| Flight details: | Arrived at the Dyke without my GPS. On a XC day, this is not good. Took off at 10am to nice conditions, and was rewarded with easy lift to 1,000 feet above, This is good. The clouds weren't really doing anything much yet, so lift was light, 2-up at most. After boating around for 40 minutes, took one over the back, but it all fizzled out, and as I was too far back, the golf course was the only option. This is not good. Stepped on the speed bar to get across the course, and made it to the road, and landed next to it, where Dave Webb was waiting to give me a lift. Result!
Back at launch, the wind had increased a bit,and Ghandi described conditions as 'sporty'. Nah, he must be a wimp, it's nothing like the Alps a few weeks ago... Took off again, and soon ended up in a climb with Alison and Smurf, but lost it, and found myself heading for the golf course again. This is not good. After wandering under someone climbing, nothing happened, and so I headed straight downwind on a hope and a prayer. Low over the golf course, I caught a cracker, and soon climbed up to Alison over Brighton in the sea breeze front. I left along the SBF, pushing north, mostly in lift. Took a series of thermals next to the SBF, always pushing northwards to avoid getting overtaken by it. It looked all over as I tried to get north at Caburn, where I got drilled, so headed off to Firle, As I went over Beddingham, a series of bumps announced themselves. Followed Mark W's advice - ignore the littl'uns, and go for the bug'un. It worked, and got a corker out of Beddingham, watching someone packing up their glider at Firle. Can you say 'Schadenfreude'? Got a thousand feet of that, and headed for the reservoir, where 4, count them, 4 red kites were thermalling together. First time I've seen more than one on the Downs. they got me to Hailsham, where I got horribly low, and came in to land in a farm. This is not good. 150 feet off the deck, I get hit by the roughest thermal yet, and decide to turn, rather t |
