7/20/22

I woke up at 5am and loaded up the bike. I had 5 hours to ride back to Gold River to get on the plane tour with Air Nootka. 5 hours plus two extra hours for traffic, fueling, and a bathroom and coffee break and that should put me there around 12 noon. I wasn't sure if back tracking is the smartest thing to do but it seemed like an amazing opportunity to get on a plane tour of the island.

I got to the Air Nootka office right around 12 noon. They were all ready to go with the passengers, a mother and son duo for sightseeing, three hikers and were waiting for me. The first stop was to drop off the hikers at another camp to start their hike.

We all climbed inside the plane. It had three rows, seating a total of seven people. The plane was loud and ear muffs were encouraged. The engine roared and we took off from the waters.

After a 30 minute ride, we touched down at the dock of another camp and let the three hikers out along with their gear. We then took off to another camp to deliver mail and medical supplies. Some of these communities rely solely on these air taxis and boats for supplies.

After that stop, we took off to another location to pick up a woman and her 110lb dog. They were going home from her job at a logging camp. It's so surreal to think that these air taxis are a common routine for these people who live and work out in these remote areas.

After picking up our VIP, it was back to home base with a bouncy water landing.

We spent about three hours total flying around the island with multiple take offs and landing, Overall, this was an amazing experience that was worth the long ride back to Gold River and the ride back to Nainamo after the flight. I don't know if I'll ever be on a puddle jumper again but this marks another highlight on the this crazy trip.