Viv's Blog

[Viv]

21st Feb. Rhosili. Very light WNW and variable. A few already launched from the top. I stay on the pimple fluffing out my wall and making a few half hearted inflations. Yesterday I draped her over the gorse and spent half an hour teasing out the microlines without snagging the sheaths. It was quite busy up top so I stay on the pimple, the others start to land and eventually I reverse launch into a breeze so light that I barely manage to clear the gorse, crab across below the top, scratching close, a figure of eight and cross to the whitehouse, sink and head for the beach, land on the dry bit and call it a day. 10 mins.

[Viv]

14th Feb. Rhosili. An early start to no avail, not much groundhandling, an aborted launch from the top, eventually the parawaiting paid off and reverse launch, pass in front of t/o a few beats to gain height, then push across the gap to the campsite, climb and beat back, it's active flying today, as a short shower blows through I intend to land and dry off, but am encouraged to stay aloft over the radio by the earlybirds who all t.t.b'ed and are toiling back up from the beach to go again. I feel that today it's MY hill. Sure enough she dries in a short while and I climb to the top of the stack and continue weaving in and out the liftband along the whole ridge until I see more weather approaching, it's gone a bit northerly, I can't quite make a decent approach to the pimple as it's stiffened to 16mph and I get lift on every traverse. Speedbar a bit to lose height. Today we fly in front of the Worm's Head and along the beach in front of the cliffs, this allows for a different approach than the usual, and after 1 and a half hours make an elegant landing on intended spot. Pilot of the Day. Waited all day and got rained on twice, chilled to the bone. A beautiful sunset. 

[Viv]

 6th Feb. Heol Senni. Flags at Dan-y-Rogof entrance were fluttering steadily on the drive up, a few large birds lazily circling low. Top in mist still at midday. A red helicopter passes over the resovoir. Parawait with flask, 5 others in the air soon after. Nobody on radio today, and phones not working well here. I feel a bit isolated. A couple of inflations in the lightening breeze, reverse launch from just below the top, and a scratchy but confident boat about in figures of 8, never acheiving height or going above t/o, as the others all did, the quarry still had snow in places, then as I was more than halfway down, went for a smooth constant aspect approach and touchdown in intended spot by cars. 15 mins.

[Viv]

24th January. Rhosili. NW 16-18 at midday. Hours of groundhandling the Zulu. At last the wind came westerly, and dropped to a manageable 15mph. Nasher pushed me off the pimple and I had a lovely soar about, to the campsite several times and back, successfully keeping clear of Paraventure students and 3 or 4 hangies, plus the usual crew. Still familiarising myself with cautious weight shifting and gentle turns, could be more active. Nice height at times, never going behind the top or beyond the surf, it was hard to get down even with speedbar and ears in, though not at the same time, with Norris advising over the radio an accurate landing on pimple. A great first flight of the year. 1hr 45mins.