A Good Christmas Holiday

Harriet ready for a ride

A little time outdoors checking out Harriet's favourite site.

A few Walleye for supper. (Florence's favourite meal)

Happy Holidays from Viking Outposts!

The excitement of Christmas is settling down. It is -28 and we spent the afternoon exploring the lake on four-wheelers and snowmobiles. Then we were lucky enough to have fresh walleye for dinner, care of our friend Billy. We hope all our friends elsewhere are enjoying the holidays, nice weather, good food, and time with their loved ones.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE CARLSONS!

Story and photos by Robert S. Grant – first published summer 2002

For the Whole Article and a photo gallery of Norseman, Click here.

Two thousand feet below the Beech King Air 350, a break in the dull gray undercast revealed Northwestern Ontario’s evergreen woodlands. Moments later, the sleek corporate aircraft overflew a tiny flotilla of canoes plunging across a white-capped bay. Soon the aircraft settled smoothly onto Red Lake’s Runway 08 as a Chevrolet Suburban stood by to drive a group of Chicago-based executives and their pilot into the tourist community.

Their destination–a pine-walled complex on the north side of Howey Bay–was the headquarters for Viking Outpost Cabins Ltd., a fishing- and hunting-oriented enterprise established in 1948 by Swedish-born Arthur Carlson and wife, Florence. Impressed with the hospitality shown by Suburban driver and general manager Enid Carlson, the camp-bound turkeys (tourists) crossed the office floor and peered down at several seaplanes rocking gently against a tire-sided dock. A pristine Noorduyn Norseman Mk V caught the King Air pilot’s eye. Having learned to fly on metal-clad Piper PA-28 Cherokees and moving on to his club-seated, $5-million Beech, he had never encountered a commercial airplane covered with “canvas.”

Hugh Carlson, a 6-foot, 7-inch, 287-pound son of Red Lake pioneers Arthur and Florence, understood that visitors from regions south of the Canadian border knew little about seaplanes and northcountry flying. Co-owner of Viking with his brother Craig, he politely explained that CF-FQI’s covering consisted of doped Ceconite fabric. He added that AMEs, pilots and tourist operators alike considered the “wooden wonder,” a nickname bestowed upon the prototype soon after its first flight from Montreal on November 14, 1935, as the most “overbuilt” aerial freighter to carry Canadian registration.

As the turkeys snickered at the mention of sitka spruce ribs and walnut fittings in airplane wings, Craig’s wife, Roseanne, pointed out that the Pratt & Whitney R-1340-powered aircraft suited their wilderness-oriented business perfectly. This caught the group’s interest since some slaved as bean counters for a midwest American newspaper. They listened, distracted momentarily as a Red Lake Airways’ Beech 18 on Edo 7850s rumbled eastbound into Howey Bay for a passenger pickup and beer run. Ensconced in Viking’s office–more of a living room than a place of business–they began to understand Roseanne’s justification of an airplane designed specifically for bush pilots.

Too Tired To Swim

Too Tired To Swim, a photo by Morgan Swant on Flickr.

Morgan takes the most amazing pictures. He is a bush pilot who enjoys what he does and sees beauty in our north country.

Red Lake Seaplane at Work

Of course there is more to aviation then just flying.  We are lucky to have the best mechanics we know working on our planes.  Winter is the time to go through the planes top to bottom.  Of course, preventative maintenance is the only way to go.  Our beaver is being outfitted with a new boat rack which will accommodate 22 foot canoes.  New government regulations are getting all air operators in Canada to reevaluate how they carry external loads.  Our Cessna 185 is getting a good inspection. 

C-FHXA, our Cessna 185, and C-GEZW, our Beaver, at Red Lake Seaplane Service

John Blaszczyk is working on Dave Robertson's old J3.
From bare naked to fully dressed, it will be a beauty.
Left: Bill Ivaniski, owner of Red Lake Seaplane Service
RIght:  John Blaszczyk

 John Blaszczyk worked at Red Lake Seaplane for about 25 years before coming to fly our Norseman.  Now our Norseman is gone and he is back working on small planes.  This is a talent of his.  He is meticulous and loves to see a plane rise from the ashes to fly again.  He has his own beloved SuperCub CF-ZRL and knows this plane well.

Good Solid Blue Ice, Great for Travelling

Bobby Green



These pictures were taken by Morgan Swant.

For many years Viking Outposts and Island flew with Green Airways.  Jack and Bobby were always helping out their younger competitors, the Carlson Boys.  When Hugh and Craig started out, Green Airways backed them up.  When airplanes broke down they lent parts.  When Hugh and Arthur didn't return from a fishing trip on time, they went looking.  And on and on, they are the best neighbours, good boys working hard for a living.

Last week after watching his grandson, Ryan, play hockey, Bobby lay on the couch for a break ..... he didn't wake up.  The family have had a private service at the Lutheran church and next summer they will have a memorial for Bobby when people can come from out of town to celebrate his life.

Bobby we will miss you.  

The ice has frozen smooth and deep

The lake has frozen well.  The best freeze happens when there is very little snow on the new ice.  It freezes deep and smooth.  This Sunday, Howey Bay was full of people skating across the smooth ice wherever they chose.  This is a rare event for Red Lake.

Cathy and Lindsey live on the edge of Howey and Bay and get a great view of freeze-up,
 break-up and all that happens out on the bay

These deer hang out below my office window.

This fox comes by in the morning
 to check out my yard.

These grouse hang out by the apple trees.

Florence enjoys a visit with grandson Arthur at his new house.