Swalt
11-04-2005, 09:39 AM
Just got back from a trip to Great Inagua where we dodged Wilma and another tropical storm. This was my third trip to a Bahamian Out Island. It was a good trip even with the problems we ran into. Thought I would post them hoping it would be of help to others planning such trips. Seems like sometimes you just can't win.
We went down just ahead of Wilma. We were on the next to last American flight out of Miami to Nassau on the 20th. Neither of our checked bags arrived at Nassau with us. Think the plane American Eagle was overweight and our bags were left off. Bills came in on the last flight that night and we got it when we went back to the airport Friday morning. Mine was scheduled to come in on the first flight in that morning. One problem!! That flight was not arriving till 9:30 am and we flew out to Inagua at 9:15 am. I had packed one set of fishing clothing and carried on 3 rods and reels. We had split the flies between the 2 checked bags so we had enough to fish. I was told my bag would come down on the Monday flight so it wouldn't be too bad. Well, come Monday and here comes Wilma accross Florida and the northern Bahamas. No flights out of Nassau so I did not get my bag till Wednesday after we came in from fishing. Bahamasair has the only scheduled flights to Inagua on Mon, Wed and Fri. Spent the week wearing the same pants and shirt each day, washed them in the shower each evening, and wading in my 991 New Balance running shoes. The only thing we ran short on were the tapered leaders, next trip I will split them between two bags, but we added tippit as they shortend, sometimes 2 different sizes. It was nice to have my flats boots on our final day, Thursday, anyway.
On the return flight.
On my previous trips to Bahama Out Islands, this was my third since 9/11, and on the trip down, this time, I have had no problem carrying on rods and reels. On the way back coming through Nassau I was forced to check my rod and reel bag because they would not allow reels through the Bahamian equivalent of TSA. I was stopped and told I had to check them and I asked for a superintendent. He also said I had to check them. I asked if they went by TSA regs and he said yes but when I showed him the page I had coppied directly from the TSA sight saying you COULD carry on reels he said they could not go by that, anyone could come up with that, and that they did not get all the latest updates from TSA all the time. I told him that this has been on the sight for 3 years, I asked him to check the regs they had but they were in the office and he couldn't do it right now. It was futile. It broke my heart having to check three rods and 6 reels, in a bag not suited for having other bags piled on top or it, but thankfully they made it back to RDU with no damage.
I don't know the answer for taveling these days and having your gear get there and get back. I think next time I may split my gear between 2 checked bags and wear my flats boots on the plane.
We went down just ahead of Wilma. We were on the next to last American flight out of Miami to Nassau on the 20th. Neither of our checked bags arrived at Nassau with us. Think the plane American Eagle was overweight and our bags were left off. Bills came in on the last flight that night and we got it when we went back to the airport Friday morning. Mine was scheduled to come in on the first flight in that morning. One problem!! That flight was not arriving till 9:30 am and we flew out to Inagua at 9:15 am. I had packed one set of fishing clothing and carried on 3 rods and reels. We had split the flies between the 2 checked bags so we had enough to fish. I was told my bag would come down on the Monday flight so it wouldn't be too bad. Well, come Monday and here comes Wilma accross Florida and the northern Bahamas. No flights out of Nassau so I did not get my bag till Wednesday after we came in from fishing. Bahamasair has the only scheduled flights to Inagua on Mon, Wed and Fri. Spent the week wearing the same pants and shirt each day, washed them in the shower each evening, and wading in my 991 New Balance running shoes. The only thing we ran short on were the tapered leaders, next trip I will split them between two bags, but we added tippit as they shortend, sometimes 2 different sizes. It was nice to have my flats boots on our final day, Thursday, anyway.
On the return flight.
On my previous trips to Bahama Out Islands, this was my third since 9/11, and on the trip down, this time, I have had no problem carrying on rods and reels. On the way back coming through Nassau I was forced to check my rod and reel bag because they would not allow reels through the Bahamian equivalent of TSA. I was stopped and told I had to check them and I asked for a superintendent. He also said I had to check them. I asked if they went by TSA regs and he said yes but when I showed him the page I had coppied directly from the TSA sight saying you COULD carry on reels he said they could not go by that, anyone could come up with that, and that they did not get all the latest updates from TSA all the time. I told him that this has been on the sight for 3 years, I asked him to check the regs they had but they were in the office and he couldn't do it right now. It was futile. It broke my heart having to check three rods and 6 reels, in a bag not suited for having other bags piled on top or it, but thankfully they made it back to RDU with no damage.
I don't know the answer for taveling these days and having your gear get there and get back. I think next time I may split my gear between 2 checked bags and wear my flats boots on the plane.