Monday, May 30, I decided to fly to Anchorage in our Cherokee Warrior II. It was a perfect day, blue sky and no wind, so I was planning to spend the night.
It took me about three and a half hours to get to Anchorage. After being on the ground for a couple hours, I checked the weather and found out that a storm had changed directions, and was now heading for Bristol Bay.
I filed a flight plan, and was back in the air heading toward Dillingham by 1:30 p.m. My wheels touched down three hours later. Six hours of flying can be draining and I was not looking forward to it. But the good weather, beautiful scenery, and calm winds made it stress free and the six hours "flew" by.
Below is a video of Lake Clark Pass, on the west end, just before emerging from the pass. The beautiful greenish blue water of Lake Clark can be seen.
Father Scott Garrett is the pastor of Holy Rosary Mission in Dillingham. His unique mode of transportation is a 160 Cherokee Warrior, which he uses to fly to the many remote areas within his parish. With the unpredictable weather of southwest Alaska, Father Scott's schedule is always written lightly in pencil.