16 November. Newport News VA-Nassau Bahamas. Eight leg 762 Nm, totalling 2.464 Nm.

November 18, 2018


Our Lodge at Newport News, Virginia

After our good sleep and excellent breakfast at The Lodge, we were happy to start a new day and forget all what happened before we could enter the holy land.

We were picked up by Atlantic FBO and found the a/c in good shape except for a missing cover of our pitot on starboard, which have been blowing away as a result of strong wind gusts during the night.

After we loaded our luggage, got fuel and prepared our FPL [flight plan] etc etc we got permission to taxi to runway 20.


Blue skies before leaving Newport News, Virginia – Atlantic FBO

We did our line-up check and started to roll onto our take off position, when the TWR [tower] asked us to call GND [ground]. A strange move at a strange moment. GND informed us that Customs asked us to turn back to Atlantic FBO. We got permission to make a 180 (degrees) to get back to the tarmac and waited for Customs at Atlantic FBO.

After half an hour, six Custom Officers plus a dog came to the a/c and informed us we needed to unload the entire aircraft for a full search of all our belongings.

Like the day before the Custom Officers acted respectfully. Urs stayed in the a/c for the inside check whilst I assisted in repacking what they unpacked. I meantime cuddled the dog whereas I should have been afraid of him. Ha ha.

I asked them why they waited until one minute from our departure to stop our flight. They said following orders of their superiors (may be the devil himself?). I also asked them why they brought the drugs dog. No answer.

After the a/c was reloaded we sat down for ten minutes before we started our flight preparations. Everyone at the airport said  this had never happened and apologized. Even ATC cooperated by keeping our FPL open for us.


Leaving Virginia heading south


Michiel de Haan as PF

We encountered clouds on our approach to the airport of Nassau, but we got professional guidance from the tower.


Descending towards Nassau, Bahamas

Good welcome, good weather in Nassau.

Post by Harry Heijst | November 18, 2018 |

4 Comments

  1. I would blame Trump. What a nightmare you had in a supposedly civilised and friendly country. Having come via 2 countries where marijuana is legal they had you as suspicious aliens!

    by Andrew McIrvine | 18 Nov 2018 | 14:29
  2. So Harry, between you and me, and the blog: where did you hide the stuff.
    I may want to copy that for hiding it in Quicksliver (the Toyo) during my Voyage withour End!
    Safe journey!

    by Michiel | 18 Nov 2018 | 15:00
  3. Ach ja, de hond kan er ook niets aan doen, fijn dat je ‘m nog even hebt geaaid.

    Goede reis weer!

    by Monique | 18 Nov 2018 | 19:53
  4. Come on Harry, die ganze Welt weiss doch – die Holländer können aufs Kiffen nicht verzichten. Mach dir nix draus….always look on the bright side of life…dada…dada.dadddda.

    by Berlin-Gaby | 22 Nov 2018 | 14:02