Exploring the world in the Beechcraft Bonanza

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361

Leg 277, Puerto Deseado, Santa Cruz Province to Las Grutas, Rio ■■■■■, Argentina

DAY05_25.PLN (9.0 KB)

Back up along the same departments as I went down, except on the east coast. Totally different landscape. It actually feels a bit like flying over Fallout 3, lot of browns.

05-25 Puerto Deseado West SA19 7:56 AM
05-25 Puerto Deseado SA62 8:02 AM
05-25 Puerto Deseado SA61 8:16 AM
05-25 Caleta Olivia SA31 8:19 AM
05-25 Fitz Roy SAKJ 8:26 AM
05-25 Canadon Seco CDS 8:40 AM
05-25 Caleta Olivia SAQW 8:47 AM
05-25 13 De Diciembre SARA 9:02 AM
05-25 Gen Enrique Mosconi Intl SAVC 9:08 AM
05-25 Sarmiento SAQQ 9:22 AM
05-25 Colonia Sarmiento SAUT 9:35 AM
05-25 Lago Musters SAVM 9:37 AM
05-25 Las Plumas Filed SAOO 10:31 AM
05-25 Dique Florentino Ameghino SAPQ 10:45 AM
05-25 Dolavon SA45 11:01 AM
05-25 Trelew Aeroclub SA34 11:10 AM
05-25 Almirante Zar SAVT 11:12 AM
05-25 Rawson SARW 11:17 AM
05-25 Punta Delgada Field SAPO 11:41 AM
05-25 Caleta Valdes Field SAPM 11:49 AM
05-25 Puerto Piramides SAPT 12:00 PM
05-25 Bahia Dorada SATT 12:21 PM
05-25 Sierra Grande SA91 12:27 PM
05-25 Antoine De Saint Exupery SAVN 12:49 PM

Flight time 4:53 23 stops

Puerto Deseado, ready for departure at sunrise

Short hop to my first stop, SA62 (no name) in Deseado Department

Taking a peek above the early morning fog

Crossing Highway 3 headed for the coast, no name available for the river

Caleta Olivia located at the northeast of Santa Cruz province, on the San Jorge Gulf

El Gorosito • Monumento al trabajador petrolero, monument to the oil workers

Rada Tilly

Autódromo General San Martín at the end of the runway of Comodoro Rivadavia flying club

Gen Enrique Mosconi Intl

Serving Comodoro Rivadavia in the Patagonian province of Chubut

Escalante Department, there are a lot of oil wells around here

Rio Del Valle Hermoso

Lago Colhue Huapi

Landing in Sarmiento, Colonia Sarmiento Airport ahead

Lago Musters

And back over Lago Colhue Huapi

Lake Musters and Lake Colhue Huapi

In case you didn’t have Fallout 3 vibes yet

Sarmiento Department

Escalante Department, the lake is completely dry on google maps

Paso de Indios Department

More dry, unnamed rivers

Mártires Department

Las Plumas along the Rio Chubut in the valle de los Mártires

Further along Mártires Department

Dique Florentino Ameghino holding back Embalse Florentino Ameghino filled by the Rio Chubut

Villa Dique Florentino Ameghino located next to the Florentino Ameghino Dam

The Sword of Damocles comes to mind

Embalse Florentino Ameghino

Circuito Automovilistico Dolavon

Along the shore of the Valdes Peninsula on the Argentine Sea

Road 47 along the coast

Golfo San Matias along Biedma Department

Aeródromo Bahia Dorada ahead, finally one that’s easy to spot

Playas Doradas

Balneario Playas Doradas

Islote Lobos National Park

This needs water masks asap!

Las Grutas, a busy Argentinean resort town on the Gulf of San Matias in northern Patagonia

Home to long beaches, backed by cliffs pocked with caves

Good place to end today’s leg. Time flies. Heading up further towards Buenos Aires tomorrow, more of Argentina to discover.

1 Like
362

Leg 278, Las Grutas, Rio ■■■■■ to Frias, Santiago del Estero Province, Argentina

DAY05_26.PLN (7.3 KB)

Lovely day today in Argentina, if live weather was accurate. Heading up straight north, farm country mostly with some nice surprises.

05-26 Puerto San Antonio Este Airstrip SAYN 7:52 AM
05-26 Reserve Caleta de los Loros Airstrip SA92 8:04 AM
05-26 Gobernador Castello SAVV 8:22 AM
05-26 Stroeder SAFD 8:37 AM
05-26 Punta Alta SA64 8:51 AM
05-26 Bahia Blanca Aeroclub SABA 9:14 AM
05-26 Darregueira SAGT 9:38 AM
05-26 Macachin SA49 9:52 AM
05-26 Santa Rosa SAZR 10:07 AM
05-26 Eduardo Castex SAEU 10:24 AM
05-26 Huinca Renanco SAHU 10:44 AM
05-26 Martin Fierro SAVK 11:02 AM
05-26 Rio Cuarto Aeroclub SA17 11:21 AM
05-26 Area De Material SAOC 11:25 AM
05-26 Villa Rumipal SAXA 11:49 AM
05-26 Villa General Belgrano SAWW 11:56 AM
05-26 Mina Clavero SAMX 12:12 PM
05-26 Villa De Soto SACS Salinas Grandes 12:32 PM Trees at end of runway
05-26 Frias FRS Lago Salinas de Ambargasta 1:25 PM

Flight time 5:33 18 stops

Puerto San Antonio Este Airstrip, ready for departure at sunrise

Heading out over San Antonio Department

Golfo San Matias in sight near Pozo Salado

Adolfo Alsina Department

The Rio ■■■■■

Viedma on the Río ■■■■■ in northern Patagonia, central Argentina

Puente Ferrocarretero Carmen de Patagones

Bahia Unión

Villarino Partido (provincial subdivision) of Buenos Aires Province

Bahía Blanca

Also the name of the city Bahía Blanca along Bahía Blanca

Home to Museo de la Aviación Naval Argentina

Department Capital, plenty variety in farming styles

Eduardo Castex, capital of Conhelo, in La Pampa Province

Home to Parque Temático de la Prehistoria “Livio M. Curto"

Huinca Renancó

Looks so warm and inviting, reminds me of The vanishing of Ethan Carter

Crossing the Rio Quinto

Martin Fierro Airport

Serving Vicuña Mackenna

Landing at Rio Cuarto Aeroclub

Rio Cuarto on the Cuarto river

Elena, Cordoba - Hwy 36

The road network is up to date, the aerial imagery is pretty old

Embalse Nuclear Power Plant on Embalse Río Tercero

Villa Rumipal on the other side of Embalse Río Tercero

Villa General Belgrano, named after the creator of the Argentine flag Manuel Belgrano (1770-1820)

San Alberto Department

Cerro Champaquí (9,462ft)

Cruz del Eje Department

Salinas Grandes, Salta Province

Amazing terrain, worth the detour

Last stop today in Frias, Santiago del Estero Province

Aeropuerto De Frías

This was the last detour before Buenos Aires, tomorrow I’ll get there for sure! (probably)

1 Like
363

Leg 279, Frias, Santiago del Estero Province, Argentina to La Calera, Lavalleja Department, Uruguay

DAY05_27.PLN (13.4 KB)

Saying goodbye to Argentina via the capital, Buenos Aires, then into Uraguay.

05-27 Frias FRS 6:58 AM Lago Salinas de Ambargasta
05-27 Sebastian Elcano SA96 7:50 AM
05-27 Campo San Jose SAOW 8:11 AM
05-27 Sunchales Aeroclub SATW 8:22 AM
05-27 Anibal Brizi SAES 8:37 AM
05-27 Esperanza SAEP 8:39 AM
05-27 Sauce Viejo SAAV 8:45 AM
05-27 Diamante SAEG 8:55 AM
05-27 Terminal 6 SASW 9:09 AM
05-27 Pettilep II SAHM 9:13 AM
05-27 Don Jose SAFA 9:15 AM
05-27 Rosario/Islas Malvinas SAAR 9:17 AM
05-27 Alvear Aeroparque SAGO 9:23 AM
05-27 Pueblo Esther SAHB 9:25 AM
05-27 Acindar SAVU 9:32 AM
05-27 San Nicolas De Los Arroyos SNY 9:36 AM
05-27 El Girasol SAUE 9:46 AM
05-27 San Pedro SAVO 9:49 AM
05-27 Baradero SABD 9:56 AM
05-27 Buenos Aires SABO 9:58 AM
05-27 Zarate SAZC 10:07 AM
05-27 Belen De Escobar SABS 10:17 AM
05-27 San Fernando Intl SADF 10:23 AM Buneos Aires capital
Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti 34°32’43"S 58°26’59"W
05-27 Jorge Newbery Aeroparque SABE 10:41 AM
05-27 Matanza SADZ 10:49 AM
05-27 Ezeiza Intl Ministro Pistarini SAEZ 10:52 AM
05-27 La Caida SAFN 10:58 AM
05-27 Tolosa SALY 11:08 AM Trees at end of runway
05-27 Laguna De Los Patos Intl SUCA 11:20 AM
05-27 Juan Lacaze SUJL 11:26 AM
05-27 Ricardo Raver SUEC 11:34 AM
05-27 San Jose SUSJ 11:40 AM
05-27 Angel S Adami Intl SUAA 11:52 AM Montevideo capital
05-27 Capitan Juan Manuel Boiso Lanza Air Base SUBL 11:55 AM
05-27 Carrasco Intl/Gen C L Berisso SUMU 12:08 PM
05-27 Military Aeronautical School SUGA 12:11 PM
05-27 La Calera SUCL 12:25 PM

Flight time 5:27 36 stops

Departure from Frias in the early morning fog

Choya Department

Sun rising almost opposite to the moon, full moon was yesterday

Lago Salinas de Ambargasta

A seasonal lake located in the middle of the salt flat

It fills up with flamingos in summer, depth is only knee high when full

Ojo de Agua Department

Mar Chiquita Lake, 775-square-mile natural saltwater lake

I can’t see the other side from this height, big lake

Sunchales, city in the province of Santa Fe

Rio Coronda flowing to Buenos Aires

La Capital Department, start of an immense river delta fed by Río Coronda and Río Paraná

Pre-Delta National Park along the Paraná River delta

Rosario, the largest city in the central Argentina province of Santa Fe

Sociedad Del Estado Municipal Hipódromo Rosario, the oval on my left wing

Monumento Histórico Nacional a la Bandera

1957 memorial honoring Argentine hero Manuel Belgrano

San Pedro Partido

Belén de Escobar

San Fernando Intl in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina

Heading into the city over Barrio Infico

Jockey Club Golf and Hipódromo de San Isidro to the left

Heading down town, big city

Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti

Home of the River Plate club & 1978 World Cup games

Hipodromo Argentino de Palermo next to Aeroparque Internacional Jorge Newbery on the Rio de la Plata

Plaza de Mayo, named after the 1810 revolution that took place here, leading to Argentina’s independence

Puerto Madero, revamped dockside area on the right

Casa Rosada, palace that houses the presidential office

Teatro Colón (Columbus Theatre), 1908 opera house, amazing

Acoustically considered to be amongst the five best concert venues in the world

A peek in Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes

Burzaco in Almirante Brown Partido, the edge of Buenos Aires built-up area

Landing at La Caida Airport

El Pato

Tolosa Airport, this is what I mean with trees at end of runway

The trees are cleared, except for one line right at the start of the runway, doh!

Crossing the Rio de la Plata to Uraguay

Laguna de los Patos International Airport

I erm, landed on the long taxi way, that’s not a runway I’m aiming for

Rodriguez, San José Department, Uraguay

Montevideo, the capital of Uraguay, Parque del Prado below

Terminal Granelera Montevideo

Teatro de Verano, 1956 outdoor amphitheater

Plaza Indepencia with Palacio Salvo, view from Palacio Salvo in the middle

Estadio Centenario, built between 1929 and 1930 to host the inaugural 1930 FIFA World Cup, as well as to commemorate the centennial of Uruguay’s first constitution

Amsterdam Tribune on the right, named so because it was where the Celeste were crowned Olympic champions for the second time in 1928 (first time 1924 in Colombes, France)

Contemporary Art Space, formerly La penitenciaria de la calle miguelete (Ex Cárcel de Miguelete)

Reminds me of the prison in Half Life 2

A peek in the National Museum of Visual Arts

Final stop today at La Calera Airport on the Campanero River

Beautiful day, here as well, it was time to head out

Tomorrow on to Brazil, visiting the big cities along the coast.

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368

Leg 280, La Calera, Lavalleja Department, Uruguay to Curitiba, State of Paraná, Brazil

DAY05_28.PLN (11.4 KB)

Uruguay and southern Brazil. I’ll be in Brazil for the next few days, massive country. It’s a bit smaller than Canada (85%) but has well over 5 times the population, over 212 million people.

05-28 La Calera SUCL 7:03 AM Dam 32°49’51.8"S 56°25’15.5"W
05-28 Garcia Brum Airstrip SUPA 7:56 AM
05-28 San Gregorio SUSG 8:10 AM
05-28 SAMAN Vergara SUVE 8:42 AM
05-28 Pista PLA e Silva SJEN 8:58 AM Unclear runway (textures missing)
05-28 Rio Grande SJRG 9:25 AM
05-28 Sao Lourenco Do Sul SSRU 9:43 AM
05-28 Da Praia Velha SJGX 9:54 AM Narrow runway
05-28 Mostardas SSMT 10:07 AM
05-28 Solidao SNPV 10:19 AM
05-28 Aerolis SIQI 10:24 AM
05-28 Palmares do Sul SBRW 10:32 AM
05-28 Capivari SSCV 10:35 AM 27 knot headwind
05-28 Salgado Filho Intl SBPA 10:50 AM 32 knot wind
05-28 Montenegro SSNG 11:04 AM
05-28 Garibaldi SSGA 11:17 AM
05-28 Aeroclube de Bento Goncalves SSBG 11:24 AM
05-28 Veranopolis SSVN 11:31 AM
05-28 Nova Prata SSNP 11:35 AM
05-28 Vacaria Novo SNEE 11:51 AM
05-28 Bom ■■■■■ SSBJ 12:06 PM
05-28 Forquilhinha SBCM 12:27 PM
05-28 Regional Sul SBJA 12:35 PM
05-28 Tubarao SIEZ 12:41 PM
05-28 Hercilio Luz Intl SBFL 1:08 PM
05-28 Sonhar SJSH 1:20 PM
05-28 Costa Esmeralda SDEN 1:26 PM
05-28 Ministro Victor Konder International SBNF 1:38 PM
05-28 Clube de Aviacao Ceu Azul SWON 1:53 PM
05-28 Lauro Carneiro De Loyola SBJV 2:01 PM
05-28 Afonso Pena Intl SBCT 2:23 PM

Flight time 7:20 30 stops

Ready for departure from La Calera Airport

Setting out over Durazno Department

Lago De Rincon Del Bonete

Held back by Dr. Gabriel Terra dam, built from 1937 completed 1948

Dr. Gabriel Terra Leivas (1873-1942) was the President of Uruguay from 1931 to 1938

A controversial figure, known for the Terra Dictatorship

Out flows the Rio ■■■■■, making its way to Embalse de Rincon de Baygorria

I’m heading back towards the coast over Tacuarembó Department

San Gregorio Airport

Durazno Department

Those straight lines are not texture issues as I first assumed

They are created by tree farms

Tupambae, in Cerro Largo Department, eastern Uruguay

Making a stop in Vergara, a small city in Treinta y Tres Department

Lagoa Mirim, forming the border with Brazil

Leaving Uruguay behind, crossing the lake into Brazil

Santa Vitória do Palmar, the southernmost municipality in Brazil

Santa Celina, Picasso farming

Anselmi, between Lagoa Mirim and Lagoa Mangueira, ocean further to the right

Estação Ecológica do Taim

Careful Capybara friends, there are crocodiles (Yacare caiman) out here

South Atlantic Ocean near Olimpo

Cassino, Rio Grande - RS

Landing at Aeroporto Regional de Rio Grande

São Lourenço do Sul on Lagoa dos Patos (lagoon)

Praia das Ondinas on the lagoon

Mostardas

Lighthouse Cristóvão Pereira on Lagoa dos Patos

In between Lagoa dos Patos and the South Atlantic Ocean

Viamão

Lightning is intensifying, I’m getting closer to the storm

Porto Alegre, the capital city of the state of Rio Grande do Sul

Located on the Guaíba River in southern Brazil

Usina do Gasômetro, the Public Market and Park Marinha do Brasil

Montenegro Airport, visibility nearly gone

Salvador do Sul

Barão, a little break from the rain

Carlos Barbosa

Garibaldi Airport

Aeroclube de Bento Goncalves

Bento Gonçalves, Rio Grande do Sul

Das Antes River

Vacaria

Vacaria Novo Airport

Bom ■■■■■

All that rain makes pretty valleys and waterfalls

Canion Monte ■■■■■

Villa Maria

Nova Veneza

Aeroporto Regional Sul Humberto Ghizzo Bortoluzzi - Jaguaruna

Ponta das Laranjeiras on Lagoa Imaruí

Ibiraquera, State of Santa Catarina

Ibiraquera on the South Atlantic Ocean

Garopaba

Dunas Siriú Garopaba

Enseada da Pinheira

Hercilio Luz Intl

Florianópolis, Santa Catarina

São José on the right

Ponte Hercílio Luz, Brazil’s longest suspension bridge, opened 1982

It’s under water in FS2020, maybe because it’s not far car traffic, foot/bicycle traffic only

Canto Grande

Itapema

Navegantes on the Itajaí-Açu river

Beto Carrero World, large scale theme park in Praia de Armação do Itapocorói

Guruva, climbing back up the ridge

Pedra Branca do Araraquara

Last stop this leg in Curitiba

Afonso Pena International Airport

Home to Museu Oscar Niemeyer

Oscar Niemeyer (1907-2012) was a Brazilian architect considered to be one of the key figures in the development of modern architecture

Next leg, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

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370

Amazing Journey, Very nice to mix some screens with real photo’s. I have wrote down a bunch of places which are a must to visit for me as well thanks to you :smiley: Will keep following you for sure. Fly on!

1 Like
371

Leg 281, Curitiba, State of Paraná to Fazenda Ribeiro Manso, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

DAY05_29.PLN (15.9 KB)

A great leg today, the coast of southern Brazil is amazing. São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are well deserved to be the best known cities in Brazil. A lot to see this leg, a lot of stops as well, long post.

05-29 Afonso Pena Intl SBCT 5:53 AM
05-29 Banaer de Jacupiranga SIVW 6:19 AM Trees at end of runway
05-29 Registro SBWS 6:27 AM 40 knot tailwind, lot of turbulence
05-29 Ica SSMW 6:44 AM
05-29 Fazenda Caicara SDCR 6:54 AM
05-29 Interlagos 23°42’05.6"S 46°41’52.6"W 7:10 AM Sao Paolo
05-29 Congonhas Intl SBSP 7:14 AM
05-29 Marte SBMT 7:21 AM
05-29 Guarulhos Intl SBGR 7:28 AM
05-29 Sao Jose Dos Campos SBSJ 7:43 AM
05-29 Base De Aviacao De Taubate SBTA 7:51 AM
05-29 Pindamonhangaba SDPD 7:55 AM
05-29 Guaratingueta SBGW 8:02 AM
05-29 Ilha Dos Porcos Grandes SILI 8:21 AM Trees at end of runway
05-29 Angra Dos Reis SDAG 8:26 AM
05-29 Fazenda Bom Jardim SDCZ 8:31 AM
05-29 Fazenda Portobello SDPA 8:33 AM
05-29 Santa Cruz AB SBSC 8:44 AM
05-29 Clube CEU SBIX 8:47 AM
05-29 Jacarepagua SBJR 8:55 AM Christ the Redeemer
Metropolitan Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro 22°54’37"S 43°10’51"W
05-29 Santos Dumont SBRJ 9:16 AM
05-29 Galeao-Antonio C Jobim Intl SBGL 9:27 AM
05-29 Itaborai SBNY 9:41 AM
05-29 Marica SDMC 9:50 AM
05-29 Saquarema SDSK 9:59 AM
05-29 Cabo Frio SBCB 10:10 AM
05-29 Ponta Da Costa SDPC 10:13 AM
05-29 Sao Pedro De Aldeia SBES 10:16 AM
05-29 Umberto Modiano SBBZ 10:20 AM
05-29 Rio das Ostras SSTY 10:26 AM
05-29 Trimonte SNAO 10:29 AM
05-29 Macae SBME 10:36 AM
05-29 Vila de Tocos SIBC 10:51 AM
05-29 Bartolomeu Lisandro SBCP 10:58 AM
05-29 Itaperuna SDUN 11:14 AM
05-29 Ponte Nova SNCZ 11:46 AM
05-29 Alvinopolis SBNQ 11:55 AM
05-29 Lagoa Santa SBLS 12:18 PM
05-29 Tancredo Neves Intl SBCF 12:22 PM
05-29 Fazenda do Brejo SWZT 12:38 PM
05-29 Tranquilo Testolin SNTT 12:56 PM
05-29 Silvio Goncalves de Mello SWWT 1:02 PM
05-29 Morada Nova De Mina SNMM 1:06 PM
05-29 Tres Maria SNAS 1:20 PM
05-29 Fazenda Marreco SIPJ 1:26 PM

Flight time 7:33 44 stops

Alfonso Pena International Airport, ready for departure

Curitiba at dawn

Piraquara

Parque Linear do Rio Itaqui

Represa Piraquara

Quatro Barras

Guaraqueçaba

Barra do Turvo

Cajati municipality in the state of São Paulo

Torre Do Guaraú (hiking area)

Mountain biking as well

Jacupiranga

Ribeira de Iguape River

Col. de Férias

Juréia-Itatins Mosaic (nature preserve)

On the ground at Aeroporto de Ultraleves

Located in Peruíbe

Fazenda Caicara

Parelheiros, one of 96 districts of the city of São Paulo

Vila Natal, São Paulo

Repressa Billings on the south side of the city

Represa de Guarapiranga with Autódromo José Carlos Pace

Better known as Interlagos

I landed on the straight, not completely flat but very landable

Highlights from the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix

An excellent track guide by TheKie25

Landing at Congonhas-São Paulo Airport

Heading downtown over Esporte Clube Sírio

Ibirapuera Park on the left

Praça Carlos Gomes - Liberdade

Vila Dom Pedro II

Jos Mauro De Vasconcelos in the center (library)

Landing at Guarulhos International Airport

The greater metropolitan area of São Paulo is home to 22.3 million people

Municipal Theatre of São Paulo in the middle, built 1911

A peek in the Museum of Art of São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand

On to Santa Isabel, State of São Paulo

São José dos Campos ahead

That green space is for power lines, goes all the way through the city and beyond

Paraíba Do Sul river valley

Lorena

Cunha

Parque Mambucaba ahead on the coast

Praia do Laboratório along the shore

Ilha da Jibóia

Ilha Dos Porcos Grande

Angra dos Reis in the State of Rio de Janeiro

Fazenda Portobello Airport

Fazenda Muriqui

Ilha da Madeira

Jacarepaguá and Jacarepaguá lagoon with the smaller Marependi lagoon on the right
https://i.imgur.com/mlbFUpP.png

Rio de Janeiro, population 13.5 million
https://i.imgur.com/ULUTZ6x.png

Home to the iconic 38 meter tall Christ the Redeemer statue
https://i.imgur.com/3t8S2ZR.png

Located on top of Mount Corcovado
https://i.imgur.com/a3HwFhi.png

Accessible by train and escalators
https://i.imgur.com/Lmt7eUK.png

Jockey Club Brasileiro behind Mount Corcovado on Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon
https://i.imgur.com/gD5Iu9h.png

Largo do Boticário below. Cobblestone plaza with overgrown remains of historic houses
https://i.imgur.com/rrqE30c.png

Catedral Metropolitana de São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro
https://i.imgur.com/ReMh6sA.png

Taking a closer look while aiming to fit in between the two skyscrapers in front of me
https://i.imgur.com/6HHbhti.png

Landing at Rio de Janeiro Airport RJ Santos Dumont
https://i.imgur.com/UhF5jxt.png

Rio-Niterói Bridge crossing Guanabara Bay
https://i.imgur.com/0hIEw2Y.png

8.26-mile concrete bridge between Rio & Niterói, one of the longest in the world
https://i.imgur.com/K1GJ4A6.png

Galeo-Antonio C Jobim Intl
https://i.imgur.com/dR2nvSd.png

Officially RIOgaleão - Aeroporto Internacional Tom Jobim
https://i.imgur.com/fCv5qUB.png

The beaches around Rio including the famous Praia de Copacabana
https://i.imgur.com/2NU2kXL.png

Escadaria Selarón, public stairway adorned by artist Jorge Selarón (1947-2013)
https://i.imgur.com/BPBQaKI.png
The stairs feature tile from at least 60 different countries, as people began sending or bringing him tile from all over the world when his work on the stairs became known

A peek in the National Museum of Brazil before 2019
https://i.imgur.com/kro16wM.png

In a great tragedy, millions of objects, including most of the building were lost in September 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vT8dNfsaBsA

The salvage operation is ongoing
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-48023691

Rio de Janeiro is also home to the biggest carnival in the world, the 2020 Samba Schools competition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIF2eyUNpBc

For the first time since the 1918 Spanish flu, this year carnival was cancelled
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UONmYh751F8
Next year will be one to look out for

Taking a closer look at Galeão International Airport on departure
https://i.imgur.com/a9jrszR.png

Good thing I don’t have a license, can’t lose what you don’t have
https://i.imgur.com/Jhrw6gP.png

https://i.imgur.com/ppQ9Pc9.png

https://i.imgur.com/57cRgc7.png

Flying over Praia da Bandeira on the way out of Rio de Janeiro
https://i.imgur.com/sQSpCsa.png

Itaboraí
https://i.imgur.com/rajDhK9.png

Aeroporto Municipal de Maricá on Lagoa de Maricá
https://i.imgur.com/rqZxAEa.png

Maricá
https://i.imgur.com/I9LgJzT.png

Saquarema
https://i.imgur.com/3xu7tAI.png

Flying out of Saquarema Airport, doesn’t look like the airstrip is still in use on Google maps
https://i.imgur.com/nVIIcjj.png
There is a horse grazing on the overgrown field

Ponta do Capim
https://i.imgur.com/6LFbkbZ.png

Araruama Lagoon
https://i.imgur.com/rtwb2rL.png

Cabo Frio Airport
https://i.imgur.com/gbqTv1Z.png

Rio das Ostras
https://i.imgur.com/asO4O4h.png

Carrapato
https://i.imgur.com/HwlU8x0.png

Campos on the Paraíba do Sul river
https://i.imgur.com/haKIlnq.png

Antônio Prado de Minas
https://i.imgur.com/4hqfwri.png

Canaã, this landscape goes on for miles
https://i.imgur.com/kyma7pO.png

Ponte Nova on the Rio Piranga
https://i.imgur.com/suWbfZk.png

https://i.imgur.com/NZ7liH2.png

Alvinópolis
https://i.imgur.com/KsKIWSw.png

Caeté
https://i.imgur.com/4dII2wt.png

Sete Lagoas in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais
https://i.imgur.com/wowwDuh.png

Home to Monument State Natural Cave Rei do Mato
https://i.imgur.com/6Ht9Qyf.png

Paraopeba, pretty dry here
https://i.imgur.com/yQxKAy3.png

Represa Três Marias
https://i.imgur.com/jXLrbmQ.png

The water level must have been a lot higher at some point
https://i.imgur.com/HJMseQk.png

https://i.imgur.com/qOr3vlA.png

Três Marias municipality
https://i.imgur.com/cAJACMH.png

Barragem de Três Marias - MG
https://i.imgur.com/IPzrwUX.png

Bridge to nowhere on the right, no idea what it is for
https://i.imgur.com/L8GBbgL.png

Also here Cachoeira Das Virgens, listed as museum, Uncharted vibes are strong
https://i.imgur.com/mz56nsq.jpg

Final stop today at Fazenda Marreco Airport on the San Francisco River
https://i.imgur.com/evIfa5J.png

More Brazil tomorrow, heading to the capital Brasilia.

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Leg 282, Fazenda Ribeiro Manso, State of Minas Gerais to Salvador, State of Bahia, Brazil

DAY05_30.PLN (12.4 KB)

A trip to, mostly farm country. Visiting the capital, Brasilia, Sobradinho Reservoir and then back to the coast to Salvador.

05-30 Fazenda Marreco SIPJ 7:05 AM
05-30 Fazenda Buritiz SDYI 7:12 AM
05-30 Fazenda Vargem Bonita de Cima SBJZ 7:29 AM
05-30 Fazenda Cana Brava SNNB 7:39 AM
05-30 Fazenda HJ SNYI 8:03 AM
05-30 Fazenda Pamplona SWFA 8:14 AM
05-30 Pres Juscelino Kubitschek Intl SBBR 8:28 AM Brasilia capital
05-30 Brasilia 15°45’58.16"S 47°54’18.35"W 8:36 AM Not sure if it still exists
05-30 Fazenda Santa Izabel SSLJ 9:20 AM
05-30 Fazenda Parana SJUU 9:27 AM
05-30 Fazenda Barriguda SJGY 9:35 AM
05-30 Divinopolis de Goias SBSS 9:48 AM
05-30 Fazenda Sao Sebastiao SWXH 9:56 AM
05-30 Fazenda Horita SJEW 9:58 AM Building on end of runway
05-30 Sete Povos SDCM 10:06 AM
05-30 Fazenda Santo Angelo SJFX 10:10 AM
05-30 Fazenda Querubim SJAZ 10:13 AM
05-30 Warpol SJWP 10:17 AM
05-30 Fazenda Nossa Senhora do Carmo Airstrip SDEX 10:21 AM
05-30 Fazenda Buriti SSNW 10:31 AM
05-30 Aba SNDH 10:42 AM
05-30 Barreiras SNBR 10:45 AM
05-30 Cotegipe Airstrip SBRC 11:02 AM
05-30 Fazenda Santo Antonio da Serra do Boqueirao Airstrip SBIG 11:15 AM
05-30 Barra SNBX 11:36 AM
05-30 Xique-Xique SNXQ 11:48 AM
05-30 Remanso SB2J 12:21 PM Short runway with traffic
05-30 Sobradinho SNBD 12:54 PM
05-30 JMF SB26 1:19 PM
05-30 Jacobina SNJB 1:36 PM
05-30 Itaberaba SNIB 2:07 PM Bad texture area
05-30 Castro Alves SSRF 2:26 PM
05-30 Bahia Aeroclube SNVR 2:50 PM
05-30 Dep L E Magalheas Intl SBSV 3:06 PM

Flight time 8:01 33 stops

The sun is alreeady up, ready to depart from Fazenda Marreco Airport

Taking off along the São Francisco River

Santo Antônio

Fazenda Vargem Bonita Area rural

It’s classified as an agricultural association, but the reviews mention it as a waterfall

There is no river near the marker, a mystery

João Pinheiro, farms fed by the Rio Verde

Fazenda Pamplona

Most farms have airstrips here, farm hopping

Pres Juscelino Kubitschek Intl, aka Aeroporto Internacional de Brasília

Quick stop, back in the air to explore Brasilia, the capital of Brazil

Taking of over Nascente do Lago Paranoá

Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet and Mané Garrincha Stadium, both on the left

The National Congress below me

That group of house isn’t supposed to be there, it’s Three Powers Plaza

Brasilia is a planned city that became Brazil’s capital in 1960 (Salvador and Rio de Janeiro pre 1960) Chiefly designed by Oscar Niemeyer and laid out in the shape of an airplane

Monumento Dois Candangos (1959) paying tribute to the workers who helped build the country on the left
Rito dos Ritmos in the gardens of the Alvorada Palace on the right

Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge aka Ponte JK spanning across Lake Paranoá

Designed by Alexandre Chan, named after Juscelino Kubitschek (1902-1976) Brazil’s president from 1956 to 1961, considered the main figure supporting the construction of the planned city

Cathedral of Brasília, designed by Oscar Niemeyer, completed 1970

Itameraty Palace (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) the National Congress and Alvorada Palace (presidential residence) all designed by Oscar Niemeyer. What a legacy to design a whole city (and live to be a 104)

Brasilia was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987

Flying out over Paranoá Lake

Planaltina

Going down a step

Formosa

São Domingos

Rio Calheiros, I guess the start of the river

São Desidério, going a step back up

Campos Belos

Rio Mosquito, no wonder they prefer to have the farms on the top floor

Fezenda Nossa Senhora do Carmo, still farm hopping

Rio Grande near Barreiras

Angical

Barra, State of Bahia

An untouched part of the jungle

Joining back up with the São Francisco River

Where it flows into the Sobradinho reservoir

The reservoir measures approximately 320 km long

4,214 km² in surface area, and a storage capacity of 34.1 km³, 15 largest in the world

Beautiful as well

Halfway along the reservoir Remanso Airport

Or rather Praça Iraci Ferreira de Castro, not an airport (anymore)

Usina Hidrelétrica de Sobradinho

The Sobradinho Dam, a large hydroelectric dam was completed in 1982

The dam generates power by utilizing six 175 megawatts Francis turbine-generators

Totalling installed capacity, 1,050 megawatts

Juazeiro

Jacobina Airport

Jacobina in the Centro Norte Baiano mesoregion of Bahia

Sete Passagens State Park

Castro Alves

Praia de Mutá at the end of Rio Jaguaripe

Aeroclube da Bahia Airfield at Barra do Pote

Praia da Barra do Pote

Farol da Barra - Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra at the tip in Salvador

Salvador, the capital of Brazil’s northeastern state of Bahia

Itaipava Fonte Nova Arena (left) built for the Confederations Cup in 2013

Salvador is located on the Bay of Saints

Salvador along Av. Lafayete Coutinho

Elevador Lacerda, Plano inclinado Gonçalvez baixo and Igreja e Convento de São Francisco

Making my way to my final stop this leg, São Cristóvã

At Savlador Bahia Airport

Officially Salvador International Airport - Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães

Tomorrow exploring more of Brazil along the coast to the mouth of the Amazon river

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375

Leg 283, Salvador, State of Bahia to Cruz, State of Ceará, Brazil

DAY05_31.PLN (11.7 KB)

Following the coast today. Terrain quality is pretty poor in some areas, it must be cloudy a lot. There are lots of generic patches to cover up the clouds on the aerial data. However still plenty great sights along the way and a bit of a mix up with a very small airport.

05-31 Dep L E Magalheas Intl SBSV 5:14 AM
05-31 Jaua SBZZ 5:19 AM
05-31 Costa dos Coqueiros SNME 5:28 AM
05-31 Parque Manoelito Argolo SIZA 5:40 AM
05-31 Santa Maria SBAR 6:11 AM
05-31 Penedo SNPE 6:34 AM Bad terrain, hills in the river
05-31 Campo da Praia SNCY 6:41 AM
05-31 Usina Coruripe SNUZ 6:46 AM Patchy terrain
05-31 Zumi Dos Palmares Intl SBMO 7:04 AM
05-31 Caxias SNXS 7:14 AM Lot of generic terrain, poor data
05-31 Jose Mucio Monteiro SIRF 7:32 AM
05-31 Guararapes - Gilbeto Freyre SBRF 7:48 AM
05-31 Igarassu SIFC 7:57 AM
05-31 Itapessoca SIPE 8:05 AM Patchy terrain
05-31 Presidente Castro Pinto Intl SBJP 8:18 AM
05-31 Aeroclub Joao Pessoa SNJO 8:26 AM
05-31 Rio Tinto SNRN 8:37 AM
05-31 Severino Lopes SJBX 8:52 AM half a runway, texture issues
05-31 Augusto Severo Intl SBNT 8:58 AM
05-31 Gov Aluizio Alves Intl SBSG 9:04 AM Bad terrain quality
05-31 Ceara Mirim SNOG 9:07 AM
05-31 Maxaranguape SNXX 9:16 AM
05-31 Fazenda Bebida Velha SNZO 9:19 AM
05-31 Dix Sept Rosado SBMS 10:04 AM
05-31 Maisa SNOO 10:10 AM Bad stuttering, memory use increasing
05-31 Aracati SNAT 10:25 AM Beacon in the way
05-31 Sitio Vodo SNYX 10:41 AM Building at end of runway
05-31 Aquiraz SBON 10:47 AM
05-31 Eusebio SBOO 11:07 AM Very short, 4 attempts, model airport… 732ft
05-31 Pinto Martins Intl SBFZ 11:12 AM
05-31 Amontada SBOK 11:44 AM
05-31 Polo Turistico De Jericoacoara SBJE 12:03 PM

Flight time 6:49 31 stops

Well, isn’t that a nice way to start

São Cristóvã early morning

Itanagra

Parque Manoel Argolo EntreRios BA (memorial park) near the unnamed airstrip

Doesn’t look like it’s still in use, roof caved in on the hangers on street view, gated shut access road

Jandaíra

Rio Real and Rio Jacaré joining together just before flowing into the South Atlantic Occean

Praia do Saco

Caueira

Rio Vaza-Barris

Ponte Joel Silveira

Siqueira Campos on the Sergipe River

Pte João Alves

Penedo Airport

Usina Coruripe Airport

Jequiá da Praia

Santa Luzia do Norte

Zumi Dos Palmares Intl, serving Maceió, the capital city of the state of Alagoas

Officially Aeroporto Internacional Zumbi dos Palmares

Caxias Airport

Sirinhaém, State of Pernambuco

Approaching Cabo de Santo Agostinho

Guararapes - Gilbeto Freyre Airport in Boa Viagem

Officially Aeroporto Internacional do Recife/Guararapes - Gilberto Freyre

Rio Tijipió in Recife

Jockey Club of Pernambuco

Recife is the capital of Brazil’s northeastern state of Pernambuco

Recife began as a collection of fishing shacks, inns and warehouses on the delta between the Capibaribe and Beberibe Rivers, now houses 3.7 million people in its greater metropolitan area

Itapissuma

Ponta do Funil (in front of me)

The beach at Ponta do Funil

Presidente Castro Pinto Intl serving João Pessoa, a coastal city near the mouth of the Paraíba River

Offically Aeroporto Internacional de João Pessoa/Presidente Castro Pinto (JPA)

Hotel Tambaú in Tambaú, odd wheel thing on the beach

Praia de Manaíra

Landing at Aeroclube da Paraíba

Augusto Severo Intl, nowadays called Aeroporto Internacional de Natal, serving Natal

Pedra Grande, must be windy a lot, judging by the sand and number of windmills

São Bento do Norte, lots of windmills around the coast

Macau in the State of Rio Grande do Norte

Wedged in between the salt ponds

Rio Piranhas

Mossoró on Rio do Carmo, oil fields

Aeroporto de Mossoró Dix Sept Rosado and Estádio Manoel Leonardo Nogueira in Nogueirão

Aracati ahead

Jaguaribe River

Aeroporto Regional Dragão do Mar Aracati-CE, mind the beacon at the end of the runway, on the runway

Pirangi River in Fortim, State of Ceará

Sucatinga

4th attempt landing here, very short runway and I was foolishly trying to land down wind
https://i.imgur.com/XAqU4VI.png

11 knot headwind, much better than 11 knot tailwind, Eusebio Airport, 732ft runway
https://i.imgur.com/fi1nyuj.png

Looking it up on Google explained a few things, Centro Integrado de Modelismo
https://i.imgur.com/WyGVPAb.png

I am flying a model airplane as well…
https://i.imgur.com/SMVyWtj.png

This is where I landed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI3XT_0cja4

Piper in action
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEkHX2Opu-k

Plane POV
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSagpg7oK2A

Jet plane, how do you not lose the thing in the sky!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7woJeDRb2X0

Now I still need to get out of here. First attempt, I went for a swim :joy: The latest sim update changed the stall dynamics, you can’t push the Bonanza as much anymore at low speeds, it rightfully flipped over and put me in the water. I was tying to take off down wind since that’s where I wanted to go (terrible pilot I know) which didn’t help at all.

Since I’m terribly stubborn, reset and try again (11 knot tailwind)
https://i.imgur.com/KtVSRBn.png

We have lift off sort of
https://i.imgur.com/ojFrIE9.png

This time I let it sink to the water to use the ground effect to get up to a safer speed
https://i.imgur.com/VCWaEYm.png

It worked, plnety to clear the trees and buildings on the other side of Lagoa da Precabura
https://i.imgur.com/hYsJUSa.png

I loaded up the airport again before posting for some more fun practice runs. The wind had strengthened to 13 kots, easy to land and take off (against the wind). Without wind, still possible to take off without issues, landing is very tight. Touch down right at the start and brake hard. 11 knot wind has a much bigger impact than I previously thought. Respect the wind direction!

Pinto Martins Intl, the real airport in Fortaleza
https://i.imgur.com/HcKjluH.png

Fortaleza, the capital of the northeastern Brazilian state of Ceará
https://i.imgur.com/kuvNwOA.png

Known for its beaches and Parque Estadual do Rio Cocó, conservation land in the middle of the city
https://i.imgur.com/R3S0j2B.png

Also here Centro Dragão do Mar de Arte e Cultura
https://i.imgur.com/Rgo5ITi.png

Amontada
https://i.imgur.com/SEPq4km.png

Jericoacoara National Park
https://i.imgur.com/DwEMq3J.png

https://i.imgur.com/NbWbF0Z.png

Final stop today at Aeroporto Pólo Turístico de Jericoacoara
https://i.imgur.com/mOHjmAW.png

Empty field in game, there is an airport
https://i.imgur.com/ZoJ32kc.png

Next leg, continuing on to the Amazon delta.

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Leg 284, Cruz, State of Ceará to São Félix do Xingu, State of Pará, Brazil

DAY06_01.PLN (9.4 KB)

Further along the coast to the bay of Marajó, then inland along the Tocantins river, trees, lots of em.

06-01 Polo Turistico De Jericoacoara SBJE 5:09 AM
06-01 Camocim SNWC 5:19 AM
06-01 Parnaiba - Prefeito Dr Joao Si SBPB 5:39 AM
06-01 Barreirinhas SBRR 6:00 AM
06-01 Coronel Alexandre Raposo SNOZ 6:31 AM
06-01 Marechal Cunha Machado Intl SBSL 6:35 AM
06-01 Centro De Lancamento De Alcantara SNCW 6:46 AM Bad textures along the shore
06-01 Salinopolis SNSM 7:57 AM Bad Aireal data, lots of holes
06-01 Norte Jet SJNR 8:20 AM
06-01 Chacara Paraiso SNYP 8:23 AM
06-01 Portal do Ceu SIPC 8:27 AM Short runway
06-01 Val De Caes SBBE 8:32 AM
06-01 Ponta de Pedras Airstrip SBDX 8:43 AM Bad Terrain data
06-01 Muana Airstrip SBMU Landing strip turned into a long building
06-01 Curralinho Airstrip SBOE 9:07 AM Trees at end of runway
06-01 New Cameta CMT 9:18 AM
06-01 Nova Conceicao Agroindustrial SINC 9:35 AM Trees at end of runway
06-01 Tucurui SBTU 9:55 AM Bad elevation data, river hills
06-01 Tucurui SBWL 9:59 AM
06-01 Maraba SBMA 10:37 AM
06-01 Benedito Mutran SIBD 10:48 AM
06-01 Fazenda Serra Grande SNQE 11:07 AM
06-01 Carajas SBCJ 11:13 AM
06-01 Igarape Bahia SDLJ 11:30 AM
06-01 Sao Felix SNFX 12:02 PM

Flight time 6:53 24 stops (actually 23, one runway build over)

Polo Turistico De Jericoacoara Airport, ready for departure

More windmills along the shore at Praia da Barrinha

Barra Grande

Ponta do Anel, Luís Correia, State of Piauí

Praia de Macapá, another use for the prevailing winds around here

Rio Magu, Magu a legendary Taoist xian associated with the elixir of life

Good name for a river although probably merely a coincidence

Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Maranhenses

Mesmerizing landscape

Panaquatira on Baia do Curupu

São Luís on São Luís island (It’s only a 100 meter water way making it an island though)

Landing at Marechal Cunha Machado Intl

Officially Aeroporto Internacional de São Luís - Marechal Cunha Machado

Governor John Castelo-Castelao Stadium

Centro district between Rio Anil and Rio Bacanga

Carutapera, State of Maranhão

Praia São Pedro

Baía do Caeté

Santo Antonio do Urindeua

Aeroporto Internacional de Belém / Val-de-Cans - Júlio Cezar Ribeiro

Belém along Baia do Guajará

Home to Basilica Sanctuary of Nazareth and Estação das Docas on the right

Praia de Sirituba

Ponta de Pedras ahead, located along the Rio Marajó-Açu flowing into Baía de Marajó

Landing at Ponta de Pedras Aistrip

I guess no longer in use, overgrown, traffic crossing, soccer patch on it (oct 2019 capture)

While I could land at the last one, Muana Airstrip…

I’ve seen this happen before, I think it was in or near the Pyrenees. Actually it was Mboliasa FZBT, Basango Mboliasa Airport in the town of Kiri in the DRC, close lol.

One long building in the game, if it weren’t for all those air conditioners I could have landed :grinning:

Also looks to be no longer in use, although no street view here

Rio Cupijó, small river

Cametá, State of Pará

Tucuruí meeting up with the Tocantins River again

Aeroporto Regional de Tucuruí - SBTU

Usina Hidrelétrica de Tucuruí holding back Represa de Tucuruí

Usina Hidrelétrica de Tucuruí

Crossing the Igarapé Cocal river, flowing into Represa de Tucuruí

Represa de Tucuruí fed by the Tocantins River (mainly), Igarapé Cocal and Rio Cariné

Marabá on the Tocantins River

Orla de Marabá

Subestação Itacaiúnas

Rio Vermelho in Marabá municipality, State of Pará

Projeto Serra leste, mine site

Landing at Fazenda Serra Grande Airport in Cidade Jardim (district of Parauapebas)

Parauapebas on the edge of the rain forest (to the west, farmland in other directions)

Aeroporto Carajás cut out in the jungle

Carajás Mine, Vale mining company

Over Parauapebas municipality on the way to Igarape Bahia

Igarapé Bahia, Vale mining company site

São Félix do Xingu between the Rio Fresco and Xingu River

Last stop today Aeroporto de São Félix do Xingu

Nice place to spend the rest of the day

I’ll be making my way to the Amazon river tomorrow. Then along the Amazon back to the coast before heading to French Guiana.

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379

wow again a stunning leg, Sao paolo and Rio is my backup plan if Thailand is a nogo later this year.

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Leg 285, São Félix do Xingu, State of Pará to Curuai, Santarém - State of Pará, Brazil

DAY06_02.PLN (8.3 KB)

This leg is dedicated to trees, so many of them. In fact there are an estimated 390 billion trees in the Amazon rain forest, 16,000 different species. Actually I ‘only’ cover the eastern extent of the Amazon rain forest in this leg, a loop around the State of Pará. I flew through the state of Amazonas is leg 258 and 259.

Flying low over all these trees did pose a big challenge for my laptop. I had to dial the draw distance back to minimum a couple times to let the sim catch up so memory use doesn’t grow out of control. I’m pretty close to the equator, maximum draw distance here (tied to latitude since a couple updates ago) However the balancing act with settings was fully worth the trouble, so many great places to land. I love landing in between all the trees, it gives a real sense of speed.

06-02 Sao Felix SNFX 5:40 AM
06-02 Fazenda Porto Seguro SWXO 5:59 AM Building at end of runway
06-02 Aldeia Kubenkroke SDWJ 6:35 AM Bad stuttering, too many trees
06-02 Altamira SBDW 7:09 AM Poor river data (very low res straight lines misaligned)
06-02 Kururuzinho SSMN 7:54 AM
06-02 Tales Pires Lodge SBBN 7:58 AM
06-02 Mayrowy SDUS 8:22 AM Trees at end of runway
06-02 Cururu SNQW 8:31 AM Trees at end of runway
06-02 Fazenda Samauma SIKQ 8:50 AM Bad stuttering
06-02 Pista Castanheirinho SNDI 8:59 AM
06-02 Pau D’Arco SJPU 9:03 AM
06-02 Muricoca SITO 9:12 AM
06-02 Eldorado SJEL 9:22 AM
06-02 Comandante Carmelo SSOW 9:28 AM
06-02 Noca Descoberta SJND 9:37 AM
06-02 Jacareacanga SBEK 10:03 AM
06-02 Fazenda Penedo SJFG 10:27 AM Sloped runway, approach from river
06-02 Sao Leopoldo SJIY 10:43 AM Bad stuttering, button presses not registering
06-02 Caima SIRJ 11:06 AM
06-02 Itaituba SBIH 11:14 AM
06-02 Fordlandia SBII 11:31 AM
06-02 Curuai SBAK 12:05 PM

Flight time 6:25 21 stops

São Félix do Xingu, ready for take off

Flying out over the Xingu River

To start my tour of the State of Pará

Kayapó Indigenous Territory

Landing at Aldeia Kubenkroke Airport on the Iriri River

Flying over Menkragnoti

Altamira

Cachoeira da Serra next to the Curuá River

Curuá River

Novo Progresso

I’ve never seen anyone so happy after getting flooded

Teles Pires River in Jacareacanga

Kururuzinho Airport

Tales Pires Lodge

Jacareacanga

Following the Teles Pires River

Munduruku

Cururu Airport at Missão São Francisco

Further over Munduruku

Fazenda Samauma next to the Rio Marupá

Landing at Pista Castanheirinho

Pau D’Arco

Muricoca

Swooping in, in between the tree covered hills never gets old

Muicoca Airport

Eldorado Airport at Garimpo Patrocinio along Rio Surubim

Garimpo Patrocinio

Comandante Carmelo Airport in Creporizinho

Noca Descoberta Airport

Jacareacanga next to the Tapajós river

Tapajós river

Fazenda Penedo along the Tapajós river

Sao Leopoldo Airport

Lanchonete-Posto-Pousada Amigo Garimpeiro

Caima Airport in Vista Alegre on the Tapajós river

Aeroporto Municipal De Itaituba

Itaituba, one of the most important socioeconomic centers in the western region of the State of Pará

Aveiro on the Tapajós river

Curai on Lago Grande do Curuay with the Amazon river further out

The landing strip was on the edge of town, now in town doubling as a road, R. Pista de Pouso

Curai, last stop today

Next leg, following the Amazon river to the coast and then to French Guiana.

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381

Leg 286, Curuai, Santarém - State of Pará, Brazil via Suriname to Maripasoula, French Guiana

DAY06_03.PLN (8.3 KB)

Last day in Brazil, following the mighty Amazon River to the coast. Terrain quality is severely lacking in the Amazon Delta, it must be cloudy a lot. It was today.

06-03 Curuai SBAK 5:35 AM
06-03 Obidos SNTI 5:47 AM
06-03 Santarem SBSN 6:13 AM
06-03 Sao Jose SNSH 6:22 AM
06-03 Piquiatuba SNCJ 6:24 AM
06-03 Monte Alegre SNMA 6:46 AM
06-03 Almeirim SNYA 7:22 AM Mesh height bugs, spikes, messy terrain
06-03 Gurupa SNGU 7:44 AM Bad terrain data, low detail water polygons
06-03 Macapa Intl SBMQ 8:21 AM
06-03 Hangar Comandante Salomao Alcolumbre SJKI 8:32 AM
06-03 Afua Municipal SBAC 8:51 AM
06-03 Fazenda Parabufalos SJOR 9:19 AM Bad terrain data, big mess
06-03 Fazenda Santa Isabel SWVP 9:24 AM
06-03 Amapa SBAM 9:50 AM
06-03 Ouanary SOSA 10:36 AM
06-03 St Georges De L’oyapock SOOG 10:47 AM
06-03 Oiapoque SBOI 10:50 AM
06-03 Vila Brasil SOCM 11:09 AM Messy terrain, low detail, generic textures
06-03 Lawa Anapaike Airstrip SMLA 11:47 AM Bad stuttering
06-03 Lawa Antino Airstrip SMAN 11:54 AM
06-03 Tabiki Airstrip SMTA 11:59 AM
06-03 Maripasoula SOOA 12:03 PM

Flight time 6:28 21 stops

Ready for departure from Curuai Airport

Lago Grande do Curuay at sunrise

Lago do Poção Grande at sunrise, Amazon river further ahead

Flying towards Óbidos

Óbidos, next to the Amazon River which snakes through a bunch of large lakes in this area

The Amazon river with lakes and tributaries at 7,500ft

At 12,000ft, still can’t see the whole thing

Aeroporto Internacional de Santarém — Maestro Wilson Fonseca — STM

Santarém, where the Tapajós River meets the Amazon

Monte Alegre

Aeroporto de Monte Alegre

Prainha

Paru River joining the Amazon

Almeirim Airport

Almeirim municipality

Furo dos Araiôlos, a side branch off the Amazon

Back over the Amazon River just before it splits in two

Gurupá, along the south or east branch of the Amazon after the Xingu river joins the Amazon

Gurupá Airport

Don’t mess with Gurupá!

Reserva de Desenvolvimento de Sustentável de Itatupã-Baquiá

Ilha Santana

Portuário do Igarapé da Fortaleza

Macapá, the capital of Amapá state

Landing at Aeroporto Internacional de Macapá - Alberto Alcolumbre

Fortaleza de São José de Macapá

View from (above) the fort

Novo Horizonte, district on the northern edge of Macapá

Capim Marinho ahead, something is not right

Afua Municipal Airport

Incorrect water polygon flooding part of the city

Baía de Santa Rosa

Chaves

Rio Flechal

Base Aérea do Amapá

Which used to be US Navy Base Amapá

US Zeppelins patrolling the Amazon in WW2, you learn something new every day

Parque Arqueológico do Solstício

Contains a megalithic stone circle, colloquially known as the Amazon Stonehenge

Calçoene, lot of clouds around here

Rio Urucauá

Quanary in French Guiana on Baía do Oiapoque

And along the Quanary River

Aérodrome de Saint Georges next to the Oyapok River

Aeroporto De Oiapoque

Ponte Transfronteiriça Brasil - França

The border between Brazil and French Guiana

Villa Brasil Airport in French Guiana on the Oyapok River (which forms the border)
https://i.imgur.com/KvKO8Er.png

Vila Brasil
https://i.imgur.com/X8q1NJC.png

Camopi, mainly inhabited by Amerindians of the Wayampi and Teko tribes
https://i.imgur.com/28W8wE9.png

Lawa Anapaike Airstrip on the Lawa River in Suriname
https://i.imgur.com/aIQBmf0.png

Lawa Anapaike Airstrip
https://i.imgur.com/mBKYxIU.png

Tapanahony, an enormous resort which encompasses a quarter of the country of Suriname
https://i.imgur.com/MDwenxh.png

Lawa Antino Airstrip, called Benzdorp Airport on Google
https://i.imgur.com/dJ6xpzx.png

This is the actual Benzdorp on the Lawa River
https://i.imgur.com/NzHwnhw.png
Tabiki Airstrip on the island just showing a point in the picture (no aerial data further back)

Last stop today at Maripasoula, also on the Lawa River
https://i.imgur.com/vfhaz0W.png
Maripasoula is on the French Guiana side of the river, Suriname on the other side

Maripasoula
https://i.imgur.com/HSvhMaf.png

Just north of town, Sentier des Géants (Trail of the giants)
https://i.imgur.com/8SmLkOk.png

Next leg, visiting the capital of French Guiana, then further west to see more of Suriname.

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384

Leg 287, Maripasoula, French Guiana to Jarikaba, Suriname

DAY06_04.PLN (8.6 KB)

Exploring French Guiana and Suriname today. A mighty struggle for my laptop, poor terrain quality, all with trees, at the equator, is a major stress test for the sim. Especially while flying low, half in low hanging clouds and rain. Most of the terrain is proceduraly generated in small tiles, then populated with an abundance of trees. I kept flying ‘ahead’ of the terrain generation process, stuttering ensued making it necessary to reduce draw distance frequently.

For this leg, a 2.2 ghz cpu isn’t cutting it. But with a bit of careful management of draw distance and boosting the cpu up to 4 ghz for screenshot and landing time, still plenty great sights to see. (Just can’t leave it at 4 ghz or thermal throttling ensues)

06-04 Maripasoula SOOA 5:11 AM
06-04 Grand-Santi SOGN 5:24 AM
06-04 Rochambeau SOCA 6:00 AM Cayenne capital
Caserne Loubere 4°56’18"N 52°20’15"W
Dreyfus Tower 5°9’31"N 52°37’35"W
06-04 Mana SOMA 6:55 AM
06-04 St-Laurent-Du-Maroni SOOM 7:08 AM
06-04 Langatabbetje Airstrip SMLT 7:25 AM Trees at end of short runway
06-04 Grand-Santi SMKM 7:38 AM
06-04 Stoelmanseiland SMST 7:47 AM
06-04 Poeketi Airstrip SMPE 7:56 AM
06-04 Drietabbetje SMDA 8:02 AM
06-04 Godo Holo Airstrip SMGH 8:07 AM
06-04 Apetina Airstrip SMPT 8:24 AM
06-04 Vincent Faiks SMPA 8:34 AM
06-04 Alalapadu Airstrip SMDU 9:02 AM
06-04 Kwamalasoemoetoe SMSM 9:15 AM Poor terrain quality, bad stuttering
06-04 Coeroenie SMCI 9:41 AM Terrible stuttering, 90% auto gen terrain
06-04 Ralleigh Airstrip SMRA 10:24 AM
06-04 Cabana Airstrip SMCB 10:40 AM
06-04 Nieuw Jacobkondre Airstrip SMBN 10:45 AM Memory increasing, autogen terrain many trees
Terrible stuttering, button presses not registering, down to 2fps, restart
06-04 Nieuw Jacobkondre Airstrip SMBN 10:53 AM
06-04 Brownsweg Airstrip SMBS 11:04 AM
06-04 JA Pengel Intl SMJP 11:28 AM Paramaribo capital
06-04 Zorg en Hoop SMZO 11:41 AM
06-04 Jarikaba Airstrip SMJA 11:57 AM

Flight time 6:38 22 stops

Early departure from Maripasoula Airport, lightning all around

It looks like I’ll be in for some rough weather today

Yowza!

First stop at Grand-Santi Airport

Most of the inhabitants here are Ndyuka Maroons and Surinamese immigrants (located on the border)

Sunrise over Saul

La Mana River between the clouds

Saint-Élie

Arrondissement of Cayenne, closing in on the capital

Félix Eboué Airport

Cayenne, the capital of French Guiana

Ilets Dupont in Anse de Montabo (bay) off the coast of Cayenne

Pointe Buzaré, Anse Nadau (bay) and Place Des Amandiers

Pointe Buzaré and Place Des Amandiers

Caserne Loubère, military base on the coast

Phare de Fort Cépérou, the original fort protecting the city from atop a hill

Phare de Fort Cépérou

Also in Ceyenne, Musée Alexandre-Franconie with a model of the original fort

Musée des cultures guyanaises and outfits from Maison créole

Moving on to take a look at Dreyfus Tower at Pointe des Roches

This tiny tower was used as a telegraph to communicate with the Salvation’s islands nearby

Bellevue, French Guiana

Crique Organobo below (park)

Médeyre

Flying over Couachi, Kouachinana

While landing at Mana Airport

Mana on the river Mana, founded on 16 August 1828 by Sister Anne-Marie Javouhey

Saint-Laurent on the Maroni River which is the border with Suriname

Home to Camp de la Transportation

Was used between 1852 and 1946, built even before the city of Saint Laurent was started. Prisoners arrived here from France to be dispatched into Guiana to do development work.

Langatabbetje Airstrip on Lange Island in the Maroni River, Suriname (the river is part of Suriname)

Grand-Santi Airport in Tapahony, probably not named that since Grand-Santi is not nearby

It’s not visible on maps, no data here

Bing calls it Sipaliwini but that’s also somewhere else

Stoelmans Island ahead

Stoelmans Island Airport (no name on maps)

On the Lawa River

Poeketi Airstrip on the Tapanahony River next to Drietabbetje

Tapanahony River near Pikienkondre

Drietabbetje Airport except it’s not, next to an unnamed settlement

Godo Holo Airstrip in Godo Olo, got one right!

Godo Holo is a group of villages in the Tapanahony resort of the Sipaliwini District of Suriname. The villages are inhabited by Maroons of the Ndyuka people. Godo Olo is the name for a group of three neighbouring villages: Saniki, Fisiti and Pikienkondre de Miranda.

Apetina Airstrip between Apetina and Agossa

On the Tapanahony River, missing water polygons

Over Coeroeni

Alalapadu Airstrip in Alalapadi

Alalapadu is a Tiriyó village in the Sipaliwini District. The village was founded by Baptist missionaries next to the Alalapadu Airstrip in order to concentrate the Tiriyó of the area in one central village.

Landing at Vliegveld Sipaliwini in Kwamalasoemoetoe (Vliegveld is Dutch for airport)

Kwamalasoemoetoe

Sipaliwini River

Coeroenie on the Coerantyne River, next to the border with Guyana

Kabalebo (resort) on the Kabalebo River

Ralleigh Airstrip in Raleigh Vallen Nature Preserve

Light rain at Ralleigh Airstrip

Raleigh Vallen (falls) Nature Preserve

Cabana Airstrip, maybe, no names on the maps

It looks like the area was extensively mined here, all those open spots look a lot like strip mining

Saramacca River

Nieuw Jacobkondre Airstrip on the Saramacca River

Nieuw Jacobkondre is a village inhabited by Matawai people, descendants of Africans who escaped slavery in the 17th and 18th centuries by fleeing into the jungles and fighting for their freedom.

Brownsberg (1,690ft) not very high yet considering the highest point of the Netherlands is 1,060ft, it’s a mountain alright. It’s also the name of Brownsberg Nature Park. (berg means mountain)

Landing at Brownsweg Airstrip in Brownsweg (town)

Brownsweg was built in 1958 for the inhabitants of the area that was flooded after the construction of the Afobaka Dam. Mainly populated by Maroons, more descendants of Africans who formed settlements away from slavery.

Following Brownsweg below me (weg means road) along Brokopondo Reservoir

Brokopondo krachtcentrale (power plant) at the Afobaka Dam

Suriname River flowing out of the Brokopondo Reservoir at Afobaka

Afobaka

Brokopondo a little bit further down the Suriname River

Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport not far from Paramaribo

Bernharddorp

Passing over het Ministerie van Openbare Werken, Transport en Communicatie in Paramaribo

To land at Zorg en Hoop Airport

Checking out the Paramaribo Central Market on the Suriname River

The presidential palace and remains of Fort Nw Amsterdam

Fort Zeelandia, originally a wooden fort built by the French in 1640, which during the British colonial days was reinforced and became Fort Willoughby

It was taken by the Dutch in 1667 and renamed Fort Zeelandia. Suriname was seized by a Dutch fleet in 1667, and that year it was ceded to the Netherlands in exchange for New Amsterdam (now New York City). (Except for the years 1799–1802 and 1804–15, when it was under British rule, Suriname remained under Dutch rule until its independence in 1975.

Surinaams Museum in Fort Zeelandia

Also here a memorial to the 15 fifteen prominent young Surinamese men, who had criticized the military dictatorship and for that were shot here on December 8, 1982, known as the December murders.

Suriname was frequently in the news when I was growing up in the Netherlands, Dési Bouterse, the then dictator (1980-1987) was mentioned often. Quite the figure, responsible for several human rights violations, received a controversial amnesty for those violations, was suspected and convicted for drug trafficking yet became president of Suriname again from 2010 to 2020. The amnesty has been overruled and he was eventually convicted for the December murders (next to still having an arrest warrant for drug trafficking)

No more news about him since the pandemic started, still at large I assume.

A look at Paramaribo in the past, the historic inner city

Het Koto Museum, heritage museum

Flying on to my last stop, over Saramacca Polder

Very strange to see the all too familiar Dutch Polder in South America

Last stop at Jarikaba

Jarikaba Airport

That was a very interesting trip for me, being Dutch by birth. It still amazes me how little the (former) colonies were mentioned in school, not in history class, geography nor social studies / current affairs. I didn’t even know where Suriname was on the map before I started this trip.

Next leg, to Guyana then on to the Caribbean.

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387

Leg 288, Jarikaba, Suriname via Guyana and Brazil to Tocomita, Sección Capital Angostura, Venezuela

DAY06_05.PLN (9.2 KB)

Exploring Guyana today and a bit of Brazil and Venezuela. The border between Guyana and Venezuela is still contested, dotted line on the map.

06-05 Jarikaba Airstrip SMJA 5:38 AM
06-05 Totness SMCO 5:57 AM
06-05 Wageningen Airstrip SMWA 6:05 AM
06-05 Alupi Airstrip SMWG 6:11 AM
06-05 New Amsterdam SYNA 6:30 AM
06-05 Rosignol SYRO 6:34 AM
06-05 Cheddi Jagan Intl SYCJ 6:51 AM Georgetown capital (on the coast)
06-05 Bartica A SYBT 7:21 AM
06-05 Konawaruk SYKZ 7:50 AM
06-05 Kaieteur International PKSA 8:08 AM Kaieteur Falls 5°10’33.3"N 59°28’49.9"W
Weird bug, plane gone missing after flying the drone up high 8:44 AM
06-05 4°2’59.36" N59°8’55.06"W 8:51 AM
06-05 Annai SYAN 8:54 AM
06-05 Karanambo SYKR 9:01 AM
06-05 Lethem SYLH 9:11 AM
06-05 Lethem SYLT 9:20 AM
06-05 Pouso da Aguia SWPD 9:42 AM
06-05 Boa Vista Intl SBBV 9:47 AM
06-05 Ouro FIno SWOF 9:51 AM
06-05 Leao de Ouro SJLM 10:25 AM
06-05 El Pauji SVPI 10:36 AM
06-05 Uon-Quen SVUQ 10:50 AM
06-05 Kavac SVUX 11:19 AM
06-05 Uruyen SVUY 11:22 AM Bad terrain quality
06-05 Canaima SVCN 11:40 AM
06-05 Antabare SVTE 11:49 AM Mostly autogen terrain, low detail river/lake polygons
06-05 Tocomita SV76 12:24 PM

Flight time 6:39 24 stops

Jarikaba Airstrip at sunrise, time to head out

Nice morning in Suriname

Calcutta, located in the Saramacca District

Back along the Saramacca River

Near Coppename Nature Preserve, a national park along the coast

Coppename River flowing into the North Atlantic

Wageningen Airstrip

Middenstandspolder

Wageningen in the coastal area of West Suriname in the Nickerie District

Named after a historic town in the central Netherlands, in the province of Gelderland

Middenstandspolder, the polder looks similar but I’ve never seen tractors in water like that in Holland

Bombay on the Nickerie River in Middenstandspolder

Alupi Airstrip, the day started out so nice

Lesbeholden black bush polder in Guyana

Hmm, ok another gap in my history education, what’s going on here

New Amsterdam Airport, Guyana

New Amsterdam in Guyana

Apparently the Dutch were first to settle Guyana back in 1616 after they gained independence from Spain. However it was claimed by the Spanish until the Dutch officially gained sovereignty of Guyana in 1648 by the Treaty of Munster.

The Dutch goal to trade with the natives was soon abandoned in favor of plantation style farming. However the native population was not up to the diseases introduced from Europe. Thus the Dutch West India Company started bringing slaves over from Africa.

Soon the slave population outnumbered the colonists and in 1763 the Berbice slave uprising threatened European control of the region. The rebels were defeated with the assistance of troops from neighboring European colonies, the British, French, Sint Eustatius and overseas from the Dutch Republic.

Before that, the Dutch had already opened the doors to British immigrants since 1746 to attract more settlers. Some parts were already British in majority by 1760. In 1781 war broke out between The Netherlands and Britain, France got involved, land changed hands back and forth and the Dutch were in power again in 1784.

What eventually turned Guyana into British Guyana was the French occupation of the Netherlands in 1795, part of the Napoleonic wars after the French revolution. The British declared war on France and subsequently took control of the Dutch colonies. By means of the treaty of Amiens, the Dutch gained control again in 1802.

The Netherlands was still occupied by France (until 1813). Britain declared war on France again in 1803 and took control of the colonies yet again. At he London convention of 1814, the colonies were officially ceded to Britain. In 1831 British Guyana was formed (colonies combined) which remained under British control until 1966 when Guyana become independent.

We had all the wars with Spain, France and Britain in high school, yet all the ripple effects on the colonies were left out. As well as the minor detail of slavery…

Enough derailement, back to Guyana present day, New Amsterdam in the 21st century

Cheddi Jagan Intl, thunder and lightning, great day to fly

Next to the Demarara River, south of Georgetown

Houston district in Georgetown, the capital of Guyana

Originally named Longchamps, established by the French in 1782. The Dutch renamed it Stabroek in 1784 and moved the colonial capital here. The British changed the name to Georgetown in 1812.

Thomas lands below with Everest Cricket Club

St Georges Cathedral (opened 1892, completed 1899) and Stabroek market along the Demarara River

View of Georgetown an Stabroek Market

Demarara Harbour Bridge (floating bridge) and St Georges Cathedral

In the middle, the 1763 monument, dedicated to Cuffy, leader of the 1763 Berbice slave uprising

A peek inside Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology

Continuing on over Upper Demerara-Berbice

Bartica between the Essequibo River and the Mazaruni River

Cuyuni-Mazaruni, poor visibility today

Flying by Potaro on the Potaro River

while landing at Konawaruk Airport

Kaieteur Falls, the top of them. Not much to see in game, the area is a mess

Kaieteur Falls is the largest single drop waterfall in the world, 100 meters wide, 226 meters down

Kaieteur International Airport, about 700 meters from the falls

Potaro-Siparuni

Lot of autogen terrain here, cloud patches, not missing much

I send the drone up high over Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo

No break in the clouds as far as I can see

Zooming around high with the drone triggered a bizarre bug, no more plane, just a single white dot left

Also no more instruments, no HUD, no cockpit, nothing. I had to restart the game to get the plane back

Annai Airport at Rock View Lodge

Karanambo Airport on the Rupununi River

Karanambu Trust & Lodge where you can dine with Giant Otters

Unnamed airstrip along Cashew Creek and Rupununi Road

(Lethem Airport in game, but that’s somewhere else)

Lethem Airport next to the Rio Tacutu

Lethem, located in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region

Pouso da Aguia Airport in Cantá

Landing in Boa Vista, the capital of the Brazilian state of Roraima, on the Branco River

Aeroporto Internacional de Boa Vista - Atlas Brasil Cantanhade (BVB)

Boa Vista at night, Parque do Rio Branco and Orla Taumanan with the Monument to the Pioneers

An unknown road cutting through Amajari

Over Amajari near the Rio Curauau

Leao de Ouro Airport, maybe. No names here on Bing/Google maps, marker if off as well

I landed on what looked like an airstrip

Amajari in the State of Roraima, near the Rio Ereu

El Pauji Airport, simply called aeropuerto on Google, VE on Bing. It’s in Venezuela

Next to Campamento Maripak

Uon-Quen Airport, also just VE on Bing, near Uacauyén. Bolívar, Venezuela on Google

Trying to get a better look at Chimantá Massif

It’s all autogen textures with very crude height data

Located in Parque Nacional Canaima

The real thing

Aeropuerto Parque Nacional Canaima

Coverage is a bit better at airports, yet beyond it’s all autogen textures again

Rio Carrao

Embalse de Guri, the largest reservoir in Venezuela

Held back by Guri Dam

With the Simón Bolívar Hydroelectric Plant in the middle, Rio Caroni flowing on behind the plant

Quite a long dam 7,426 meters long and 162 meters high

Once the largest hydroelectric power station in the world,

Surpassed by the Itaipu Dam, which in turn was surpassed by the Three Gorges Dam

Last stop today at Tocamita Airport on Vía Planta de Agua in Sección Capital Angostura, Bolívar

Unnamed on Google and VE again on Bing, digital maps in 2021 doh.

I’ll be heading for the Caribbean tomorrow, starting with Trinidad and Tobago.

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389

Leg 289, Tocomita, Sección Capital Angostura, Venezuela via Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Barbados to Castries, St Lucia

DAY06_06.PLN (8.2 KB)

On to the Caribbean. There is a lot to see, lots of island nations close together. I count 22 in total, 5 of them in this leg. Island hopping is always fun, even better with good water masks and there are some beautiful areas around here.

06-06 Tocomita SV76 5:58 AM
06-06 Ciudad Bolivar SVCB 6:12 AM
06-06 Manuel Carlos Piar SVPR 6:32 AM
06-06 Macagua SVDN 6:36 AM
06-06 Uracoa SV13 6:54 AM
06-06 Pedernales SVPE 7:21 AM Plane animation broken, autogen terrain
06-06 Almirante Cristobal Colon SVGI 7:35 AM
Macuro 10°39’24.7"N 61°56’35.0"W
Port of Spain 10°39’55.7"N 61°30’50.1"W capital
06-06 Camden Airfield TTCO 8:10 AM Poor terrain data
06-06 Piarco Intl TTPP 8:16 AM
06-06 Crown Point TTCP 8:35 AM
06-06 Point Salines Intl TGPY 9:17 AM
06-06 Grenville TPGP 9:25 AM
06-06 Lauriston TGPZ 9:38 AM
06-06 Union I Intl TVSU 9:44 AM
06-06 Canouan TVSC 9:53 AM
06-06 Mustique Is TVSM 10:02 AM
06-06 JF Mitchell TVSB 10:11 AM
06-06 ET Joshua TVSV 10:19 AM
06-06 Argyle Intl TVSA 10:23 AM
06-06 Grantley Adams Intl TBPB 11:09 AM Bad terrain quality
06-06 Hewanorra Intl TLPL 11:46 AM
06-06 George F Charles TLPC 12:03 PM

Flight time 6:05 21 stops

First a bit more of Venezuala, departing from Tocomita Airport

Sunrise over Sección Capital Angostura

Marhuanta, as always lightning around here, but no rain yet

Puente Angostura across the Orinoco River

Close to Ciudad Bolívar, landing at Aeropuerto General Tomás de Heres first before checking out the city

Ciudad Bolívar, formerly known as Angostura and St. Thomas de Guyana

The capital of Venezuela’s southeastern Bolívar State, views from Mirador Angostura

Aeropuerto de Macagua on the Rio Caroni

This one really sticks out like that into the river

Guayana City, a port city on the Orinoco and Caroní rivers

Parque La Navidad and view from Loefling Park, the Llovizna Falls, on the right

Barrancas, Monagas along the Orinoco River

Cano Pedernales (river) in Pedernales

The plane animations missing bug hit again at Pedernales Airport in Capure

Landing on invisible wheels, or maglev plane

Gulf of Paria, getting close to the Caribbean Sea

Aeropuerto General Juan Manuel Valdez aka Cristobal Colon Airport

Guiria on the Gulf of Paria, south side of Península de Paria

Península de Paria National Park, Caribbean sea to the left, Gulf on Paria on the right

Arriving at Tinidad island

Port of Spain ahead, west side of Trinidad, still on the Gulf of Paria

Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago. Fort George sitting on the top of the hill

Trinidad and Tobago gained independence from Great Britain in 1962. Since the arrival of Columbus in 1492, the two islands have been in the hands of the Spanish, British, Dutch, French and Courlander colonists (Dutchy of Courland, now Latvia) Originally inhabited by native Amerindian peoples.

Fort George, built in 1804, by Sir Thomas Hislop for protection against the Napoleonic fleet

Hasely Crawford Stadium, the first person from Trinidad and Tobago to win an Olympic gold medal

Carnival in Port of Spain an the National Academy for the Performing Artson the right

Stollmeyer’s Castle, early 20th-century Scottish Baronial–style home

A look inside the National Museum & Art Gallery

Longdenville, one of many towns all grown together, southeast of Port of Spain

Blanchisseuse, about midway along the north coast of Trinidad

Matelot, in the Sangre Grande region, traditionally one of the most remote places on the island

Paria Bay and Avocat Waterfall

Landing at ANR Robinson International Airport in Crown Point on Tobago island

Tobago Main Ridge Forest Reserve

Anse Fourmi Beach

Iguana bay at the north end of Tobago

Maurice Bishop International Airport on Grenada, 22 knot tailwind, taking the correct approach

St George’s, the capital of Grenada. Grenada National Cricket Stadium on the left

Fort George (popular name) this one build by the French in the 18th century and Christ of the Deep

Grenada was originally inhabited by the indigenous Arawaks and later by the Island Caribs, then became a French colony from 1649 to 1763 when Grenada fell into British hands. Grenada finally got its independence back in 1974. However in 1983 they were occupied again, this time by the USA out of fear that a 3,000 meter airstrip that was being build, could be used as a military refueling stop for Soviet and Cuban planes. US troops withdrew at the end of the year after receiving heavy criticism by the United Nations General Assembly.

Tri-Island Chocolate Factory Cafe and Grenada National Cricket Stadium

A peek inside Grenada National Museum

Carriacou island, part of Grenada

Lauriston Airport on Carriacou island

Petit Carenage Beach

Ashton on Union Island, part of St Vincent and the Grenadines

Taking off from Union island Airport

Mayreau, 1.5-sq-mile inhabited island in the Grenadines

Canouan in the Grenadines archipelago

Mustique, petite private island known for its upscale resort, white-sand beaches & lush terrain

Isle A Quatre in front of Bequia

Landing at JF Mitchell Airport in La Pompe
https://i.imgur.com/Jz289w0.png

Sain Vincent island
https://i.imgur.com/Y14oY7q.png

Landing at E.T Joshua Airport in Kingstown
https://i.imgur.com/2uYntip.png

Kingstown is the capital of St Vincent and the Grenadines
https://i.imgur.com/eXWY5u6.png
Saint Vincent has a British colonial history and gained independence in 1979. Originally the islands were inhabited by the indigenous Garifuna people, who became known as the “Black Caribs”, successfully resisting colonisation by the Europeans. However in 1719 the French succeeded to collonise Saint Vincent. Then the British captured the island in 1763. Several wars with the Carib people followed, in between the Carib wars France captured the island again in 1779, Britain got it back in 1783.

Cathedral of the assumption in the middle
https://i.imgur.com/mCT3pmR.png

Fort Charlotte, build by the British, completed 1806
https://i.imgur.com/5XO80AT.png
With paintings depicting the Carib wars

National Trust (museum) with displays made from trash that washes up on the islands
https://i.imgur.com/tRp69MO.png

Argyle International Airport
https://i.imgur.com/w0CwhdP.png

North Union, hidden in the clouds ahead, La Soufriere Volcano
https://i.imgur.com/BK37OVQ.png

La Soufriere erupted less than 2 months ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4S3qTxUoys

https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/04/1090182

On to Barbedos, Bridgetown below
https://i.imgur.com/TY2hF2f.png

Bridgetown is the capital of Barbedos, a port city on the island’s southwest coast
https://i.imgur.com/pZ3osyt.png
Barbados may have been inhabited as early as 1600 BC. From the 4th to 7th century the island was inhabited by the Saladoid-Barrancoid, followed by the Arawaks from South America between 800-1200 AD, then by the more war like Kalinago (Island Caribs) from the 12th century onwards. The British colonised the island in 1627 and started bringing over indentured servants and involuntarily transported people from Ireland to work on plantations. During the sugar revolution, the Dutch transported enslaved Africans to the island to work on sugar plantations. Several slave rebellions followed, same as in Guyana, the largest one led by Bussa in 1816.

Independence Arch (Barbades gained independence from the UK in 1966) and National Heroes Square
https://i.imgur.com/uPfpF0Z.png

Barbados Museum & Historical Society, Garrison Savannah (historic horse racing venue) with the National Cannon Collection on display and The Cricket Legends of Barbados (museum)
https://i.imgur.com/L9gxltM.png

Atlantis Submarines Barbados, if you fancy a look under water without getting wet
https://i.imgur.com/owC70le.png

Port St Charles
https://i.imgur.com/5gSXkZ7.png

Bromefield at the northwest end of Barbedos
https://i.imgur.com/9DYElsT.png

Hewanorra International Airport on St Lucia
https://i.imgur.com/K3MOFVC.png

Vieux Fort
https://i.imgur.com/zbjAUtT.png

Castries, the capital of St Lucia
https://i.imgur.com/r7uyE7H.png

Making a turn over La Toc Beach
https://i.imgur.com/QO6KyXP.png

For my final touchdown of this leg at George FL Charles Airport SLU
https://i.imgur.com/HArUwdY.png

Castries is located on the northwest side of the island
https://i.imgur.com/OZBbZUK.png
St Lucia was previously called Lyonola, named by the native Arawaks and later Hewanorra, the name given by the native Caribs. France first settled the island in 1660, then fought over the island with the British in 14 successive wars, the island changing hands 14 times until the British took definitive control in 1814. Because the island switched hands so often it was also known as the “Helen of the West Indies”. St Lucia became independent in 1979.

La Toc Battery, The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and Castries Harbour
https://i.imgur.com/Csb3Ng4.png

St. Lucia National Trust Museum (in Vieux Fort) has no pictures posted, instead a couple scenes from I assume carnival in Castries Harbour
https://i.imgur.com/DfjU1xY.png

More of the Caribbean tomorrow, Martinique, Dominica, Guadeloupe. A bit slower pace perhaps, there is a lot of information to digest in a small geographical area. Very interesting and very beautiful area.

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391

Leg 290, Castries, St Lucia via Martinique, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts & Nevis, St Eustatius and Saba to Gustavia, St Barthélemy

DAY06_07.PLN (7.8 KB)

I did go slower today (avg speed of 76 knots) but the islands are all close together, thus still a whole bunch of island nations one after the other. Great sightseeing.

06-07 George F Charles TLPC 5:36 AM
06-07 Le Lamentin TFFF 5:55 AM La Caravelle Lighthouse 14°46’20"N 60°52’54"W
06-07 Canefield Intl TDCF 6:44 AM
06-07 Melville Hall TDPD 6:54 AM
06-07 Marie Galante TFFM 7:05 AM
06-07 Le Saints TFFS 7:16 AM Fort Napoleon des Saintes 15°52’31"N 61°34’56"W
06-07 Terre-de-Bas TFTE 7:26 AM
06-07 Baillif TFFB 7:39 AM
06-07 Le Raizet TFFR 7:51 AM
06-07 Saint Francois TFFC 8:03 AM
06-07 Desirade TFFA 8:12 AM
06-07 Osborne Intl TRPG 8:55 AM
06-07 VC Bird Intl TAPA 9:15 AM
06-07 Cocoa Point COCO 9:28 AM
06-07 Codrington TAPH 9:40 AM Not here
06-07 Codrington 17°38’09.7"N 61°49’40.4"W 9:46 AM
06-07 Vance Winkworth Amory TKPN 10:08 AM
06-07 Bradshaw Intl TKPK 10:21 AM
06-07 FD Roosevelt TNCE 10:39 AM
06-07 Juancho E Yrausquin TNCS * 11:00 AM 3 attempts, very short, 977ft
06-07 St Barthelemy I TFFJ * 11:34 AM 2107ft

Flight time 5:58 20 stops

Departure time at George F. Charles Airport

Starting from Castries, early in the morning

Sunrise over St Lucia

Heading out to see more of what the Caribbean Sea has to offer

First up, Le Diamant on Martinique

Fort-De-France, the capital of Martinique

Martinique is an overseas region of France, part of the Lesser Antilles, one of the windward islands, an Outermost Region (OMR) of the European Union and a special territory of the European Union.

Turning over Parc La Savane on the way to the airport

Martinique was first populated by the Arawaks (1st century) and later taken over by the Caribs (11th century). The French landed in 1635 after being driven of St Kitts by the British. Skirmishes with the Caribs followed but the French repelled them. In 1654, Dutch Jews expelled from Portuguese Brazil introduced sugar plantations worked by large numbers of enslaved Africans.

RSMA Fort De France (military base) below me

From 1688 Martinique served as a home port for French pirates, then was occupied by the British in 1693, 1759, 1762 and 1779. In 1815 it was traded back to France at the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars.

Druing WW2, the pro-Nazi Vichy government, controlling Martinique at the time, let German U-boats use Martinique for refuelling and re-supply during the Battle of the Caribbean. Free French forces took over the island on Bastille day, July 14 1943

In 1946 the colony was transformed into an Overseas Department of France, and became a French region / overseas “department” of France in 1982

Jardin de Balata, botanical garden with exotic plants from around the world

La Savane Park

And a peek inside Musée Départemental d’Archéologie et de Préhistoire de la Martinique

Baie du Galion

Château Dubuc, Ruins of a 17th-century castle

Phare de La Caravelle, historic light house on the top of the hill

The light rotates, nice touch

I guess the solar panels aren’t all that historic

Dominica, nicknamed the “Nature Isle of the Caribbean”, the youngest island of the Lesser Antilles

Berekua aka Grand Bay on the southern side of Dominica

Roseau, the capital of Dominica

Dominica was first settled by the Arawaks in the 5th century, who were displaced by the Kalinago by the 15th century. The French colonized the island from the 1690s

Flying over Windsor Park Stadium next to the Dominica Botanic Gardens

Great Britain took possesion of Dominica in 1763 after the seven years war

The island gained independence as a republic in 1978

Dominica Botanic Gardens

Saint George Anglican Church remains

The Dominica Museum in front of the pier

Douglas-Charles Airport called Melville Hall Airport in game (it’s on Melville Hall Road)

Along the Kachibona River

Marie-Galante, small round island, part of Guadeloupe

Terre-de-Haut, part of Îles des Saintes, Guadeloupe

Landing at Le Saints Airport

Fort Napoléon des Saintes, hilltop fortress, former prison on the north side of the island

Currently a museum

Basse-Terre with La Grande Soufrière (4,813fft) active volcano

Also the name of the capital of Guadeloupe, Basse-Terre

Guadeloupe is a French overseas region, an archipelago of more than 12 islands, As a constituent territory of the European Union and the Eurozone, the euro is its official currency and any European Union citizen is free to settle and work there indefinitely

Heading for Aérodrome de Basse-Terre - Baillif

The islands were first populated, possibly as far back as 3000BC. First identifiable group were the Arawaks, which were displaced by the Kalina-Carib people, circa 1400 AD

Tour du Père-Labat, ruins of an old tower along the coast next to the airport

Attempts at colonization by the Spanish were unsuccessful in the 16th century. In 1626 the French started taking an interest in the island. The French brought in farmers who spread European diseases that led to the death of many indigenous people. From 1650 African slaves were brought in to work on the plantations. Guadeloupe was annexed to France in 1674. (from the French West India Company)

Fort Delgrès, started as a strong house in 1650

The British captured the island during the seven years war (1756-1763) after which France got it back by the Treaty of Paris. France forfeited its Canadian colonies in exchange for the return of Guadeloupe.

Marina de Rivière-Sens-Gourbeyre

Britain invaded Guadeloupe again in 1794 after the Frence Revolution brought chaos to Guadeloupe. The French recaptured the island, slavery was abolished then reinstated in 1802. A slave rebellion followed, led by Louis Delgrès, which ended in mass suicide after they realized the stood no chance against Franch soldiers in the Battle of Matouba.

Champ d’Arbaud (park) on the left and Market Basse-Terre on the right

Britain captured the island another time in 1810 which was then handed over to Sweden in the 1813 Treaty of Stockholm. Then handed back to France in 1815 by the Treaty of Vienna. Guadeloupe eventually became a French region in 1974.

Flying inland over Baillif commune

La Grande Soufrière, last erupted in 1977

Flying out of Aéroport de Pointe-à-Pitre Le Raizet in Pointe-à-Pitre

Over Saint-Anne

Saint-François

Next island, landing at Desirade Airport on La Désirade, part of Guadeloupe

Pointe du Désert

La Désirade

Soufrière Hills ahead on Montserrat, a British Overseas Territory

What remains of Plymouth, the capital of Montserrat until it was evacuated in 1995

Richmond Hill, view of the lava flows that buried Plymouth
https://i.imgur.com/4Jb5QcP.png

Montserrat’s Soufriere Hills volcano erupted in 1995 making half the island uninhabitable
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaGQjVV2Hn8

Plymouth nowadays
https://i.imgur.com/XMonhEt.png

Soufrière Hills volcano and Plymouth remains
https://i.imgur.com/n89fM0X.png

Montserrat Volcano Observatory
https://i.imgur.com/DyXuv6t.png

Landing at John A. Osborne / Gerald’s Airport (MNI) in Brades, the current capital of Montserrat
https://i.imgur.com/mpNLeq8.png
The first known settlers were Irishmen from St Kitts in 1632, followed by more settlers from Virginia. The Irish being historical allies of the French, especially in their dislike of the English, invited the French to claim the island in 1666. It was captured shortly afterwards by the English and English control of the island was confirmed under the Treaty of Breda the following year.

Osborne International Airport
https://i.imgur.com/v4D34MP.png
France attacked the island in 1712 but failed. A slave rebellion in 1768 failed as well, but eventually (in 1985) led to making St Patrick’s Day a ten-day public holiday to commemorate the uprising.

Little Bay (site for constructing a new port) and Carr’s Bay
https://i.imgur.com/zqFtWmL.png
France captured the island in 1782 in their support of the Americans in the American Revolutionary War. The agreed to return the island to Great Britain in the Treaty of Paris in 1783. Currently Montserrat is an internally self-governing overseas territory of the United Kingdom.

Next up, Antigua, part of Antigua and Barbuda, a sovereign island country in the West Indies
https://i.imgur.com/kphQsqG.png

Jolly Harbour, a resort village on the west coast
https://i.imgur.com/ofEgZ0m.png

St John’s, the capital of Antigua and Barbuda
https://i.imgur.com/tRzn5Z9.png
Antigua was colonized by Britain in 1632, while Barbuda was first colonized in 1678

Getting ready to land at V.C. Bird International Airport
https://i.imgur.com/Fxhndpw.png
Independence was granted from the United Kingdom on 1 November 1981. Antigua and Barbuda is a member of the Commonwealth and Elizabeth II is the country’s queen and head of state. Same as Canada, I had to pledge allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II when I became a Canadian citizen.

Cruise port in St John’s
https://i.imgur.com/M3QtLMk.png

VC Bird Monument, Vere Bird (1910-1999) was the first Prime Minister of Antigua & Barbuda
https://i.imgur.com/bHbfXIn.png

Fort James and Saint John’s Cathedral
https://i.imgur.com/wUeklSt.png

A look inside the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda
https://i.imgur.com/0lJulPS.png

I know that game, a version of Mancala
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5UiPrjlPqM

Landing at Barbuda Air Field on Princess Diana Beach, Barbuda island
https://i.imgur.com/DLs9ppr.png

Palmetto Point, looking for Codrington Airport
https://i.imgur.com/wUPwf9e.png

Hmm, I don’t think so
https://i.imgur.com/fuUa9zK.png

I landed nearby on what looked like an airstrip
https://i.imgur.com/4N1zABh.png
It was flat enough, but not quite right

There it is, in Codrington of course, over 2nm from its gps location
https://i.imgur.com/6kCT3gh.png

Vance W Amory International Airport on Nevis island, part of St Kitts & Nevis
https://i.imgur.com/91bg4Pv.png

Cockleshell Bay on Saint Kitts
https://i.imgur.com/DignvZU.png

South Friars Bay
https://i.imgur.com/gkN2V80.png

Basseterre, the capital of St Kitts & Nevis, on the opposite side of the island from Half Moon Bay below
https://i.imgur.com/fKdeuzK.png
Saint Kitts and Nevis were among the first islands in the Caribbean to be colonized by Europeans, by the English in 1623. Before that the islands were inhabited as far back as 3000 BC by pre-Arawaken peoples, followed by the Arawak about 1000 BC and the Island Carib invaded around 800 AD.

The French also settled on the island in 1625 in peaceful co-existence with the English. After they met resistance from the natives, the Anglo-French settlers joined forces in 1626 the to massacre the Kalinago at a place that became known as Bloody Point.

Saint Kitts Scenic Railway
https://i.imgur.com/0ruM3k1.png
A Spanish expedition in 1629 expelled the settlers, but they were allowed back as part of the war settlement in 1630. Saint Kitts became the premier base for English and French expansion into the wider Caribbean. From St. Kitts the British settled the islands of Antigua, Montserrat, Anguilla and Tortola, and the French settled Martinique, the Guadeloupe archipelago and Saint Barthélemy.

During the late-17th century France and England fought for control over St Kitts and Nevis. The French renounced their claim to the islands with the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. By the close of the 1700s St. Kitts had become the richest British Crown Colony per capita in the Caribbean as result of its slave-based sugar industry.

As Britain became embroiled in war with its American colonies, the French decided to use the opportunity to re-capture St Kitts in 1782; however St Kitts was given back and recognised as British territory in the Treaty of Paris in 1783.

Berkeley Memorial and Independence Square
https://i.imgur.com/hKiMhxo.png
Saint Kitts & Nevis gained full independence in 1983 and is now part of the Commonwealth

The National Museum of St Kitts
https://i.imgur.com/DsICGE4.png

Next up Sint Eustatius, a special municipality of the Netherlands
https://i.imgur.com/B3GZ4ZJ.png

Oranjestad on Sint Eustatius
https://i.imgur.com/x7HOp89.png
It is unclear if the island was inhabited by native peoples prior to European colonisation. From the first European settlement, in the 17th century until the early 19th century, St. Eustatius changed hands twenty-one times between the Netherlands, Britain and France.

A lot of similarities with Oranjestad on Aruba
https://i.imgur.com/7MZJISW.png
St Eustatius became known as The Golden Rock due to it’s status as a free port since 1756. The island sold arms and ammunition to anyone willing to pay, and it was therefore one of the few places from which the young United States could obtain military stores. The good relationship between St. Eustatius and the United States resulted in the noted “First Salute” in 1776, the first international acknowledgment of American independence.

The trade between St. Eustatius and the United States was the main reason for the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War of 1780–1784. The British captured the island in 1781 and especially the Jewish population faced the brunt of British resentment for the island that helped the Americans to defeat them. The Dutch regained control of the looted and plundered island in 1784.

A series of disastrous French and British occupations of Sint Eustatius from 1795 to 1815 diverted trade to the occupiers’ islands. St. Eustatius’ economy collapsed, and the merchants, including the Jews left. St. Eustatius reverted permanently to Dutch control from 1816.

St Eustatius Museum and Fort Oranje, unfortunately no inside views
https://i.imgur.com/Zn8bEUj.png
After 1848, slavery only existed on the Dutch and Danish Caribbean islands, which caused unrest on the islands colonized by the Netherlands. Clashes followed and eventually in 1863 slavery was officially abolished in the Netherlands. The Dutch were among the last to abolish slavery.

Sint Eustatius became a member of the Netherlands Antilles when that grouping was created in 1954. As recent as 2010, the island became a special municipality of the Netherlands, together with Saba and Bonaire, but uses the US dollar as its currency.

Saba Island, the smallest special municipality of the Netherlands
https://i.imgur.com/dD0W0KN.png
It consists largely of the potentially active volcano Mount Scenery (2,910ft)

Landing at Juancho E Yrausquin Airport, tricky with cross wind
https://i.imgur.com/oFsJMGo.png

The runway is only 977ft long, it took a couple go arounds to come in slow enough
https://i.imgur.com/IUecOeo.png

Nicely modelled although the rocks stand out a bit too much to the background scenery
https://i.imgur.com/12f8VcC.png

Making a lap around the island before continuing on, The Bottom below, capital of Basra
https://i.imgur.com/1pYOGKl.png
Saba has a land area of 13 square kilometres, population 1,933 in 2020

The Bottom and forests of Mount Scenery
https://i.imgur.com/ebn14fC.png
Saba is though to have been inhabited by the Ciboney people as early as the 1100s BC, replaced by the Arawak circa 800 AD. After a bit of back and forth between French, Englis and Dutch settlers, The Netherlands gained complete control of the island in 1816.

Well’s Bay and Windward side
https://i.imgur.com/eGKDsF0.png
A 86% vote in favor of closer ties to the Netherlands in a 2004 referendum resulted in Saba becoming a special municipality in 2010 when the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved.

Dutch Museum Saba
https://i.imgur.com/ZnGuZvV.png

Last island today, Saint-Barthélemy, officially the Collectivité territoriale de Saint-Barthélemy
https://i.imgur.com/85KDLR1.png
An overseas collectivity of France often abbreviated to St-Barth and St-Barts.

Gustavia, the capital of Saint-Barthélemy
https://i.imgur.com/cjM40Jc.png
Originally called Le Carénage, it was renamed in honor of King Gustav III of Sweden

Flying over Baie de St Jean while turning towards the airport
https://i.imgur.com/eZQ7xYo.png
Before European contact the island was possibly frequented by Eastern Caribbean Taíno and Arawak people, who called the island ‘Ouanalao’. By 1648 the island was settled by the French.

Gustaf III Airport Approach
https://i.imgur.com/wiEukL6.png
King Louis XVI traded the island to Sweden in 1784 in return for trading privileges in Gothenburg. This change of control saw progress and prosperity as the Swedes declared Gustavia a free port.

Nice long runway, 2,107ft, the approach from the opposite direction looks interesting though, nice hill
https://i.imgur.com/C8d9Sx1.png
After the island hit several hardships, Sweden decided to give the island back to France in 1878, after which it was administered as part of Guadeloupe. The people of the island became French citizens with full rights in 1946.

Arrived at Gustav III Airport
https://i.imgur.com/p4esS8w.png
The island seperated from Guadeloupe in 2007 and became an Overseas Collectivity (COM).

I decided to park the plane for a change, nice airport
https://i.imgur.com/3lM1aZn.png
Before Brexit, St Barthexit happened. Saint-Barthélemy left the EU in 2012, ceased being an outermost region and became an Overseas Country or Territory (OCT)

Saint-Barthélemy has retained its free port status and is popular among the rich and the famous
https://i.imgur.com/kOnNM4u.png

Also popular for plane spotting
https://i.imgur.com/rTNcThr.png

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39ERvbjkW1s

Gustavia and the view from Gustavia Lighthouse
https://i.imgur.com/4rtnzbq.png

Tombe de Johnny Hallyday at Cimetiere de Lorient
https://i.imgur.com/EuJKMCi.png
Johnny Hallyday (1943-2017), was a French rock and roll pop singer and actor, credited for having brought rock and roll to France.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8vo9nc8r94

Sint Maarten/Saint Martin is next, then Anguilla and further west.

1 Like
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Leg 291, Gustavia, St Barthélemy via Sint Maarten/Saint Martin, Anguilla, British Virgin Islandss, US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

DAY06_08.PLN (12.9 KB)

06-08 St Barthelemy I TFFJ 5:48 AM
06-08 Princess Juliana Intl TNCM 6:05 AM
06-08 Grand Case TFFG 6:12 AM
06-08 Wallblake TQPF 6:24 AM
06-08 Auguste George TUPA 6:56 AM
06-08 Virgin Corda TUPW 7:09 AM
06-08 Terrance B Lettsome TUPJ 7:13 AM
06-08 Henry E Rohlsen TISX 7:39 AM
06-08 Cyril E King TIST 8:03 AM
06-08 Benjamin Rivera Norlega TJCP 8:38 AM
06-08 Camp Garcia Vieques PR18 8:49 AM
06-08 Antonio Rivera Rodriguez TJVQ 8:53 AM
06-08 Roosevelt Roads NS (Ofstie Field) TJRV 8:59 AM
06-08 Humacao X63 9:08 AM
06-08 Luis Munoz Marin Intl TJSJ 9:22 AM San Juan capital
06-08 Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci TJIG 9:33 AM
06-08 Cuylers 02PR 9:42 AM Unclear runway
06-08 Santa Isabel PR27 9:55 AM
06-08 Fort Allen TJPO 9:58 AM
06-08 Mercedita TJPS 10:01 AM
06-08 Adjuntas PR20 10:12 AM
06-08 Lajas Airpark PR25 10:24 AM Short runway
06-08 Boqueron PR10 10:28 AM Tree at end of runway
06-08 Eugenio Maria De Hostos TJMZ 10:35 AM
06-08 Labadie PR05 10:41 AM Sunken runway, trees at end of runway
06-08 Rafael Hernandez TJBQ 10:44 AM
06-08 Mona MDPU 11:08 AM
06-08 Punta Cana Intl MDPC 11:24 AM
06-08 Baigua MDBG 11:31 AM
06-08 Casa de Campo Intl MDLR 11:40 AM
06-08 Batey Cacata MDBC 11:42 AM
06-08 La Romana Batey Lechuga MDBE 11:48 AM
06-08 Ramon Santana MDSP 11:54 AM
06-08 Los Llanos de Sabanatosa MDLL 12:04 PM
06-08 Jose F Pena Gomez Intl MDSD 12:10 PM Santo Domingo capital
05-08 El Higuero Intl MDJB 12:27 PM

Flight time 6:39 35 stops

Gustaf III Airport at sunrise, ready for take off

Nobody out on the beach yet, quiet around here

Leaving Saint-Barthélemy behind

Just a short hop to Sint Maarten on the southern half (40%) of Saint Martin island

Sint Maarten is an overseas (constituent) country and territory (OCT) within the Kingdom of the Netherlands (same as Aruba, Curaçao), not part of the European Union.

Philipsburg, the capital of Sint Maarten. Pond island below me inside Great Salt Pond

Saint Martin island was originally inhabited by the Amerindians as far back as 2000 BC. The first indentified group were the Arawak between 800 and 300 BC. As on many other islands, they were displaced by the Carib from around the 14th century.

Flying out over Simpson Bay to approach the airport from the Caribbean Sea

The Dutch were first to built a fort on the island in 1631 (Fort Amsterdam). Spain had interest in the island as well and captured the island in 1633. Spain and Holland were already at war (Eighty Years’ War 1568-1648)

Princess Juliana International airport, approach over Maho Beach

The Dutch failed to recapture the island in 1644, yet after the Eighty Year’s War ended, Spain simply abandoned the island in 1648. Both the Dutch and the French went back to re-establish their settlements. They signed the Treaty of Concordia the same year and divided the island in two.

Maho Beach, not recommended if you like peace and quiet

There were still many disputes over the border which changed 16 times. During the occupation of The Netherlands by France, the entire island effectively came under French control from 1795 to 1815. In the end the French came out with a bigger share of the island.

Views of Philipsburg, Rainforest Adventures St Maarten (zipline) on the right

When the French abolished slavery in 1848, the local Dutch authorities also had to free the slaves on their side. It wasn’t until Holland abolished slavery in 1863 that the slaves became legally free.

The remains of Fort Amsterdam

Sint Maarten became an “island territory” of the Netherlands Antilles in 1983, and became a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2010 when the Netherlands Antilles were disolved.

Yoda Guy Movie Exhibit, museum from special-effects designer Nick Maley

Hopping over to the other side of the island, Marigot, the capital of Saint-Martin

Saint-Martin comprises the Collectivity of Saint Martin and is an overseas collectivity of the French Republic and therefore part of the European Union. Basically the European border divides the island.

Views of Marigot

Saint-Martin became an overseas collectivity in 2007

Fort St Louis built in the 18th century

Landing at Aeroport de Grand-Case L’Espérance, serving Marigot

What is that thing and where do I get one!

Leaving Saint Martin behind, on to the next island nation

Anguilla, a British overseas territory

Landing at Anguilla-Clayton J Lloyd Airport serving The Valley, the capital of Anguilla

The earliest Native American artifacts found on Anguilla have been dated to around 1300 BC from the Arawak, who named the island Malliouhana.

Anguilla was first colonized by English settlers from St Kitts in 1650

The French temporarily took over the island in 1666 but returned it to England under the terms of the Treaty of Breda in 1667

Anguilla-Clayton J Lloyd Airport

The French attacked again in 1688, 1745 and 1798, failing to capture the island each time.

Wallblake House, heritage plantation house and Heritage Collection Museum

The island of Anguilla became part of the associated state of Saint Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla with full internal autonomy in 1967. Not happy with the dominance of Saint Kitts in the union, Anguillans forcibly ejected the St Kitts police force from the island and declared their separation from St Kitts the same year.

Little Bay and Crocus Bay

In 1969 British authority was restored, and confirmed by the Anguilla Act of July 1971. In 1980, Anguilla was finally allowed to formally secede from Saint Kitts and Nevis and become a separate British Crown colony (now a British overseas territory)

Continuing on over Long Bay Village and Meads Bay Pond, Saint Martin in the background

Dog Island, part of Anguilla

Anegada, part of the British Virgin Islands

Heading for Auguste George Airport, serving The Settlement, the only town on Anegada

More of the British Virgin Islands with Necker Island below

Virgin Corda, Leverick Bay Resort & Marina on the left

Landing at Virgin Corda Airport in Spanish Town, also known as The Valley

Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport on Beef Island

Road Town on Tortola island, the capital of the British Virgin Islands (BVI)

BVI are a British Overseas Territory, British Virgin Islanders are British citizens

Road Town with Sir Olva Georges Plaza

Same familiar story, Arawaks came first (around 100BC), displaced by the Carib in the 15th century. The Spanish empire claimed the islands in the 16th century but never settled them. Subsequently English, Dutch, French, Spanish, and Danish all jostled for control of the region, which became a notorious haunt for pirates.

Views of Tortola

The Dutch established a permanent settlement on Tortola in 1648, frequently clashing with the Spanish based in Puerto Rico.

View from Tortola cruise ship pier

In 1672, the English captured Tortola from the Dutch, as well as Anegada and Virgin Gorda in 1680. Meanwhile (1672-1733), the Danish gained control of the nearby islands that are now part of the US Virgin Islands.

Callwood Rum Distillery, centuries-old sugar plantation & rum distillery

The United States purchased the Danish Virgin Islands for US$25 million in 1917. The BVI gained separate colony status in 1960 and became autonomous in 1967.

Carrying on over Virgin Islands National Park

St Croix, part of the US Virgin Islands

Hovensa Petrol Rafineri on St Croix

Saint Thomas island, also part of the US virgin Islands

Getting ready to land at Cyril E. King Airport in Charlotte Amalie, the capital of the US virgin Islands

The US Virgin Islands, officially the Virgin Islands of the United States are an unincorporated and organized territory of the United States.

Charlotte Amalie, Long Bay and Baie de Grigri

The Danish West India Company settled on St. Thomas in 1672 and St. John in 1694, later purchasing St. Croix from France in 1733. The islands became royal Danish colonies in 1754, named the Danish West Indian Islands (De dansk-vestindiske øer).

Fort Chistian, built 1672-1680, a US National Historic Landmark since 1977 (museum)

In 1733, St. John was the site of one of the first significant slave rebellions in the New World when Akan–Akwamu slaves from the Gold Coast (modern Ghana) took over the island for six months. The Danish were able to defeat the enslaved Africans with help from the French in Martinique. Slavery was abolished on July 3 1848, now celebrated as Emancipation Day.

Blackbeard Castle, Historic District and the Three Queens Fountain with Queen Mary, Queen Agnes and Queen Josiah who led a successful 1878 insurrection against the Danish Government demanding improved working and living conditions

The US developed an interest in the islands since 1867. After several rejected attempts to purchase the islands, WWI became the catalyst to finalize the deal and the US took over the islands from Denmark for $25 million dollars (nearly $600 million in today’s currency)

Time to move on, taking off from Cyrul E. King Airport to make a tour around the island

Cas Cay-Mangrove Lagoon Marine Reserve & Wildlife Sanctuary

St James Marine Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary

Smith Bay

Culebrita, uninhabited island part of Puerto Rico

Isla de Culebra

Aeropuerto Benjamín Rivera Noriega

Cayo de Luis Peña

Camp Garcia Vieques in Puerto Ferro

Antonio Rivera Rodríguez Airport

Roosevelt Roads NS (Ofstie Field)

Punta Santiago, Humacao, Puerto Rico

Humacao Airport

Collores, a barrio in the municipality of Las Piedras

Pueblito del Río on the Rio Gurabo

San Juan Airport in San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico, officially the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is an unincorporated state of the USA

Puntas las Marías on the eastern side of San Juan

Originally populated by the indigenous Taíno people, Puerto Rico was colonized by Spain following the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1493

Parque Dr José Celso Barbosa

The United States acquired Puerto Rico in 1898 (treaty of Paris), following the Spanish-American War

Punta Piedrita

Views of San Juan

Castillo San Felipe del Morro (16th century) and Castillo de San Cristóbal (18th century)

Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico

San Juan-Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport

Portugués Dam in the Portugués River

Adjuntas

Adjuntas Airport on a hill

Pretty short runway. I started braking a bit late, but at least it has a place to turn around

Lake Luchetti Reserve

Borinquen on the west coast

Ruinas del Faro

Isla de Mona, uninhabited Puerto Rican island

Landing at Mona Airport

Arriving in the Dominican Republic at Punta Cana

Aeropuerto de Punta Cana

Jina Jaraguá

Altos de Chavón on the Chavón River

Cultural center in a recreated 16th-century Mediterranean village

Ramón Santana

Los Llanos de Sabanatosa Airport

Flying out of Jose F Pena Gomez Intl towards Santo Domingo

Autodrómo Internacional de Las Américas

Hipódromo V Centenario in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a country located on the island of Hispaniola, occupying the eastern 5/8ths of the island, shared with Haiti.

Faro a Colon, concrete memorial honoring Christopher Columbus

The native Taíno people had inhabited Hispaniola before the arrival of Europeans, dividing it into five chiefdoms. The Taíno had constructed an advanced farming and hunting society, and were in the process of becoming an organized civilization.

Christopher Columbus explored and claimed the island for Spain, landing there on his first voyage in 1492

The colony of Santo Domingo became the site of the first permanent European settlement in the Americas, and the first seat of the Spanish colonial rule in the New World. Meanwhile, France occupied the western third of Hispaniola, naming their colony Saint-Domingue, which became the independent state of Hait in 1804 after the Haitian Revolution.

Parque Independencia, in the middle where all the roads lead to

During the nineteenth century, Dominicans were often at war, fighting the French, Haitians, Spanish, or amongst themselves, resulting in a society heavily influenced by military strongmen. After more than three hundred years of Spanish rule, the Dominican people declared independence in November 1821.

Centro Olympico with Estadio Olímpico Felix Sanchez

Haiti forcefully annexted the Domicans in 1822. Independence came 22 years later in 1844, after victory in the Dominican War of Independence.

Views of Santo Domingo with Malecón de Santo Domingo on the right

Internal conflicts followed, several failed invasions by Haiti, a brief return to Spanish colonial status (1861-1865), occupation by the US (1916-1924), civil war in 1965 ended by US military occupation, then became a representative democracy in 1972.

The 3 Eyes National Park in the middle of the city

Home to a series of caverns with scenic underground lagoons

Alcázar de Colón, historic governor’s palace, built by Christopher Columbus’ son

Final stop today at El Higuero Intl aka La Isabela International Airport

Next leg, more of the Dominican Republic and on to Haiti, then to Jamaica.

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Leg 292, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic to Cap Dame Marie, Haiti

DAY06_09.PLN (10.6 KB)

Exploring Hispaniola today, the island shared between the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

05-09 El Higuero Intl MDJB 6:25 AM
06-09 Arroyo Barril Intl MDAB 6:46 AM
06-09 El Portillo MDPO 6:52 AM
06-09 El Catey Intl MDCY 7:01 AM
06-09 Angelina MDAN 7:12 AM
06-09 El Ranchito MDER 7:18 AM
06-09 Cibao Intl MDST 7:28 AM
06-09 Gregorio Luperon Intl MDPP 7:37 AM
06-09 Penuela / Esperanza Field MDES 7:50 AM
06-09 Piloto MDPM 7:56 AM
06-09 Villa Elisa MDVI 7:58 AM
06-09 Monte Cristi MDMC 8:07 AM Low res terrain
06-09 Walterio MDWO 8:11 AM
06-09 Dajabon MDDJ 8:16 AM
06-09 Ouanaminthe MTOU 8:20 AM
06-09 Pignon MTPI 8:32 AM
06-09 Cap Haitien Intl MTCH 8:43 AM
06-09 Port de Paix MTPX 9:04 AM
06-09 Anse Rouge MTAS 9:14 AM
06-09 Anse-a-Galets MTAN 9:35 AM
06-09 Toussaint Louverture MTPP 9:56 AM Port-au-Prince capital
06-09 Comendador MDCO 10:12 AM
06-09 Maria Montez Intl MDBH 10:34 AM
06-09 Cabo Rojo MDCR 10:49 AM
06-09 Jacmel MTJA 11:09 AM
06-09 Fond des Blancs MTFO 11:21 AM
06-09 Cayes MTCA 11:41 AM
06-09 Jeremie MTJE 11:55 AM
06-09 Dame-Marie MTDA 12:06 PM

Flight time 5:41 28 stops

La Isabela International Airport at sunrise, ready for departure

Flying out over La Victoria

Parque Nacional de la Biodiversidad

Trepada Alta

Bahía de San Lorenzo (small bay to the right) and Samana Bay in front

First stop today at Aeropuerto Internacional Arroyo Barril

El Portillo Airport

Playa Bonita

El Mirador de las Majaguas

Angelina (DM)

Aeródromo de Angelina

El Ranchito

Excuse me, hello? Where’s the horn on this thing

Yásica Arriba (DM)

Puerto Plata International Airport at Playa cangrejo where the Rio Camu flows into the Atlantic Ocean

Isabel De Torres National Park with Puerto Plata along the coast

Puerto Plata

Landing at Ouanaminthe Airport, just across the border into Haiti

New and old border crossing “La Frontera” between Ouanaminthe and Dajabon

There is a very busy flea market (Mercado Binacional de Dajabón) right on the border

Pignon, a commune in the Saint-Raphaël Arrondissement

In Nord Department

Aéroport International du Cap-Haïtien

Cap-Haïtien, a port city on the north coast of Haiti

Mouth of the Rivière de Port Margot in Boyeou

Le Borgne at the mouth of Rivière du Borgne

Taking off from Port-de-Paix, while crossing Los Trios Rivieres

Anse-a-Galets on Gonave Island

Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti

Haiti is a country located on the western 3/8s of the island of Hispaniola

Solidarite Market, the red roofed building below

The island was originally inhabited by the indigenous Ciboney and Taíno people (since around 5000 BC). The first Europeans arrived on 5 December 1492 during the first voyage of Christopher Columbus. Columbus founded the first European settlement in the Americas, La Navidad (present day Caracol) when his ship, the Santa Maria, ran aground. 39 settlers were left on the island. They were all killed after relations with Taíno broke down.

However, the sailers brought endemic diseases with them to which the natives had no immunity. The first recorded smallpox epidemic in the Americas erupted on Hispaniola in 1507.

Circuit 9 Haiti race track nearby Port-au-Prince-Toussaint Louverture International Airport

While the Spanish focussed their colonization efforts on the eastern two-thirds, the western part was gradually settled by French Buccaneers. In 1697 France and Spain settled their hostilities on the island by way of the Treaty of Ryswick of 1697, which divided Hispaniola between them.

Iron Market and Champ de Mars, the biggest public park in downtown Port-au-Prince

In the midst of the French Revolution (1789-1799), slaves and free people of color launched the Haitian Revolution (1791-1804). After 12 years of conflict Haiti became independent.

Troubles were far from over, many internal conflicts and conflicts with the Spanish side of the island followed as well as the French trying to reclaim Haiti. The USA occupied Haiti in WW1 (1915) and stayed there until 1935. The situation did not improve, more unrest, political killings, revolts, tropical hurricanes, earthquakes, it’s an ongoing struggle.

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, destroyed in the 2010 earthquake which killed 200,000 people

Le Marron Inconnu (The Unknown Maroon) depicting a runaway slave, made by by Haitian architect Albert Mangonès in 1967, regarded as a symbol of black liberation.

National Pantheon Museum, dedicated to Haitian independence & culture

Continuing on, flying by lake Trou Caiman

Centre Department

Bemon

Guanito (DM) back on the Dominican Republic side

Loma Gajo en Medio (7,477ft), on the left

Rio El Manguito flowing down the mountain

Hoyo De Pelempito

Cabo Rojo, meaning “Red Cape”, on the southwestern coast of the Dominican Republic

Jacmel, a port town on the south coast of Haiti, Beach La Co New York below

Fort Saint-Louis in Baie de St Louis

Grand Place, Sud Department with Riviere de Cavaillon flowing through

Jérémie, a commune and capital city of the Grand’Anse department in Haiti

Home to Cathedral of Saint Louis Roi of France

Jeremie Airport

And final stop today in Cap Dame Marie on the northwest coast of Haiti

Jamaica tomorrow then on to the Cayman Islands.

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Leg 293, Cap Dame Marie, Haiti via Jamaica and Cayman Islands to Sandino, Cuba

DAY06_10.PLN (8.6 KB)

I didn’t get to see the solar eclipse at home, too early, plus the sun comes up over a ridge where I live. By the time it came out over the tree line, the partial eclipse was pretty much done as well. Next one here in 3 years (and during the day this time). They once told me it’s a once in a lifetime experience…

However I did get to see the (partial) eclipse in the Caribbean while flying from Haiti to Jamaica. That’s the second solar eclipse I’ve seen on this tour, first one in Egypt Leg 114 at sunset.

06-10 Dame-Marie MTDA 6:20 AM
06-10 Manchioneal Airstrip MKMA 6:59 AM
06-10 Bath Airfield MKGO 7:03 AM
06-10 Norman Manley Intl MKJP 7:16 AM Kingston capital
06-10 Tinson Pen MKTP 7:22 AM
06-10 Tulloch Airstrip MKBO 7:39 AM
06-10 Ewarton Airstrip MKEW 7:45 AM
06-10 Worthy Park Airstrip MKLL 7:51 AM
06-10 Race Course MKRA 7:59 AM
06-10 Nain Airstrip MKNA 8:08 AM Trees at end of runway
06-10 Kirkvine Airstrip MKWI 8:14 AM
06-10 Silent Hill Airstrip MKCO 8:19 AM Buildings right next to narrow runway
06-10 Puerto Seco Airstrip MKDI 8:29 AM
06-10 Sangster Intl MKJS 8:45 AM
06-10 Mafoota Airstrip MKAN 8:53 AM
06-10 Negril Aerodrome MKNG 9:04 AM
06-10 Gerrard-Smith Intl MWCB 9:52 AM
06-10 Bodden Field MWCL 10:04 AM
06-10 Roberts Intl MWCR George Town capital 10:33 AM
06-10 Vilo Acuna Intl MUCL 11:25 AM
06-10 Rafael Cabrera MUNG 11:53 AM
06-10 Siguanea MUSN 11:59 AM
06-10 San Julian MUSJ 12:27 PM

Flight time 6:07 22 stops

Ready for departure from Cap Dame Marie

Sunrise over Haiti, missing a bit

Clearly visible here

Leaving Haiti behind while watching the moon slowly slide out of the way

Navassa Island, uninhabited, disputed territory between Haiti and the USA

On the way to Jamaica

Jamaica spotted, the clouds are trying to hide it

Arriving at Manchioneal, Jamaica

Manchioneal Harbour

Manchioneal Airstrip, the moon isn’t moving very fast

Plantain Garden River at Sunning Hill

Yallahs River

Bull Bay

Harbour View, a community in Kingston, Jamaica

Landing at Norman Manley International Airport

Still a bit missing from the sun

Kingston, the capital of Jamaica

Originally inhabited by the indigenous Taíno peoples (4000-1000BC), Christopher Columbus claimed the island for Spain in 1494. The Spanish established their first settlement on the island in 1509. As on many other islands, the indigenous population started dying from imported diseases and enslavement.

Tinson Pen Aerodrome in Kingston

The Spanish started to bring African slaves to the island for labour. Some of them escaped to the interior, mixed with the left over Taíno and became known as Maroons.

King’s House Jamaica in the middle of the park and Bob Marley’s former home / museum just past the park on the left side of the road below

In 1655 the English invade Jamaica after a failed attempt to conquer Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Then English captured the island in 1660 with help of the Maroons. During the centuries of slavery, Jamaican maroons established free communities in the mountainous interior of Jamaica.

The Spanish made several attempts to recapture Jamaica. The British responded by supporting pirates attacking Spanish ships, as a result piracy became rampant on Jamaica.

Spain recognised English possession of the island with the Treaty of Madrid in 1670, thusthe English authorities tried to clean up the rampant piracy on the island.

Emancipation park, a commemoration of the end of slavery

The British outlawed salvery in 1834 with full emancipation in 1838, after many slave rebellions, the last one in 1831 known as the Baptist war. It was not the last rebellion though, in 1865 the Morant Bay Rebellion took place because of continued racial discrimination and marginalisation of the black majority.

The national gallery of Jamaica, some art pieces depicting the brutality used in squashing rebellions

Jamaice became a crown colony in 1866, In 1958 it became a province in the Federation of the West Indies, a federation of several of Britain’s Caribbean colonies, and became fully independent in 1962 (although still a part of the commonwealth)

Bob Marley (1945-1981) Museum, one of the pioneers of reggae

Who doesn’t know Bob Marley

Perfect music to fly on by, Bauxite Plant (Formally ALCAN) at Ewarton

Ewarton Airstrip, got my safety glasses out

Worthy Park Airstrip, err is this an airstrip or not

The airstrip might be on the left of the road, hard to tell while landing with cars driving in tall grass

Race Course Airport or rather VernamField Development

Gimme-Me-Bit village with VernamField Development

Kirkvine Airstrip, last sign of the eclipse

Departing from Silent Hill Airstrip in Manchester Parish

Turtle Beach and Queens Monument

Braco Airstrip, missing from the game in Braco

Spot Valley Raceway in St.Bran’s Burg

San San

Montego Bay, the capital of Saint James Parish on Jamaica’s north coast

A major cruise ship port

Sam Sharpe square on the right with a monument to the abolitionist Baptist preacher Samuel Sharpe who led the Baptist War in 1831. The slave rebellion which led to the end of slavery 3 years later.

Dead End Beach sometimes called Buccaneer Beach

Nothing sinister about the name, it’s just at the end of a dead end street, at the airport

Cayman Brac, a small island part of the Cayman Islands

West End on Cayman Brac with Gerrard-Smith International Airport

On Google and Bing it’s Captain Charles Kirkconnell International Airport

Blossom point on Little Cayman island, looking for Bodden Field

Found it, another misplaced marker, named after the first permanent inhabitant of the island

Point of Sand on Little Cayman

Arriving at George Town on Grand Cayman, the capital of the Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands is a self-governing British Overseas Territory

George Town/Owen Roberts Airport

No archaeological evidence for an indigenous presence has been found on the Cayman Islands. The first recorded permanent inhabitant (Isaac Bodden) was born on Grand Cayman around 1661. England took formal control of the Cayman Islands, along with Jamaica, as a result of the Treaty of Madrid of 1670.

George Town

As on all the other islands, slaves were soon imported from Africa. Hence today, the majority of native Caymanians are of African and/or English descent.

Cayman Spirits and Camana Bay

The Cayman Islands became officially administered as a dependency of the Crown Colony of Jamaica in 1863. They became a separate Crown colony in 1962, when Jamaica became an independent Commonwealth realm.

Flip Flop Tree, Smiths’s Barcadere and Governers Beach

We have one of those shoe trees here, started by a grandmother in 2004 by nailing her grand kids’ shoes to the tree. It got so popular it needed some cleaning up a few years ago.

The Cayman islands is known for its great diving and snorkeling opportunities. The USS Kittiwake is a popular ‘wreck’. Purposely sunk to create an artificial reef
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNjxmMejbMo

8 years later
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eaw1j59s9x0

Barker’s National Park
https://i.imgur.com/pBR35gH.png

Playa Paraiso Beach on Cayo Largo, Cuba
https://i.imgur.com/KN5KWWK.png

Vilo Acuña Airport
https://i.imgur.com/b0rlGaq.png

Playa Sirena behind me
https://i.imgur.com/HgBmlZa.png

Islets in the Caribbean Sea, sadly no water masking in this region
https://i.imgur.com/rHVAJSB.png

Isla Gerona
https://i.imgur.com/5yqFqgI.png

Cayo Campo
https://i.imgur.com/xouXdbX.png

Cayo Tablones, odd lightning
https://i.imgur.com/DRaQePk.png

Siguanea on Isla de la Juventad
https://i.imgur.com/XNvVvQU.png

Aeropuerto Siguanea
https://i.imgur.com/c3ZuZpL.png

Arriving at the main island of Cuba (largest island in the Caribbean) at Laguna de Cortés
https://i.imgur.com/L0nFAtr.png

Cortés
https://i.imgur.com/0qU7vVh.png

Laguna el Pesquero
https://i.imgur.com/Yk8w5vQ.png

Final stop today in Sandino
https://i.imgur.com/544nPZ1.png

San Julian Airport
https://i.imgur.com/j22CyGl.png

Sandino, I feel a sudden urge to play Tropico
https://i.imgur.com/oNEky0Q.png

Parque Nacional Guanahacabibes near Sandino, southwest end of Cuba
https://i.imgur.com/ykQ7U0H.png

Exploring Cuba next. it’s a big island, will probably take more than one leg to traverse, but at least I should reach Havanna tomorrow.

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Leg 294, Sandino to Cayo Las Brujas, Cuba

DAY06_11.PLN (11.6 KB)

There are a lot of airstrips in Cuba, fun to land at most of them. Terrain quality is hit and miss yet the water masks at the end of today’s leg are amazing.

06-11 San Julian MUSJ 7:04 AM
06-11 Las Clavellinas MUCV 7:09 AM
06-11 Mantua Airport MUMN 7:12 AM
06-11 Pinar Del Rio MUPR 7:28 AM
06-11 Las Cruces MUDA 7:35 AM
06-11 El Caribe MUBE 7:39 AM
06-11 Los Zagales MULJ 7:45 AM
06-11 La Cubana MULL 7:48 AM
06-11 La Francia Airfield MULS 7:51 AM
06-11 La Asuncion MULO 7:53 AM
06-11 Branas MUSB 7:57 AM
06-11 El Frances MUCE 8:01 AM
06-11 Artemisa MUAR 8:07 AM
06-11 Playa Baracoa MUPB 8:15 AM
06-11 Santa Fe MUBB 8:19 AM
06-11 Ciudad Libertad MULB 8:24 AM Havanna capital
06-11 Jose Marti Intl MUHA 8:48 AM
06-11 Managua MUMG 8:55 AM
06-11 Juan de la Cruz MUGU 9:05 AM Parque Nacional Ciénaga de Zapata
06-11 Giron MUAG 9:50 AM
06-11 Aguada de Pasajeros MUAU 9:57 AM
06-11 Jaguey Grande North MUJG 10:04 AM Bad stuttering, RAM usage increasing
06-11 Juan G Gomez Intl MUVR 10:17 AM
06-11 Kawama MUKW 10:21 AM
06-11 Mieles MUCW 10:31 AM
06-11 Marti East MUMI 10:37 AM
06-11 Las Nuevas MUCQ 10:43 AM
06-11 Sagua La Grande MUSG 11:04 AM Bad stuttering, patchy terrain
06-11 Purio MUCZ 11:10 AM
06-11 Jutiera MUCK 11:15 AM
06-11 Caibarien MUCB 11:26 AM
06-11 Las Brujas MUBR 11:52 AM

Flight time 4:48 31 stops

San Julian Airport, read for departure

Sunrise over Sandino

Guane

Combinado Deportivo Guamá (sports club) in Pinar del Río

Embalse El Punto

Las Cruces Airport

Consolacion del Sur

San Cristobal municipality

Playa Baracoa on the north side of Cuba in Artemisa Province

Alameda del Siboney, a suburb of Havana

Landing at Ciudad Libertad Airport

Havana, the capital of Cuba on the straits of Florida

The earliest relics on the island date back to 5,000 BC, belonging to the ancestors of the Taíno who arrived from South America. By the time Columbus arrived, Cuba was inhabited by two distinct tribes of indigenous peoples of the Americas, the Taíno (including the Ciboney), and the Guanahatabey. The later Taíno arrived from Hispaniola sometime in the 3rd century A.D, it is unknown where the Guanahatabey came from, possibly a relict population of pre-Taíno settlers from the Greater Antilles.

Plaza de la Juventad along Malecón (stone-built embankment or esplanade along a waterfront)

Columbus claimed the island for Spain in 1492 and in 1511 the first Spanish settlement was founded at Baracoa. San Cristobal de la Habana (present day Havana) was founded in 1515. Within a century the indigenous people were virtually wiped out by Eurasian infectious diseases and repressive colonial subjugation.
The British captured Havanna in 1762 during the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763) and took control of the western part of the island. The Spanish got Cuba back in 1763 as part of the Treaty of Paris, in which Britain exchanged Cuba for Florida.

Castillo De Los Tres Reyes Del Morro (16th century fort) where my nose is pointing

Estimates suggest that between 1790 and 1820 some 325,000 Africans were imported to Cuba as slaves, which was four times the amount that had arrived between 1760 and 1790. In 1812, the Aponte Slave Rebellion took place, which was supressed. However by the 19th century, the practice of coartacion had developed (or “buying oneself out of slavery”, a “uniquely Cuban development”) in part due to Cuban slaves working primarily in urbanized settings. By 1860, 39% of its non-white population were free people of color.

Castillo de la Real Fuerza (mid 1500s star fort) and Parque Martires del 71 on the right

Cuba remained loyal to Spain when the rest of Spain’s empire in Latin America rebelled and formed independent states in the 1820s. The struggle for independence started with the 10 Years’ War in 1868. The battle was fought by volunteers from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and the USA as well as numerous indentured Chinese servants. In 1878, the Pact of Zanjón ended the conflict, with Spain promising greater autonomy to Cuba.

Malecón de Habana, view from Castillo De Los Tres Reyes Del Morro on the right

Another revolutionary war started in 1895 led by José Martí. The rebel army relied mostly on guerilla and sabotage tactics, prompting the Spaniards to begin a campaign of suppression. The military herded the rural population into reconcentrados aka “fortified towns”, often considered the prototype for 20th-century concentration camps. Between 200,000 and 400,000 Cuban civilians died from starvation and disease in the Spanish concentration camps.

Castillo De Los Tres Reyes Del Morro

The USA declared war on Spain in 1898, after the USS Maine, sent to protect American interests in Cuba, exploded in Havana harbor. (Over the previous decades the USA had tried to buy Cuba from Spain) The Spanish-American War ended with the Treaty of Paris (1898), by which Spain ceded Puerto Rico, the Philippine, and Guam to the USA for the sum of US$20 million and Cuba became a protectorate of the United States.

Monumento a José Miguel Gómez and Plaza de la Revolución

Cuba gained formal independence from the US in 1902, as the Republic of Cuba. However the US retained the right to intervene in Cuban affairs and to supervise its finances and foreign relations, as well as lease the Guantánamo Bay Naval Base.

Museum of the Revolution

The Cuban revolution began in 1953, an armed revolt conducted by Fidel Castro against the military dictatorship of Cuban President Batista. Batista was ousted on 31 December 1958. 26 July 1953 is celebrated in Cuba as the Day of the Revolution (Dia de la Revolución) Fidel Castro (1926-2016) served as Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and President from 1976 to 2008.

Landing at José Martí international airport,

José Martí was killed in the Battle of Dos Rios on 19 May 1895. His death immortalized him as Cuba’s national hero.

Mañalich

Parque Nacional Ciénaga de Zapata

Large national park on the south side of the island

Cayos Blancos del Sur

The Bay of pigs

In March 1960, US President Eisenhower gave his approval to a CIA plan to arm and train a group of Cuban refugees to overthrow the Castro government. The invasion (known as the Bay of Pigs Invasion took place on 14 April 1961.


The attempt failed and in 1962 Cuba was suspended from the Organization of American States, and later the same year the OAS started to impose sanctions against Cuba of similar nature to the U.S. sanctions. The Cuban Missile Crisis (October 1962) almost sparked World War III.

That reminds me of Doe Maar, Before the bomb, music I grew up with

From the 1960s NATO has stored nuclear armaments in the Netherlands, basically the same thing as Russia putting it in US’ backyard. We grew up with monthly air raid alarm tests, although I never heard of anything what to do when the alarm would sound for real. Kiss your ■■■ goodbye I guess.

Playa Giron on the east bank of the Bahia de Cochinos (Bay of pigs)

Santa Marta, back to the northern side of the island, in the northern Colombian department of Magdalena

Cayos Falcones (island on the right)

Bit of a mess without water masking, it’s not an island beneath me, tidal basin

Sagua la Grande

Caibarién known as “La Villa Blanca” for its sands and beaches

Home to Museo de la Agroindustria Azucarera

Pedraplén a Cayo Santa María, road on the sea, connecting Caibarién with Cayo Santa María

The islands of Cayo Las Brujas and Cayo Santa María are included in the entire island tourism system

Together with the Cayo Romano islands you get an island tourism route with a length of 105 mi (170 km)

Cayo Las Brujas

My final stop for the day, Las Brujas Airport, Cayo Ensenachos and Cayo Santa María further ahead

Looking back towards Caibarién

More of Cuba tomorrow.

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