JMBIII Posted August 25, 2018 Share Posted August 25, 2018 With the recent purchase of Samoa - Pago Pago (PSTU) I decide to take a sight seeing flight. (click on a picture to expand.) Looking at the plane should have cautioned me and the pilot insisted on being called "Skipper" and the co-pilot "Gill". So . . . . Just sit right backAnd you'll hear a taleA tale of a fateful trip,That started from this tropic port,Aboard this tiny ship.The co-pilot was a mighty flyin' lad,The Skipper brave and sure,Five passengers took flight that day,For a three hour tour,A three hour tour. 2. The five of us sightseers left Pago Pago on a supposed three hour tour which included lunch on the neighboring island of Ofu. 3. The first part of the flight was uneventful. We flew over Pago Pago harbour. 4. Two sightseers, Mary Ann and Ginger, were delighted when they saw their cruise ship in the harbour. 5. Down along the north side we saw the rugged uninhabited part of the island. 6. Thick vegetation, cliffs and small protected bays for miles. 7. Rounding the western end one of the other passengers, Mrs. Howell, lamented on the lack of proper social niceties out in the islands. 8. Her husband, Thurston, told her to look at the pretty island and that social amenities could wait until they got to Paris. 9. Leaving Tutuila we headed for Ofu, Olosega, and Tau, the other inhabited islands of American Samoa. 10. As we passed we could almost see the bridge connecting Ofu and Olosega. 11. The Skipper told us all the islands were the remnants of ancient volcanoes. . . . . 12. Which was evident as we rounded Tau. 13. I wasn't too sure of the crew's aviator abilities, but "call me The Skipper" landed us safely on Ofu's short runway. 14. We were greeted by the islanders and were treated to lunch at the Va'oto Lodge. 15. The Skipper hurried us back to the plane as bad weather was approaching. As soon as we were airborne the storm surrounded us. 16. Turbulence shook the plane. Lightning and heavy rain obscured visibilty. The Skipper assured us he was followingradio signals and we would be back to Pago Pago shortly. (visualize five or six more pictures like this one) The weather started getting rough,The tiny ship was tossed.If not for the courage of the fearless crewThe sightseers would be lost.The sightseers would be lost. 17. Shortly turned into hours. The radios failed. As the storm started clearing we spotted a small island. Just as the engines sputtered and fuel ran out. 18. To their credit, the Skipper and Gil expertly put the plane down in the lagoon as if they'd done this before. A soft ditching and no one was injured. 19. We all waded to land, only to find the small atoll was uninhabited. The plane sank down on the shoreOf this uncharted desert isleWith Gilligan,The Skipper too.The millionaireAnd his wife,The movie star,The professor and Mary Ann,Here on Gilligan's Isle. 20. After spending a wet night under the palms, I hiked to the other side of the island and spotted a ship ! 21. We were rescued by a group of people who, coincidentally, were looking for an aircraft lost eighty years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMBIII Posted August 25, 2018 Author Share Posted August 25, 2018 Jack - where were we ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradB Posted August 25, 2018 Share Posted August 25, 2018 Just tremendous mate , I will remember this post for awhile . Cheers John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingleaf Posted August 25, 2018 Share Posted August 25, 2018 Great shots. Great story. Well done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stillwater Posted August 25, 2018 Share Posted August 25, 2018 What a great story from the past. A welcome to Skipper, Gill and the millionaires in 2018! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodger Pettichord Posted August 25, 2018 Share Posted August 25, 2018 I'm a sucker for screenshots stories, and they don't get any more clever and well-shot than this. Great job. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wakashi Posted August 25, 2018 Share Posted August 25, 2018 Even thought this story had a bit of "I think I've heard this one before" ring to it , I liked it! Well done, very imaginative and expertly captured in the pics! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Sawyer Posted August 25, 2018 Share Posted August 25, 2018 JM this was outstandingly clever! I don't know, Hawaii? But it would have been a long flight to Hawaii from Samoa right? I dunno but the entire thing was excellent and I know where my NEXT flight is gonna be, haven't been to this place in ages! Thanks for the wonderful presentation, I loved it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Lars Posted August 25, 2018 Share Posted August 25, 2018 3 hours ago, Rodger Pettichord said: I'm a sucker for screenshots stories, and they don't get any more clever and well-shot than this. Great job. Thanks! I totally agree! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futurebreadmachine Posted August 26, 2018 Share Posted August 26, 2018 Very creative post and nice shots! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMBIII Posted August 26, 2018 Author Share Posted August 26, 2018 2 hours ago, Jack Sawyer said: JM this was outstandingly clever! I don't know, Hawaii? But it would have been a long flight to Hawaii from Samoa right? I dunno but the entire thing was excellent and I know where my NEXT flight is gonna be, haven't been to this place in ages! Thanks for the wonderful presentation, I loved it! Jack, I left the island coordinates on the last few shots. If you deem to visit make it in a seaplane. There's no proper airports within a couple of hundred miles ! To all . . . . . . Thanks for the kind comments. I'm sure that the old TV show, "Gilligan's Island", wasn't as familiar in Europe, Oz, or NZ as it was in the States. Now, as to the tale within a story. No one has mentioned the answers, which should be, "A Tale Within A Tale Within a Story". "Gilligan's Island and the search for Amelia Earhart are obvious answers. Return to the first few frames and look for the other 'dark' answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olderndirt Posted August 26, 2018 Share Posted August 26, 2018 Wasn't a super fan of "Gilligan's" but Mary Anne and Ginger were always worth a look and that 'Tawdry Sightseeing' reminded me of several things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Farrugia Posted August 26, 2018 Share Posted August 26, 2018 Very entertaining JMB - Gilligan was popular here in Oz as well. cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VH-KDK Posted August 26, 2018 Share Posted August 26, 2018 A popular show in the UK but a programme I never watched for reasons I cannot remember. A very well done post all the same with some marvellous images and a great storyline! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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