| Flight details: | Three people flying when I arrived at Bo at around 11.00. Looked good. Took off in a gentle breeze and had an immediate climb out where I could see Pete Impey and Garry Taylor nice and high out front. Good air! I found myself in a moderate climb with Catherine briefly and taking advantage of extra height I left the ridge and headed out over the harvested fields to find more. Within moments I hooked another, this time with Jess and then joined by Pete. A few minutes later we found ourselves at base just shy of 3,000'. Wind direction not ideal to go anywhere but with good height and rather than bumbling up and down the ridge I reckoned a flight towards Peacehaven worth a try.
I took a glide (with Pete following) towards South Heighton hoping for a top up from the cropped fields on the way. I have never found a good thermal on these warm south facing slopes but today in this welcome sunshine surely there must be something? But no, quite dead and just the same as it ever was. Then the approaching white chalk quarry at Tarring Neville must generate heat and luckily it did. Low, but now in a robust climb I soon gained enough height to cross the Ouse and review my route on the other side. Newhaven just to the south provided no opportunity and with the sprawl of Peacehaven just ahead to the west and endless boxy houses to fly over I needed more altitude to safely pass by. This had been a cross wind flight all the way and now trying to skirt around the northern edges of Peacehaven it was going to be difficult with more of the same. The vineyard at Breaky Bottom in a protected warm hollow of the Downs maybe? Or the glowing fields above Deans Farm might yeild another climb? But that was it, Dean's Farm, Telscombe, where I landed with Pete, which turned out to be the biggest Pheasant rearing set up in this part of Sussex. Thousands of birds couped up, out of sight, and audibly scratching away for their first days of freedom. Shooting season starts soon and then there'll be j |
