On Easter weekend, we had no activity due to the weather, but finally this Tuesday, we had an excellent day of flying again. This time we went in the afternoon to explore new routes. And the stop this time took us to Puerto Nuevo Beach in Vega Baja.
Team Kamikazes Paramotor Puerto Rico, has among its recent pilots/students, several of them who live in Vega Baja. Among these are Raúl Rivera father and son, his brother Edwin Rivera, José Rolón, and Harry Dávila. So, this visit was in a way obligatory to see how you can fly in the area, for the pilots who live near the place.
The plans…
Luis Ruiz coordinated with the local pilot Harry Dávila to meet in the afternoon at Puerto Nuevo Beach. Harry had already flown in, but things hadn’t gone very well. So, it was time to check the area. The meeting time was 3 PM, but they finally managed to meet in the parking area by 4:30 PM.
What we found, the Good and the Bad…
Good… Despite it being a Tuesday, the tourist activity and people enjoying the beach were relatively numerous, so if flying was possible in the area, it opened up a lot of exposure for the sport and our adventures.
Bad… All the sidewalks and streets surrounding the beach area are painted yellow, meaning parking is not allowed in the surrounding area. And if you do, you’ll probably get a fine. So, the only safe place is the main parking lot, and they charge you $5.00 to access the place, even if you only go for a few minutes or hours.
Good… Once we entered the beach area, we found comfortable areas to settle in and prepare equipment without interfering with the people who enjoy the beach.
Good/Bad… Rocks surrounding the beach area create a natural blockage against ocean currents, but at the same time they block the entry of the natural flow of winds into the area, creating turbulence, and this is important for takeoffs and landings.
Bad… Outside of the Puerto Nuevo beach area, in the surrounding area, there were not many safe spaces for emergency landings, in case these were necessary.
Verdict…
Puerto Nuevo Beach, Vega Baja, is a beautiful place and obviously has a large audience and acceptance for every day of the week. However, to carry out Paramotor flying activities on site is complicated. Although for a skilled pilot, taking off and landing at the location is not a major problem, it is a greater challenge for pilots with little experience and surrounding with people.
In addition, the lack of safety spaces in the surroundings, in case of a land emergency, is a factor to consider. That means, the pilots need to choose between, flying over the beach area at all times, go from there for a cross country fly or choose for a better beach for Paramotor activities.
Photos…
