Blind Japanese sailor completes non-stop Pacific voyage
REUTERS
A blind Japanese sailor has completed a non-stop Pacific crossing, reportedly making him the first visually impaired person to do so.
Mitsuhiro Iwamoto, 52, sailed the 8,700-mile (14,000 km) crossing with the help of a sighted navigator.
His 12m (40 ft) yacht made port in Fukushima on Saturday morning, ending his two-month trip.
He left California on 24 February with Doug Smith, an American navigator who assisted him.
His first attempt at the journey in 2013 ended in failure after his boat struck a whale and sank. He had to be rescued by the Japanese military.
Speaking at the port of Iwaki, he told Japan's Kyodo News that completing the challenge on his second attempt was a "dream come true".
REUTERS
"I'm the happiest person on earth," he said, according to the news agency.
Mr Iwamoto, who lost his sight aged 16, steered the vessel while Mr Smith gave him verbal guidance, advising him on wind directions and potential hazards.
He is the first blind person to successfully sail across the Pacific without stopping, the Japan Blind Sailing Association says.
GETTY IMAGES
Determined to make the crossing second time around, Mr Iwamoto - a Japanese citizen who currently lives in San Diego - took part in triathlons.
"We undertake this voyage not only for personal accomplishment, but to send a message that anything is possible when people come together," Iwamoto wrote on his website.
He and Mr Smith made the voyage to raise money for charity and for efforts to prevent diseases that cause blindness.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephine_Baker
Josephine Baker (born Freda Josephine McDonald, naturalised French Joséphine Baker; 3 June 1906 – 12 April 1975) was an American-born French entertainer, activist and French Resistance agent. Her career was centered primarily in Europe, mostly in her adopted France.
The Josephine Baker Story · Sara Josephine Baker · Jean-Claude Baker · Zouzou
約瑟芬·貝克，或譯喬瑟芬·貝克（英語：Josephine Baker，1906年6月3日－1975年4月12日）是移居法國的非裔美國藝人與演員。她於1937年成為法國公民。貝克以身為歌手聞名，但她在演藝生涯早期也是位馳名的舞者。她被暱稱為「黑人維納斯」或「黑珍珠」，在英語國家並有美名「克里奧爾女神」。在法國，她地法文名稱為「La Baker」。
傳記[編輯]
貝克出身自美國聖路易的貧民窟，家境貧困，僅以翻拾垃圾桶維生。[3]但她的樂觀天性和舞蹈天分被發掘，加入了聖路易合唱團展開歌舞生涯。不久，她在歐洲巡迴時取得了驚人的成功。
貝克是第一位主演主流電影、登上美國音樂廳及成為國際知名藝人的非裔美國女性。她也以為美國民權運動的貢獻著稱（科麗塔·史考特·金恩曾在1968年、馬丁·路德·金遭刺以後，邀請她擔任運動的領袖，但她婉拒了）。
二次大戰爆發後，貝克被法國情報局吸收作為間諜，在歐洲各地表演並暗中蒐集德國或義大利的情報。1940年法國陷落之後，鑑於對法國的情感，她熱情地投身於法國抵抗運動，以藝人身分掩護其他抵抗軍成員活動，還在北非舉辦多次勞軍表演。戰後貝克榮獲榮譽軍團勳章，也是首位出生美國、榮獲法國軍事榮譽英勇十字勳章的女性。[4]
1949年貝克回到女神遊樂廳。身為戰時的英雄，貝克成功接演嚴肅性質的節目，重新成為巴黎最受歡迎的藝人之一。
1975年4月8日貝克復出表演慶祝自己50周年的演藝生涯，表演由摩納哥王妃葛莉絲·凱莉贊助，演出盛況超出預期以至於得臨時增加座位。4月12日腦出血於巴黎病逝，享年68歲。法國政府為其舉行國葬，許多法國人也參與遊行來哀悼。
"Artist: Zig, (Louis Gaudin) - 1936. Josephine Baker. Technique: Lithograph/Letterpress Print 1930. Size: 13.7 x 10.6 in. (35 x 27 cm)"
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