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Friends of Flying Santa has been busy preparing for the 73rd year of aerial Santa visits to New England lighthouses and Coast Guard stations. The tragic events of September 11 had placed an air of uncertainty over this year's flights. We were unsure if the current airspace restrictions would prevent us from visiting a number of the lighthouses on our routes. We were relieved to hear from the Coast Guard and our pilots that the necessary waivers will be obtained by the time we take to the air. We here at the Friends feel that it is especially important that this year of all years, we pay special recognition to the men and women of the Coast Guard and their families. In recent months, many of the Coast Guard resources throughout the country have been tasked to provide additional security for our nation's ports and other marine interests. This has required many long hours and precious time away from home for many of the boat and station crews. This same dedication to duty is what inspired the first Flying Santas, Capt. William Wincapaw, his son Bill and later, author Edward Rowe Snow to carry on this New England tradition of appreciation. We look forward to the chance to thank these Coasties for their dedicated efforts as they come together with their families for our annual lighthouse and station visits. Our first flight will be on Saturday, December 8th and will cover lighthouses and stations on Massachusetts' North and South Shore. Flying Santa will stop at Newburyport Harbor (Plum Island), Annisquam Harbor, Eastern Point, Boston, Scituate and Plymouth (Gurnet) lighthouse as well as USCG Stations Point Allerton and Cape Cod Canal. Our second flight on Sunday, December 9th will take us to a dozen lights from Cape Cod to Long Island, New York. Our Santa for this trip, CWO Dave Waldrip will make stops at Cape Cod (Highland), Chatham, Brant Point, West Chop, Nobska, Warwick, Castle Hill, Point Judith, Montauk, Stratford Point, and Lynde Point Light, finishing the day at Eaton's Neck Light at Long Island's western end. Once again our pilot will be the venerable Dale (No landing site is too small) Hardy from Wiggins Airways. Dale has been flying our Santas for over a dozen years and we consider ourselves very fortunate to have the services of one of the industry's finest pilots. Our third flight takes to the air on Saturday, December 15th. For the seventh year in a row, we will make our flights from Portsmouth, New Hampshire thanks to the generous people at Fisher Scientific International. They have again donated the use of their Agusta 109 helicopter and crew for our Santa visits in New Hampshire and Maine. Secure in the skilled hands of pilots Art Godjikian and LaRay Todd, we will be visiting the following lighthouses; Portsmouth Harbor, Goat Island, Portland Head, Burnt Island, Pemaquid Point, Marshall Point, Owl's Head, Brown's Head, Dice Head, Fort Point and Bass Harbor Head. Before heading back to Portsmouth, we will plot a course downeast to the far northern reaches of coastal Maine for our stop at USCG Station Jonesport. We are sure to receive just as warm and cheerful a reception from this isolated outpost as we did last year. In these three days of flights, we will be visiting over 500 children and their families at over 30 lighthouses and Coast Guard stations in six states. Each lighthouse will again receive the traditional Christmas gift box containing candy, potato chips, coffee, tea, shaving products and ornaments. Still many of the same staples that Capt. Wincapaw and Edward Rowe Snow delivered on their flights so many years ago. None of this would be possible without the generous support and assistance of all our volunteers, contributors and sponsors. You continue to come through for us year after year in our efforts to show the Coast Guard personnel of New England how much they are appreciated. Thank you from all of us at Friends of Flying Santa and let's all keep our fingers crossed that Mother Nature does her part in keeping the weather clear. |
