"Blue or red" I asked. "Red" Jeff responded. "Good, I've heard bad things about the blue footed ones" My friend Captain Jeff had just called me asking if I'd be interested in flying with him to Kauai to pick up a Red Footed Booby bird who'd busted his wing and needed a lift to the bird sanctuary in Hawi on Hawai'i's north coast. "Is this a revenue flight? We gonna get paid?" "Nope" Jeff said. "This ones on our dime, but hey, think of all the good karma you're gathering". Yeah, good karma and four and a half bucks gets you a foo foo cup of coffee. So we'll be risking our lives to fly 500 miles over open ocean with high trade wind warnings already being issued to pick up a critter than has wings of it's own and bring him back to the Big Island and have to pay for it ourselves. Normally I would have told them to stick him in a FedEx box, poke a couple holes in it for air and let them deliver it overnight.
But I had an alternative reason to accept a flight to Kauai that made up my mind for me. My best friends mom, Pat Bickel is a remarkable woman. She lives in Lihue, Kauai today but spent many years in Kaloko here in Kona. She and her husband of over 65 years Phil, were a big part of my families lives as my kids grew up. Her only son, Scott was responsible for my having started my life in Kona in 1975. He was to be the best man at my wedding but died on his trimaran in hurricane Hugo in 1989. Scott's dad Phil stood in for him as my best man the day I married in 1990. A year ago last Saturday Phil passed away. I stop by and see Pat every time I have flight to Lihue and on one of these occasion's she told me of her days as a pilot in World War Two. She was a Civil Air Patrol pilot watching the coast off the north eastern US for Nazi submarines. Here you see her in 1943 next to a Taylor Craft she regularly flew over the Atlantic Ocean off New England.
Several months ago I dropped into Lihue on a job and managed to get myself invited to a free dinner at Pat's daughter Lindsay's house. The discussion naturally turned to my flight that day and I regaled them with tales of my astonishing skill and bravery which were needed to make it to their island unscathed. Pat let out with a loud "Oh nonsense! In my day I could fly circles around you!" Hmm thought I. "Alright, next time I'm up this way how's about I put you in the cockpit and you prove it!" I said. Her eyes were alight and a broad tooth filled smile came over her face as she asked,"Really?" "You bet" I told her.
So here was my real reason to fly 26Mike, the call sign of my plane, to the far distant Garden Island of Kauai. My partner in 26Mike Captain Jeff and I lifted off from Kona airport at 8:20 AM climbing into a rather sour looking sky of grey clouds and a slight drizzle hoping things would improve once we were away from land. We crept under a low cloud bank off of Makalawena Beach until rapidly climbing above the mist and were rewarded with beautiful clear blue skies from the tops of the 4,000 foot cloud bank all the way to heaven. Absolutely gorgeous! Turn left to a heading of 310˚ and we were on our way to the farthest of Hawai'ian Islands.
We found Pat and Lindsay anxiously awaiting our arrival at Lihue airport. I asked Pat if she still wanted to go fly with me and a wry smile and firm slap on my arm let me know the answer. Here are a few shots of us before taking off.
After Pat and I took off I turned west toward Poipu and told her to take the controls. She looked at me a bit unsure and shook her head. "Hey, this isn't American Airlines, you have to earn your way here." I said and took my hand off the yoke. She grinned and grabbed the stick firmly with both hands. "No free rides on 26Mike" I blandly stated.
Pat did a great job as pilot as we flew along the beautiful west coast of Kauai. I'd fly with her as my first officer any day.
After we landed a beautiful red Waco taxied up before us as we walked back to the terminal. I couldn't resist taking a photo of Pat in front of a red tail dragger 60 years to the month after the photo above of her in front of a red 1940's one! It was a great flight and one I know that she and I will always remember. As we approached the door to the GA terminal Pat told me an old joke I had heard years ago. "A pilot asks a young boy what he wants to be when he grows up and the boy says when he grows he wants to be a pilot. The old pilot looks at the boy and tells him: 'Well, you're gonna have to decide between the two, cause you can't do both!"
I left Pat in the loving hands of her daughter after telling her that as a Certified Flight Instructor I will sign Pat's logbook and she is now current and ready to fly solo anytime she wishes.
Jeff and I collected our booby prize and headed for the plane. As I took the photo below I grinned thinking about all the hundreds of unhappy passengers in the terminal two hundred yards behind Jeff who were currently undergoing searches, seizures, probing and third degree interrogation just for the right to get on a plane and here we are picking up a Red Footed Booby and walking through an unlocked door across the same airfield to our own plane, unsearched, unasked, unprobed and with as much liquids as we choose to carry. Man it's good to be the pilot of your own plane!
We jammed the critter into the cargo bay did our preflight and took a look around at the beauty surrounding Lihue airport before firing up the engine.
I grabbed a self portrait of Jeff and I as we climbed out towards Oahu enroute to Hawai'i. A couple of almost old men still living the lives of young boys!
As we approached Ka'ena Point I thought I would share what my office window in fact does look like. I have referred to it in my Monday e-mails many times and now here you can see what I actually shoot through and what my office looks like from the inside.
Here you see the western most point of land on Oahu, Ka'ena Point
Our flight path to Upolu Airport took us directly over Oahu. Here you see Pearl Harbor and the Honolulu airport from 9'500 feet above.
A Hawaiian heavy 767 swept in below us as it arrived from the madland full of happy tourists.
Waikiki opened itself below us allowing me to grab a series of wonderful photos of this great place.
As Jeff and I turned away from the beauty of Honolulu and Waikiki far below us we gazed forward and were amazed at what we saw. We were abreast Hawaii Kai on Oahu's east end and far in front of us we could clearly see Molokai on the left, Lanai and Maui in the center and far distant there was Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa mountains on our home island of Hawai'i! Those mountains are over 160 miles away from where we now sat! Absolutely amazing.
Upolu Point is the very northern most point of land on the island of Hawa'i and just feet above the wave swept rocks is a small unmanned runway. The bird folks asked if we could drop the booby there as it was just a few miles from their facilities in Hawi. The wind was blowing very hard just off the left of the runway at 25+ knots. Brisk, but not a problem for pilots of extraordinary skill and daring like Jeff and I. Only our astonishing modesty and humility overshadows our flying abilities and good looks.
Here are a couple of views of me with and without the booby at Upolu Airport when we deliver the bird.
Before handing off the booby I grab a shot of our erstwhile passenger. His feet don't look red to me, what do you think?
After climbing out of Upolu we turn east and head for home. It is now approaching six hours that Jeff and I have been flying...and boy are our arms tired! Looking towards Hualalai we see a huge dramatic thunderhead billowing up above Mauna Loa behind our destination on the slopes of Mount Hualalai.
Fortunately all is clear and good as we approach our home port of Kona. An uneventful landing and tie down ends our aerial adventure from one end of the Hawaiian Islands to the other. I hope that you have enjoyed my snapshots and scribbles today and if you know some one you think might enjoy reading this also, please forward it to them
Aloha!
Brian
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