Merimbula, the Penultimate flying day
The 29th of January was the second last flying day of the entire trip, which feels incredibly strange still. For me, I’m torn, as I feel like I’ve only just set out and at the same time like my first stops were a lifetime ago.
Sunrise watchers may have caught me on TV in the morning where I was lucky enough to provide another update of the flight. At the airport, I also got to hang out with Peta, the Victorian President of the AWPA. Afterwards, I farewelled Janaya and Bec as they headed back home on a slightly bigger and faster Qantas flight, before getting myself ready to fly.
I was again delayed by low cloud so I ate some snacks whilst waiting for it to lift. I also like to have a big block of time between media interviews and flying to allow my mind to go back into aviation mode so I can operate without distractions. I departed at about 1030 for a shorter flight to Merimbula. I had no issues avoiding cloud as I got out of Melbourne, and I tracked east to transit East Sale. I wasn’t expecting the CTAF around Lake’s Entrance to be as busy as it was, so I had to be on my game listening out and making positional reports as I tracked along the coast. There was a cirrus following a similar track to me, and I was worried that we would be in the vicinity of each other- however I forgot that those aircraft are a little quicker than a 172, so when the other pilot made a new inbound call for a particular airport, I realised I was quite far away.
I didn’t want to round the coast and finally start heading north, in fact I did a few turns over the top of the lighthouse at Rame Head before finally heading up the East Coast- after several weeks of flying around other parts of Australia. I feel so honoured, so privileged and so blessed to have had the opportunity to undertake this flight, and I really don’t want it to end! Aviation is truly the passion of my life, and I think I could spend the rest of my life doing laps around the country.
I’ve been so welcomed by the community and Merimbula was no exception. Rex from Merimbula Aircraft Maintenance helped me to park NCO properly, then, Rex’s daughter Laura, also a pilot, had dinner with me! We went out for burgers and I loved getting to chat all things aviation. And the great music at the tiny seaside restaurant- converted from an old cottage.
