Final Day:
Chub Cay, Bahamas - Miami, USAThursday 22nd November 2007


Hard to leave the Bahamas with weather like this - only a short hop back to the US though - 1 hour 30 flying or so.

Crossing the US "ADIZ" - the military protection zone, you must call on VHF and identify what you're up to, and get assigned a transponder code for customs.





First sight of the USA again, approaching the southern shores of Miami.














Video: First contact with Miami Approach, FL105, 50 miles east


Miami





























Final approach and landing of the journey, landing 09L at Tamiami Kendall Airport.













First stop cussies for a small mountain of paperwork, explanations, stamps, and form-filing.











After a short transfer to MIA international, nice to have someone else worry about the flying for a change.

Here's the route map.

4250nm, 42.4 hours of flying

- 7800 kilometres and 14 days.

Thanks all for following along with the trip.

Trip Day 12:
Hawk's Nest - Chub Cay, Berry Islands, Bahamas.
Wednesday 21st November

Getting close to the end of the trip now - just a short distance to travel today. So a bit less progress and a bit more relaxed flying - Bahamas style.

Started with a bit of low-level "fishing"























This is a private island owned by the Cruise ship parked in the bay. And its a girls-only holiday, if you get the drift. So well worth a sifty "low-and-slow" over the beach.










Some of the scenery is pretty amazing, this is just an incredible view (not as nice as the beach above though)











Over Nassau - the huge Atlantis resort.














Some in flight video from over Nassau Airport, Bahamas.

Back at Chub Cay in the Berry Islands.













Downwind for a low pass, to get transport from the airport you need to buzz the hotel first.












A rare 'wind down the runway' landing so time for a photo.

Trip Day 11:
Provo, Turks and Caicos - Cat Island, Bahamas
Tuesday 20th November

Standard breakfast drill - get the maps out, pick a place to go, book a hotel, and head for the airport.











Then fuel, customs, and flight plan ... and away.













En-route back for the Bahamas.













This little island had a runway that looked to be just beside the beach so worth a closer look.

























And on the ground a few minutes later.












They aren't big into removing crashed aircraft from the scene here.

Often on approach you spot a few that didn't quite manage it which does make you concentrate a little harder.








Low level inspection of the beaches.




























Today destination, Hawk's Nest, Cat Island in the Bahamas. Perfect for flying into, beach, runway, and room all within about 20 yards of each other.










Another approach over the sea - the crosswinds make you work fairly hard to get the thing on the ground, full rudder for most of this one.

Trip Day 10:
Mercedita, Puerto Rico - Provo, Turks and Caicos Islands
Monday 19th November

Another fairly heavy day ahead today, trying to make some progress north.

Great experience so far in Puerto Rico, the friendliest people I've met.









Airborne just before 8am, its already 29 degrees C, and with full fuel climbing is a slow process.












Weather is a big factor today. Satellite shows a disturbance over the sea between Puerto Rico and the Dominican R., but there is no current info available for the airports there, so there is no way to tell where it ends.









About 90 minutes into the flight, and not happy. Have been forced about 40 miles south of track already and there is no sign of a gap to get north - blocked by a line of thunderstorms so far several hundred miles long.









Finally a clearance, straight into La Romana, on the southern coast of the Dominican Republic for fuel.











Expensive mistake. On top of the fuel cost, US$100 for 20 minutes parking.












Crossing the Dominican coast northbound, back over open ocean again for a few hours.












Approaching Turks and Caicos - solid overcast for a while - theres an island under there somewhere.











And land again ... always a relief.













Another airport, another visit to customs and immigration - on the ramp in Providenciales.

Trip Day 9:
Sint Maarten, Dutch West Indies - Mercedita, Puerto Rico
Sunday 18th November

Checking in at St Maarten - the bigger the airport, the harder it is to get out to your airplane. This place was the worst yet.










Airborne St Maarten - they call it the Friendly Island. Yeah Right!












A little while later, passing the Virgin Islands. Not unlike Skerries, eh Finto.












Turning downwind for Vieques, first stop in Puerto Rico.












No fuel in Vieques, so a short hop across to Fajardo - this is Roosevelt Roads apparently 'secret' US airbase - now closed.











Fajardo. Here's where the fun started.













Passengers No.1 and 2.

No money changed hands, of course, because that would be illegal ...










25 minutes later, on final for St Thomas, in the US Virgin islands.












And back to Fajardo.













Airborne Fajardo (again), heading south-west for Mercedita airport, southern Puerto Rico.












This is not the runway at Mercedita (as I discovered on short final into the sun)













This, is.















Managed to get into town before the streets were blocked off, they are celebrating the switching on of the Christmas lights.

Not much of a photo but you get the idea ... off for a big fat steak, its been a huge day ...