Sep 9 Kissin the Gravel

The launch on Sunday.

Well, there was an unofficial task to the Boonah T. I ridgesoared Beechmont for nearly an hour before finally getting up to 4,000ft with Derek and Neil. We all got to Hinchcliffs ok, and Neil got up easily and went on West. Derek and myself spent nearly another hour on Hinchcliffs. Derek landed at Hinchies bombout field and I was about to follow as the wind had died off. I managed to find a thermal half way to the bombout and eventually get back up to 4,000ft.

I headed West again and found a huge rain band in the Kerry. It looked really heavy. I decided to try and get infront of it. I found only light lift and started loosing height. I made the mistake on not really deciding on a good landing field. Then I made the mistake of thinking I could clear a fence and road. Soon, as I heard my harness just clip the top of a fence I was crashing onto a gravel road. I was soon greeted by the owner who couln't believe where I had landed with out hitting a fence. We were both glad that I didn't do any damage to fences and also the fact that I was 3 feet short of running into the electric fence.

The fence I only just cleared in foreground and electric fence in background.

Scrape marks left by my knee and base bar.

And finally for you bloodthirstys, what you get when you don't set up your approach right.

I was very upset with myself and more worried about the 2 weeks of pain that a scraped knee can give (inglewood) than any immediate pain. At least Joel was kind enough to drive out and pick me up. Glider seemed to survive relatively unscathed.

Sunday Series Task from Beechmont to Moogera Dam.

As Joel and I drove up to Beechmont the clouds were looking very good and our hopes were up. We arrived at just after 10am to find lots of people and many gliders already set up.


It looked good, but then the wind died and the valley was in shadows. So no one was keen to launch. Soon the wind picked up a little and Kath launched. She wasn't gaining much height but seem to be ridge soaring quite well. Of course then there was a bit of a rush. Soon there was 15 or so paragliders and hang glider ridge soaring in light lift. There was a call for no more pilots to launch as it was very congested with everyone at the same height. Some bombed out after choosing to search for lift out in the valley. Some eventually gained enough height to go over the back. After seeing a few pilots getting up off the point I decided to launch and fly out to them, but was rewarded instantly with good lift right in front of launch.


It was worth the long wait to launch because I soon found myself going over the back with a great cloud street almost all the way to Moogera. I caught up with a gaggle of four over Mohomit (is that how you spell it?). Kath was one of them and we flew together almost all the way to goal. It was an awesome flight.


I was so glad to make goal. Lee, the legend that he is was there to pick up Kath had some beers with him and I thought, well it doesn't get much better than this. A great flight, someone to take you back to your car and few cool beers around beautiful countryside. Many pilots made goal, including Nick, Cameron, Neil, Derek, Warren, Wrangi etc. I ended up being 6th for the day behind Warren, Cameron, Nick and Neil. If only days like this happened every weekend.

Aerotowing from the Lawn Farm at Boyland

On Saturday the 1st of September a few members of the Canungra club went out to do some aerotowing with Lee, Flocky and Barfly. Nick landed there after launching from Tambo. Wrangi came out along with Joel and few others.



Conditions were a bit light we were told by Big Trev and some others who flew overhead. Kath towed up and managed to stay up for quite a while before landing not too far away. I was about 5th to get towed up after a few came back for a re-tow. It was very hard to stay up even though the clouds looked good. I landed short of the tow paddock and packed up.



Then there was a bit of a spot landing comp which Joel won. Good, fun day. There should be more days like this coming up again soon too for those who want have a tow locally.