A Summer Day (almost) Forgotten

My daughter recently forwarded photos of an event of which I remembered only on occasion involving a local flight out of North Perry Airport in Miramar, Florida, during a summer day many years ago. It was a memorable experience to say the least.

I was piloting a Cessna 172 with another pilot friend of mine, my daughter and her friend in the back seat. We climbed east over the Atlantic Ocean to an altitude of 1500 ft., made a right turn, and proceeded south to the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant in Miami-Dade County.

Upon arrival we circled the plant numerous times, observing the many Manatees swimming in the plant's cooling canals; ten minutes later we proceeded north as I contacted the Miramar Control Tower and asked permission to descend to 500 ft. We flew north along the Ft. Lauderdale Beach Coastline, checking out the beachgoers as they enjoyed the warm summer day and sunshine.

We climbed again to 1500 ft., turned west, and proceeded to an abandoned airfield in the Everglades. My pilot friend and I completed several 'touch and goes' before heading back to North Perry Airport and lunch at the airport restaurant.

My daughter sent the photos wrapped with a note attached, and the words, "Remember this Day?" I was pleased beyond measure, and immediately called and thanked her for sending. She told me she knew I would get a kick out of it, and that, my friends, was a most definite understatement !