`Commodore` Mitsu: Japan’s Real-Life `Mariner` #japan #waterworld #turtle

Meet Mitsuharu Kume — the closest real-world equivalent I’ve ever found to Kevin Costner’s “Mariner” from Waterworld. He may not have gills (that I know of), but he has everything else: a life shaped by tides, storms, shipwrecks, deep dives, and a lifelong devotion to the ocean. Mitsu is a fisherman, diver, sailor, photographer, conservationist, educator, and a father. He began life as a marine civil engineer designing harbours in Tokyo… but quickly realised he didn’t want to design the ocean — he wanted to live in it. So he left the office, joined an offshore fishing boat, and never looked back. During his years on Tanegashima he became deeply involved in sea turtle conservation and launched Sea Turtle Crew, an NPO dedicated to protecting loggerhead turtles and teaching island children about the marine world they inherit. 👉 www.turtle-crew.com Today, Mitsu is preparing a 33-foot Coura (a 1969 Ranger 33) to follow the turtles’ ancient route to Mexico. 🌊 Buren Bay — Our Harbour, Our Community Buren Bay is more than the mooring point for my sailboat, Wahine. It is my longevity laboratory, my home for reflection and writing… and the home of Mitsu — the unofficial Commodore of our tiny, informal yacht harbour. Living beside him has taught me more than any textbook, lecture, or seminar ever could. He has helped me navigate treacherous weather, introduces me to the community, and on stormy days when reaching my boat is “adventurous,” he offers me his guest room. 🌿 Lessons From Mitsu Our conversations on the steps of his vintage seaside home drift from philosophy to nonsense, from purpose to parenting, from seamanship to gratitude. He reminds me to be brave. To be kind. To work hard. To respect the sea. And to stay rooted: in family, in community, in responsibility. His 92-year-old mother — sharp, independent, living life on her own terms — embodies the resilience I’ve spent two years studying on my journey across Japan. We all need a Mitsu in our life — someone who keeps us honest, grounded, and moving forward under full sail. thanks to Mitsu for providing some of the footage 🌏 Learn more about Mitsu’s sea turtle conservation work: ➡️ www.turtle-crew.com 00:00 – Meet Mitsu: Japan’s Real-Life “Waterworld” Mariner 00:36 – A Life Lived in and on the Ocean 01:12 – From Tokyo Engineer to Offshore Fisherman 01:49 – Survival Stories: Sinking Boats and Deep Waters 02:27 – Tanegashima & The Birth of Sea Turtle Crew 03:05 – Protecting Japan’s Loggerhead Turtles 03:42 – A Sailor’s Dream: Preparing to Cross to Mexico 04:13 – Patagonia, Vegetable Oil Vans & Island Education 04:48 – Life in Buren Bay: Wahine, Community & Friendship 05:28 – Mitsu’s Wisdom: Family, Purpose & Living Fully 06:07 – Lessons Learned Beside a Mountain Stream 06:42 – The 92-Year-Old Mother Who Still Inspires 07:15 – Why We All Need a Mitsu in Our Life If your video ends earlier or later, I can adjust timestamps—just #Japan #Okinawa #Amami #BurenBay #SailingLife #OceanConservation #SeaTurtles #LoggerheadTurtles #Waterworld #MitsuharuKume #LongevityProject #PacificSolo #NeverTooLateAcademy #JapanStories #SailboatLife #IslandLifeJapan