Betty wrote me this spring to share some of the experiences she and her husband Walt had finding floats in Okinawa. Here's her story:
We were stationed on Okinawa back in 1979 until 1982; found fabulous floats when we visited our Okinawan friends on the Motobu Peninsula. One January day (about a week after a storm on the mainland) we found 26 large glass floats in a 2 mile stretch of beach!!
Just prior to leaving Okinawa we introduced our friends (the one now in DC) to the Bize area and they had the same luck - always about a week after a mainland storm. They were on the island for two years after we left.
Needless to say, we brought them all home with us. Not only do we have the large ones, but many small ones and the ones called Russian rollers. They bring back many happy memories of a wonderful time in a faraway place.
I still go back to visit our friends; and if I'm lucky enough to find a glass float - the thrill is still the same.
My husband went out immediately after a typhoon - to the east side of the island at White Beach and found one of the double floats, which is very special.
Thanks for sharing your pictures Betty!
The floats from that January day in 1982!
Nice collection!
Some of the floats found on Okinawa displayed at their home in the states.
Notice the binary float on the left and the odd shaped rolling pin float in front. The float in the rear appears to be an amber or brown colored float.