Stevie G's Log Book 2009

[Stevie G]

23/12/09... Bryncaws. SE. 15mph. 3c. Sigma 6... Gerry and me was at Bryncaws and ready to fly by 9.20am... in 4inches of snow, it was a tad cold...but... the breeze was on the hill and a steady 15mph... I had a good flight for 35mins getting over 100ft ato, then it started to get a little snotty and gusty... it was wavy... and out of sync on the hill...so it seemed like game over... Nasher and Paraventure turned up so we ended up ground handling and hopping along with Cookie... all good fun... but very cold... brrr

[Stevie G]

19/12/09... Rhossili. NNW-W. 15mph. 5c. Sigma 6...was on the hill for 10.30ish wish Nasher, Gerry, Rob and Tina, followed by Gareth P and Viv... it had just started to pic up but was NW-NNW just enough to soar the hill but not enough for the cliff... then it dropped... after 45mins it started to pic up again still NW-NNW...out at sea we could see a breeze heading in from the W it looked good... until it got closer...it looked stronger than I thought, only three of us in the air... the wind came in all of a sudden... one visitor landed on the beech in time... 2 of us were caught.. the NNW and the strong W made the air rough... we were both being pushed back at a good rate even with big ears and full speed bar...I had a 40% collapes...dealt with that...thank god for SIV's... but now I was low and coming into the back of the pimple...too strong for a stall landing I pull on both A's for a symmetric collapes 3ft above the ground....great ... but I wasn't quick enough pulling back on the brakes to keep it down and end up with a bit of a bouncy bouncy drag till I could reel in on one brake line... the other pilot had enough height to land in the back field safely enough...alls good... pack up in the gale helped by Gareth P then a warm social with the gang in the Worm head...too long a break between flights I feel is not a good thing and everybody should do SIV's at least once... but that's for another page....  40mins

[Norris]

Was good to fly again mate, was a bit thermic too, was a kite doing really well at one stage but he was well behind take off. Pontlottyn tomorrow with luck! My wing is spread out in the front room dryin out -- it's the only time we put the C/H on!!!

[Stevie G]

10/12/09... Merthyr. W. 12-15mph. 7c... was ready to fly at Merthyr by 9.30... a good 15mph bang on the hill... Gerry's off first... a happy bunny... after about 30mins the breeze goes weak to 7mph... we top land... Norris arrives, sniffs the air and tells us to wait it'l come back... the reverend was right, it came back well good...all three in the air with plenty of room, just exploring the ridge, getting 190ft ato able to push out come back go well far across the ridge, alls good... after an hr it weakens again and turns a bit N... we again top land and pack... I filled my boots 1.20hrs in the air, very happy, I reached over my 100th honest hr of flying this year so far, maybe next year I wont be so lazy.... it allways good to fly with friends....

[Stevie G]

16-23/11/09...S Morocco. NW. 30c ... it was flyable everyday, clear blue skies and gentle breezes... always first thing in the morning their wind was S but by midday it always swung to NW so by 2pm we could start to fly, it was winter there but still 30c ... the first 2 days there was a good hours window for soaring only getting around 1300ft asl, reasonable, it was coastal, the rest of the week was just 30mins window of soaring followed by plenty of t2b's, we flew everday it was great to get in the air...apparently it was the worst November in over 10 years??? to them!!!  We stayed with paraglidemorocco in the village behind the eagles nest run by Nigel Smith and his Moroccan wife Ilham, they looked after us very well, everything was very very basic, the local traditional food some of the best meals Iv ever had... we were very remote, no light pollution and no cities, when night fell the darkness was blinding and the peace was deafening... our take off next to the Eagles Nest was only a 5 min drive, it was an easier and safer T/O and landing area... the land was barron scrub and desolate, it really is a poor country... rush hour consisted of a woman on a donkey passing by every now and then, the roads were empty... the dunes in front off T/O 2km away were at least double the height of Rhossili, I can see on a strong day that would be awesome.... the surf was cool too, 10ft wave all day long... we went on walk abouts exploring in the mornings, the local market twice a week 30km away was like stepping back into biblical times, fruit and veg piled high, the butchers killing the sheep and goats and hanging there cuts... choose a chicken, killed and plucked in front of you, good stuff... health and safety would have a field day... the Moroccans dont like to do too much, their idea is ' why stand, when you can sit, why sit when you can lay down, why Lay down when you can sleep'... all in all Morocco is a great place to fly, but its an adventure, not a holiday... I will be going back 

[Chris Dusgate]

Hi Stevie,
 
I stayed at the eagles nest in 2005 for a week and really liked it. It strikes me as your kind of place!, is the French owner still permanently stoned?, it was flyable every day with us, cloud base on the coast  typically 1,000ft asl rising to 5,000 metres inland. Great fun flying at the nest, popping in and out of cloudbase, enjoy.
 
Chris

[Stevie G]

20/11/09...Sth Morocco. NW. 30°c+...flying everyday so far at the eagles nest 2pm onwards, excellent thermic coastal site, Reech was right :you may as well be on Mars: its very remote, ethnic and very chilled, absolutley no thrills but everyone happy, managed to find a computer today 20Klms away... gotta head back to hill now for flying 

[Stevie G]

Hi Jeremy... I went down but the young lad Adrian was'nt there so I left it with the lady owner, she didn't seem to know anything about it so I asked for him to get intouch... no word yet and I havent been back yet... but it is there! but not up?.... I'll have to get back down and find out whats going on... hope they havent mislaid it?

[Jeremy]

Stevie , Did anything ever come of siting a windsock behind the "worms-head" Hotel, and in front of the webcam ?

[Markvan]

 Hi Stevie,
A good day ! Well worth the trip.
  I Flew till it got a bit dark but not as high as earlier on account of all that change you gave me weighing me down. 
  First time at Marros, very nice coastal views.
  Very enjoyable, cheers, Mark

[Stevie G]

28/10/09...Marros. SSW. 15mph. 15c... planned an early to Marros but reading the charts didn't seem to be a goer... so just waited for the day to take shape... got a call from Ben? we met at Marros early afternoon..one glider in the air...Mark from Pembrokeshire Paragliding...he landed...too weak... so we ground handle a while...the breeze picks up a little... is warm and moist... I take off and slowly rise to 1000ft asl to my suprise...warm air coming in off the sea being pushed by a cooler breeze... there was orographic forming behind us in land.. nice and strange...one could fly well out to sea and a good way along the ridge...over an hr later the wind goes chill, stronger and more SW...we all decide to land for a break... Ben and me pack leaving Mark to carry on flying...an hr later he's still in the air... with good height...we pay Nick Turner...a NICE farmer...am glad to off flown...10days is too long a break  ; )

[Stevie G]

18/10/09... Marros. S. 15mph. 15c... thought Rhossil might work today... got there...too south with east in it??? then plain south... opted to go straight on to Marros with Victor and Gerry... it was on the hill and strong enough... strange??? we had a good flight only getting 200ft above take off and able to push out... later it went SW and eased off... Victor ended up landing on the beach... we could see from the sea that it was game over so decided to go for beers... nice to get in the air... love this sport... even if the weather charts are not always right

[Stevie G]

thats great news guys....if I get a chance I will have a chat with young Adrian about it? if they really mean it, I can give them the windsock and pole and put it in the right place for us to view from the web cam without blotting anything out for us or them... great guys, nice one...

[Jeremy]

Hi Stevie,
Good blog and good account of days events. Was particularly interested in your very positive comments from the landlord of "Worms Head Hotel".
Cookie and I went for a quick pint after flying and Gareth joined us just before I left and mentioned something VERY interesting.
He had talked with the landlord with a view to siting a wind sock in the garden of the hotel , just in front of the WEBCAM . How good would that be ?
As I understand it the landlord said "No problem!"
This really needs following up, it doesn't need to be big (a discreet windsock on the furthest terrace from the camera would be perfect as it would be nearest the "clean air" and actual windflow) . Go for it Gareth ! Great idea mate !

[Stevie G]

10/10/09... Rhossili. W. 16mph. 16c... arrived late and counted 22 gliders flying...more on the ground.. it was nice to see a good handfull of our locals like Nick, Chris, Nasher, Paul, Viv, Rhun, Chrisekite the usual motley crew and more... and those dedicated visitors that travelled hours to fly our fantastic coastal site, such as Martin Cowley and his merry band of pilots... the ScumDog crew Cookie, Rob & Tina...just too many folks to mention... all knowing eachover... I like it when its like that, it how flying should be....along with the Paragliders you had the Hangliders too flying around us safely...some SpeedFlying going on by Dan S and we seem to off attracted parachutists who like to do many TTB's... ... flying that day you had to know your limits...wait for the lulls at take off, but once off you could fly out just ridge soaring... or you could get height and push out to sea and practice manoeuvres... nice to see people just doing their own thing, becoming more comfortable... lots went on that day... by the late afternoon the wind increased and was too much for most... up to 25mph on the pimple...it was the end of the day... people had flown for hrs (2hrs for me).... getting over 1000ft asl...time to socialise in the Worms Head... the owners of the Worms Head informed me that it was amazing to see so many pilots, the customers were enjoying the sight and the stuff that the pilots were getting up to....good to hear... hope it's a plus for our sport on our door step...