| Flight details: | Turned up at the Dyke along with the crowd, but it didn't look good - almost no wind, and what there was already around to the west at 10 o'clock. Spotting that, despite the wind being west, the anemometer on the top of the Dyke had turned SW 30 feet above us, I headed off to Caburn, and climbed the hill to find 3 on top. Took off into good lift - the first thermal took me to 3-400 above, but didn't feel that good. The second felt Ok, and off I went, gloat factor 10 as a line of people were still struggling up the hill. Almost immediately, I wondered why I'd bothered, as the thermal dried up, but concentrating like crazy, I re-found it, and continued slowly upwards and backwards towards Glydebourne. Glyndebourne gave me another small boost, but it wasn't feeling that good, drifting over Ringmer, and along the Broyle. I need 12.5K to improve my XC position - will I do it? It didn't seem that I might. Low now over the gliding club, the usual thermal source gave me a kick, (thanks to the arsonist below) and I slowly climbed past the runway. 12.5k in the bag now, if I went on a glide, but conditions are difficult, and I'm low again. Drifting along taking whatever lift I can find, most of it rough as old boots, I find myself low in front of what seems like 10 miles of trees. It's not looking good - either I get a low save in the next few minutes, or I'm 10 feet above the trees. The vario says 300 feet over takeoff - I need 2,000. Everywhere is dark - fantastic clouds overhead, but they're not sucking me up. Head off to a light patch, underneath a filthy dark cloud. I can see the headlines now - 'paraglider found dead in tree' beep. Wassat? beep - yes something here, hang on in - 5 minutes later, I've got 400 over take off. Progress! I try thermalling left in desperation, and it works - getting a beep all the way around now, in a 0.2 up. Have to go back to the right now, and kaboom! the glider lurches backwards and upwards, and a solid beeping gets me the first decent the |
