Okay, enough of when everything goes wrong, thud, and sadness. Flying has brought me great joys and tears of happiness over the decades.
The photo above is from my second trip to Alaska. My first cruise, from Seattle up the Pacific Coast, Glacier Bay, and into Juneau. I had booked a helicopter tour, that landed on the Mendenhall Glacier, I even had tumblers and a flask of whiskey to savor a little drink with ice thousands of years old. When the ship docked, it was very windy, and the helicopter tours were cancelled. We were offered a float plane tour as a slightly lower cost replacement.
It was my second time riding in a float plane, I had some idea what to expect - it was sweet bears first time. Walking out to board, the pilot looked at me and asked, "you look like you are about 250 pounds, would you mind riding in the co-pilot seat, I need to move a little weight forward." That was the second fastest yes in my life.
The take off in a sea plane is noisy, with water splashing as the plane gains speed, then lifts off. Juneau is at the end of an inlet with mountains on both sides of the channel. The glacier was about 10 miles down the straight. The weather was miserable, low clouds, rain, I watched the radar as we flew in the clouds between the mountains down the chanel. For an aviation geek, it was an absolute wonder to watch. The rain stopped and we had a great view of the glacier, circling a couple of times, then back down the channel to the port.
I looked back to watch the faces of the crowd as we came in for the landing. Landing on the water is a real surprise, so smooth and quiet that it brings tears of wonder to the eyes of first timers. As the plane slowed and settled into the water, there was hardly a dry eye on board.
I would do that again, anytime.
I'd forgotten that. We had whisky with very old glacier ice in Canada.
ReplyDeleteI've no idea of you weight of 250 pounds, but if it got you the co-pilot seat, great and while I am not keen on planes, your trip sounds so good.
I am a large person.
DeleteA memory to savour!
ReplyDeleteI need to find the photos from landing on Denali.
DeleteYou recall the adventure very well. Thanks for sharing. I had never heard the term "float plane" before. In Great Britain I believe we call it a "sea plane" even though it may sometimes be used on freshwater lakes and rivers. Is there a difference between them?
ReplyDeleteThere are two forms, a plane on floats - most high wing land based aircraft can be fitted with floats, and flying boats. The flying boat designs are designed to primarily fly on and off of water, with a boat like hull, often with retractable landing gear so they can operate from land, or taxi out of the water on a boat ramp. Of the two - a land based design fitted with floats is much more common.
DeleteI'd love the landing, I think, but the take-off? Not so much.
ReplyDeleteStill, a great memory; my sister lived in Alaska for a spell and I remember visiting her and how gorgeous the land was, untouched in many parts.
I flew north out of Anchorage in a small plane, and about 100 miles out I seeing homes around the lakes and the pilot said, now look for what is not there, no roads, no power lines for 30-40 miles in any direction.
DeleteWhiskey (or whisky) with thousand year old glacier ice is now on my list of things to do.
ReplyDeleteThe inside passage cruise was great fun.
DeleteGreat photos and you've described the event so beautifully. Makes me want to try it too.
ReplyDeleteIf you get a chance, the last I knew there were float plane tours in San Francisco.
DeleteYou describe it well. I will never do this, tho.
ReplyDeleteWe all take risks in our own way
DeleteI’d load my pockets with rocks just to ride in the co-pilot’s seat! That’s a dream flight.
ReplyDeleteYou would need a lot of rocks.
DeleteThat truly was an "adventure in flying".
ReplyDeleteI've done this a couple of times.
Deletegood for you! I admire your courage and adventure!
ReplyDeleteYou only live once, so live and enjoy!
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