{"id":5545,"date":"2020-08-25T12:07:51","date_gmt":"2020-08-25T16:07:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=5545"},"modified":"2020-08-25T12:09:14","modified_gmt":"2020-08-25T16:09:14","slug":"fwd-episode-99-last-flight-out-on-a-crippled-bush-plane","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=5545","title":{"rendered":"Fwd: EPISODE 99 LAST FLIGHT OUT ON A CRIPPLED BUSH PLANE"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n
Begin forwarded message:<\/div>\n


<\/p>\n

From: <\/b><\/span>ALAN SKEOCH <alan.skeoch@rogers.com<\/a><\/a>>
<\/span><\/div>\n
Subject: <\/b><\/span>EPISODE 99 LAST FLIGHT OUT ON A CRIPPLED BUSH PLANE<\/b>
<\/span><\/div>\n
Date: <\/b><\/span>August 25, 2020 at 10:04:17 AM EDT
<\/span><\/div>\n
To: <\/b><\/span>Alan Skeoch <alan.skeoch@rogers.com<\/a><\/a>>, Marjorie Skeoch <marjorieskeoch@gmail.com<\/a><\/a>>, John Wardle <john.t.wardle@gmail.com<\/a><\/a>>
<\/span><\/div>\n


<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
EPISODE 99\u201d  LAST FLIGHT OUT \u2026 ON A CRIPPLED BUSH PLANE<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
alan skeoch<\/div>\n
August 2020<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n


<\/div>\n
EPISODE 99   LAST FLIGHT OUT ON A  CRIPPLED BUSH PLANE<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
alan skeoch<\/div>\n
august 2020<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
PILOT  \u201cListen boys, I do not like this little lake<\/div>\n
so do your work fast.  The water is going down<\/div>\n
and  landing will get difficult.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cTake less per load.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cPossible but soon there\u2019ll not be enough water to land.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cThese  are the last off our anomalies\u2026we will work fast.<\/div>\n
Come back for us in three days.:  (I do not remember this time line exactly)<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
The summer of 1964 was hot.  To many that means heightened fire  danger which was<\/div>\n
true.  We had a no fire rule for much of the summer. But the real danger was the slow but<\/div>\n
steady evaporation of water from the lakes.  A lot of water<\/div>\n
was gone between June and September.  That fact is apparent in the photograph of<\/div>\n
our fly camp (Episode 97).  Looks like the water has gone down five  feet or more.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Flight pontoon landings that were easy and safe in June became difficult and dangerous<\/div>\n
in September.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
This picture was  taken  in mid August.  Take a  look at the high  water mark on the shore.  Seems water had  gone  down about<\/div>\n
four or five feet by then.  On  our last job the water level had dropped more.  Very dangerous for water landings and takeoffs as<\/div>\n
we discovered.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
It was our last job. <\/div>\n
we Were  finished. The crew had returned to Paradise Lodge to pack up.<\/div>\n
Marjorie had caught the ACR to Sault Ste Marie.  \u201cMeet you at<\/div>\n
the airport, Marjorie\u2026maybe around noon.\u201d   My part of the job  was finished.  I had to be<\/div>\n
back in school by the end of the Labour Day Week  End.    <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
The plan was neat.  We had finished work on an anomaly close to a small lake<\/div>\n
south of our Wart Lake camp.  All that was left was a pile of gear\u2026.tents, cooking<\/div>\n
goods, some wire frame cots, axes,shovels.,Coleman  stoves, fuel, etc.  I don\u2019t really remember what was<\/div>\n
in the pile of goods.   Maybe 200  to 300 pounds  of<\/div>\n
euipment.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t like this lake\u2026too shallow,\u201d said the pilot when he dropped us a few days earlier.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cAnd it will get worse.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
We did the job as fast as we could and had arranged a pick up.  Don\u2019t remember much about the first flight<\/div>\n
  but I do  know I was  feeling quite nostalgic.  This would be the last bush job of m life.  I knew that<\/div>\n
and wanted to savour my exit alone. Crew out first.  The flight went<\/div>\n
well although the distance from touchdown to the end of the lake was short.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
That was not the problem.  I did  not expect a  problem for I was  wrapped in<\/div>\n
my memories of so  many bush  planes on so many lakes.  Mostly Beavers but a  few<\/div>\n
Cessnas and one Seabee which was just a visitor being dropped off.  \u201cThose <\/div>\n
Seabees are really dangerous.  Motor at the rear.  Pushing.  If the motor quits the<\/div>\n
goddamn thing drops like a rock.  No ability to glide.   Cessnas  glide best.”<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
The Cessna 170 came in  at tree top level.  Had  to.  Landing strip of water was short <\/div>\n
as evaporation created shallows where  once  there was two or three feet of water.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
The pilot cut power early and  the plane settled  down  harder than usual.  Bigger chevron <\/div>\n
of water.  And something different.  Slightly lopsided.  The plane turned  and  idled<\/div>\n
its way to our landing site.  Slight slant.  Odd.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cHit a fucking deadhead.  Ripped the pontoon\u2026goddamnit.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Submerged  objects terrified bush pilots.  Often they took a run at landing<\/div>\n
then circled.  Looking for objects.  Like dead heads\u2026old submerged logs or<\/div>\n
trees  sometimes angled upwards.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to pump out the water while you load.  Could be tricky.  Put <\/div>\n
load  as far forward  as you can\u2026need the weight for extra  lift.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Took no time at all.  Ignition. And we worked our way to best takeoff  position<\/div>\n
and he gave it full power.  We flumed our way down the lake with an increasing<\/div>\n
slant as the pontoon filled with water.   Fast but not fast enough.  The far shore <\/div>\n
and  tree line got closer and  closer.  \u201cCan\u2019t make it!\u201d and the pilot cut power and  the plane settled.  Slightly off centre.  And close<\/div>\n
to shore.  Too close.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cDump the load on the beach.  We\u2019ll try  once more but empty.  Got to get off<\/div>\n
this fucking lake. \u201c  He cursed and  pumped out the pontoon water.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cThere.  Let\u2019s give it another try.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
He taxied down as far as he could without getting tangled in weeds.  Then<\/div>\n
we were moving.  The pontoon filled with water as we went full throttle<\/div>\n
down the lake.  Far shore became the near shore.  No lift yet.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cMove your body  forward\u2026gut more lift.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Then we had liftoff.  To me it seemed  just in time.  Seemed we were<\/div>\n
just skirting the swamp and  maybe touching tree tops  Not true of<\/div>\n
course.  Imagination played.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
The rest of the flight was easy.  In an hour we had landed at Sault Ste<\/div>\n
Marie where Marjorie was supposed to be waiting.  I had said noon but<\/div>\n
we were late, very late. She was not there.<\/div>\n
Her turquoise VW beetle  was in the parking lot but no sign of <\/div>\n
Marjorie.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Then she walked into the holding lounge from the aircraft side.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cI pretended to be  sick.”<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cA man offered me a tour of the city from his plane.  I did  not<\/div>\n
know he was just a pilot in training.  Scared me near to death.<\/div>\n
Only way we got back on the ground  fast was I pretended  to<\/div>\n
be about to vomit\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
And so  it ended.   Our days of mining exploration were over.  They<\/div>\n
ended with a bang.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
alan  skeoch<\/div>\n
August 2020<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
P.S.  I know this sounds hard to believe.  Writing from memory<\/div>\n
can result in exaggeration.  So here are the simple facts<\/div>\n
of that last flight.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
1) Water levels had  fallen dramatically (see picture)<\/div>\n
2) Pilot did hit something and punctured one pontoon.<\/div>\n
3) I  watched him pump out the pontoon<\/div>\n
4) We failed to get liftoff on our first attempt and jettisoned<\/div>\n
the cargo on the beach.<\/div>\n
5) Second attempt was just barely successful and I remember<\/div>\n
the pilot asking me to lean forward.<\/div>\n
6) Our baggage?   Do  not know what happened.<\/div>\n
7) Marjorie did take a joy ride that scared her enough to feign vomit<\/div>\n
8) This  was  not my final job.  The next summer we flew to Merritt<\/div>\n
B.C. on a short seismic job.  But this Paradise Lodge job was<\/div>\n
my last bush  job.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n

<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n


<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Begin forwarded message: From: ALAN SKEOCH <alan.skeoch@rogers.com> Subject: EPISODE 99 LAST FLIGHT OUT ON A CRIPPLED BUSH PLANE Date: August 25, 2020 at 10:04:17 AM EDT To: Alan Skeoch <alan.skeoch@rogers.com>, Marjorie Skeoch <marjorieskeoch@gmail.com>, John Wardle <john.t.wardle@gmail.com> EPISODE 99\u201d  LAST FLIGHT OUT \u2026 ON A CRIPPLED BUSH PLANE alan skeoch August 2020 EPISODE 99   LAST […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5545","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5545"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5545\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5545"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5545"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5545"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}