SAFA Skysailor Magazine

SKY SAILOR 7 July | August 2020 I was sure it was the same wedgie who had eyed me an hour previously. This time it was coming from the opposite direction, about two kilometres from launch. By now I was less than a 1000 feet off the deck. The eagle pulled out of its shallow dive and circled. Now, after reading Todd Dennis’s article, I realise that the wedgie was not vocalising. Also, it was out of breeding season. Two clear indicators that it was probably curious rather than hostile. But at the time I had no idea how to read the signals. I watched it nervously, not sure if I should yell abuse or not, an interloper in its domain. Fortunately, I kept my mouth closed…and forgot to breathe again. The wedgie moved off but came back quickly. Then it flew away again, moving up into better lift. I had this strong instinct – peppered with disbelief – that it was inviting me to follow it. So I did. My vario responded in harmony. Beep, beep, beep. Louder each time. We headed straight into the core of the thermal. Wingtip to wingtip we circled. A thousand feet. Two thousand feet. Three thousand feet. Up and up. Round and round. Dancing together all the way to cloud base. Then just as soon as the eagle arrived, she left. Fairy floss like clouds whisked around me. It was an advanced thermalling clinic like no other. A brief moment with the master. For those few minutes there was nothing else. It was as if that eagle and I were the centre of the universe. Still. While everything else revolved around us. This is why I fly. Flying in the haze, 14 January 2020