At our Seattle April lunch the group discussed a desire for a fly in at Copalis Beach Airport, the only beach sand airport in the U.S. The fantastic Washington State Department of Aviation has this this to say about Copalis:
"Located at the mouth of the Copalis River, Copalis is a unique airport. It is the only known beach airport in the United States, and is the only stretch of ocean beach in Washington where landing is legal. The runway is the 4500 foot stretch of ocean beach from the Copalis River on the south to the rocks a mile north. The clam digging is excellent, and resting or watching the great Pacific Ocean from here is fantastic. You can surf, fish, hunt for glass fishing balls, or find interesting pieces of driftwood. No camping is allowed at the airport.
Since the runway is the beach itself, there are some things to watch out for. First, land only on the damp sand; the dry sand is very, very soft and dangerous. The airport is generally unusable at high tide since the runway is under water. The available parking area will also be under water, so remaining overnight can cause definite problems to an aircraft. Usage is very high during periods of low tides. As many as 75 aircraft have been reported as being parked there at one time. Since the ocean washes the runway twice a day, debris and driftwood are possible. Overflight is essential to inspect for pedestrians, vehicles, animals, and debris. Remember, people on the ground can not hear the airplane with the power off, so be ready to go around. The airport is generally open year round."
We have a few members like Rob who have flown to Copalis Beach many times so hopefully we can organize a fly in to this amazing airport this summer.
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