darren
Poobah Emeritus
As my leg has gotten stronger, I have been able to do a lot more hiking out here on Oahu. The more places I hike the more I want to hike. The diverse forests, birds, narrow ridges, and dramatic mountains are incredible. Usually it is a long hike to get up to the ridges and peaks - if you can get to the peaks. Most summits here are very difficult and dangerous to get to. The loose, crumbly rock is not the best to climb on. But why hike when you can fly?
My friend Lincoln is a helicopter pilot who flies search and rescue for the fire department. He also flies for a private company that shuttles workers and equipment for the electric company high up into the mountains to work on the power lines. I was lucky enough to fly with him on one of the power line runs.
Normally I would not get into a helicopter out here. Helicopters fall from the sky like leaves in October out here. But Lincoln flew helos in Iraq and I figured if he could get through that he should be able to get me around Oahu.
He flew me up to the top of a peak in the Koolau Mountains and dropped me off. He then flew back and forth to the valley to shuttle up workers and equipment while I took photos. Then he picked me up and brought me back down.
We made several of these flights during the day. At one point we were going to a job site and I pointed out a nice peak - one of the tallest in the Koolau. He asked "oh, you want to go up there?" I said "yah, if you can." We went to check it out and he said "oh, I think I have landed there before" and he pulled it down with the skids just touching a small patch of land and he said "ok, jump...I'll be back". I grabbed my backpack, jumped out, and the helo lifted, backed away, and then dropped straight into the valley below. It was suddenly silent and I was totally alone on top of the Koolau. It was incredible.
At some point up there I begain to think that it is a good thing that I come preparred. My backpack had my photo gear, but being a hiker it also had a headlamp, gore-tex shell, extra food, water, and compass. There is no trail to this peak, but I was thinking I could make it out if I had to. But then true to his word, Lincoln returned abuot 45 minutes later. He put the bird down with precision. You can't see it in this photo, but right behind the bird (I mean RIGHT behind it) is a 2000'+ drop.
In addition to the mountain tops, I got tons of views of the eastern half of Oahu. There are no doors on the helo which made the photography easier, however you have to put some serious trust in your seatbelt - especially during banking turns.
Makapuu light:
Back side of Rabbit Island:
Koko Crater:
Big mahalos bruddah Lincoln!! You da man!
I have a full gallery of all of the shots from the day at:
http://www.vftt.org/HI/080405-Helo/index.htm
Aloha,
- darren
My friend Lincoln is a helicopter pilot who flies search and rescue for the fire department. He also flies for a private company that shuttles workers and equipment for the electric company high up into the mountains to work on the power lines. I was lucky enough to fly with him on one of the power line runs.
Normally I would not get into a helicopter out here. Helicopters fall from the sky like leaves in October out here. But Lincoln flew helos in Iraq and I figured if he could get through that he should be able to get me around Oahu.
He flew me up to the top of a peak in the Koolau Mountains and dropped me off. He then flew back and forth to the valley to shuttle up workers and equipment while I took photos. Then he picked me up and brought me back down.
We made several of these flights during the day. At one point we were going to a job site and I pointed out a nice peak - one of the tallest in the Koolau. He asked "oh, you want to go up there?" I said "yah, if you can." We went to check it out and he said "oh, I think I have landed there before" and he pulled it down with the skids just touching a small patch of land and he said "ok, jump...I'll be back". I grabbed my backpack, jumped out, and the helo lifted, backed away, and then dropped straight into the valley below. It was suddenly silent and I was totally alone on top of the Koolau. It was incredible.
At some point up there I begain to think that it is a good thing that I come preparred. My backpack had my photo gear, but being a hiker it also had a headlamp, gore-tex shell, extra food, water, and compass. There is no trail to this peak, but I was thinking I could make it out if I had to. But then true to his word, Lincoln returned abuot 45 minutes later. He put the bird down with precision. You can't see it in this photo, but right behind the bird (I mean RIGHT behind it) is a 2000'+ drop.
In addition to the mountain tops, I got tons of views of the eastern half of Oahu. There are no doors on the helo which made the photography easier, however you have to put some serious trust in your seatbelt - especially during banking turns.
Makapuu light:
Back side of Rabbit Island:
Koko Crater:
Big mahalos bruddah Lincoln!! You da man!
I have a full gallery of all of the shots from the day at:
http://www.vftt.org/HI/080405-Helo/index.htm
Aloha,
- darren
