Time to be moving on from Churchill. The plane is now prepped for tomorrow's planned departure to Cambridge Bay via Baker Lake. Depending on winds aloft, each of the two legs will be around 3.5 hours, mostly over the "Barren Lands", with the final hour crossing Queen Maud Gulf. Supposed to have cross or quartering tail winds tomorrow, so I am much happier with that than when I was last up in 2003 . Back then was flying VFR very low at only 300 feet AGL to avoid the headwinds. Here is a picture from that flight. To and from - almost nothing but rock and water.
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| Over the "Barren Lands" in August, 2003 at 300' AGL - to Baker Lake, then on to Cambridge Bay |
On that last leg of the 2003 trip (Baker to Cambridge) had all of 15 minutes of fuel left when touching down at Cambridge Bay. Gotta love GPS and with that ETA computer. In looking down, it would have been a very UNcomfortable thought of having to land in the Gulf with the swells back then. Different plane. This Beaver has an additional hour in range capability.
Planning to meet with the Mayor and SAO of Gjoa Haven sometime next week depending schedules and weather.
Look me up when you get here Walt, I did make it in...and it was a little challenging. But the tops were not very high. See you tomorrow.
ReplyDelete[I met Walt yesterday at Churchill Airport, he had just landed in a very nice Quest Kodiak amphib. seaplane. he will be here in Cambridge bay for a week and is flying for Uncle Sam. Where do I sign up?]