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Written by Bill Corlett
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Tuesday, 15 July 2008 |
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Arrived at the top of Sartfell at about 2.30, after watching Ste and Goldie scratching around but not getting very high. It was quite blustery, but generally about 14mph. Simon arrived back on top, from the back side of Sartfell just as I got to the top. Got rigged and then waited for a lull in the wind. The gusts coming through were blowing the wing all over the place, and trying to fold it up for me. I took off and started going up straight away, and very slowly penetrated forward, never had to use the bar though. There was lift everywhere in front of the hill, with the best climb rate at 4.5 m/sec. When I was about 150m above takeoff, I decided to go with the next thermal I caught, just to see how far I could get. After hearing how far the others had got, I was quite prepared to be landing out on the side of Slieu Freoghane.. I stayed circling until I lost the thermal then headed off down wind towards the Snaefell bottom lander, finding another couple of thermals on the way just to keep the height topped up. Arrived over the reservoir at about 115m above take off, and found another thermal. This took me up to over 300m above take, (I couldn’t always see my vario as the strap was loose and it kept falling over. I had to take one hand of the controls every now and again to see it, which is why I can’t be very specific about the heights) and drifted back over to the East Mountain Gate, at the top end of the mountain Mile. After that it was a straight glide along the west face of North Barrule to the Hibernia, not finding any lift along here. Turned into wind at about 100 foot above ground level, got bounced around a bit, but landed gently. I have attached a plan showing my landing point, but my measurements from take off to landing come to 13.3 km. I will have to get one of those GPS things, so that people will believe me! |
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Written by Simon Atherton
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Monday, 09 June 2008 |
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Snaefell SW 0-5 mph Got up to the top at about 2.30pm, met Bill. There seemed to be some thermals coming through and felt as though we could stay up. We could n’t though with Giles Keith, Jamie, Bill and I all slope landing. Had an ice cream and then all set up for forward launches as the wind by 3.30pm had gone, we were joined by Colin. Jamie and Bill got off first, Jamie finding some week thermals down to the southern side and having a very extended top to bottom. Bill had pretty much the same about 10 mins later to the northern side. Colin was off next and found something just a bit of the ridge. I lobbed off, from the northern end of the ridge, followed by Keith to the south with Giles. The thermal was weak but after a few 360’s got a bit more established with Colin above and Keith and Giles sliding in below. After some time in the creamiest thermal in the world got to cloud base at about 940 metres asl. The cloud was multi tiered so were able to keep climbing to a second cloudbase at 1025 metres. It was real magic stuff flying around between the cloud high above Snaefell. With no more height to be gained headed through a gap in the cloud towards Laxey followed by Keith and then Colin about another 20 metres above. After an inital smooth 5:1 glide things calmed themselves down and had a nice 34-37kmph glide all the way to Laxey, there was no really lift or sink of note on the way down, just showing that anything there was had come from Snaefell. Crossed the Laxey Glen Valley , checked the state of the Tide in Laxey harbour (in) so landed just by the transmitter above Mike Swales house. Do not know where Colin peeled off to, Ballacannall perhaps, Keith landing just up the road with Giles (leaving Snaefell 200 m below everyone else apparently) making it their as well. Next glider is a rush 2 then? A lovely flight, shame I did not turn on the GPS track log until I got to the Laxey Wheel and had unpacked the camera. Nice fresh orange at the parents and then Tara came and collected me. |
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