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Flying in the USA

  Floatplanes are exciting
Road Trip to the US + Canada NE - 2004,  overview Trip to Alaska
Road Trip: Boulder - Bismarck USA Travels in 2003
Bismarck - Winnipeg Soggy trip in France
Winnipeg - Sault Ste. Marie  
Sault Ste. Marie  -  Parry Sound Visit to Japan
Floatplane Flying at Parry Sound Flying in Japan
Parry Sound -   Ottawa  
Ottawa - Montreal - Quebec  
New Brunswick  
Prince Edward Island (PEI)  
Nova Scotia  
   
Seaplane Bases, Friends and Great People encountered on our Trip  

 

Road Trip  2004

 

Road Trip  2004

 

The drive from Saint John was uneventful until the Confederation Bridge which spans New Brunswick with PEI. It is 13 kilometers long and brings you to the very charming Port of Borden with its welcoming tourist center and colorful little houses - all tourist traps. Charlottetown was only a short distance.

The next day, after a great cup of coffee complete with scrumptious goodies, the first exploration of our two day stay was to seek out the northern shore by car by way of mostly remote dirt roads lined with colorful foliage. Long red sandy beaches void of people, beckoned us to stroll and take pictures of birds going about their business and a lone fishing boat off the coast exchanging the lobster crates. On the drive back to Charlottetown, we sometimes threaded between small fisherman's huts and magnificent summer homes, often advertising B & B's. Inland we passed dairy farms and potato fields (PEI supplies Canada with one third of  it's potato needs), apple orchards and fall roadside stands displaying big orange pumpkins and the harvest of the season. Once back at the motel, we caught our breath for a half hour and then went to dinner at one of the highly recommended restaurants. It was good, not great.

First thing next morning was once again, another cup of that great coffee to kick start the day. Now on the way to the laundromat, or so we thought, when Ueli spotted a seaplane starting it's descent into the harbor. We ran to meet it and asked the pilot if he had any time left in the day for a few hours - he did! Not only that, but he let both of us fly the plane and he became the tour guide. We took off and snaked along the southern coast. Along the way, we saw huge vertical red cliffs getting pounded with waves from the Northumberland Strait. Heading north were beaches of seals frolicking in the water, beautiful winding coastlines, inland rivers which fed into the sea (one of which we followed was the Murray River where we landed for gas), homes of various sizes and fishing villages protected with mammoth sand dunes from the turbulent seas. Our pilot, Mark, pointed out the lighthouse which was the first to receive the distress radio signal of the Titanic.

Then heading east, were more beautiful red beaches, red rocks and  sand dunes barricading the beaches from the inland territory. From the north shore on the way back to Charlottetown, we picked up the Hillsborough River, followed it right into the Town and watched the River feed into the Hillsborough Bay. Along the way were blueberry fields already harvested, a popular marshy lake with wild cranberry bushes, potato fields, a winery, and a multitude of farms. As we came closer to Charlottetown the voice of the air traffic controller came over the radio reporting to a newly arriving plane each position of the various aircraft in the area. Flying at 600 ft above the water none of them was of concern. What was more important was the wind coming from 360degrees at 4 knots, which meant we were already on downwind for our approach for landing in the harbor. We could expect a very calm landing and do a lively step taxi right up to the peer. We took our pictures, paid up on the planks of the dock and bid our very nice pilot/guide, Mark Coffin, owner of Tartan Air, a fond goodbye until next time! He has the only seaplane operation in all of Prince Edward Island. We highly recommend you make a special visit to go on a spectacular flying tour of this island.

The day ended in a splendid little restaurant with a light dinner and a glass of wine. We went back to the room and dreamed of seaplane flying all night. We had our flying fix and were ready to move on to the next destination. It has been our favorite place to date. We will come back! It is one of the jewels of the world.

 

 
Bridge Across Troubled Waters

Was built for 900 million - as the sea often froze and ferries were troubled by storms.

Bridge Element

In background, tourist Village with Information for PEI.

Lobster Fest

They cannot be more fresh straight from the ocean.

     
Road to the Horizon

Roads in the interiors are often left to nature's will.

Steep Grades

Before you take this ride, make sure there is no water flowing down there.

Robin Hood Country

Peaceful, tranquil roads laid out through the progress of time.

     
Farmers Market

It is pumpkin time -  a   competition for the largest is often a town event.

Getting Ready

Farmers are busy in the field while people in town weatherproof their houses.

Cauliflower Harvest

Keep up the pace, there's still much that needs to be done.

     
Light Houses Everywhere

Many river inlets are home for fishermen. Often a light house is nearby.

Ready to go

We finally found the only floatplane operator on PEI and he had time.

Who has Right of Way?

The waters in the harbor are calm and the wind steady. Large ships move slowly not to run aground.

     
Charlottetown

Nice little town protected from the storms. Still, large ships can visit.

Tallest Lighthouse on Is.

On the south tip of the peninsula guiding ships to the Charlottetown Harbor.

Fall Colors at the Shore

Not only trees change their colors. This seaweed displays it's fall red.

     
Fueling Stop

Modest arrangement of service facilities. Just pull up the truck.

Mussel Farm

Long hard work for harvesting that little piece of delicacy.

Fishermen's Home-Base

A small river serves as a harbor that is open only part of the year. Winters are long and lonesome.

     
Sandbanks are Traps

What looks like a convenient harbor from the water can be a trap. Fun for the summer swimming guests though.

Guesthouses

Prominent shore locations in remote areas. Golf courses are some of the finest.

Easternmost Lighthouse

East tip of the island pointing out to the occasionally rough Atlantic weather.

 
Weather Beaten North-Coast

Beautiful beaches with sand dunes stretch along the Atlantic shoreline.

Blueberry Fields

The appear red as harvesting is over. They now wait for next year.

Writing the Bill

Mark does not need an expensive office to swipe the credit card!

     
 

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This page was serviced last on October 1, 2004