On a forecast promise of clear sky and good winds, Deryck and Paul head off south for a day of sloping indulgence.
However, mist envelopes any high ground south of Bexhill so this Friday's slackers spend a day touring South Downs sites in hope of some slope action.
Beachy is bleak, with fog rolling over the car park. The lift is good, but anything other than a foamie would be too much of a risk in the big air.
High and Over is busy with paragliders, so it's off to try uncharted territory. After a brief hunt, our persistent slopers strike off on foot to a small easterly ridge.
a climb up the Cuckmere valley......
the patchThe lift is reasonable, and the cloud high enough so as not to be an issue. The down side is the landing strip, or lack there of.
What looked feasible on arrival feels little more than a postage stamp once airborne. So a safe landing calls for a five minute, backward hike up the bumpy bridle path away from the lift.
Paul has a better time of it than Deryck, who bags a patch of bad air and has to scratch around in deteriorating light at low level. He hooks the last weak thermal of the day, squinting hard at his rapidly fading speck of an Ellipse. But it gives him the altitude he needs to peel off far from the lift band and get safely to the higher, clear ground for a landing....phew!
salute to St. Slacker
...it was a sh#t day for flying, let's not beat around the bush ! ;)
ReplyDeleteaye, it were shyte to be sure
ReplyDelete