Race against tide

Pat M looking happy with his afternoons work

Rick h comes in for a landing legs crossed for the camera

Graham A on his first soaring flight as the windsock gets a "lazy lob"

Happy Bunny after the Big One

Pat M settles into hill soaring on his third flight

Bill N gets ready to take off as we leave the site

It was a day at the seaside at Freathy with a southwest breeze forecast anywhere from 10mph up to 18mph. On arrival it was nearer 30mph, but no worries it was forecast to drop and the tide needed to go out a little more to give a safe bottom landing option for our hill conversion pilots.

It remained breezy for the next few hours so we made the most of it tethering the Mars and after testing the air with Rick H we put Pat M (Northampton) who was down to hopefully convert to the hill having learnt up country and only ever aero towed. Pat did a good job showing us what he could do both in and out of prone whilst getting used to conditions on the hill. Next Graham A (Torrington) clipped in and was soon practicing his prone conversions in readiness for his soaring flights.

Time went by and the wind slowly began to ease back and by the time the tide turned and was on its way in again things began to get sensible. After a quick test flights Rick H was up and away on the Calypso to enjoy a good afternoons flying putting in several flights.

Graham A was next off and had a fantastic time on his first soaring flight on a Hang Glider which he followed up with a good top landing to much applause.

Whilst Graham absorbed what he had just achieved Pat stepped off the launch and was soon up and away on his first hill flight, despite a communications breakdown he followed the brief and after 10 minutes or so came in and did a very acceptable landing on top. With the tide now coming in at a pace Graham A was off again before the beach got to small and had another cracking flight looking smoother and making more of the lift before a near perfect top landing.

Pat sneaked in another couple of flights to consolidate on his new found skill landing nicely as what looked like rain appeared on the horizon.

A light shower arrived just as we had finished packing up along with an increase in the wind. However as it cleared the breeze dropped and by the time we were leaving the site Bill N was launching his Paraglider.

A great afternoon for the Hangers