It felt pretty lonely being the only one trying to push across the Kaimai's.
Typically, a long tow to 4000ft was followed by a grudging descent to 2500ft followed by the normal slow battle to get back up high enough to safely cross over. Winds were 18-20 knots, 240-250 degrees...ideal ridge/wave stuff. However the sheet of grey cloud in the Waikato wasn't very inviting. The second the air crossed the Kaimai's it descended and dried out...hence blue and warm on the BOP of the hills. The best wave was behind the waterfall, unusually, whereas behind the high point it was confused and broken, as were the thermals.
240 kms, although to be fair, ridge tasks or distances aren't much of a test of skill. The only glider I saw all day was GVM. We spent 10 minutes beating up...sorry - ridge flying at low level trying to gain height...the lookout carpark waiting for a fellow club member to turn-up. He forgot to stop...no wonder he is a life member.
Wave over katikati...it looked better than it really was...
The Swamp...what a bland and bleak landscape...funny how it puts out strong thermals.
I ran into the hang-glider brigade pottering along the Kaimai's. I'm guessing they launched from the Quarry at the Radar Dome and flew down to Te Aroha and back.
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