| Flight details: | I had a long drive to Ringstead Bay and back. But it was worth it for a lovely two hour flight at a new site and meeting new people. When I got there the wind was lighter than forecast and I was thinking "Oh shit!". But as Ian and I rigged we watched PGs proving that it was soarable. Then the wind picked up just enough. When we did take off the VR was quickly and easily above everyone, comfortably at 500ft ATO. In sea thermals, cloudbase was relatively easy at between 1,100 and 1,300 ft at different times. Strangely, it was lower when it got sunnier later on.
I flew down to just past Durdle Door and back (about 7km each way). It's a beautiful coastline. A bit more challenging (more scary anyway) than Newhaven to Brighton in the sense of lack of bomb-out options and the topography of the cliff, but not as far, although you can go twice as far in the right conditions. I chickened out of going further because of big gaps in the cliff and it was upwind on the return leg, unlike Newhaven which is always downwind on the return. There's a huge top landing field too. I put my GoPro on the keel but forgot to switch it on, again!
Thanks to Ian P for the site briefing, and local pilots John, Stuart and Richard for making me welcome. |
