Mission From Moir's

Looked quite hazy with few clouds on the drive North, and sure enough these proved to be good tell-tales of an Inversion. At launch we appeared to be above the haze and the conditions were good for takeoff. Once in the air it proved difficult to get above 600m, and those that did found themselves back down with the rest after losing what they had. In the end I missed my opportunity to top land and ended my flight after an hour or so at the usual spot. First flight of the Season, forgot to set the GPS to log, and couldn't get Livetracking to work, a good shake-me-down flight.

It looked possible. Light SE winds possibly swinging SW, so it was worth the trip. By one o'clock there was quite a crowd, Jeff, Kim, John (HG), Xen, Alex, Wayne, Anand, and myself. But it appears no matter how many turn up if it ain't going to happen, it ain't going to happen. The wind was consistently from the Easterly quarter, although light, and the clouds slowly built up and came in from the West. Eventually overdeveloping, but the Sou-westerly never arrived. Gradually pilots left to other commitments as it became more obvious that it wasn't to be, and the die-hards finally capitulated around three, leaving John the Hangie to linger. The sea-breeze looked like it eventually arrived around five, so I hope John was still there to get a bit of soaring in.

Well it certainly looked like it was worth the trip to Moir's. But where was everyone. Only one Hangie, John, was at launch. It was on when I got to launch so I kitted up straight away. But just before launching got a whiff of what was to follow. The old sea-breeze was about to arrive. Sure enough straight into good lift, and that was that, downhill from then. John launched pretty well straight after me but faded quickly, and by the time I did one pass of launch and decided to top land I was too low and sank out to the bomb-out paddock to join John. So what have I learnt about Moir's over the last few attempts to go over the back. 1. If the sea-breeze is due, get up to Moir's early to launch early. 2. If the sea-breeze arrives, take what-ever you can get if you can. Leonardo Flight Link

Light airs and sea-breezes was the forecast. We managed to get to the car park early, around 11, no-one else in sight (not a good omen?). Waited and watched the clouds and wind swing from SW to SE then back to SW, so I walked to launch to find pretty light winds with the occasional thermal coming through. Unfortunately not enough to stay up so my first flight was short and sweet, about three passes along the ridge before top landing. I waited a while hoping things would improve but the sea-breeze would be the only wind to make it flyable as the thermals were weak. So I launched into a mild sea-breeze, had a 1/2 hour of Yehaa and Whoa type ridge soaring before top landing again.

The wind was the right strength but the direction was WSW. Not my favourite for Moirs. It certainly wasn't crowded on launch, only Me, Myself and I, until Daron climbed back up from the lower West launch. No punching thermals here, and after a quarter of an hour of mucking around I was in my usual position in the middle of the Bomb-out Paddock. Daron on the other hand was more persistant and was rewarded with a slow climb over the back and a South Easterly ride to Wenderholm. Leonardo Flight Link

Forecast, light SE tending SW. It didn't happen. Instead we got light SE and showers. Overdeveloped by Noon and that was that. Geoff, Evan, John, Nick, Alex and Graham. and of course myself made up the motley crew. We did some Para-waiting and we all walked out. Boo Hoo.

Wayne, Anand, Andy, and myself launched not long after 1pm into a reasonable 25 km/hr WSW. An inkling that the sea-breeze had arrived was later to be confirmed. It was looking promising, but there were no fluffy cu, or other favourable tell-tales. So we spent between 1 and 2 hours going back and forward along the ridge hoping for the lift that would take us over the back, it wasn't to be. Upwind I rode the speed bar most times, and downwind I was able to clock around 60 km/hr without it. The occasional bubble would come through but tended to be broken and rough, not enough to latch on to and in the end I went too far out in front losing the ridge and sinking out. A few attempts at a low save only served to delay my demise and I eventually landed in the bomb-out paddock after a 53 minute uninspiring flight. Leonardo Flight Link