It’s been a busy weekend in the sky in Lake Wales. It started on Friday morning, when a multi-colored hot air balloon was spotted drifting across the morning sky, an uncommon sight in Lake Wales.
Turns out, the balloon is owned by Capt. Matt Hunter of Sky Pirates Ballooning.
“While we typically fly in the Davenport area, we live here in Lake Wales and are excited to start bringing the wonder of hot air ballooning to our hometown,” says Hunter.
“We are a family-owned and operated business that offers flights with FAA-licensed commercial pilots, are fully insured, and have over 15 years of experience. Recently, we launched a second website called ‘Lake Wales Balloons’ by Sky Pirates Ballooning so that people now have the opportunity to fly here and experience the beauty of ‘real Florida.’”
Capt. Matt and his wife Nicol are excited to start working in Lake Wales since they actually live here. As they begin flying more in this area, it’s likely those colors floating across the sky will become a more frequent occurrence.
Flight in a hot air balloon in Lake Wales may start an end in different places, depending on the conditions. Wind direction and speed is a major factor.
“We look forward to flying more often in Lake Wales and meeting more members of our community,” Nicol says.
“If anyone would like to get more involved by hosting a hot air balloon launch or landing on their property, they can contact us to let us know if they have space available. We typically look for an area of about 100 by 100 feet.
“If you see the balloon launching or landing, or spot our crew, feel free to say hello—we love meeting people and sharing our passion for the sport.”
On Friday, Sept 13, they “took off about 2 miles south of Lake Wales down Hwy. 27.”
They landed about 75 minutes later beside Old Scenic Hwy., after reaching out altitudes of about 1500 feet.
“People are always amazed by their flights being extremely peaceful and calm. Some of the most common phrases we hear are, “I wish I did this years ago,” and, “I can’t wait to go again.”
For more information about Lake Wales Lake Wales Balloons, visit their website, or call 407-717-0969.
