Kihachiro Aratake

Kihachiro Aratake was the captain of the dive boat for most of my dives. He still dives occasionally, but most of the guiding duties now go to his son Shotaro and the other dive staff.

Kihachiro Aratake

I noticed that Aratake-san always wore the same dive watch, a special edition “Apnea” Omega Seamaster. It was designed for Omega by Jacques Mayol. Aratake-san said that Jacques had given him the watch on one of his several visits to Yonaguni. After Jacques Mayol’s death an underwater plaque was placed off Yonaguni’s coast in his memory.