nao Victoria (Port of Tokyo)


Apr. 2005
Salty Friends Tsushin became a monthly publication.

May. 2004
SF exclusive tour of the Chilean naval training ship Esmeralda

The tour also visited the Indonesian naval training ship Dewaruci, which was moored next to Esmeralda. (Port of Tokyo)

May. 2004
“Nishi-Izu Early Summer Drive Tour – guided by Bungo”
A driving tour of Nishi-Izu, visiting maritime museums and a restaurant-tall ship in the area, guided by SF staff Bungo. (Shizuoka)

May. 2004
The e-magazine Salty Friends Tsushin started, covering maritime topics related to tall ships & sail training - published semimonthly.

The “Starboard” issues featured the news on the sea, whereas the “Port” issues covered the news on shore.

Apr. 2004
E-mail magazine SaltyFriends Tsushin pre-first issue published.

Mar. 2004
The first SF organized event: "Master and Commander Backstage Tour"
　
Speaker: Mr. Tom McCluskey (Former “HMS” Rose crew)
Held @ Ushigome-Tansu Regional Center (Tokyo)

Feb. 2004
The blog-style website launched

Jan. 2004
Salty Friends (SF) uttered its first cry in Yokohama, Japan.