Every year Kume Island’s Deep Seawater Association hosts an event on the grounds of the Deep Seawater Fureaikan (Tourist Center) to highlight the many products produced with Deep Seawater. Last year, the festival marked the beginning of OTEC operations with a ceremony attended by dignitaries from Japan and around the world. This year, the DSW Research Institute as well as the OTEC facility were opened for tours, while tents and a stage was host to the many locals and visitors to the festival.
This year’s fest included sale-priced Deep Seawater items including Point Pyuru cosmetics, Sea Grapes, Kuruma Prawns, Massages from Bade Haus, and more. As with last year, one of the most popular attractions was the “Naga Mozuku.” At similar summer events, somen (a thin noodle) is often served by sending it along a long bamboo trough, allowing visitors to pick the somen out as it passes by. Instead of somen, the organizers sent mozuku along in deep seawater. Visitors could grab the passing mozuku and then dip it in a sweet and salty sauce.
Deep Seawater Salt and drinking water were also for sale, with participants able to boil the sea water into sea salt to take home in yachimun pottery.
In addition to food, several local groups performed including the Tunnaha Daiko group, Sanshin Nancle, and a group of Hula Dancers. In between stage activities, we at OTEC Okinawa hosted tours and quiz games with prizes. The young and young at heart were also able to learn about other renewable energy with the help of Doraemon!
We look forward to seeing you there next year!
６月１５日（日）、久米島海洋深層水の日Sea Water Dream フェスティバルが開催されました。
梅雨がまだ明けない沖縄地方、準備を行った前日はどしゃぶりだったことから翌日の天候が心配されましたが、当日はまったく雨の降らない恵まれた空の下、大勢の方が会場を訪れました。
深層水関連商品が普段より格安で販売され、深層水から塩づくり体験、深層水を100％使った温浴施設バーデハウスによるワンコインマッサージ、冷たい深層水の足水「フットクール」など、深層水ならではのイベントも多く行われました。
海洋温度差発電実証設備では、４回の見学ツアーを開催し、幅広い年齢や職業の方々に、発電中の設備をご案内しました。
また、今回特別に行われた沖縄県海洋深層水研究所 鹿熊信一郎所長による「サンゴが育む豊穣の海」と、佐賀大学海洋エネルギー研究センターの池上康之教授による「海洋エネルギーと久米島の未来」というテーマの講演では、海洋深層水のさらなる可能性と今後の未来像が示されました。
取水開始から１５年目を迎えた沖縄県久米島町の海洋深層水。今後ますますパワーアップしていく取り組みに、ぜひご注目ください。