Splash-In Update

All right, intrepid seaplane pilots–let’s party!   The third time’s a charm!

Saturday, 10 November 2012

at the Taj Mahouse on the James River

 

Here’s the full invitation again:  http://amphibflyer.wordpress.com/2012/10/04/splash-in/

We expect good weather this time.  The forecast is for light air, temp in the 60s, and sunny.

And look–the water’s fine!!!

Okay, so that was in the Aleutians, during WW II.  Here on the James River the water is much warmer– 58º off the end of the pier today.

Carol and I hope to see you on Saturday.

=Don

Where, etc., again:  http://amphibflyer.wordpress.com/2012/10/04/splash-in/

2012 Splash-In

Hey! Hey! Hey!

We’re having a splash-in cook-out on Saturday, November 10 and we hope you can come!

Seaplanes!

Good fellowship!

Fun and Games!

Lunch around 12:30 or 1:00. Nuthin’ fancy, but plenty of grilled burgers, hotdogs, brats. BBQ. Drinks. Etc.

LOCATION

The Taj Mahouse, in Shangri-la-di-da, on the James River, a few miles east of Hopewell VA. We’re on the east side of Jordan Point, just SE of the Route 106/156 Benjamin Harrison drawbridge. (Google “tar bay va”)

Coordinates: (All formats indicate the wrong house in GoogleMaps and GoogleEarth. Ours is white.)

• 37.305000 -77.215000
• 37º 18.300′ -77º 12.900′
• N37º 18′ 17.77″ W77 12′ 53.29″

Radio frequency: 123.375
Phone: 804-543-7110
Street address: 10463 Jordan Parkway, Hopewell, VA 23860. (Google it for an aerial view of the river and the correct house.)

Fresh water. High tide is at noon, so the water will be plenty deep enough for larger seaplanes (but 10-4 PM for PBYs).

SeaReys, Aventuras, and other small tailwheel amphibs can taxi onto the sandy beach. Nosewheels and floats should tail in. PBYs and Clippers tie up to a buoy in deeper water, and we’ll pick you up with the Large Marge Party Barge & Self-Propelled Seaplane Tender. (Only 1 buoy, so bring an anchor if you’ll need one.)

Maps and low-tide info: http://abstractconcreteworks.com/TajMahouseSeaplaneOps/TajMahouseSeaplaneOps.html

Seaplane Games: Well, we might try a few easy ones, like grapefruit bombing or short takeoff, but only if it’s going to be fun for everyone.

RSVP if you can, for a food count or more info. Otherwise… just splash in and take your chances on the grub.

Looking forward to seeing you on the 10th of November!

= Don & Carol Maxwell

P.S. Please pass this on to other seaplane pilots who might be interested in coming.

A Very Small Vision

Around 1996 I happened to buy a copy of KITPLANES magazine on a whim. That evening I lay in bed, leafing though it and came upon an article about the new SeaRey amphibious flying boat seaplane kit. There were a few photos, including one of a SeaRey drawn up on a white sand beach with bright bluegreen waves lapping at the hull.

Immediately I was somewhere on dark water looking at my SeaRey on a green lawn, with my house out of sight behind a grove of trees. It was a remarkable sensation—-I knew it was so!

Then it was gone and I was back in bed with the magazine open on my lap. Everything was mundane again. But the vision persisted, and a few years later I went for a SeaRide ride and bought a kit. Built it and have flown it about 1100 hours so far.