| Flight details: | Some good thermals around (if you could find them!) but LOTS of heavy sink about as well (this was much easier to find!) and quite wind blown and rough at times (although my Skywalk Poison2 was impeccably well behaved, as always). As there was a fair breeze from the North I decided not to go XC but rather try and make the most of the flying conditions around the hill. I first made my way to Truleigh, where I had to wait for AGES before a decent climb came though - which was at the same time as Nancy arrived to join me on her Nova Mentor (boy does she go well on that glider!). We climbed up to 'base together before pushing NW towards Small Dole. Nancy turned back, climbing up to 'base again on her way back to launch and then went off XC on her own. I tried pushing further NW but got royally flushed (where was the big hole in the ground where all that air went!?) so I then scuttled back to the ridge, tail between my legs, and made my way back to launch where I had by far the most scary part of my flight, soaring with others - aaaarrggghhh!!! A totally terriflying experience!!! After a tense few minutes I got a climb from the main bowl and purposefully let myself drift back in this towards Brighton (I should have drifted further!). Deciding it was time to come back (too soon!) I pushed forward (N) over Newtimber (I should have pushed a bit further), and then made my back (W) to Truleigh. From there I pushed out into the valley over Upper Beeding (again, I should've pushed further!) before heading back towards the Dyke. My (optimistic) plan was to then get one more climb (to slightly misquote Shakespeare: "A climb! A climb! My FAI triangle for a climb!") about half way back to launch, and then drift as far back as possible before pushing forward again to extend the triangle I had just flown; this climb never materialised and I only just made it back to takeoff. One of the most pleasant and challenging flights I have ever had from the Dyke! :-) |
