Well, what a beautiful day!
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| April 2022 course |
With blue skies throughout most of the morning, course members and instructors decided to make the most of unsoarable conditions and racked up a hefty step count doing launch failures. These were followed by solos from Sandy Harrup, Chris Woodward and James Lambert before heading off to a late lunch.
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| Great skies for the helpers soaring at lunchtime (Lizzie Westcott) |
Flights after lunch boasted 10kt thermals and over 5,000ft cloudbase, with a few private gliders completing impressive tasks and course members and helpers enjoying flights over an hour long.
Pete Startup 230 NH2 -Lapford - Salisbury - Fordingbridge -NH2 301kms "As Mr Masson forecast, very good in Devon and Dorset today. Sea air was in at North Hill when I got back so nice to have plenty of height in hand for the glide in."
Rowan Smith CLM NHL - Dorchester - Salisbury - NHL 224kms "Last minute decision to take the day off. #worklifebalance Glad I did - best day of the year so far. A very easy ride - consistent thermals that worked more often than not - really nice run down to Dorchester - a bit more challenging going up to Salisbury then an easy ride home. #underset"
Eric Alston G29 NH2 - Knowstone -Crewkerne - NH2 130kms "Started late, under set task, no low points."
Pete & Jill Harmer OL NHL - Tiverton E - Barnstaple - Culmhead - NHL "Also started late and followed the energy"
Geoff Lawrence HES Hembury - Culmstock - Culmhead - Wellington - NH2 - Hembury "At least it's a start for this year!"
Hans Jenssen Stewart Henshall and Stirling Melhuish all enjoyed local flights in HMS, well done to Stirling for getting converted.
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| A fantastic day with many visitors to Devon (National Ladder) |
Conditions died down later in the afternoon, local thermals becoming far and few between as the sea breeze came in, however soaring continued into the late afternoon before an early finish around 5pm.
The forecast tomorrow looks to be a slow start but looking much better later on.
A brilliant start to the first course of the year! - Lizzie Westcott (+BGA ladder comments)
Archaeology update
The archaeological strip of the Glider Trailer Store started today. Nick, Tom, Graham and Stirling drove the machinery, while Steph, John Street, Mike F. cleared up the mess and operated the metal detector. Jeanine looked after the tent and made some tea, while Jonathan wore a yellow jacket with matching hat and did very little but line up some second hand launch cable.
To the delight of the committee, amid lots of rock, nothing archaeological was found except an old thermostat, some staples , a nail and a ring pull.
We will finish off on Wednesday, I hope. - JGPE
