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Posted By: Nickens, Dan
Date Posted: Aug 30, 2015
Description: ""Do you want to attend an exclusive birthday party?""
Um, no.
""It's in New Zealand.""
So? Been there done that.
""We want you to fly the new SeaRey for the celebration.""
Done deal.
""It's for a month.""
That's a long party. Maybe I spoke too quickly?
Date Taken: April 2015
Place Taken: Mangawhai, NZ
Owner: Nickens, Dan
File Name: Back in Country.jpg   - Photo HTML
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Category: Yacht_Tending_NZ
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Read what others had to say:

Nickens, Dan - Jul 26,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    "Can you come a little early?"
Why?
"You need to get authorization to fly out of Auckland Harbour."
Auckland Harbour? You mean that ship basin home to huge ship bashing wake? The place where the wind funnels through the channel like a wind tunnel? The harbour that banned us when SuRi was there? The one with a navy base next to the marina? The harbour under the Class B airspace of Auckland International? The one adjoining a major military airbase?
"That's the one."
I definitely spoke too quickly. 		     Attachments:  

Back in Town
Back in Town

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Jul 26,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    "The party is at the new golf course. We have a new landing area there for you."
Somewhere other than the narrow dirt road in the forest I had to use last time?
"Well, it's still that road. But we've cleared the trees and put down metal."
A metal runway?
"Um, 'metal' as in crushed rock."
How long is the clearing?
"Oh, it's massive. We've moved the trees back a 100 meters. "
That's good. How big is the runway?
"It's 400 meters long and 10 meters wide."
Okay. What's on either end?
"Some trees on one side and a sand dune on the other."
That sounds fine for SeaReying. 		     Attachments:  

Land Base
Land Base

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Jul 26,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    What's on either side?
"Well, there's a water retention pit on the west."
That's a six foot drop! And the ocean side?
"Just some sand dunes."
Is it oriented into the prevailing winds?
It's oriented along the coast.
Perpendicular to the winds, then! Great. 		     Attachments:  

The Drop
The Drop

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Jul 26,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    Well, could you at least move the heavy equipment?      Attachments:  

Tara Iti International
Tara Iti International

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Jul 26,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    "You'll have to avoid some areas for environmental reasons."
Oh, you mean like the conservation area to the north?
"Yes. The conservationist group wanted to have you arrested last time for landing in the inlet. This is home to the last few score of New Zealand Fairy Terns."
There are millions over in Australia.
"But less than 50 here. You might have disturbed the birds."
Right. Along with the jet skis and power boats in the inlet?
"And there is an estuary to the south. Don't fly over that."
It sounds like I'm not very welcome back there.
"Right. Behave yourself this time. It cost a lot of money to clean up the mess you made last time."
Oh joy. 		     Attachments:  

Bird Sanctuary
Bird Sanctuary

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Jul 26,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    "It's important to stay on the gravel."
Why? Is there some environmental regulation about running over the sand?
"No. You'll just sink in it."
Ah! So the penalty for any violation will be swift, not the usual long, drawn-out affair.
"Justly so." 		     Attachments:  

Airport Environs
Airport Environs

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Aug 30,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    Is it too much to hope that the course airport has been improved for the Grand Opening? Yep. The gravel is now gone.      Attachments:  

Newspaper Article Covering Course
Newspaper Article Covering Course

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Jul 26,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    How about landing on that big, beautiful beach?

"Definitely not! We had to forgo use of the beach to get the course approved."

But people ride up and down the beach in their vehicles.

"Not from the golf course."

Oh, I get it. A double standard for the unwashed Yanks? 		     Attachments:  

Back Course
Back Course

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Jul 26,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    Is it okay to land in the ocean?

"Yep. Alighting anywhere a boat can go is okay as long as it is 200 meters from shore. And keep the same distance away from any diver or boat."

So then came the day: "The owner wants you to fly over and meet him at the beach."

At the beach?

"Yes. He's just off the 17th fairway."

Hmmm....so I was told not to access the beach from the golf course, but it is okay to land in the ocean. Well, maybe that's what he wants me to do. No access from the course, but from the ocean? That must be okay.

Legally permissible is not necessarily the same as prudently possible. The wind was howling and the waves were crashing ashore. Well, it's not my airplane and I can swim.

Selection of a mode of alighting on the water was a stimulating mental exercise. Land into the wind with practically no ground speed, or land on top of swell crosswind at just above stall? Or some combination between the two extremes?

I'm not sure what I decided. It was anticlimactic. What was over-climatic was coming ashore through the waves. It was a bit like slow surfing. Do Great White sharks mistake water-logged seaplanes for seals?

Nope. Made it ashore without any bite marks.

It was a false alarm. The boss wanted to know if we could fly off the water. In those waves? What! You think I'm totally crazy? Not even remotely a good idea with two people aboard.

So, he sent me back. I intended to taxi back offshore, but as I turned to face into the waves I panicked. It was one thing to surf in, but to batter my way back out? Uh uh. No way. Ain't gonna happen.

Well, let's see. I have to be 600' out to take off from the water. Or, I can just take off from the sand. But I'm not supposed to use the beach from the golf course. But I didn't come from the golf course. And, well, the tide was out, so technically I'm not on the beach. Sounds like a sandy loophole.

Rather than sit around debating, being pointed into the wind, I jammed the throttle forward and jumped into the air. Just in case anyone was looking I sucked up the gear and stayed low until I was well offshore.

But it is only a tale if no one sees.

"Wow! That was a really short takeoff!"

Um, yeah. 		     Attachments:  

Course Edge
Course Edge

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Jul 26,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    Parking was okay, but sandy everywhere. When it was dry, it blew. When it was wet, it was a quagmire from the "melting metal".      Attachments:  

Golf Club Parking
Golf Club Parking

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Jul 26,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    It wasn't a bad runway with the heavy equipment gone. If there were complaints, it was about the high trees at south end. And the big sand dune at the north. The glide path, even with extreme slipping, used up a bunch of the good gravel.      Attachments:  

NZ Metal Runway
NZ Metal Runway

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Jul 26,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    Back at the other end, there was regulatory grief.

"To approve alighting in the harbour, you will need to:
1. comply with all boating regulations, including having an anchor, PFDs, and secondary means of propulsion;
2. get a waiver from the harbour speed limit;
3. get authorization and coordinate with the commercial seaplane operation;
4. avoid the fuel storage area;
5. avoid the harbour any time shipping is in transit;
6. avoid the navy base;
7. keep clear of noise sensitive areas;
8. notify marine traffic on VHF Channel 16 prior to takeoff or alighting;
9. notify the harbour master office by VHF before operations;
10. advise marina traffic by VHF prior to entering;
11. operate only in the delineated zone;
12. comply with published aircraft limitations such as wind strength and wave height;
13. pay an access fee to the commercial seaplane operator for their assistance.
Any non-compliance will result in immediate termination of access privileges."
Um. Okay.
"And comply with all aviation and airspace requirements."
Sure. How about today? Conditions are perfect.
"Your request will be taken under advisement."
Sigh. 		     Attachments:  

Harrowing Harbour
Harrowing Harbour

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Jul 26,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    A fringe benefit: flying with the locals.
Well, not really a local. She's a graduate student in Urban Planning at the local university. She's on loan from the U.S.A.
And she loves flying. The perfect downtown tour guide.
Are you seeing this Greg? Imagining the single life down here? 		     Attachments:  

Harbour Tour
Harbour Tour

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Jul 26,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    Just outside the town is an old volcano. According to my guide, it's been quiet for a long time.      Attachments:  

Harbour Fireworks
Harbour Fireworks

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Jul 26,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    "You will need to demonstrate the safety of harbour operation before approval is granted for SeaRey access."
Great. Showing off is what SeaReyers do best.
"We expect a professional demonstration."
Uh oh. Fine. If I must.
"That was impressive!"
That's high praise coming from a commercial Beaver pilot. 		     Attachments:  

Professional Appraisal
Professional Appraisal

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Jul 26,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    "There's no hotel near the new golf course in Mangawhai."
Where will we stay?
"Downtown Auckland."
It's 45 minutes in city traffic to the airport.
"At least it is in the opposite direction to the commuters."
And the airport is 45 minutes from the golf course.
"You like to fly, right?"
Yes, when the weather is good. Have you seen the forecast for the big celebration?
"It's a forecast. The forecasts are notoriously poor on the island."
Oh, that's reassuring. 		     Attachments:  

Downtown Accommodations
Downtown Accommodations

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Jul 26,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    You do remember it's a 45 minute flight back to the airport, right?
"Not for a jet helicopter."
You do see what's happening to the weather, right?
"The minimum ceilings for VFR in a helicopter are lower."
That seems so unfair. 		     Attachments:  

Late Return
Late Return

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Jul 26,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    "See you later, aggravator."
Let me know what's the weather's like when you get there.
No weather report was ever received.
SeaReyers get no respect in this outfit. 		     Attachments:  

Weather UnReporter
Weather UnReporter

    
  
David Geers - Jul 27,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    Nice report Dan, now that Michael Smith has finished his trip for the time being, I need my daily fix of Searay adventure.

It must be cold in NZ at this time a year, try not to get your feet wet.

Any plans of coming back up to Brisbane for ship servicing? 		    
  
Nickens, Dan - Jul 28,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    Will see you in Brisbane this next November, David.     
  
David Geers - Jul 28,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    Will see you at Rathmines this next October, as you are a guest speaker at the Australian Seaplane Conference 23rd and 24th of
October. 		    
  
Nickens, Dan - Jul 28,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    I haven't forgotten, but I have a replacement recommendation: Michael Smith.     
  
David Geers - Jul 30,2015   Viewers  | Reply
    Dan it will be an all-star conference with yourself and already lined up Michael Smith, Mark Skidmore CASA Keynote Speech, Steve
McCaughey US SPA and yours truly on disaster planning. 		    


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