Beaches of Indian Ocean

[Round Engines]

It's a fly in near Geraldton around April. Warbirds and military stuff including bands etc. It's apparently a pretty good turnout.

 

RE.

 

Any time..........whats the Valley View fly in?

[Vlad]

Many thanks for guidance and suggestions. It looks like there are suitable places on West Coast. Thank you for safety concerns it's definitely not your regular unpaved strip experience. One has to know what he is doing. I would like to share couple of my beach landings and what I learned from couple closed calls.

 

The sand bar below appears long enough only when there is a strong wind with low tide.

 

 

First I do a low pass to take a closer look and scare the crows from the beach. Next approach will be rolling the mains testing the hardness/softness.

 

 

I usually land to full stop on third try.

 

 

The OAT is couple degrees below freezing (it's February) I couldn't stay long here. Too windy and the tide will be coming back very soon.

 

 

15-20 minutes walking the sand snapping pictures looking for a souvenir and out.

 

 

 

 

 

[Vlad]

This particular beach is not far from a restricted airspace. It is on a tiny peninsula and hidden from the view by a sand berm. There is no boat access and surprisingly very few birds. There is no phone coverage so it may be considered as a remote. I pass over it once in couple months on my way from Florida and when I see low tide I buzz it. If I feel like I need a quick stop I land.

 

 

 

There are pretty sharp shells on the packed surface. Hard enough to cut a tire.

 

 

 

Takeoff presents no challenge unlike the next one.

 

 

 

[Vlad]

This call was as close as it could be. Browns bank off coast near Plymouth Massachussets. I did my regular roll on the mains and it felt OK. Nothing suspicious...

 

 

So I go third time to a full stop. Stopped in the middle and immediately initiated a turn around. The aircraft didn't move. More power I have a sinking feeling... full power and barely started moving the direction landed. Low fuel, full flaps and couple knots on the nose helped me to "unglue" the wheels. Had to accelerate in ground effect over the water. Later I talked to a boater who regularly anchors there and he told me that quick sand is never hard. They even had trouble walking on it.

 

 

 

[rgmwa]

Lucky escape. On the positive side, if it was only quicksand you would probably have stopped sinking once the wings hit the beach.

 

rgmwa

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

Great pics, thanks

 

 

[DGL Fox]

Nice photos, but in Florida you don't have big aggressive croc's and sharks and so remote that you could easily die there if you had a mishap...I would be in company flying around in that area especially if you want to try and land on beaches...I think some people that come here from overseas just don't realize how big and remote Australia is, all I can say is do your homework...

 

David

 

 

[Vlad]

I've never landed on Florida beaches they are too crowded. But there is enough remoteness in USA Arctic. Nearly every landable beach has an owner... or three...

 

 

 

 

[Vlad]

Kiawah Island off South Carolina coast. They said it's a barrier island. I stopped by on my way to Sun and Fun sand is very hard. There is a golf course nearby people waived.

 

 

 

 

 

[Vlad]

This is the tiniest beach I've ever got close to. It's also the easiest one to land and the hardest to taxi. A lake deep in the Adirondack Mountains of New York state. Outside temperature is balmy -12C.

 

 

 

[rgmwa]

Sorry Vlad, that's a skating rink, not a beach. When you're over here we'll show you a couple of beaches so you get the right idea.

 

rgmwa

 

 

[Malindi]

Could always take a look on the other side of the Indian Ocean. Diani Beach in Kenya has firm sand, no crocs and you could get away with parking in front of a seafood restaurant with someone to guard your aircraft while you have lunch. Easy on the wine though!