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-   -   A day trip to Everglades City (https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=121897)

tc1234c 01-22-2015 08:16 AM

A day trip to Everglades City
 
Last time we had dinner at the Rod and Gun Club at Everglades City we drove with our friends from Marco Island. We always wanted to fly there for airboat ride and for their fresh seafood. I talked to two neighbors, a Diamond Star driver and a Cherokee driver to go with us. Since neither of them are formation pilot we flew with only one of them down and another back in order to take some aerial photos for them.



We picked a beautiful day with some scattered clouds. This beautiful cloud turned out to be smoke coming from the ground.




Arrived at Everglades City and made mid-field crosswind for right traffic runway 15.


Terminal building.

tc1234c 01-22-2015 08:31 AM

We had a airboat reservation and called the company to pick us up from the airport. It is a two mile ride to the dock.


I did not realize that there are almost 60 airboats operating in the city.


At the low tide the water is only a few inches deep.


Without an airboat it is impossible to traverse through the mangrove swamps.


Not many land animals live in the mangrove.


They came out to fish crabs during low tide.


Flying over the water (click to see the video):

tc1234c 01-22-2015 08:38 AM

We asked the airboat captain to drop us off at City Seafood. It saved us 0.6 mile of walking.


Sitting on the 2nd floor we had a beautiful view while enjoying our lunch.


Lunch (I have already finished one soft shell crab)


Airport is 1.6 mile down the road. While walking back to the airport we passed by Rod and Gun's Club. Unfortunately they don't welcome sightseeing tours and we did not go inside to see the old rods and guns in the lobby.


Departing Everglades City Airport. Runway 2,400'x60'.


Heading to Marco Island for an air tour.

tc1234c 01-22-2015 08:47 AM

Marco Island is a crowded place:


If you have more than a million and half you may purchase a flat in the big condo at the tip.


Fly over our friends' condo on the beach.


Get above scattered layer of clouds at 5,500.


Descend into Orlando area (3,500' to clear the permanent Disney TFR)


EPCOT center


After fueled up at Apopka ($3.25/gal) did some photo shoot with a Cherokee.


Hajo is not scared.


Nice day trip, 420 nm flown, 21 gal of 100LL consumed. Life with an RV in Florida is great!

turbo 01-23-2015 04:51 AM

excellent pics ted. sure giving the vman some competition. ;)

you can rent a bike for $5/day too. ;)

let me know next time you are down this way, ill join up with you.

Vlad 01-23-2015 05:25 AM

Great airboat ride! Never been in one on the bucket list. Launching north soon to check Rangeley ice runway and give Ted some competition ... :D

tc1234c 01-23-2015 05:40 AM

Turbo,

Saturday 31st is the Palatka Fly In (postponed from 24th due to weather). They offer free lunch. If you have time come up on Friday afternoon. enjoy our Friday evening Big Tree party and fly-by as Gene suggested in another thread. Come to the briefing on Saturday morning and have fun.

Vlad,

Have fun at the ice runway.

Jesse 01-23-2015 05:48 AM

I might try to make the 31st. Turbo, you're welcome to stay here as well. We don't have a Big Tree party, but we do have some big trees.

flybill7 01-23-2015 06:39 AM

Nice trip
 
Ted, looks like you had a fun trip. Thanks for the write-up and great pics.

Surfdoc 01-23-2015 08:35 AM

Marco Native just moved to the Creek
 
Ted, love the photos of Everglades City and Marco. I grew up on Marco when one could afford it. The area where Those "million" dollar condos at the South tip used to be a missile tracking station during the Cuban Missile Crisis (we played in it as kids). Just moved in the Creek last may and trying to make the rounds and meet everyone. Hoping to start a 7 very soon.


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