Air Caraibes Airbus A330 over the bay, about to land – Photo: Bernie Leighton | AirlineReporter

My fiancee and I, chatting earlier this year while I was at my computer:

“Hey sweetie, did you realize our honeymoon cruise stops for a day at St. Martin?”

“Um, I think so, yea…”

“Did you know that is where they have the beach with the planes that just about land on your head?”

“Like the videos and pictures you showed me? Wow! That’s awesome! Sounds like we should spend that day there at that beach, you think?”

“Oh man, I am SO marrying the right woman!”

The author standing directly below a Boeing 737 about to land – Photo: Julian Cordle

When I tell people I’m into aviation, my (now) wife likes to describe me to others as “like the super-excited train guy, but with planes”. Tongue-in-cheek, of course. In any case, once we made plans to visit world-famous Maho Beach on St. Martin, she listened to me tell her many times “I can’t believe I get to actually BE THERE” while I was browsing the many stunning photos online.