SAFA Skysailor Magazine

SKY SAILOR 5 March | April 2020 T he day started off as usual, I headed out to work on the farm, and all morning I couldn’t help but gaze up at the sky, thinking how good it looked. At the time, I was really wishing it was a weekend and I could be towing up into it. As the day progressed, the clouds grew and started to shift into lines, then streets started to appear. The wind was light, blowing from the NE and nice cycles were happening. Thankfully, an early knock off was on the cards! I quickly finished a few more jobs, had a 1pm lunch out at the farm, then on the way back to town, the clouds just looked like your favourite flavoured fairy floss – delicious. I grabbed my gear from home and without a winch out on the farm that day, I headed for the hills out at Bell. A mate of mine and I had approached some farmers about permission to fly off a hill on their cattle property a few years ago, they were so kind as to let us go ahead with using it whenever we liked, as long as we rang them prior. I arrived at the hill around 2:30/3pm and drove up as quick as I could – I just needed to be up in that sky and I was really hoping this hill was my ticket to get there. I had tried to fly away from here a few times before, but never quite succeeded. It’s more of a pimple shaped hill and not very high, the winds have to be just right – I usually only go there late in the day to ridge soar. Nethertheless, I was there and I was going to give it a good crack! Up on launch, the winds were calm and cycles were coming through. I set up my gear and nerves and excitement kicked in. I don’t really like flying on my own, especially this type of flying, so I was nervous but still determined to give it a go. My first attempt was painful – the wind coming up the hill slowed right down to a stop and I thought there should be a thermal out front. I had a little breeze from behind – getting sucked into the thermal I could then hear flowing up the hill. I was ready and went to inflate the glider, but unfortu- nately couldn’t even get it off the ground when lines snagged in weeds and had to be untangle. A little annoyed, I continued to wait and observe for a good while – never saw any eagles or birds climbing out or dusties form infront of me, but downwind of me there were many. I got sick of waiting and had another go, this time a much better launch which put a smile on my face. I flew out in search for some rising air and instead, like normal at this hill, it was just a quick painful sled ride to the ground… Annoyed again, I packed up to walk with all the gear back to the top. I was absolutely bug- gered and dripping with sweat, I sat infront of my ute to cool down in the shade for a good half hour, skulling down water to rehydrate while looking out. It was getting late, my thoughts turned towards leaving as I was already packed up or hanging around for a ridge soar, when suddenly I finally