Need some WX (weather) experience on Okinawa...

[Justaclerk]

...I'll 'splain later.

[SOTB]

What kind of "experience?"

I was there for 2 years. I've been to all parts of the island. I've been through all seasons there. And through a couple of typhoons.

I think RAT was there for almost 5 years....

[Justaclerk]

What kind of "experience?"

I was there for 2 years. I've been to all parts of the island. I've been through all seasons there. And through a couple of typhoons.

I think RAT was there for almost 5 years....

...are some areas drier than others?

[SOTB]

...are some areas drier than others?Hmm, the Northern Training Area (NTA) seemed to have denser vegetation and more water than the training areas towards the center/middle. I honestly don't ever remember training in the southern part of the island.

Except for the comments on NTA seeming to have more water -- and that might be simply due to reservoirs, I don't believe it rains any less on one part of the island vice the other. I think I remember reading that Okinawa has some of the only subtropical rainforests on the planet (if not THE only). The NTA is considered a "rain forest", I think. So maybe it does rain more there.

But it has been a long time -- I'm sure there are better qual'd people who can chime in....

[HighDragLowSpeed]

I think I remember reading that Okinawa has some of the only subtropical rainforests on the planet (if not THE only).

I believe that the Yungas in Bolivia are also subtropical rainforests. Highjack complete.

[SOTB]

I believe that the Yungas in Bolivia are also subtropical rainforests. Highjack complete.Oops -- I think I should have included the part about their being "only islands in the world where subtropical rain forests exist...." This is my fault for writing about something I am going almost completely off of memory. I don't know if the below link is accurate -- but it was the only one I could find to substantiate my understanding of the rainforests on Oki....

http://www.japanupdate.com/?id=4763

[Richman]

I was there for 6 years straight. Stationed on Camp Foster but lived for the time off to go about in my Z-car, and I spent a butt load of time in all places on the rock (when not in a night club).

Are you planning a wedding there? Want to find a place to retire? Looking for the best place to catch a tan? Or looking for the best place to grow illegal plants? (<-NO, I didn't do that!*) :biggrin:

Okinawa is 63 miles long and 11 miles wide at its widest. It's not very big to have a wide difference in weather from one point to another. Maybe it would help if you explained the reason(s) why you need to know, and those of us who can help will be able to help you better with a more precise answer.

[RAT]

I was there for 6 years straight. Stationed on Camp Foster but lived for the time off to go about in my Z-car, and I spent a butt load of time in all places on the rock (when not in a night club).

How did you pull off 6?

I had to get a letter from the HQMC to allow me my 5th yr and that was because I was never allowed leave when I was there. I was involuntarily extended once and 2 times someone put the paper work in for me when I was at Schools (involuntarily I may add).

I was there from 90 to 95.

RO!!!

[Richman]

Jan - July 1984 I was TAD there and came back to the stumps to check out of my unit and went straight back (I reenlisted for Okinawa). I then kept extending. My last extension took me to my EAS which was 31 Oct of 1988. I discharged on Island (fucking had to do all the paperwork myself) and stayed there another year as a civilian.

So minus the 1 to 1.5 months stateside checking out (more like leave time to me), I was on Oki from Jan 1984 to Oct of 1989. Two months short of 6 years.

Every time I extended they gave me a choice of an extra $80 a month or 15 days EML. As I remember, I took the cash twice (booze ate up a good portion of my budget) and the extra leave once.

Good times. I wish I could get them back. I lived in a 3rd floor apartment that looked right out over the ocean in Kitamae. Life was good at 245 yen to the dollar until it dumped down to 120 or something in 85~86 timeframe. Rent went up and I got a live-in girlfriend to help pay the bills. :biggrin:

[SOTB]

Life was good at 245 yen to the dollar until it dumped down to 120 or something in 85~86 timeframe....Dude, I remember that yen rate -- or something very similar (I was there from 81-83). I went back to teach in an MTT in 88 or 89, and WOW -- NOT the same at all. A much different exchange rae -- not very dollar friendly....

[RAT]

Ahh got you... I thought you did the whole time in the Corps... Sort of through me for a loop. LOL

One of my boots is stilll there from 1992. He married a local and never left. He now runs the MWR over there. LOL

As for the Yen rate... Lets talk about the Philippine peso (or piso)

Carrier group out of the area. 1 Dollar = 100 peso's... Carrier group in Subic... 1 dollar = 2 peso. LOL

Ahh the goreat times over there.

RO!!!

[Richman]

Yea, I should have bought that Onkyo stereo on Gate 2 street I was eyeballing before the rate change. Price went up and I had other priorities. ;)

[Richman]

Carrier group out of the area. 1 Dollar = 100 peso's... Carrier group in Subic... 1 dollar = 2 peso. LOL

Ahh the goreat times over there.

RO!!!

I should have got off the plane at Clark when I did my PCS move from the stumps to the rock. I took the milk run on a 141 from Norton all the way to Oki. As it was, I stayed in the terminal for 3 hours waiting for the bird. I had priority on MAC flights for space-A as it was a PCS, and I was not even half way through my 30 days leave on the trip. I should have stayed and played.:(

Later, when I tried to take leave to the PI it was restricted because of guerrillas. You had to have family there or be on orders to get there. I missed out on the fun.

I went with my unit back in 2005 and paid a visit to Angeles and Manila. I tried to make up for lost time. :biggrin:

[Ole crusty bastard]

1975-6-7, Expo 76 was free for GI's, one typhoon, 300 to 1 exchange rate. The Hilton was the place to party. Sam's by the Sea had Kobe Steaks cooked on the table in front of you and those tropical rum drinks that would cross your eyes.

I live in South Florida and the weather is great, I recall Okinawa being a little milder in the summer and the winters, well, what winter?

The main drawback was those freekin sea snakes!

[bugeater]

Fucking guys. Your old yen rates and shit. We're lucky if we pull 90 yen right now. Often it's below. Jerks :)

[Richman]

One of my boots is stilll there from 1992. He married a local and never left. He now runs the MWR over there. LOL

I had a couple of my guys go local and do that. I know one that for sure moved back to the states because the jobs on the local economy that were available to Gaijins were scarce and didn't pay much.

Carrier group out of the area. 1 Dollar = 100 peso's... Carrier group in Subic... 1 dollar = 2 peso. LOL

Yea, and I heard if you needed any intel on ship movements or help with your LES all you had to do was ask a bargirl. :biggrin:
Korea wasn't much different in Pohong when the fleet came in. 5~15 bucks for a bar fine, but when they squiddies showed up the price went into triple digits. Plus all the brass beds and Addias bags with the "super YKK zippers" skyrocketed in price. They locked up us on the base for 3 days to keep the fights from breaking out between the Marines and Squids.

Dude, I remember that yen rate -- or something very similar (I was there from 81-83). I went back to teach in an MTT in 88 or 89, and WOW -- NOT the same at all. A much different exchange rae -- not very dollar friendly....

Kinville changed a lot for you too I bet. I think I ate a deep fried cat leg out there while in a stupor. :eek: There was too much shit happening there (I remember a 12 yo getting raped out there, and somehow a 7.62 shot from the range found it's way into a water tank on top of an apartment) and military/civilian politics made life hard on those stationed at Hansen, Courtney, or Schwab.

In 1987 or 88 they almost made the all the ships in our task force turn around, unless the guy(s) who torn down all the Asian Games flags that where hanging up on Kinville turned himself in along with the flags. I guess he turned himself in 'cause we continued on to Korea. :rolleyes:

1975-6-7, Expo 76 was free for GI's, one typhoon, 300 to 1 exchange rate. The Hilton was the place to party. Sam's by the Sea had Kobe Steaks cooked on the table in front of you and those tropical rum drinks that would cross your eyes.

I live in South Florida and the weather is great, I recall Okinawa being a little milder in the summer and the winters, well, what winter?

The main drawback was those freekin sea snakes!

The Expo was still drawing in it's fair share of tourists but everybody paid. I think the Hilton was bought out by ANA and was renamed Palace on the Hill. Moon Beach Hotel was the place for me to hang out and view the sights. Genghis Khan resturant was the resturant to go to and I ran/managed a few bars and clubs in Kitamae and Futenma. I used to make the drinks that would make your eyes cross. Purple Haze and Kamikaze were my fav.

Which brings us back to the weather.... LOL...
It didn't vary termendously from winter and summer like it does stateside (especially here in the PNW) but it would vary on how muggy and humid it would be, to how much of a down pour when it rains. Once you become climatized you will notice a tempurature change and will wear a jacket, but when I first arrived there in Janurary I thought it was hot.

You can see the weather come in from the west. I remember it raining at night and being sunny and muggy during the day but I can't remember what months that happened. Typhoons would come in from the south to south west regions. If I was to pick an area to live, it would be in on the west side of the island north of Camp Foster. The water and wind seemed less abrasive in that area.

And speaking of water - Suba diving was the best. A 3 mil suit is all you needed (if that) (depending on what kind of diving you did) and the natural sights to see (down to about 30 meters) were awesome!

Fucking sea snakes scared the shit out of me but if you wacked them in the middle they lost thier breath and would swim up to the surface for air. That gave you a chance to get some distance from them.

I didn't own a pair of civilian socks while I was stationed in Oki. Didn't need them. Not cold enough.

I took a Space-A hop from Oki to Guam once during Christmas and Guam was fucking hot compared to the rock.

I thought about Florida but I think I'll retire to Guam when the time comes. :smile:

[sawbones]

Richman I was there your time frame. Lived on Lester 300 yards from the helo pad. Learned to dive there, bout shit myself when I saw a whale shark. No probs with sea snakes. You ever go up north where they had snake fights ? Habu's scared the shit out of me.

Gate 2 street was a good time especially the metal bar there. Forget about stereos there. Buy furniture, AWESOME teak furniture.

Good times sitting out typhoons in base housing.

[Richman]

You ever go up north where they had snake fights ? Habu's scared the shit out of me.

I never made it to a snake fight. I don't know why but once I saw it on TV I figured it wouldn't be much different live so I never made the trip.

The fucking banana spiders sucked! I was running through the jungle with my M16, I was a stupid MFer and.... I ran into a big ass web and got bit. My face and neck swelled up like a Mofo. Those things catch birds. :eek: Ahhh, memories from Combat Sqd Ldr School....... :smile:

Gate 2 street was a good time especially the metal bar there.

Which club was that? A-Sign bar on Gate 2 was cool but the old BC Street with it's nightlife was great. Club Denon had the two 7 foot speakers at one end blaring at volume 11. Club Canon had a live band performance all the time. I knew the members of Murasaki. They were a ball to party with after the gigs.

We used to tease the guy who chanted/yelled "Banana! Banana! Banana! Show now! Show now! Show now!" out in front of a bar which name I can no longer remember.

On BC they used to sell trinkets and clothes in the shops. The styles mirrored Modonna and MJ. "Happy Coats" were 5 bucks.

I smashed up a rental car on a pole when it used to be a two way street. Tried to do a u-turn. LOL. I guess they renamed it Peace Avenue, did away with all the clubs, and made it a one-way street. Things change.

Between G2 and BC there was a couple of stores where you could buy pirated movies on VHS or BETA for a couple of bucks each.

I pawned my bass quitar on G2 street and saw it up on the stage at the "Peace Festival". The new owner wanted me to jam with him up on stage during the show but I declined. I was working security there at the time.

Good times sitting out typhoons in base housing.

I was the Radio Chief and Platoon Sgt for Comm Platoon, and Typhoons just meant work for me. Damnit. :mad:

Memories.

Fuck, I'm old.