Just returned from a vacation renting a house on a Long Lake in Naples, ME.
Got out for a two hour seaplane lesson from Naples Seaplane Service. What a
great experience!

I have about 1200 hours in 182's, so my seat of the pants flying is pretty
weak. I was flying a Piper Cub, and the first thing the instructor, Mary,
said was ignore the instruments - seaplane flying is all about feel. Suffice
to say that two hours was not long enough to get the feel.

We taxied out into the main channel, giving way to the Songo River Queen, a
large paddle boat that tours the lakes and loomed over us. The upper and
lower decks of the boat were loaded with tourists watching me flounder about
(pun intended) during my first water taxi. Hopefully they didn't have a
clue.

Mary did the first take off with my hands on the controls for a little
hopeful osmosis. We got to altitude, completed a power on and power off
stall so she had some confidence I wasn't going to kill her on the first
landing, and went off to a neighboring lake to play. Boats were everywhere.
Mary's comment was pretty much to ignore the boats - if they were still in
the way on short final we'd go around, but if you worry too much about them
on downwind you'll never land. After checking out the "landing strip" with
an overflight, I landed without any problem. I was amazed at how quickly we
stopped. Accelerate straight ahead, get on the step, flew off the water.
This is easy, no problem...

The next landing was a bit more of a wake up. (Pun not intended, but now
that it's there...) A boat wake crossed the runway just after touchdown. It
felt like we were landing across furrows in a field, until Mary hit some
power and jumped over the moguls.

We did another six or seven take offs and landings - enough to convince
myself that if I ever leave dry Colorado I'll get a plane that can cruise
from lake to lake. In the meantime, I strongly suggest an hour or two with
Mary to add some fun experience to your flying resume.

Michael