Washington Seaplane Pilots Association (WSPA) Annual Splash-in at Tanglefoot Seaplane Base (D28)
June 10-12, 2022
Priest Lake, Idaho
Greetings and welcome to the 2022 Washington Seaplane Pilots Association (WSPA) annual splash-in at Tanglefoot Seaplane Base! After having to cancel last fall, we are excited to welcome you for an early summer celebration!
Situated in lovely Cavanaugh Bay, our gathering will be held at Tanglefoot Seaplane Base (D28), home to Loel and Olson Fenwick. The base features three docks, beach, and ramp space for both straight floats and amphibious aircraft. For those on wheels, the Cavanaugh Bay Airstrip (66S) is located next door and is operated by Allen Lieske. Accommodations at both the airstrip and seaplane base include camping with shower and restroom facilities. Since most of you will be camping, we encourage you to bring warm clothes for the evening hours. A headlamp will be helpful in traveling between venues and on site after dark.
Event Sponsor
We are pleased to announce that Aerocet has agreed to become our primary sponsor once again this year. When you come across their folks during the weekend, please extend your thank you for their efforts and commitment to our organization.
Event Details
At check-in, paid registrants will receive a t-shirt commemorating the event. Friday night will feature arrivals and camp setup, followed by a cookout with burgers, brats, sides, and dessert. A vegetarian option will be available for non-meat-eaters.
Saturday morning, we are pleased to welcome the FAA Safety Team Representatives, Chris Popov of Sandpoint and Mike Kincaid of Coeur d'Alene, who will provide a safety presentation on seaplane operations on the lakes and rivers of North Idaho. Presenters will review safety procedures for flying Lake Coeur d’ Alene, Lake Pend Oreille, and Priest Lake, as well as the local rivers. Seaplane and boater interface operations will also be discussed. This presentation will qualify for WINGS Proficiency Credit through the FAASTeam.
Following the presentation, a splash-out safety briefing will be held to discuss aircraft launching and flight operations in and around Priest Lake. Sacked lunches will be available for you and your guests, to be packed in preparation for your day of exploring and eventually gathering at the north end of Priest Lake in Mosquito Bay.
Saturday evening will feature a social hour hosted by the Fenwicks, followed by dinner of pulled pork and chicken with sides, dessert, and drinks. After dinner, we are excited to welcome special guest, Dick Rutan, who will provide a presentation on the content from his recently released book, "The Next Five Minutes." In it, he discusses the real story behind the first ever, non-stop, unrefueled flight around the world!
Arriving and Departing
In the days leading up to the event, registrants will receive detailed information and handouts with a map of Priest Lake, recommended arrival and departure procedures, as well as any other information that is pertinent to ensuring a safe and enjoyable weekend for all!
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Arrival and departure frequency: Cavanaugh Bay Area Traffic Unicom 122.9.
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Once on the water, 122.9 for mooring and ramping instructions.
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Please practice safe piloting.
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Please land outside of the water buoys around Blue Diamond Marina, which is just north of D28.
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Upon departure, please reduce RPM’s for noise abatement.
No doubt some of you will be drafted or may just be inclined to help with meals and cleanup, and marshaling aircraft, which will be sincerely appreciated. This should be a fun event and we look forward to seeing all of you. If for any reason you encounter difficulty in getting to the splash-in or have a change of plans, kindly notify Amy Fenwick, (562) 508-7939 or amykfenwick@gmail.com.
Thank you to our Hosts!
We would like to thank Olson and Loel Fenwick for the gracious opportunity to utilize their private residence and grounds for this fly-in. This is truly a unique spot on earth and to show our appreciation, we would encourage you to practice “Leave No Trace” camping and respect for their personal property. If you would like to view photos of the site and shots from previous year's events, visit Tanglefoot Seaplane Base online at Facebook and Instagram.
