Prepping the bird (click for more photos)
I can hardly believe it’s been a year since our Hawaii trip. Lynne and I spent several days on the garden island of Kauai last March. While there, I attended one of Moose Peterson’s Digital Landscape Workshops. It was intense but amazing. We extended our stay to do some sightseeing and general touristy things. I thought I’d write a bit about the trip here in two or perhaps three posts. Today, I want to talk helicopters!
This was our second trip to the island state. On our first trip, we were flying from San Francisco to Honolulu. I overheard a flight attendent talking to the couple in the row in front of us. “…helicopter…Kauai…doors off…” What? Doors off? As she started to move toward the back, I called out, “excuse me!” What’s this about a helicopter company that flies with the doors off?
She provided the name, Inter-Island Helicopters. They fly from Port Allen airport on the south side of Kauai, not far from Waimea Canyon. Their helicopters are hot little Hughes 500 birds that seat five – three in front and two in back. With the bubble canopy in front, this means everyone has a window seat. And, indeed, they fly with the doors off.
What difference does that make? Well, even flying in a small plane, the experience is somewhat disconnected and surreal. I always liked opening the window to feel the wind rush in, hear the sound outside the cabin. It’s hard to explain, but it’s different. As a photographer, the difference is obvious. No plexiglass between me and my subject. Flying around the mountains and close to one of the wettest places on the planet, you feel the dampness, the coolness. I guess I’d say it is no longer a scenic tour but an experience.
On that first trip, Lynne was not thrilled by the idea of a helicopter flight, so I did the flight without her. This trip, she decided to give it a go. She doesn’t like flying all that much in general, but as we lifted from the pad, her eyes and her smile lit up. I’ve assembled a few shots from that flight. I was clicking away pretty much the entire time, but I did stop now and then to really take it in without the distraction of framing and exposure. It is an incredible place and an incredible experience.
Inter-island Helicopters offers two types of flights. One is a tour just shy of an hour, and the other includes a stop at a waterfall in the interior of the island. Although we had opted for the latter, the weather did not cooperate. Strong winds were making entry into the valley unsafe. Our pilot made two attempts then made the command decision (pilot lingo) to skip the waterfall. It was the right decision, and I understand how the agreement between mother nature and aircraft works! They refunded us the difference and gave us a discount on their logo products.
They are a small outfit, and you won’t find them advertised in all the tourist brochures. I saw someone’s complaint online about having a flight cancelled due to the other passengers rescheduling. I can see that happening. It’s not a low-cost business. But they feel right to me. You can see their green hanger in the photo of Port Allen. This is not where you go to relax in a large helicopter with air conditioning and music and a video of your tour. Instead, you wear David Clark headsets connected to the pilot, and stick your lens out the side to get the shot. Wear a jacket: it’s windy.
Oh, and by the way, Inter-Island Helicopters is also Air 1, Kauai’s search and rescue outfit. While we were there last March, a surfer went missing during some unusual (we heard) high surf on the east coast. News reports mentioned Air 1 being called in. I think they were also involved in looking for some folks lost in the high river after several days of rain.
Here’s one more shot that Lynne took in-flight. These are the expressions we had on our faces the entire flight!
