B20: Flying High! My Seaplane Adventure - Florida 2019

Our seaplane for the trip

Miami during spring break is not for the faint-hearted.  Having spent a few days there winding down at the tail end of a Caribbean cruise in April 2019, as I stepped onto the seaplane I was eagerly awaiting the take-off into the clear blue Floridian sky for some peace and tranquillity.  But also some adventure.....landing in a seaplane is No. 2 on my bucket list.

The seaplane trip was a birthday gift to my other half …..so although a bit pricey I reckoned he/ we were worth it and it would be a “once-in-a-lifetime-experience”.  And that’s exactly how it turned out.  I booked it online with Miami Seaplanes through Viator.  As promised in the booking, we were to experience the tropical splendour of southern Florida from the air on a two-person flight from Miami with a seaplane landing at Islamorada in the Upper Florida Keys for a lunch excursion.

Tony (our pilot) & I with our 'ickle Seaplane

Anyone who knows me well knows just what a Big Chicken I am.  On a scale of 1 to 10 of being risk averse, I’d say I’m a 9.7. Personally, I found the thought in advance of the whole thing abominably nerve-wracking. So much so that I would have been happy to carry on chatting to Tony, our pilot, while someone else took the flight for me.   A vision of me inside a toy-sized plane, nose-diving into the ocean somewhere off Miami Beach had to be banished with positive affirmation visualisations…and deep breaths.  But the reality was way better than my wildest dreams or imagination.

Our Pilot

Prior to boarding the little Cessna 172 Seahawk Tony chatted with us about his previous vacation in Ireland.  The seaplane tour company was his own.  You could tell he really enjoyed coming to work every day….and who could blame him.  He also told us about the flight routing as well providing a professional, relaxed but comprehensive safety briefing.  The little seaplane we were taking has room for 3 passengers….so with Charlie seated in the right front, I could see from either side at the back while keeping my seat belt on.
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Taking Off From Miami

We took off at midday.  The weather was spectacular.  After engine start the seaplane taxied out onto the water – at this point the seaplane is like a boat. Tony kept his door open until just before take-off.  The take-off is quite special, the water from the aircraft floats starts to cascade backwards in a brilliant spray. In just a few seconds the aircraft is in the air. Quite an experience!!  The video I took is way bumpier than the reality….so apologies for moving around the camera!

Just some of the amazing views on the way!

​​As the seaplane climbed into the air a sublime panorama began to unfold. Flying out over Biscayne Bay, you see the amazing hotels stretching along Miami South Beach to your left before turning south to fly along the Florida coast …soaring above the crazy lines of traffic heading to and from the Florida Keys.  We soared over sandy beaches, waterways and hamlets with stunning houses.  Over pleasure boats and the bluest water I've ever seen.
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We had headphones on so we got a live update on what we were seeing from Tony throughout the trip.   When not giving us commentary he played great music…again through the headphones.  This is not captured on my videos …but added immensely to the enjoyment of the trip.

Soaring over speeedboats

After approximately 40 minutes in the air, we touched down in the turquoise waters off Islamorada in the Florida Keys.  As the seaplane begins to touch the water, landing with a small bump, you again see the spray start to fly backwards off the aircraft floats.

Tony “parked” the seaplane just alongside the lovely beachside Lorelei Cabana Bar and Restaurant. http://www.loreleicabanabar.com/ I had been apprehensive about HOW I was going to get out of the seaplane ….as I’m a tad clumsy since my 2017 stroke.  All I needed was to take a “dicky-dive” face first into the water in front of a whole outdoor restaurant full of lunchtime diners!!  I needn’t have worried….Tony whisked me up in his arms and landed me on the beach with the greatest of ease.  

Lorelei Restaurant with our Seaplane in the background

​At the restaurant, lunch was included in the excursion price and we soon found an open-air table even though business was brisk with lots of hungry tourists and locals.  We were handed an extensive food and drinks menu.  After much deliberation I chose the “Lorelei World Famous Fish Sandwich” which like most American food was HUGE but delicious.

Chillin' at Islamorada

​We had some free time after our leisurely lunch to wander around the waterfront…..and use the much-needed restroom facilities.  Tony was on hand to answer any questions….but to be honest I had none….I was happy to soak in the atmosphere and feel the heat on my bones and the sea-breeze in my hair.  Writing this blog on a stormy, wet, February day in Dublin….if I close my eyes I can still conjure up that beautiful place. 

Taking off again at Islamorada

But all good things come to an end and soon we were hopping back in the seaplane for the 40 minute flight back to Miami.  We taxied out past gorgeous yachts and speed boats in the crystal waters aside Lorelei Cabana Bar and Restaurant.   We took off by flying over the restaurant we had just been seated at with everyone waving at us…..a quite surreal experience.

But the great views hadn’t ended.  We saw more of the sandy banks, waterways and admired unforgettable beach views on our way back to Miami. Definitely stunning views of Miami that you wouldn't see otherwise.   Soon we were landing on the water back at the Miami Seaplane base.

Back at the seaplane base we said our thanks and goodbyes to Tony….just as another couple were waiting to get onboard.  This time I was the one wishing I could swap places with them…..completely reversing how I felt just three hours earlier.  Best wishes to Tony and safe aviation for many decades to come.

This is a similar Florida Keys Seaplane Flight for Two from Miami with Lunch in 2020 - https://www.viator.com/tours/Miami/Seaplane-Flight-from-Miami-with-Lunch-in-the-Florida-Keys/d662-5821SEADIN?mcid=56757

Back on Terra Firma

Bucket List Items Ticked Off in the above Blog post
Number 2 - Adventure - Land in a Seaplane
​Number 57 - 3/7- Continents - North America
Number 58 (4) - Countries - USA
​Number 60 (18) - Cities/Towns - Islamorada, FL, USA
Number 62 - Travel - See 8 of the US States - 5) Florida

​Other Blog Posts
Blog 11 - Sydney, Australia
Blog 12 - Hong Kong, China
Blog 17 - Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai, China
Blog 19 - California, USA

Have you been to the Florida Keys?  Tell me about your experience in the comments section below.
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