When Flying Feels Like Boating

After six months of planning, today we began our trip to Disneyland with our girls and their husbands and all the grandkids! (It wasn't good timing for 'the boys', so we will do something for them at a later time.)

The dream is coming to fruition because of and in honor of Mom and Dad (Grandpa and Grandma, and Great Grammie and Great Papa)

Al and I today traveled to Portland. We wanted to make it extra special and reserved our spots on a Kenmore Air sea plane. We looked forward to 'just walking down the dock', less than 100 yards away from Viking Star, hopping aboard, maybe bump across a few waves, and watch Friday Harbor grow small as we rose.

Didn't happen. An hour before flight time, we got a phone call that said the sea plane was cancelled due to wind, and we should report to the Friday Harbor Airport at 9:55, only 15 minutes later than our check-in time for the sea plane. Since it was raining 'cats and dogs' and it is a mile walk, uphill, with baggage, we called a taxi.

And got word that the expected flight from Boeing to the San Juan Islands was ALSO experiencing weather delays.

But there was coffee, and we spent some time reading the wall displays, which were very interesting. And eventually the 10-passenger plane arrived!

'The Back of the Bus'

Yes, this was still a small plane, and yes, there was still wind. I kept myself distracted taking photos and occasionally taking calming breaths. And told myself that the turbulence was 'waves in the air'. 

I can see Lopez, James, Cypress, Guemes, and Fidalgo Islands, and one is Decatur but I don't know where it begins and ends.

Approaching Boeing Field

Al says that he was ready for the ride to be over by the time we got there. I told him that I didn't much like the sideways movements.

Another way it felt like boating -- water EVERYWHERE.

A shuttle to SEATAC, and we boarded a bigger plane, with PROPS! Same motion, much poorer views. We were glad to de-plane safely onto the tarmac and retrieve our bags, which had puddles on top by the time we got to them. We landed at the peak of the rainfall. The evening news had pictures of local flooding in Portland. Rainfall amounts were far below the 9 inches possible in the forecast, but some drains must be clogged -- it happens a lot in Autumn rains in the Northwest.

Tomorrow, our group of 7 adults and 7 children meets at the PDX airport and we continue traveling. We look forward to sunny California!