Forecasts for a potentially fresh wind from a S-SW quarter had the "Expeditions" WhatsApp group bombarded with streams of consciousness from Matt Williamson about the Quantocks or the Mendips. As the exact direction looked hard to predict the South Coast and Quantocks options were forsaken for a Saturday drive up to Halesland.
The complete absence of any discernible breeze on the way up was ignored and rigging 611 started with the windsock only just starting to point up not down the hill. By the end of a comprehensive briefing in the clubhouse the mighty Disco rolled in with the Eagle and the final flurry of rigging was completed just as the first launches started.
The sky started to break up and the wind was a useful direction but still rather soft. Phil Morrison took an acclimatising trip round in 611 as the locals also hopped up and back. The Eagle was fortunate to launch when the sun was shining and used some weak thermals to augment the ridge and loiter, but inevitably ended up testing the height at which the ridge really worked. Constant figures of eight in a bowl near low key at a little over 300 feet were rewarded as the thermals started coming to life and the day moved up a gear.
Phil in 611 took the thermal option and climbed away for a jaunt out to Glastonbury. After 2 and half hours, the Eagle returned to swap Nick Jones for Stirling Melhuish and allow the driver (JP) a comfort break...
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| JP and Nick in the Eagle (JP) |
The wind had definitely perked up and exploration of the ridge (as a ridge) was now possible. Curiously strong but broken thermals tied up with a wavy looking sky but as ever wave proper was elusive. Matt W had taken over from Phil and tamed one of the gnarly climbs to get a 6.8 kt average. He also got close to 4000 ft in a wave like beat near Wells but it collapsed almost as soon as it started.
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| Wavy looking clouds over Cheddar reservoir (JP) |
The weather held out to allow flying til six and with a collective 11 hours airtime the team were happy to head home and the Keepers Cottage.
As ever a great welcome from the Mendip club, good briefings and a helpful cadre of members. Well worth a visit in a SW to S wind day and anyone flying in from NHL in a wooden glider can claim back the inter-club trophy! - JP
