It was a while ago when all active dESPair pilots received the following message from the Archipelago council:
"Today -080706, july 8th 2006- between roughly 10.30 - 17.45 local Esperides time, we've seen forecasted seismic anomalies come to life.
As far as we can see now -around 20.30 local Esperides time- the series of land slides and tremors have a result coming close to simulations for 'phase 1': an average land drop of 200 ft. for the islands of Paradise Flats, Hemp Heights, West Klunk and Helio Shoals. AECG and AECS (Archipelago Esperides Coast Guard and Civil Services) flights are still taking stock and assessing the damage/results, performing visual checks and photo surveillance of the area.
Meanwhile, from as early as ±19.55 KHI (Klunk Heavy Industries) full crew/resources have been working on the installation of prefab harbor components at Hemp Heights, in their intent to provide the island with additional evacuation means. Available pilots are welcome to join and help the AECG and AECS with their Recon and SAR activities. AeroPedro and local services are at this moment trying to arrange for a number of suitable planes/helos, in case they are needed requested for (contact sir Brick at Sixtus B. for further details)"

So. It was clear that Cpt. Hak will be halting it's own daily business operations and do whatever needs to be done to help rescue the people of the archipelago Esperides. Mainly, there were SAR and RECON missions planned, to cover all endangered areas at least twice, so no one will be left behind. Here's a shot from a fly by on Paradise beach, where one of the main camps for temporary refugees has been setup. There are wind mills delivering enough electricity for the whole islands and some more. The road has been changed into a runway, and once more the STOL capabilities of the Waterpipe proof to be very handy. (In the distance, you can see the partially sunken Hemp Heights)

One of the daily duties was and still is to fly over Paradise beach to inspect the smooth operations of the wind mills. So far, no problems have been reported.

AeroPedro and several other companies have been very helpfull in delivering the required hardware to setup camps and shelters for those people that had to find a new home until the assessment of the geological process and it's effect can give us more ideas where the safe places will be. The containers you can see on the shot below have become a ubiquitous item on many islands...



Cpt. Brick teamed up with Cpt. Hak to fly networked SAR and cargo drop missions. Here below, you can see Hak following Brick around Sixtus B., heading for Lectric combo, where we were expected for a briefing about the Hemp Heights green house evacuation plans.



We had quite a few close passes with big container ships. The scale of these ships make it clear how HUGE the efforts in place are, to move a whole set of coast residents, their home and goods as well as industries, animals etc.

When flying close to the Archipelago main island, I discovered a bush fire. Sometimes overheated humvee engines can set the dry forests ablaze... I informed the authorities, and someone else was asked to fly a flame retardant drop mission.

To get the required detailed data about Hemp Heights, we had to visit Lago Espirito and the dESPair IT center, where the precious scientific and organizational data about the Hemp Heights greenhouses is stored and processed. I will leave this place with a bleeding heart. I still think this lake high above the sea is the nicest place to put your floats on.

A sattelite shot of Cpt. Brick and me parking next to my lodge.

Later, we started again, with the data loaded, flew a low pass around the light house on Lectric combo...

Here you see me on short final for Lectric combo:

Another long, hard but successfull day of flying under the banner of dESPair. Those that just talk about the old times, when dESPairados did such flying don't know what they're missing...

The sunset at lectric combo sure is a nice compensation for our work. The pub helped too. :-) The next day will be equally busy... so let me go to sleep now.