Watson Island

No visit to South Florida is complete without a visit to Miami Watson Island the home of Chalks seaplane fleet. On my very first visit, which was on a shoestring budget, I traveled the number 30 bus from Miami Airways Motel to Watson Island. The exit point was JC Penny department store on the Biscayne Boulevard and then I had to walk across the Macarthur Bridge towards Watson Island.
At the time Chalks was still operating the Grumman G-111 Albatross, which was the civil version on the military HU-16. I was lucky to catch G-111 N117FB in action. Chalks main routes where Miami Watson Island – Paradise Island (Bahamas) and West Palm Beach. Soon after my visit the G111s where taken out of service and stored in the Arizona desert. Only one Grumman G-73T Mallard (N1208) was active during my visit.