The hubs checked off a bucket list item when we went flying to the Bahamas this past weekend!
Hi guys!
There is something I’ve been wanting to write about for a long time on Running in a Skirt.
The hubs' hobby is general aviation and he is a single-engine airplane pilot.
I shied away from talking about it for so long because I felt like you guys would think it was too crazy or you would think I was trying to be too fancy and turn away. Because before I understood general aviation, I thought the same things. I thought NORMAL people don’t fly their own planes… that’s nuts. I even told the hubs on our first date that I would NEVER fly with him.
Never say never, my friends… 🙂
We fly a very small, very unglamorous, late 1970's model Cessna 210. We share ownership of it - which cost less than most cars/trucks today. There is no air conditioning, no bathroom, it is pretty cramped and there is honestly nothing fancy about it.
But it is an excellent, safe and relatively fast airplane that gets us where we want to go in much less time than driving. AND it is actually safer than being on the road.
The hubs is the most methodical, organized person on the planet and if anyone should be a pilot, he should.
Flying is a big part of both of our lives now, and although I am NOT a pilot (I’m WAY too scatterbrained!) a love of general aviation is something we share. I use my meteorology skills to make sure we are flying in safe conditions. A pilot and meteorologist is the perfect general aviation match!
I don’t intend to make Running in a Skirt a flying blog, but I do want to share tidbits here and there when there is something as share-worthy as this. I really hope you simply find it as interesting as we do.
So that brings me to the actual point of this post…
Our little beach vacation last weekend was a trip to the Bahamas! AND the hubs actually flew us there.
This is our last glimpse of the Florida coast before heading out over the Atlantic at 10,000 feet.
The hubs has been planning this trip for years and it was a bucket list item for him, equivalent to us runners finishing a marathon.
While we have flown all over the east coast and even to Key West, we had never flown out of the country before or over open water for so long. Just the paperwork alone involved in the trip was a bit daunting!
But the Hubs has been studying plans and charts all year in hopes that we would find a time to go soon. And we finally did!
It took us about 2 ½ hours to reach Orlando where we spent the night with Pops. The next day it took another 30 minutes to reach the coast and just under an hour in the air to reach the rich blue waters of the Bahamas.
Our destination in flying to the Bahamas was the Marsh Harbor airport in the Abaco island chain of the Bahamas. From there we planned to take a ferry boat to Hope Town, Elbow Cay for the long weekend.
After a lot of planning and anticipation our flight was relatively uneventful.
We landed smoothly at the Marsh Harbor airport and I gave the hubs a 10! for an excellent landing.
I rate all of his landings and he always gets at least a 9 for taking me to the beach!
Check out this GoPro Video the Hubs made of the flight including the landing.
We climbed out of the plane and we were in the muggy and tropical Bahamas!
What an amazing ride and trip! Flying to the Bahamas is something many general aviation pilots dream of, but never have the chance to do. We are so incredibly blessed!
Once we landed we got a taxi to the dock. Next stop Elbow Cay and Hope Town, which is a tiny island with mainly golf carts and bikes running up and down the streets.
I’ll pick up our vacation story from there in an upcoming post. But just for a little teaser… it includes the most AMAZING sunsets, fresh seafood, pink sand beaches and views like this…
I hope you all had a magical weekend too. I hope you all enjoy my flying story as much as I did!
Find out how the rest of our trip to Hope Town in the Bahamas went HERE!
Your turn!
Have you ever flown in a small plane?
Have you ever been to the Bahamas?
Richelle says
I love ❤️ this. I love to see more these private pilot trips. My husband has a plane and I am learning to embrace it. The more we do the more I love it! We are planning on HiltonHeadIsland on spring break (that’s where I found your blog). We might do the Bahamas this summer so as I’m gathering information (I come across your blog again).It was so cool to read your information. We went to a dude ranch in Graham Texas last year. My daughters loved it. Please!!! More blogs on this. I love this information. It’s hard to find.
JulieWunder says
Hi there! So nice to connect with you! The Bahamas was an amazing trip! It changed a lot since Dorian hit, so I'd look into that but it's really started to come back to life recently. I'll have to post more specific flying stuff! We have also loved flying into Ameilia Island and St. Simons Island. 🙂
Jean says
OH wow!!! How special! I wanted to be an airline stewardess way back when. Yes I flew in a 2 seater. I was dating an air force guy who owned a plane. He parked it at the Lantana, Fl airport and he took me flying at 2am. It was such fun, a memory I haven't forgotten. This was 1954.
When my friends fly I ask them to take videos or pictures out the window. They often do.
Congratulations to the Hubs and you too and thanks for sharing.
Jean
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home says
How cool is this? OMG, you must have been so excited!!!!
JulieWunder says
Very cool! Thanks Wendy!
Pragati // Simple Medicine says
That is so awesome! You guys flew yourself to the Bahamas!
Mary Beth Jackson says
congrats!!! you two are a perfect match! sounds like tons of fun to me! I hope you had nice weather, we did for our Marco Island getaway 🙂 this will open a lot of opportunities!
Andrea says
Wow! I always say the first thing I'll do if I win Powerball is to buy a private jet. So awesome.
JulieWunder says
I say the same thing! We'd get around a lot faster than our Cessna!
Jacqueline says
Holy Moly! This is so cool! I love that you can do this, and I would totally want to read more about it (and see those pictures too). As someone who travels all the time and lives in Taiwan, an island you have to fly out of to leave, I wish my husband could fly!!!! I am terrified of flying and hate commercial jets, and we always end up in the biggest ones! I think this is so neat!
JulieWunder says
Thanks Jacqueline! I really enjoy getting to go lots of places 🙂 I'm hoping to include flying in more of my future travel posts. Great to see you today! I'm heading over to your site to checkout your time in Taiwan- now that's cool!
jeff says
Wow how cool. Hope u get go beach often or to some cool places on weekends. Tell husband Def like the post. Love meet sometime Biltmore park and eat or walk . Thanks jeff
JulieWunder says
Thanks Jeff! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Danyelle Musselman says
All I can say is WOW! That is so cool, were you nervous at all?
JulieWunder says
I'm pretty used to flying at this point. I've a passenger with him since we started dating 6 1/2 years ago. There is something about being over ocean and not land that does make you think though! We had all kinds of water landing safety equipment with us though.
Erin@BeetsPerMinute says
My husband's hobby is finding the cheapest price for an item on Amazon lol. It's not as exciting as flying, but if it makes him happy! That's so very rad that you guys got to do something so adventurous. Congrats! 🙂
JulieWunder says
Haha! That's a good one! I love a good deal!
Sue @ This Mama Runs for Cupcakes says
Very cool!! Being the wife of an Air Force pilot and a Commercial pilot I totally get it. My hubby made me fly in a small plane like this when we were dating and I totally hated it. He's never taken me up since. LOL.
JulieWunder says
I didn't realize that is what your hubby did! I don't really like to fly around, just to fly around... I'm all about going somewhere! Makes it worth it. We are able to travel SO much more because of it!
Luv What You Do says
What a fun way to get to the bahamas! We are heading there this weekend! Can't wait!
JulieWunder says
So cool! I hope you have a great time too!
Elaine Orr says
About 69 yrs ago as a young girl our neighbor took us up in his plane. Unfortunately he was drunk and smoking a cigar and we had to land on a top of a mountain in Henderson County and had to be rescued. Needless to say, when my Mom got to us she was not happy. We forgave him because he had the best cookouts. Memories
JulieWunder says
Oh jeesh!!! I promise the Hubs is much more responsible! Glad you guys made it down ok. Sounds like he should not be a pilot, maybe a cook- haha
Dan says
wow Elaine , that sounds like a scene from the great movie 'second hand lions' , one of my favorites , btw 🙂
Debbie@debbiethisandthat.blogspot.com says
Sounds like an amazing trip! How great that your husband can fly an airplane. I have never flown on a plane that small...maybe some day!
Annmarie says
I think this is awesome! You two really are the perfect match to fly together! <3
Dani @ Dani California Cooks says
That is so FUN! My boyfriends' hobby is boats boats boats and so I've learned all about sailing and sea navigation. It's been wonderful for me to try a lot of new boating activities through him.
Jess @hellotofit says
Perfect match, indeed!! I'm too much of a chicken to willingly agree to fly in a small plane with someone...but like you said: never say never, right?
Susie @ SuzLyfe says
If by fancy you mean awesome, then OMG YOU ARE SO FANCY. That is SO COOL
Blane Sherer says
Awesome !! I think it's Kool too that your blog skills and photography skills have improved to where this was a great time to share your and your hubs aviation with us. I know too you always balance that line of how much to include about the hubs in your blog being that he is only the most important person in your life. Loved your blog today Julie !
Emily Smith says
Very cool! Sounds like your "hubs" is an excellent pilot. Although I don't enjoy flying in small planes, I have taken a Cessna back and forth to the cayes in Belize, where we used to live, many times. It gets less nerve-racking over time if you are a scaredy cat like me. We went to the Abacos (Hope Town and Great Guana Cay) for our 30th anniversary this past May and fell in love with it! Can't wait to read/see your next post and photos.
JulieWunder says
I bet it's even more nerve racking in Belize! I'm so glad you got to go to Hope Town too. Very cool place!
Jaime says
That is so cool!! I have flown in a small plane for work-related things (when I was at the paper.) I don't do it often, though!
JulieWunder says
It's a lot of fun... and more importantly a way to get to the beach fast 🙂
Jamie says
SO FUN! Both my parents are licensed pilots and fly Cessna's. It's so nice to be able to make a trip a bit shorter by being able to fly. But I'll be honest, I wasn't the biggest fan of flying with them early on! Haha. It's a hobby for them as well and definitely not their profession so I still get a little nervous if its been a while.
JulieWunder says
Oh cool!! Yes, I'm very spoiled by shorter trips. I'm sure your parents are great pilots!
Wayne Burgess says
Took a helicopter over the grand canyon one time. Just FYI, doctors are the least safe because they're used to "playing god." Get overconfident. I think accountants are pretty safe cause they have to be so accurate!
JulieWunder says
Haha! I'd totally believe that 🙂
Jessie says
I don't even have words to describe how amazing this is. I mean goodness gracious! How cool! I mean I'd be scared sh**less riding in a single engine plane, but more power to you guys. You've got quite a smart husband.
JulieWunder says
It gets check out and serviced so much that I'm not worried! I do have a smart hubby 🙂
Arminta says
Beautiful pictures, Julie! Looks like you had a lovely trip down.
JulieWunder says
Thank you so much Arminta! It was! You have to come back and see my sunset pictures from the island!!! 🙂
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner says
Wow that is exciting! I am the worst flier and I hate small planes. Looks like you two loved it-cute!
JulieWunder says
Yes! We both have a little adventure spirits! And I REALLY like to go places 🙂
Heather @Fit n Cookies says
Wow! That is SO cool! I love that he did all the studying and got you to the beach! Totally jealous 🙂 Except, I wouldn't be able to go without a bathroom, ha!
JulieWunder says
Yeah-- you drink VERY carefully before you go!!!!
Dan says
Wow ! ! ! That was way cool 🙂
JulieWunder says
Thanks Dan!
Linda says
Hi Julie. My son is editor of Aviation Consumer Magazine. His name is Larry Anglisano. He's has many articles and videos on YouTube that your hubs might find interesting. So glad you had a great weekend. And flying---what a great way to go!!! Love reading your blog every day!
JulieWunder says
Oh! That's great! I'll let the Hubs know. He is all about aviation. Thanks for reading the blog! I really appreciate the support!
Heather@hungryforbalance says
That is so cool! I would have been a nervous wreck the whole time. I hope you guys have fun!
JulieWunder says
I'm pretty used to at this point! But there is something about heading out over open water that bring a whole new dimension.
Shelley says
Ok now that was fantastic! (And I don't even like flying)....loved the video where I got to feel that all important LANDING! Beats the heck out of being married to a race car driver! Not that I am. Mine's a retired professional firefighter! Ugh! What's with these men of ours? Ha!
JulieWunder says
Haha! Yes, boys are always looking for that adrenaline rush!
Jenny says
That's so awesome, Julie! I took lessons in a very similar Cessna! They're great little planes and big congrats to your husband--that's really amazing! And now that he knows the way and everything....you could just hop on back down there.... 😉
JulieWunder says
Thanks Jenny! That's what I'm sayin' 🙂