Steve J's 2010 Diary

[SteveJ]

Pandy    2 Feb 10

A flyable E'ly forecast, so headed for Pandy. TO at 1pm in a light breeze and sunshine. Did the traditional ridge run of 18 kms; though didn't jump over onto Hay Bluff. Got to over a grand ato on a few occasions in gentle 3 m/s thermals. Quite cold after 1hr 30 mins, wish I'd taken my heated-gloves along. 8 other wings up, mostly students of Steve Millson; though one or two had travelled from Reading for the day.

[SteveJ]

30 Jan 10   Dasklip

A strongish W'ly today, so there is a bit of confusion as to whether to go N or S along the ridge. Another significant feature today is the strength of the thermals, 8 m/s; my vario goes off the scales at 8 ! The air is also more turbulent, but cloud base is at 6, 500' amsl. After 1hr 15 mins I land in front of Teenager (a hill named because of its resemblance to a young female's breast) because headway in either direction is painfully slow.
1 hr 15 mins  - 11 kms  - Max alt  6,500' amsl

31 Jan 10   Dasklip

Thermals seem few and far between today, staying up with no dynamic lift is hard work. I take a thermal to cloudbase (6,500' amsl) after only 9 kms along the ridge and float over into the Citrusdal valley. Tracking up through the centre of the valley along the flat lands I reach the Constriction and climb even further as the cloud base rises to 7,180' amsl. The wind today has helped everyone go N in a quicker than usual time, but there is a price to pay.
Skirting high along the eastern side of the dam I see Nick a few Kms ahead, and think that he's on his way to re-claiming his distance record. Then I notice I'm not penetrating into wind and decide to get down. Too late, my shadow also confirms that a backward landing is required. Below the last field disappears and I'm faced with only scrub land
Tip-toeing my speed bar and ears in, I gradually lose height and just before I touch down I see Nick hit the ground in a cloud of dust a few 100 yards away. We both walk away unhurt. A kind farmer rounds us up and takes us to Clan William.
3 hrs 15 mins - 78.8 kms  - max alt  7,100'amsl

1 Feb 10   Dasklip
For some reason I don't feel like flying today; I'm flown out
Not many thermals about, best lift seems to be had above the flat lands just out from the hill. I make it over into the Citrusdal valley and head for the town itself for my last visit to the town's coffee shop. I land in a field on the edge of town with only a short walk.
2 hrs  - 33.9 Kms  - Max alt 4,970' amsl

2 Feb 10  Table Mountain

For me the last flight of the holiday was nothing but spectacular. Flying at TM requires a lot of co-operation from the weather and today it worked a treat; we were very lucky.
As we took the cable car ride to the summit I couldn't help but feel very unnerved at what we were about to do. Reaching a very small TO point we spread our wings out and with a running-reverse launch due to the lack of wind I manage to get away. Over the edge there is no dynamic lift only strongish thermals at 4 m/s to help you stay up. I have the ridge to myself as I watch the other attempt TO; apparently conditions got even lighter at launch. After waving to tourists on the cliff edge I head back and fore along the ridge getting to a max of 500 ato. What great views from up here
I click away with my camera until the card is full. A while later I'm joined by Nick, then I head down, past Lions' Head to land at Camps Bay on the coast. Here the wind has picked up a tad and I'm glad I came down when I did. Next down is Marcus , a German acro pilot, who treats us to some tumbles on his  way to the landing field.
The perfect end to a fantastic holiday.
I must add here that the actual TO from Table Mountain ranks high in the top 5 scariest things I've ever done in my life
Total Flying time in S. Africa: 35 hrs 10 mins
Total distance flown: 611.4 Kms


 

[SteveJ]

17 Jan 10  Dasklip

Soared along the ridge and got to 5,500' amsl above Bumpy, so crossed over into the Citrusdal valley. After bombing out above the flatlands on previous flights I decided to skirt the far eastern side of the valley, on the foothills of the Cedarberg mountains; in effect doing an 'L' shaped track rather than the most direct route. Although slower and more time consuming my plan paid off.
Passing my previous best distance, I glide on, through the Constriction and on to the open ground which straddles the N7 main road and the large lake system which leads to Clan William dam. Once through the Constriction flying seamed easier and the lift, endless. After over 4 hours in the saddle I'm above Clan William at 3,500' a,msl and still heading north. Ever present to anyone still flying in the late afternoon is the dreaded increase in wind speed; today, for some reason, it remained a light W'ly.
After 5hrs I'm stil high above the N7 roadway, but landing options look a little limited, so as I pass over the last field and see before me endless scrub-land, I opt to get down. My GPS shows 96.6 Kms, but I have visions of a trashed glider (from landing in thorn bushes) for the rest of the holiday if I press on.
5hrs - 96.6 Kms (106 Kms with three TPs  )  Max alt. 6,600' amsl

19 Jan 10  Dasklip

Flew along ridge and crossed over earlier than usual after getting to cloudbase. Stuck to my 'L' shaped route along the Cederbergs and got many low saves further up the valley over the flatlands. Went through the Constriction, but hit massive sink and get a little concerned about having to land  at the northern end in a deep river gully between three big hills
The anticipated rotor doesn't materialise and I find a dried up river bed bounded by bushes as a landing strip. I land on a steep bank and fall back down the gully onto my side. A short cracking noise on the side of my head after I hit a boulder makes me appreciative of a good helmet. Otherwise my only injury is a small graze on my elbow.
2 hrs 30 mins  - 60.1 kms - Max alt. 5,700' amsl

20 Jan 10  Dasklip

Flew along ridge in a light W'ly. Not much height today, possible inversion. Hopped over into the Citrusdal valley and bombed out after failing to find any lift.
1 Hr 30 mins  - 31 Kms - max alt 4,000' amsl

21 Jan 10  Dasklip

A light w'ly all day. The usual ridge run, then over into Citrusdal. Find lift on the flats up to 5,600' amsl. Cruise through the Constriction and get high on exiting; reassuring after bombing out there a few days earlier. Due to the W'ly wind I opt for a jaunt along the eastern side of the dam; topping up on the small outcrops that boarder the lakes. Somewhere below is Nick, who has lost his radio. The deliberate and constant radio traffic which helps him eventually to locate it is somewhat distracting; but no worries I'm high. Also below is the retrieve Landrover, stalking me like a hungry lion. Time is getting on and any dreams of reaching Clan William are dashed.
After I land we head for the town of Klawer, where HG pilot Adam West (Batman  ?? for those of a certain age....) has landed after 132 Kms
4 hrs 30 mins - 71 Kms

On 22 Jan I take a break from PG and head for Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift in Natal. A brief history lesson....
On 11 Jan 1879 the British Army invaded Zululand (nothing changed here...), eleven days later on 22 Jan, while camped at Isandlwana, 1,300 soldiers were annihlated by a force of 20,000 Zulus. A few hours later, a Zulu regiment who had not taken part in the battle decided they wanted to prove themselves, so ran 15 kms to the British post at Rorke's Drift, which incidentally, is just outside Zululand. Fortunately the soldiers at RD were a little more well organised and although only numbering 100 men, repulsed an attack by over 4,000 Zulus; a ratio of 40:1. British losses at RD numbered only 15 dead, the Zulus suffered far greater casualties. Many of the soldiers at RD hailed from Wales and were based at Brecon.
If you're ever near Brecon on a blown out day, a visit to the South Wales Boarderers Museum comes highly recommended. Pride of place in the museum are the stories behind the 11 VCs won that day.

On my way back to Durban I call in on the place where Winston Churchill was captured by the Boers in 1899. In the film 'Young Winston' this scene is shot at Penwyllt Quarry, behind Fan G. For those who know local 'action' photographer, Carl Ryan, he was an extra in the scene.

Back to PG.....
28 Jan 10  dasklip

After a break from PG I'm hungry for flying again. Due to the forecast of a predicted increase in wind speed PM, we take off at 11:30 am. The usual ridge run and cross-over  are made and plenty of thermals are found, even over the flatlands. 7 m/s are the norm now and as I head north the spectacular sight of a dust devil rising to over 1,000' above the ground amaze me.  I'm high over the Constriction and float on to Clan William. Deciding to land due to the forecast and set myself up to put down on the cricket/football pitch in the middle of the town. Getting down to 300' all hell lets loose. I feel as if anti-aircraft guns have unleashed a barrage into the sky. I'm in trouble as I'm low over the town and getting tucks and collapses every few seconds. With the turbulence  comes some lift which throws me high enough to get out of town and onto the open fields on the fringes. I land and count my blessings.
4 hrs  25 mins  - 83 kms   - Max alt 6,500' amsl.

[SteveJ]

7 Jan 10   Porterville

Arrived in SA the previous day to temperatures in the mid 30Cs; far hotter than the sub-zero climes we left behind in the UK. To those unfamiliar with flying in Porterville the usual format (in a S or SW wind) is to fly along 20 to 30 kms of ridge known as the Dasklip Pass, going over-the-back at any opportunity into the Citrusdal valley. From here you travel either north up the centre of the flatish valley floor, or opt to crab along the foot-hills of the Cederberg mountain range; the latter not being recommended in a strong  breeze, for fear of being hoovered up into the vast range of high mountains. Flying along the ridge is not a garentee, as on some days there is little or no dynamic lift, only thermals from the flatlands out in front.
Then after 50 kms you reach a feature known as the Constriction, which as you may have guessed, is a narrow passage of about 2 Kms before you enter another flatish area leading to the town of Clan William.

7 Jan 2010 Dasklip
TO from Dasklip at around midday (the usual TO time) and flew along the ridge before hopping over the ridge at 'Bumpy' (a peak along the ridge at about 18 Kms, so called as it gets bumpy if you get low in front of the hill). Took a glide into the Citrusdal Valley, but failed to find any lift and landed just short of the Cederberg foothills on the opposite side. Landed in a field near a tar road, where four local kids ran over a mile to welcome me to S. Africa. Got a lift on the back of a scrap wagon.
A gentle first flight, which re-afirmed that you're not guarenteed to stay up.
1 hr - 22 Kms

8 Jan 2010 Dasklip
A similar flight to yesterday, but stayed on the W side of the Citrusdal Valley.
1 hr 55 mins - 24 kms  Not much traffic on the dirt road this side of the valley, but after an hour managed a lift to Citrusdal by car.

9 Jan 2010 Dasklip
TO and decided to fly further along the ridge before hopping over, as this would perhaps increase my chances of finding lift on the Citrusdal flatlands.
While heading along the ridge at around 1pm I see an orange PG spiralling out of the sky at low level. Confused messages over the radio lead me to beleive everything is OK. My plan at passing over at a more northerly point works, I slip over quite low, but manage to find a thermal rocketing skywards over a dis-used airfield.
Experienced my first strong thermal today; 7 m/s
Landed soon after my save over the airfield to land just short of Citrusdal town.
1 hr 35 mins - 33 Kms
The orange glider I saw spiralling out of the sky turned out to be Nick. Thankfully he was still in one piece when I got back to the lodge; his only injuries being a swollen foot and a few scratches.

10 Jan 10   Dasklip
A Nly wind today. Flying N is very slow, so decided to turn S and head for the lodge at Porterville. Thermals peaked at only 6 m/s today.....Got some good altitude, 5, 900' AMSL (TO is 2,400' AMSL) and landed outside the lodge.
1 hr 35 mins - 11.9 Kms

11 Jan 10 Dasklip
Flew N up the ridge and crossed over at the airfield, Caught the 'house' thermal which took me over Citrusdal town and beyond.
Getting low i tried working a low hill, but failed.
2 hrs 45 mins - 40.1 Kms

13 Jan 10 Dasklip
Wind light at first, but quickly developed into a strong breeze. Head S along the ridge passing Porterville. Decide to land due to the wind strength, but get knocked around on the lower slopes on the way down. Andy also lands a few 100 yards away and we meet up for a retrieve. Due to our distance from the main road I stay with the bags while Andy goes to direct the Landrover. With temperatures at 45C today, Andy gets heat stress, but manages to flag-down the retrieve driver.
50 mins - 14.3 kms