log entry – Powered Paragliding

Flight #1024

Nice. I’d been communicating with Serge for a couple of weeks over messenger. They are on a paramotoring vacation driving from Canada and flying as much of Florida as possible. The Palm Bay Fly-In will be their last stop.

We met at Placida and cracked off a nice flight to Gasparilla and back. No drama.

After the flight we drove down to the Burger Barn for breakfast.

Burnt Store to Punta Gorda

Marco Island to Burnt Store

Key West to Marco Island

Day 4 Naples to Key West

Awoke at 7, John had already gotten up and done a power walk. We looked over our provisions and decided that we didn’t really need to make the hike to the connivence store. After a big cup of coffee we took down the carbon and put up the Dacron Genny.

It was sunny and breezy on the long ride out the canal to the gulf and when we got there it was blowing 15. We stayed on a close port tack and made 2 miles above the rub line when the wind decreased to 7. Down came the Dacron. At 4pm we were 2.5 miles below the rub and the winds were way down. We furled the carbon and fired up the motor. Right now we are making 4 plus heading 166 , not exactly toward the target but slightly east to get back over the rub line which is 180 degrees.

It was a long downwind run to Key West. About an hour before first light we found the entrance to the north passage. I was sighting on some radio towers until I decided they couldn’t be the entrance and after looking a little harder and almost running into a couple of unlighted piles we spotted the red and green and were on our way.

We pulled into the A&B Marina about 8:30. Our little boat was a dwarf among the yachts but I wasn’t complaining, we were parked in the center of the action and for the next 4 days a good time was had by all!