With the weather darkening and overcast stratus at 4500 ft we secured the aircraft and hopped on our minibus. It was obvious as the day progressed in Batemans Bay that we were in for some strange weather. The deep sea fishing operator cancelled ( ‘I’m not goin’ out in them storms mate’) and the golf was converted into deep and meaningful conversations over espressos in the local café. Four of us hit the briny surf despite the rain and were rewarded with warm water and a nice shore break. Friends and relatives from Canberra joined us in the evening and brought fresh oysters, prawns and marinated fish. These together with our collected salads and local produce made for a hearty banquet on a wet Saturday night by the Bay.

The forecast for Sunday was clearing weather but although we waited till noon there was little sign of blue. We decided to slip up the coast to Wollongong, knowing we could probably find a way home either westward from there or into Bankstown where we had the use of car. Leading the four aircraft, and in constant communication on 123.45, I probed northward sticking within gliding distance of the coast. Initially the 2000 feet ceiling and very light showers made the going easy but by Ulladulla I reported I was down to 1100 feet and in decreasing visibility. I took the contour route around Jervis Bay and by the time I’d reached Commerong Island I was down to 700 ft with the darkest, thickest, and wettest rain cell I’d ever seen blocking my path into Wollongong. Turning 180 degrees at about 600 feet over the water I retreated south and took the option of landing at Jervis Bay military airfield. Consulting the ERSA gave me the Jervis Bay frequency and I made the standard CTAF broadcasts before circling and landing in heavy rain.

We were in for an earful at Jervis Bay. While standing there on the apron, sheltering from the downpour under the wing, we were approached by the very zealous security guy, yellow roof light and all. He wrote down our registration details and our names and muttered that ‘the commander will be over soon and he’ll make you sorry you landed’ but instead, when the Lieutenant Commander did arrive, with kids and pets in tow, he promptly opened the mess hall and toilets, arranged a secure parking place for our aircraft, downloaded the latest weather, organised a minibus to town and booked us accommodation at the very salubrious Huskisson pub. I was very glad I’d landed in Jervis Bay and not Guantanamo Bay! Unfortunately, while pushing BAC backwards down into the parking area, we bumped the ground and broke a couple of the securing rivets on the left hand elevator. This meant I would have to hitch a ride back to Bathurst in PJO and return for BAC and some minor repairs a couple of days later.

The Husky pub is a pretty cool place. It’s been on that headland for years and is an old, noisy, swinging place at night. The accommodation is plain and old with the bathrooms down the corridor. We all enjoyed the stay with pub food and the live band and an evening walk around town revealed improving weather and patches of clear sky.

Early on the Monday morning the commander was there to open the airfield gates and see us safely on our way. Nowra airspace became active as we crossed the bay and we kept in touch with ATC all the way north to Kiama. It was then a simple matter to land at Wollongong and fuel, then home to Bathurst. On arrival I arranged to pick up BAC and I headed for Jervis Bay the next day with our LAMEs Charlie and Mark. Once there BAC was ready to fly in 20 minutes.

Since it was a Tuesday, Nowra airspace was well and truly alive. Every fifteen minutes a transport aircraft landed and spilled out another twenty or so servicemen who then boarded a light aircraft and were jumping out overhead and parachuting down to onto the field, only to be swept up again in the transport plane and ferried back to base. In the middle of this action and with clearance from both the Jervis Bay Commander and Nowra ATC I took off to the East over the ocean, was identified and headed North to Wollongong. After that it was VFR on top home to Bathurst.

Errol Chopping.

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