SXM St Maarten 2011 - here we go again!! LOTSA PHOTOS!!!!!

[N75715]

Well, to start off - sorry about the late post - it has only been a week...lol... Started off with two and a half days of pure rain. Pouring rain. 7 go arounds on Sunday, 2 of which never made it back and settled for a nearby island diversion. A record number of west takeoffs, and bad bad bad lighting. I guess we were due for something different this year. Copa and Sunwing were welcomed new visitors for my lenses. However, a day trip to St Barth's proved exciting and interesting. Hope you enjoy the shots. Janice will be posting hers soon..... Roman

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[gonzalu]

Roman, you totally fooled me with your sob story about the rain... these look terrific to me and the weather seemed fine :cool: My favorite has to be the cowards on the sand regreting their decision to stand behind the blasters!

[N75715]

the bad wx shots are coming....... thanks for the vote of confidence, Manny!

[N75715]

here are some more shots..

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KLM going around the first time

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sorry about this one this was shot from the car, as this flight was totally unexpected.....

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[N75715]

and now, for ST Barth's adventure!

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look closely - where is the runway at St Barth's???

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does this guy have clearance for rwy 10???

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we got some warnings from this guy to stay away from the runway!! oops....

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Janice made a new friend

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[NIKV69]

I love the jet blast shots! That woman must have had sand in places one does not speak of!

[Zee71]

Those photo's from St. Barth's are sick!

[gonzalu]

Roman those are still SWEET!!! Oh man, I have got to make it to St. Baarts at least once. Just the low-over-the-sand is awesome!

[threeholerglory]

Roman lives!! Awesome shots man, we gotta get out one of these days!!!!!

[JDANDO]

Great shots from St. Barts!

Nice to see the lizard/iguana pics also.

[Cary]

Nice shots, Roman! Did you happen to see anyone get chased from the fenceline while at SXM? Today, a cop yelled at about 8 people who were just watching/photographing at the side to go back to the beach side. Someone told me she and the group of people she was with were told the same thing twice, while she was down here a few weeks ago.

[eric8669]

Nice shots, Roman! Did you happen to see anyone get chased from the fenceline while at SXM? Today, a cop yelled at about 8 people who were just watching/photographing at the side to go back to the beach side. Someone told me she and the group of people she was with were told the same thing twice, while she was down here a few weeks ago.

I've had that happen to me on one occasion when in SXM

[mirrodie]

honestly, after you do it once, (fence riding), its not all that lovely.

Great photos!

[N75715]

Cary, they only yelled when they were replacing that brand new fence you see there now.... (by the looks of the welds, they will be replacing the same fence in about 6 months). otherwise, i had no issues at all. in fact, we never saw a cop drive by the beach road all week. in St Barth's, Janice and I stood in front of the rwy 28 threshold for some quick pics, and within 2 minutes, a vehicle flew down the runway and a guy yelled at us. we smiled, threw up our arms, and moved... then the iguana appeared, and distracted us for a while....Oh yeah, Roman's plane was there Saturday morning. He must have flown in over night some time. It was parked way close to the fence near the Winair ticket building. unfortunately, the lighting sucked, and it was raining when we drove by it.

[N75715]

I will only ride the fence from the Insel Air Mad Dogs anymore. any other plane is too quiet. Insel pilots make it worthwhile. on one departure, they held the brakes for what seemed like 20 seconds as the engines spooled up to takeoff thrust. we cooked!

[N75715]

Jeremy, glad you liked the nature shots, too! That was an awesome diversion when things got quiet. believe me, St Barth's can get eerily quiet. we were hanging out by that little beach and kept hearing a rustling in the bushes. suddenly, that lizard strolled out. he was receptive to the camera and even let us hand feed him flowers. it was awesome!

[Cary]

Cary, they only yelled when they were replacing that brand new fence you see there now.... (by the looks of the welds, they will be replacing the same fence in about 6 months). otherwise, i had no issues at all. in fact, we never saw a cop drive by the beach road all week. in St Barth's, Janice and I stood in front of the rwy 28 threshold for some quick pics, and within 2 minutes, a vehicle flew down the runway and a guy yelled at us. we smiled, threw up our arms, and moved... then the iguana appeared, and distracted us for a while....Oh yeah, Roman's plane was there Saturday morning. He must have flown in over night some time. It was parked way close to the fence near the Winair ticket building. unfortunately, the lighting sucked, and it was raining when we drove by it.

Yeah, I think that was the only cop car that passed on the road so far. There was an airport car parked inside the fence, pointed towards the fence/runway, but he only stayed for 5 minutes, and didn't tell anyone to get away from the fence, along the side.

Hmm...maybe I shouldn't try my idea at SBH after all...I guess they are overly cautious after that person got hit in the head by a plane there (I don't blame them).

I texted you on Friday night about Roman's plane arriving in the AM (around 7)...but then I remembered you normally don't have your phone on/don't check it here. The plane is still here, and the mini-bandit has been making quite a few flights over the past few days. I'm hoping to catch the 767 departing.

[Cary]

Went to SBH yesterday, and saw both your iguana and security friends. Luckily, I didn't stray too close to the runway, and didn't get yelled at :tongue: