Shaky Jake's Adv. Leg. 7

[kbr]

I was getting a little antsy today so I decided to do a short hop over into Alaska landing at Ketchikan (PAKT.) Due to the weather conditions, I was forced to do this one in IFR, but conditions were supposed to get better near PAKT.

The flight plan;


After taking off from Prince Rupert, visibility was soon lost.


Contrary to the reports I read before leaving CYPR, the weather conditions seem to have worsened near PAKT. To keep the engine warm enough I had to open up my carb heat about half way.


Coming in for landing at PAKT.






Taxi-ing to parking.


I'm pretty familiar with the area around Kethcikan, so the flight was pretty uneventful with the most dangerous moment in the flight being the slippery condition of PAKT's runway.

I have been seeing better weather reports for S.E. Alaska than the ones for coastal BC, so there may be some chance of good visibility on the next flight.

[bhk]

Kevin,
My passengers have rebelled, mutinied and, led by some oddball who goes by the name of Fletcher Christian (name rings a bell), have staged a sit-in in the cockpit and are refusing to fly any further until the weather brightens.

I told them that Jeff said they be here until June but they just glared at me and that Christian bloke ripped the compass out of its mounting and threw it at me, muttering something about me just being another Captain Bligh.
I had to run away to save myself.

So the hostesses and I - and my fellow flight-deck crew - will just have to stick it out here in Prince Rupert until the sun is above the yardarm.
Well, at least until the sun can be seen to be above anything, let alone a yardarm.

Pass me another chicken leg and top up the glass, please Deborah.
Aaaah! Thank you, my dear.

Bligh.......errr, that is, Bruce.

[hook]

Best short story i have read in some time ! - HOOK

[kbr]

Sorry to hear about the Mutiny Aboard the Solent. ;D
I'm glad that, that Fletcher fellow didnt't set you adrift in a small float plane, he's known for that kind of thing.

Anyway, I'll probably be in Ketchikan until I see a break in the rain and ice. The Pahhandle of Alaska is known for frequent rains.

From Ketchikan, it will most likely be only two more legs of the flight until Juneau. I like to fly up to Wrangell or Petersburg (there are some beautiful glaciers along here) and then from there up to Juneau.

[bhk]

kbr said:

Sorry to hear about the Mutiny Aboard the Solent. ;D....

I didn't take kindly to it, Kevin, let me tell you.

After three days I'd had it so I got out of there aboard a passing Canadian Ju-34 float-plane that was heading north with a couple of grizzled prospectors, a vaudeville dancer, three crates of explosives and an ex-Luftwaffe pilot by the name of Heinrich.

Although it was a wrench saying farewell to my crew (particularly Deborah) I was glad to get away as the weather hadn't improved much....although it had stopped snowing by the time Heinrich fired up that big radial and taxied into the wind for take-off.






Ready to head north........



About 1300 feet below, a freighter makes its way south........



The approach lights at Ketchikan International. We'll overfly and land from the north into the southerly breeze.



It looks just as cold down there as what it is up here!



Down and beached on the shore opposite the airport. The lady in the house got a bit of a shock as we taxied into her backyard!



Everybody has gone and I'm left to unload the explosives!
Oh well.......que sera, sera.
Another leg over and I wonder what's in store for the next one? :



Bruce

[kbr]

Glad to hear you got out, Bruce.

Those are nice shots. I've done some flying around this area with the Ju-34 before. It's a good plane for it.

[Wrongway]

Another great set of posts, looks like I'm gonna have to fire up one of the beasties and follow you fellows up. Sorry I'm late, I seem to have a bit of a headache!

Rgds: Jeff

[bhk]

wrongway said:

.....Sorry I'm late, I seem to have a bit of a headache! ....

COWARD!!

Oh, and when you leave Rupert, just make sure to leave Deborah there. But you can tell all those ex-passengers of mine to take a running jump into the nearest glacier!

Bligh........ummm, Bruce.

[Wrongway]

COWARD!!

Bruce, Bruce....it's not cowardice, it's a superhuman self defense reflex.

Not too surprisingly, whilst preparing for my jaunt up the coast a gaggle of irate citizens converged on me as I was preflighting. Something about being abandoned in a hostile climate by some hostile aviator. Since I'm above such things, I just gave them Bruce's phone no. (conveniently accessable on the bathroom wall). ;D ;D ;D ;D

Not a great day for flying with low cloud, overcast and shifting winds, but it's not snowing or raining so I decide to give it a go with an IFR flightplan. Luckily two pioneers have blazed the trail for me! Shakey Jake sets out once again.





Not too many shots from the flight, conditions were strictly IFR although the clouds were low enough that 6000 ft. of altitude placed me over the top.




BTW, my headache seems to be gone, but I seem to have lost my razor and somehow I've acquired a canine companion.
Even more importantly, perhaps one of you gentlemen can tell me who 'Virginia' is and why I now have her name tattooed on my left buttock?



Regardless, it's a short flight and soon it's time for the descent, which looks none too promising in the initial stages but just as I'm beginning to think it's going to be a pea soup landing I break out into clear but turbulent air. Low clouds cover most of the area including PAKT, but the ceiling is a healthy 500 ft. or so.





I finally catch up.....'Who's the Man?'.
Ouch!
I think I just threw my shoulder out trying to pat myself on the back.



Rgds: Jeff

[bhk]

Jeff,
I've made enquiries by electric telegraph to the constabulary in Prince Rupert.
Apparently you created something of a disturbance in "downtown PR", shall we say, and spent the night as a guest of the local law-enforcement agency.
The disturbance followed your being ejected from a tattoo parlour for non-payment......you didn't have - as we say here in the Colonies - a "brass razoo" on you.

To answer your question, Virginia is the proprietor of said tattoo parlour.
She's 57, has a wooden leg and a bad case of impetigo.

Good luck!

Bruce

[Wrongway]

Apparently you created something of a disturbance in "downtown PR", shall we say, and spent the night as a guest of the local law-enforcement agency.

Wouldn't be the first time!

Virginia is the proprietor of said tattoo parlour.
She's 57, has a wooden leg and a bad case of impetigo.

My kind of girl, ....one that can't escape! ;D ;D ;D

Rgds: Jeff

[kbr]

;D

Nice pictures, Jeff. Glad to see another Shaky Jake on the route.