After a quick stop at Magor services for a bargain breakfast (£19 for two!) we trundled along looking at wave clouds all around yeeeees!!! As we got closer to our destination the weather had completely changed to low cloud and drizzle noooooooooo! . The number of times I have turned into the gate looking at the hill shrouded in cloud feeling depressed is far too many.
We rigged all gliders quickly before the met brief at 10, then attended with eager anticipation, there was talk of wave and strong ridge lift, surely not?? The brief was indeed brief from "Bo" a very relaxed guy, to our surprise we left the room and glanced at the hill to see the cloud had gone!
Usain Bolt would of been proud of the speed that we pushed the DG and the ASW20 ENW to the launch point passing hoards of frantic men with white hats rushing to rig, boy does it pay to be early!
Bo launched the Talgarth K13 onto the hill with a 1000ft lob soon to be followed by the DG. Looking down you could see Ian and "Pilchard" from Cornwall shaking their fists!
I followed behind in ENW, the ridge was booming. We hurtled up and down waiting for Steve W FER to catch up before we set off on series of wave hunting runs into the valley. This carried on for 2 hrs with the wave teasing us all the time, we kept going further out every time knowing that the ridge was giving 6kts to give a top up. This was going well until one of the runs back to the ridge was interrupted by a short 30 sec of rain.
As anyone who has flown the DG in rain will know it shudders and shakes and does not climb at all well. The DG joined the ridge at Hay Bluff and with Steve, Simon and myself trying to thread in between at least 6 other gliders, the stress level was well elevated. Steve opted to jump the gap to the main ridge (very brave) and headed for home climbing as he went, I pulled the speed off and stepped down the flap settings giving me an extra 100ft enough to hit the sweet spot on the now soft ridge. The DG could not maintain and Simon made the right choice to abandon the ridge and head for the valley, minutes later he was sat in a field owned by a lovely farmer.
The retrieve through the farm yard was very difficult and if it were not for the farmers co-operation the DG would have been there forever.
Steve and I and about 8 other gliders took in turns to head home and land with about 5 minute intervals trying to avoid the showers that were now joining hands quicker than the children at a birthday party.
The DG returned to the airfield to find it pretty well deserted, they were all up having fun. The decision was made to rig and fly again. Gerard M and Mark C jumped in and had a fantastic evening flight with wave to 4000ft, Ian M got to 6500ft (without his engine he says mmmm). Steve did well and had another 2 hrs, "Pilchard" flew everywhere including in wave over Langorse lake presumably looking for shoals of fish! And SL finished the day with a flight in the ASW20.
What a day ! Cheesy grinometer score 9!
Tomorrow's forecast not so good but with a large amount of hours flown today we are not so worried, what a site !!! - MC
