Inter-Coastal Water Way /Fort Lauderdale

Originally built to avoid the dangers of ocean sailings and for the new country of the United States to protect their vessels with precious cargo, (as it was within their boundaries) the Inter Coastal Waterway is one of those projects that leaves you in awe. Since the 1800's the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have had the responsibility to maintain and improve this fantastic feat of mankind and today its 4,800kms (3,000 miles) that runs from New Jersey to Texas with many side routes branching off it....consisting of natural inlets, rivers, bays and artificial watercourses.

Even today its used for commercial activity  (barges carrying petroleum, manufactured goods, food etc) but also recreational boaters, some who travel from the north to escape the winter. So I'm exploring a small portion of this highway system in Fort Lauderdale area with its intricate canal system

where (KeyTip) for about $25.00 you can do the water taxi and take advantage of the all day "hop on/ hop off" and tour this great city plus during the water ride see the spectacular mansions and large boats. (there is 42,000 resident yachts & 100 marinas located within the city boundaries) So in closing its a great inexpensive way to view what they call the "Venice of America"

Hot Air Ballooning over the Australian Outback

#Hot_Air_Balloon_Australia

The Chinese invented the first Hot Air Balloons thousands of years ago but on a much smaller scale to send messages to their troops if surrounded by the enemy
Then the first recorded pioneers of manned flights were actually a sheep, rooster & duck who flew 3.2kms (2 miles) in an experimental test from the Montgolfier brothers in the 18th century with their ultimate idea of balloon flights for humans

The tradition of the balloonists prayer before flight (which is a glass of champagne) comes from a not so exciting history.
When the Montgolfier brothers were performing test flights, the local farmers were very suspicious as they thought they were dragons descending from the skies & bringing a danger to them

So nothing like alcohol to ease the tensions 😅 as the Montgolfiers would then give champagne to the farmers & thus continue to land on the fields with their balloons

Watching some of my fellow adventure seekers take off

We arrive early in our buses & get ready to soar with the birds in one of mankind's first way to fly.

 At first you don't realize how huge these balloon airships are, but once the propane is fired up to fill the bag or envelope (made of nylon fabric with the material closest to the flame is a fire resistant composite, plus Australian rules require that they meet the criteria of the Civic Aviation & Safety Code) you get a sense what it was like to be a pioneer back in the first days of flight.

 

 Our pilot must of  read the air currents better than our "sister ships," because within minutes we were up around 5000 feet & above them as we flew around this valley for some great views as you can see below 

So as we get ready to land our Captain asked if

   some of us guys would jump out of the gondola & guild it along as the flatbed truck could not access  the marshy grounds, which then would transport the wicker basket back to our original starting point

  After the pilot asked in typical Aussie humor if anything poisonous grabbed us while in the tall grass? So i asked what kind of animal or plant that could that be? 

 Mate!! everything toxic in Australia.... even the women 😂 (as he told me later he was going through a divorce)

Some cool history of Hot Air Balloons;  they were used during the US Civil War as reconnaissance viewing aircraft to report crucial information from their high perch.
 They would then either telegraph data or use special flags to signal what they could see

One interesting fact is Hot Air Balloons are restricted to fly during wet conditions as it becomes much harder to control for the pilot.
 Why you ask; the rain would accumulate on the top which makes the balloon heavier, burns more fuel thus added up to perilous situation

Looking down at one of my sister airships at approximately 5000 feet up

 To be above the other Hot Air Balloons my pilot would of researched the local conditions from nearby airports, weather stations & service forecasters to get to a proper air current update then by controlling the temperature & volume of the heat to inside the envelope to reach that level

Meanwhile to start the decent the pilot would open a large vent at the top of the balloon plus valve off excess heat, which all makes it heavier as gravity takes over