Judging by some of the responses here, perhaps I am also considered to be reckless.
It was early eighties at a east Essex flying club when the water skiing conversation came up by a very experienced flying instructor whom was renowned for smoking as soon as he jumped in the aircraft.
The said instructor was sitting at the bar drinking a coffee with a few of us around him. He had a small Corgi model aircraft in his hands as he was demonstrating the pitch attitude on the bar surface of how to touch the water.
He then asked us......what do you think would happen? I recall him receiving many answers. Even my answer was that as soon as the wheels touched the game would be over. He kept shaking his head disagreeing. When we had all finished answering he took the last sip from his coffee and said who's up for it. As I said, this guy was very good and experienced. I immediately jumped up me me me. We went out in a 152 and headed out towards the Clacton.
Approaching the Blackwater he said I have control. In a descending cruise we levelled off at about 3 - 4ft above the water. The sense of speed was amazing in the old girl. Suddenly, the main wheels touched the water as I felt the contact and saw water spray. He explained that touching the water at
80MPH was no different to touching tarmac.
We came back 30 mins later and I told the others what I had just witnessed.
I think a few of the them also went out and did the same with him at a later date knowing that I had come back to tell the tale.
Happy days.
