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SAPPORO, Japan – After fours days of enduring sub-freezing
temperatures and driving snow, the Navy Misawa Snow Sculpture Team
completed its “Lone Sailor” sculpture, Feb. 4, 2012, just in time
for the 63rd Annual Sapporo Snow Festival here.
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February 4, 2012 - The 2012 Navy Misawa
Snow Sculpture Team was, from left, Information Systems Technician
3rd Class Zachary James, Aviation Electronics Technician Airman
Trevor Teschel, Electronics Technician 2nd Class James Johnston,
Chief Builder Christopher "Billy" Knox, Aviation Machinist's Mate
2nd Class Alvin Zuilan, and Seaman Herschel Moore. The team traveled
from Naval Air Facility Misawa to Sapporo in order to build "The
Lone Sailor" snow sculpture, and also to represent the base during
the 63rd Annual Sapporo Snow Festival. This is the 29th year Navy
Misawa has sent a team to take part in this festival. Photo by
Senior Chief Petty Officer Daniel Sanford
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The six–man team, comprised of sailors assigned to Naval
Air Facility Misawa or one of its tenant or deployed
commands, worked diligently through the week to create the
sculpture from nothing more than a six-foot-by-six-foot
block of compressed snow – give or take a few inches.
“The block's measurement weren't quite as advertised,”
said Snow Team Leader Christopher “Billy” Knox, who sketched
out the intended design on graph paper prior to arriving in
Sapporo. “Transferring the sketched draft of the Lone Sailor
from graph paper to the block was a bit of a challenge
because we had to make adjustments on the fly. But once we
made compensations for its actual size, it was easy to chalk
up some proportionate graphing lines.”
Following the
tedious process of measuring and drawing out equally
distanced horizontal and vertical lines, the team used the
lines to draw out the design on the snow using markers. Upon
completion, the team began to sculpt.
Carefully
sheering away excess snow and ice, it wasn't long before a
Navy white hat began to take shape.
“Once we got an
idea of how it would all look, we started chipping away and
eventually began making some headway,” said Cryptologic
Technician Collection Seaman Herschel Moore, a native of
Bandera, Texas, and snow team member. “I think the biggest
challenge arrived when we had to make the face. Ensuring the
face and ears were even on both sides took some effort.”
Information Systems Technician 3rd Class Zachary James
said his biggest challenge was working in the Sapporo
weather.
“The cold,” said the Seattle native. “Out
here in the elements, eight hours at a time, it can take its
toll. You're dealing with frozen hands, frozen toes, but
we're dressed warm and in layers so it hasn't been very
detrimental”
By the end of the first day, a human
form began to take shape, and with every subsequent day,
remarkable progress was made before the team retired each
night.
“The team's performance has been outstanding,”
said Knox, who originally hails from Chapin, Ill. “They are
extremely motivated; a lot of heart-and-soul went into this
whole project,”
The team's prodigious effort also
drew an audience of onlookers each day. Team members were
inundated with questions and photo requests, which they were
always willing to provide with a smile.
“The fellas
love interacting with the locals that passed by each day,”
said Knox. “Many of the spectators were very curious about
what we were making, where the original “Lone Sailor” is
located, and the overall meaning of it. It may have slowed
down our progress some, but getting the opportunity to
interact with the Japanese people is the most gratifying
part of this whole project.”
In fact, every member of
the team seemed enamored with Sapporo and its citizens.
“The city has been amazing,” said Moore. “The people are
so nice and kind, they go out of their way to make you feel
welcome.”
Which may be the reason Knox decided to add
a late addition to the sculpture's base. On the final day of
sculpting, Knox added a small display made of snow just
underneath the sculpture's chin. On it, he carved out the
Japanese Kanji symbol for friendship: “tomodachi.”
“We may not speak the same language, but I think we
understand the important relationship we share with each
other," said Knox. “We want the locals who come out and see
the sculpture to know that our hearts and friendship is here
with it. We're happy to live and serve in Japan.”
This is the 29th year that Navy Misawa has sent a delegation
of sailors to Sapporo to build a sculpture and represent the
base during the festival. The 63rd Annual Sapporo Snow
Festival runs from Feb. 6-12, 2012.
By Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Daniel Sanford
Naval Air Facility Misawa
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2012
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