Christmas

[ChampChump]

With apologies for lack of wit or erudition, I offer warmest greetings and best wishes to all for 2013, which I trust will bring a greater proportion of flyable weather. (Flying a puddle jumper, I parenthically request a name change to ocean hopper here).

There's a good chance I may be stuck in Dunkerque for Christmas, with internet access limited to what Missions to Seafarers can offer, so until we know more, I shall send this cyber card to you all now. Meanwhile, we join the vessel loaded up for a UK harbour Christmas, just in case...

I hope I meet some of you again next year, should the fields dry out, but to all forumites thank you for all the entertainment, provocation and information this year.
Cheers.

CC

[Monocock]

Reciprocating best Chrismas wishes CC.

I'm really hoping for a massive high pressure wx system to roll in on Boxing Day that will last for 10 days, bringing frosty and windless days. I'm 6 hours from my annual hourage target and I'm keen to meet it.

[Keef]

Indeed, CC - a very happy Christmas to you and all Wanderers, Aviators, SkyGods and Other Aviation Persons.

I hope Dunkerque will take care of you well, and that the nice people of the Missions to Seafarers will be on form. (Incidentally, a former leader of that fine organisation was extremely helpful when our then PA28R200 blew a pot and landed in the sea).

We are having a quiet Christmas with friends (once the busy night and morning are done).

[Samsonite]

A very merry Christmas to both you and CC from myself and Ridders where ever you end up

It was great to meet up with you this year in various spots , we were only sorry we never got to fly in for your birthday bash.
Here's hoping we will be able to do lots more flying with bears in 2013

[KNT754G]

A Happy Christmas to you all, but remember

A turkey is not for life, it's just for Christmas

[AerBabe]

If I could wrap up blue skies, light winds and dry fields I would...

But instead I'll just join in the general good wishes for everyone over Christmas.

[AerBabe]

A turkey is not for life, it's just for Christmas

A dog is not just for Christmas. With any luck there'll be some left over for New Year.

[Paul_Sengupta]

If I could wrap up blue skies, light winds and dry fields I would...

That's ok, I'd settle for a Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 if you can run to that.

When did you say your numbers were going to come up?

[Katie1]

Happy Christmas Everyone

[Grumpy One]

Aah! Christmas at sea eh? How I miss those days ......... NOT
Stuck in some grotty port or pitching yer guts out tramping up East Africa or rolling in the monsoons crossing the Arabian Seas to India and other countries and ports to the east. Smashing into 60 to 90ft Pacific seas heading up to Alaska - Aah! That be the life, when your gravy swilled off t'plate and your fridge ripped off the bulkhead to spill out all your beer.
I get goose bumps even thinking aboout it! And I had it good!!! My old man was also a sea captain - He had it badderer - Horrible conditions, poor food, physical violence and looong 15 month trips. He missed being with us at Christmas until I was 15 years old.

So.... I take this aviatonally themed opportunity to wish all of those who HAVE to spend their time away, at this special time of the year, a VERY happy Christmas, fair winds, calm seas and decent visibility. Have a good leave whe you do get back home.
Ni

[ROG]

Why on earth do they have christmas when all the shops are crowded ?

[Rotorboater]

Happy Christmas everyone, unfortunately I will be working but will treat myself after!

[Jwscud]

A very merry Christmas to you all. This is my first in the country since 2004 (being another wanderer of the seas) and I have great sympathy with all of you working on the wide blue yonder, and elsewhere.

Christmas day last year was spent somewhere south of Iceland in a 30,000 ton tanker going backwards in an absolutely colossal storm - we delayed official Christmas until the 29th when the ship's motion made sitting down to a meal a more realistic proposition!

And the Mission to Seafarers - absolutely top bunch. I recently ran a marathon to raise money for them, and have very fond memories of Missions coming through in places like Kwinana, Odessa, Boston and Jebel Ali.

[Charles Hunt]

Best wishes to all.

[ChampChump]

Well, that was a weird one. The tech issues that had us scurrying to Dunkerque were doubled in number, if not magnitude, before we left our schedule. With the yard closing at noon on 24th, things were getting tight for a possible fix and turnaround. The core crew, if back at base as originally planned, had families visitng for Christmas and Boxing Day, but said families were now rushing out to buy food. No one prepared to but any money on our movements until the 11th hour. Literally.

However, WKW had a surprise in store. He sneaked over the water in LHotRY *, arriving at the dock gates ready to camp out there for me, in spite of the good chance that we might yet end up passing each other in the darkness of a bleak day, steaming in opposite directions. Now that was what I call a Christmas present. Not sure what the yard security guys made of it but he'd explained it sufficiently that I didn't have to.

As it happened, the fix was successful and we left the yard awfully close to noon and WKW belted back across the water on one of the last sailings out of Calais. Families were reunited on board yesterday, all the efforts of the galley were not wasted

Nothing to equal experiences of those above or WKW's tales of Christmas past offshore, but definitely worth a mention, methought.

Happy New Year to all. I hope you have had the pleasures you enjoy most and there's many a fly-in this year at which we can swap war stories. The calendar is filling up nicely but maybe there's room for another furry fly-in..


Oh, and I now have my very own torque wrench.


** Little House on the Runway, looking a bit like a motorhome.