Expeditions - Denbigh, Wales
It all started on Tuesday night when JP suggested that we
should be up at crack of sparrows and get the Eagle (which was roosting
in the hanger) down to the launch point to get an early launch. I
couldn’t quite understand why we couldn’t just chuck a towel on to the
front of queue and have a lay-in but he was a bit insistent so we agreed! - Turns out it was raining in the morning so the towel came in handy!
Phil and JP launched 2nd and JB was 3rd. As JP said, anything less than 5 hrs isn’t worth getting out of bed for!
We
bimbled up and down the ridge for a while then it all went smoooooth
and with a bit of Jigery-pokery we climbed to 4000ft, and confident that
we had connected with the wave we relaxed.... and it was gorn!
Phil and
JP fired up the iron thermal for about an hour and a ‘arf and finally
got into the wave over Abergele and swiftly climbed to 8800ft the like
of which was never seen again!
Hey ho, that’s gliding for you!
Meanwhile,
JB decided to play on the ridge and carry out some scientific
experiments! Does it make much difference if you fly fast or slow if the
ridge is working? - Well, not a lot!
If
you bumble along at between 50 and 60kts you stay between 1900 and 2300
and if you go -ve 2 and stick to the front- you going like a robbers
dog and fly the lot at about 1500! It’s a lot faster and a bit more
scary but it works - most of the time anyway! But it is a bit rough!
Anyway,
a great time was had by all and topped off by a G&T or two in Nick's
Palace before heading off to the Y Ceffyl Glyn which apparently is The
White Horse!- JB (photos JP)
North Hill
The forecast was not very inspiring with high wind and the likelihood of frequent showers, this accounted for a lower than usual turnout.
We took only one K21 and a Junior out of the hangar, the wind was due West gusting to twenty knots at times, although the West ridge looked as if it should have been working there were only extended circuits to be had and we stopped flying a few times due to the frequent showers.
Everyone who wanted to fly flew, we packed up about 4pm due to heavy rain approaching from the West. - John Street
North Hill
The forecast was not very inspiring with high wind and the likelihood of frequent showers, this accounted for a lower than usual turnout.
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| Fairy circles (Tom Sides) |
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| The rain arrived from the west (John Street) |
