Water so clear the locals trademarked the name, 'Kerama Blue' regularly gives 40-60m visibility over hard coral, with green…Water so clear the locals trademarked the name, 'Kerama Blue' regularly gives 40-60m visibility over hard coral, with green turtles at Furuzamami reef you can snorkel to from the beach. Humpback whales breed here in winter, and the reefs recovered strongly after 1998 bleaching. Designated Japan's 31st national park in 2014, specifically to protect the water clarity and the coral. The islands were the first landing point of the US invasion of Okinawa in April 1945, and the site of mass civilian deaths, a history the islands still handle carefully. Zamami is also home to the Kerama deer, a protected national monument. Anchorage: Good sheltered anchoring between Zamami, Aka and Geruma. Naha is the full-service base 20nm east. Hazards: Typhoon season Jul-Oct. Box jellyfish and habu-kurage in summer, stinger suits. Meer