I carefully check the chart again... there could be any number of little islands around here, but there are none on the chart. Closest charted islands are the Kapingamarangi Atoll, hundreds of miles west. There's no way I have that kind of tailwind at only 8000 feet!
I'll be damned... it's just as he described it. There's the lagoon... I can see a few small buildings, and some docks. If there were a runway, I'd land and see for sure. Instead, I take a picture. I hit Preview on the digital camera, and am satisfied with the results- the shape of the island is clear. I'll have to research this one later...
I decide to head north from there, almost doubling back. I've figured the time it should take to reach my original track based on how long it took me from my earlier course change to the island. Who knows? Maybe I'll spy Keneru.... I laugh at that, but within an hour I've tuned the ADF to the other frequency. Another hour passes, but no signal. Of course not. Gora Bora, or whatever it's really called, might be real, but there's no such place as Keneru, and probably never was. I'm being silly. There's a layer of low hazy clouds now... won't make it any easier to spot an island that isn't even there...
Just as I'm about to turn, I scan outside out of habit.... and spot an island. No way. I have to check the compass, to make sure I haven't gone in a circle. No, I've been tracking north, and may have crossed my original course line. I have a little time to spare, and thus fuel, so I decide to get a closer look. As the shape of the island becomes apparent,I see it's definitely not Gora Bora. I take another picture. But previewing the image yields nothing. Blank. Great- perfect time for the camera to pack up on me...!
Now I see a landing strip- and pagodas!!! My blood runs cold. It can't be.
This must be some tikky-takky resort or something, and Cutter and Briggs have been gaslighting me about Japanese ghosts. They're probably sitting in the bar laughing at me right now. I decide to land and investigate, not bothering to make sure I really have enough fuel to climb out again and still make it to Babullah.
There's no sign of life as I descend on final, but it sure doesn't look like an old abandoned airfield, either.Looks operational. No planes around, but the whole place looks like everyone will be back at any moment. There are no bungalows, no beach chairs, no tourists. What the hell is this place? Guess I'm about to find out...
I'm pretty pleased with myself as I flare- this will be a good landing. But instead of the usual thumping of the tires on grassy ground and rumbling as the plane rolls out, I hear a sickening sound: water, spraying up against the belly of the plane... the tires are sinking into water...?! The plane shudders, about to dig in and nose over-!!
Slamming the gear up, I somehow I manage to pull her up in time without stalling; I flog the hell out of the engines to get away from the apparition-island, until I remember I have to conserve fuel.
Trembling, I review the events in my mind. There was no standing water or mud on that runway; it was bone-dry and dusty-looking. I just don't get it... I grab the camera, and take another picture, this time just pointing it at my face, to see if it's really not working.
It's working all right- I preview the picture and see myself on the LCD, a perfectly clear picture.
And I look scared.
Next: Stormy Weather, and an Ill-Planned Arrival
Obviously my install of the Lyons' amazing Goose package (which includes the fictional world of Jake Cutter from the short-lived Tales of the Golden Monkey TV series) needs a little tweaking... I'd noticed this anomaly earlier after first installing it... the island isn't configured right, so planes tend to sink through the terrain like it's not there. When I realized my RTW route would take me close by there, I came up with the whole Jake Cutter/ Phantom Island angle. Sure adds a little spice to a long, boring flight!! ;D
The plane textures? I think this is
Robert Hawk's Air America repaint; got it at FsFreeware (?)
Sorry, but I no longer have the ReadMe for that one.
